Durban
Mon 19th - Tues 20th March
After the traumatic but profound experience in the township, Victor showed us around Durban a bit. Because he was a black man, he could take us to places that white people never go - first stop was the witchdoctors market. This is a very African culture, a deepseated belief in the traditional medicines prescribed by witchdoctors for all kinds of ailments. The majority of Zulu people will come here for treatment rather than go to a hospital or western doctor. As you walk through the market you are assualted by so much - colours, smells, noises. There are different methods preferred by different witchdoctors, so in some shops you will see piles of different barks or woods chopped up - these medicines are administered by smoke. Others believe in the natural powers of animals, so there are various skins and bones on display, not to mention the odd dead lizard or starfish.
For the people who work on these stalls, it is their entire life. They literally live on the market, covering over the piles of ingrediants each night and pulling out mattresses and pillows that have been stacked up out of reach. And the entire is market is full of people doing exactly the same thing... but they still make very good money apparently. I guess could be an option when we get fed up with the NHS...
While I was in Durban there had been some huge winds and a freak alignment of the moon (or something) that had resulted in a MASSIVE swell and the biggest waves they had seen in 20 years. The whole of the beach front had been wiped out and the little cafes and shops washed away - put an end to my ideas of surfing lessons!!
It turns out that Home Backpackers is actually owned/run by Christians!! Wasn't expecting that, but it certainly had a different feel about it, something you can't quite put your finger on (hint: Jesus!). Victor invited me to a prayer meeting at his church on Tuesday evening, and he took me and introduced me to his friends. I met a girl called Tracy who's mum has just emmigrated to England - "Oh really, where abouts?" (because obviously I know every single town in England!) "Southsea" - "No way!!!!!!!!!!! I actually DO know that place!!" Crazy stuff. The prayer meeting was cool - it was an 'emergency' day of prayer and fasting for the security of the church members (apparently this is not uncommon in South Africa) and many of the people I met thought it was hilarious that my first experience of church here was praying for safety! I tried not to think too much about the implications of this...
I left Durban feeling very touched - not really sure how else to put it really! It stirred up in me lots of feelings about what I'm doing here, why God wants me in South Africa and possibilities for the future. All very exciting, in an terribly scary way!! Will have to keep praying about it lots, but thinking of coming back at the end of my trip to get involved in Soul In The City projects this summer.
After the traumatic but profound experience in the township, Victor showed us around Durban a bit. Because he was a black man, he could take us to places that white people never go - first stop was the witchdoctors market. This is a very African culture, a deepseated belief in the traditional medicines prescribed by witchdoctors for all kinds of ailments. The majority of Zulu people will come here for treatment rather than go to a hospital or western doctor. As you walk through the market you are assualted by so much - colours, smells, noises. There are different methods preferred by different witchdoctors, so in some shops you will see piles of different barks or woods chopped up - these medicines are administered by smoke. Others believe in the natural powers of animals, so there are various skins and bones on display, not to mention the odd dead lizard or starfish.
For the people who work on these stalls, it is their entire life. They literally live on the market, covering over the piles of ingrediants each night and pulling out mattresses and pillows that have been stacked up out of reach. And the entire is market is full of people doing exactly the same thing... but they still make very good money apparently. I guess could be an option when we get fed up with the NHS...
While I was in Durban there had been some huge winds and a freak alignment of the moon (or something) that had resulted in a MASSIVE swell and the biggest waves they had seen in 20 years. The whole of the beach front had been wiped out and the little cafes and shops washed away - put an end to my ideas of surfing lessons!!
It turns out that Home Backpackers is actually owned/run by Christians!! Wasn't expecting that, but it certainly had a different feel about it, something you can't quite put your finger on (hint: Jesus!). Victor invited me to a prayer meeting at his church on Tuesday evening, and he took me and introduced me to his friends. I met a girl called Tracy who's mum has just emmigrated to England - "Oh really, where abouts?" (because obviously I know every single town in England!) "Southsea" - "No way!!!!!!!!!!! I actually DO know that place!!" Crazy stuff. The prayer meeting was cool - it was an 'emergency' day of prayer and fasting for the security of the church members (apparently this is not uncommon in South Africa) and many of the people I met thought it was hilarious that my first experience of church here was praying for safety! I tried not to think too much about the implications of this...
I left Durban feeling very touched - not really sure how else to put it really! It stirred up in me lots of feelings about what I'm doing here, why God wants me in South Africa and possibilities for the future. All very exciting, in an terribly scary way!! Will have to keep praying about it lots, but thinking of coming back at the end of my trip to get involved in Soul In The City projects this summer.
posted by Susie at
11:33 AM
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