From the US, it was easy to simply look at Africa as a whole - blame white people for the distress all the countries are in and then want to come over to show that not all white people are the same. Yes, this will be a bit of a racial blog with harsh topics, but don't judge me until you have come to South Africa and lived in the conditions I live in - then we can talk.
Many of you know about Amanda - the 15 year old girl who was raped and who I spent a lot of time with when I first arrived and thereafter. Yesterday, one of our directors and another volunteer thought it would be a good idea to drop her off by herself at the mall and she hasn't returned since. It wasn't even until this morning that people realized she was missing. The last time I saw her, she gave me a big hug to let me know she liked living at the Haven and that they found her aunt in Durban and she was able to speak with her over the phone. She said her aunt had been looking for her and was crying so much and was so happy. Now, I find out that her aunt wanted nothing to do with her and everything she told me was a lie. She was either stealing or begging people for money, and now she is gone. Apparently, life on the streets is much more appealing than three free meals a day, shelter, clothing, and schooling. Forget about the second chance at life that someone has just given you out of the kindness of their heart.
Yesterday, 800 rand (a little over $100) was stolen by one of the mothers out of our doctor's purse while she was seeing patients. This is a woman who is spending her retirement here in South Africa - volunteering - and they steal from her. Today, I had to strip search all the mothers and ransack their rooms to try and find the money. It is likely that one of the mothers put it inside them as they usually brag about their street life and that is what they used to do.
Plain and simple, in black and white terms - this is not to piss any of you off or to be prejudice in any sort of a way - but this is the reality folks. This is what the media doesn't show you. Because of apartheid, a lot of blacks here think the whites owe them something - even if the whites offer it, they find it easier to take it from them by force, whether that be raping or murdering them, or doing the classic smash and grab through the car window. The mothers here sit and laugh at us volunteers as we work our asses off trying to ensure they are comfortable, while they steal our money and cell phones, our clothes and cameras. Yes, this has all happened since I have been here. Of course, I am making a large generalization, but spend one week here and you will know exactly what I mean. Driving through Soweto yesterday to pick up a sick patient, we were called names and had rocks thrown at our vehicle simply because we were white. Farmers here are being slaughtered, but only after they have watched their children and wives raped and murdered - simply because they are white. Our American doctor went to get her work visa to teach med students at the hospital and they literally threw her papers back in her face and said "We don't want any more white doctors in our country." Did I mention that hospitals all over SA are shutting down because they are short on doctors? I assume many of you have heard the international news coverage of the white college students who made a video about peeing in black people's food here - but what about the news coverage of the whites here getting mugged, raped, murdered in their own homes...where are those hate crimes in the headlines? Apartheid ended and reverse racism ensued and this is what is left. A country that has great potential, thousands of organizations and volunteers taking time out of their lives to come over and help and being taken full advantage of. I find it very difficult to sit back and watch a culture realize they are self destructing and yet do absolutely nothing about it but sit around waiting for a hand out. Yes, I am angry as I am writing this, but it doesn't mean that what I am saying is not true. Everything I have mentioned happens and it happens often.
I realize this is not a happy email, but it is one that I want to educate you as to what really happens here. Yes, there are people here who want and desperately need help and that is why I find this trip worthwhile, but the country as a whole...well, all I am saying is to remember that for every headline you see, there are about a thousand more a day that don't get reported.
