Married and Changes!

Reflections on a Time of Change

What a joy it is to think back over all that’s happened in the past few months. So many exciting developments! Visiting friends and family back in the USA, planning a wedding that turned out beautifully, moving as a married woman into a mission community in a new Zulu tribal area, passing the Thembalethu leadership to Xoli who has grown greatly in her new role, having a Zulu wedding reception (check out our Zulu wedding picture!), celebrating again with other South African friends, setting up a new house, getting used to married life, continuing HBC work, adding a new community, a new organization. There have been a lot of changes!

I was just reminded how different the Pacific Northwest is from Tugela Ferry, where I’ve landed in married life. Back at my dad’s house in Enumclaw, inspired to save energy, I tried valiantly on the hottest of summer days to dry my clothes on the clothes line. After more than half a day, a good portion of the clothes remained damp. Today, with strong winds and hot, dry weather before spring rains set in was a different story altogether. Within ten (maybe even five??) minutes of removing my clothes from the washing machine, and hanging them on the washing line, they were dry. Not a trace of dampness. This is why tumble dryers are almost obsolete in these parts. The sun, heat and low humidity contribute to the most conducive climate for drying clothes on the line.

Married life with Eugene has gotten off to a good start. We were so blessed to have many US friends and family around us as we made our vows and celebration. Thanks to those who were able to join us, for the huge blessing that you’ve been in our lives, for your contributions to our new life together! Time on the beach both in Washington, and then on South Africa’s east coast gave us time to settle into our new roles and life together as a married couple. Such a lovely time!

Welcome to Tugela Ferry

We arrived back at our new home in Tugela Ferry in late August, almost ready to get back to work. Philanjalo, the organization Eugene’s been working with for the past four years houses us in one of its ParkHomes, that is a three bedroom doublewide modular home. Yes, I live in a double wide! As of yesterday, we are a now linked to, although from the farthest extremity, the Church of Scotland Hospital (COSH). There’s a large hospital community of nurses, doctors, and their families, which is amazingly international (in large part from Philanjalo’s research element), so although the only change was putting a gate where a fence once stood, it feels like we have a bigger neighborhood now.

Although before getting married, I’d spent a good deal of time visiting here, I’d never appreciated the view of the vast community gardens between our home and the Tugela River. Because I moved into Eugene’s house at the very end of the dry season, the lush gardens from our bedroom and living room windows were an unexpected oasis, a delight to my eyes. I love to watch the local ladies out in their gardens, weeding, watering from the community irrigation trenches and tending their fields. It’s a beautiful sight to watch as the dry brown earth comes to life again!! As I was outside today gardening myself, I found I’ve adopted their bending at the waist technique for reaching down. My poor lower back!

And yet, life in Tugela is no big shock for me. Although people here tend to be more traditional than I’m used to in the Berg (more round thatched ‘rondavel’ houses, more topless women, purple capes on women’s backs, more skirts, less pants, etc), one Zulu area is not so different from another. Getting to know first Philanjalo (they have a large, successful HBC program), and then Eugene, I’ve spent increasing amounts of time here in ‘The Ferry’ over the past few years.

HBC2– Thembalethu carries on, Philanjalo added

Being situated about two hours drive from my former digs in the Central Drakensberg, my role with Thembalethu has shifted to being more of one of support, administration and oversight. Xoli has taken over the day to day management of our now-fully registered NGO, Thembalethu Care Organization. (Hallelujah – that was a LONG process, but we made it through!!) Lord willing Xoli will soon get her driver’s license (test date 14 October – please pray!), allowing her to better help the HBC, getting around to support sick patients and the OVC (orphans and vulnerable children) that we are assisting. I continue to look for ways and opportunities to build up her skills and confidence in managing Thembalethu so that she can do an even better job assisting the HBC volunteers and community at large.

I really enjoy staying involved with Thembalethu two days a week, driving the two hour trip as needed to support Xoli and the project. (I am grateful for all my friends there who put me up for the times I stay the night in Winterton.) When not required physically in the Berg, I stay by my computer at home in Tugela Ferry doing other admin support work. The other three days a week, I’ve been hired part-time by Philanjalo (that’s right, hired, and am promised a meager South African salary) to coordinate their large home-based care program. Philanjalo is a South African Christian NGO that is doing similar AIDS work, but on a MUCH larger scale. Instead of Thembalethu’s 35 HBC volunteers working in a small area within a municipality, Philanjalo is working with 170 HBC volunteers working within an entire municipality called Msinga. Philanjalo also has a Care Centre (previously know as hospice though with ARVs available, its very high recovery rate makes it more a respite centre), a pediatric Care Centre, does various HIV/AIDS/TB related research projects with top US medical universities, and some food and other assistance to local OVC.

I’m still finding my place, my work within the Philanjalo organization, but so far rejoicing at seeing the tremendous impact that good doctors have on the area. Tugela Ferry’s Church of Scotland Hospital is known throughout the area, the province, the nation, and even the world. Locally, it is primarily known for excellent Christian doctors who have committed their lives to serving here. Seeing first hand the ripple effects that passionate, dedicated management of TB and HIV/AIDS has on the community is very exciting for me after struggling with the inefficiencies and apathy rampant throughout other areas of the system. It’s amazing the effect that a few committed men and women, when centered on the hope and love of God, can have on a community!!

Impacts on Supporters

It never ceases to blow my mind how God provides. For four and a half years now I’ve been able to do work in the Amangwe/Loskop community through your generous donations. Thank you!! I’m so grateful to God and to all of you for the support that you’ve give me, how you’ve entrusted me to share love and hope with people in need here. Bless you!

So, what do all these changes, and promises of a part-time salary (don’t know yet when it’ll come through) mean to you as supporters? Primarily, having a paid part-time job, it’ll be able to free up a good deal of my previous financial needs. Instead of needing approximately $20,000 annually for a salary, I need to raise much less for myself. This provides an opportunity to use some of those funds to cover the expenses for the work I’ll be doing with Thembalethu (formerly funded primarily from South Africa, but I’m trying to free up and stretch their Rand). I figure I need $8,000 for my salary working with Thembalethu two days a week, and $7,000 to fund the work expenses I’ll accrue in the course of doing ministry (primarily fuel, phone calls and airfare), totaling about $15,000 a year. The later UPC calls Personal Ministry expenses, and from now I will separate them from my salary so the tax man won’t take as much.

ANNUAL NEED DETAIL
$8,000 Annually Part-time work with Thembalethu, two days a week
$7,000 Annually Personal Ministry Expenses for Thembalethu: my transport once a week to assist Xoli, as well as office expenses in doing the admin and organization, and an annual flight to the USA
$15,000 Annually TOTAL

All these funds can continue going through UPC in the same way, although the name on my account has however changed from Betsy Elfers to Betsy Meyer. If you would like to continue your monthly support for the coming year, please let me know so I can do a bit of planning. Thank you so much for your support! I will be in Loskop doing home visits on Thursday, and I look forward to reconnecting with the HBC volunteers and the work they’re doing there to support the sick and orphaned. I’ll send out a new update about how they’re doing, the people they’re assisting sooner now that life has settled down more.