Stranded at the Drive-in - Outreach Week Eight

So week eight kicked off with us teaching a bunch of girls how to do line dancing. Sounds strange as right?

This was at the Girls Group at the Masi library. Fun times teaching them the Macarena and Cupid Shuffle (and when I say taught I more mean I was there learning while some of the team taught). We returned to Masi later in the week to do a human trafficking demo. Some awkward times driving around trying to find someone to be a ‘guide’. Even more awkward times trying to explain to said guide exactly what it was that we wanted to do. And even more awkward times trying to get him to understand that we wanted to go to a busy street not a small alley. So, yeah, it was kinda awkward. We did eventually find a good spot though. Lesson learned: when seeking help in a township it’s a good idea of you get the guide to explain what it is that you want back to you – it saves a lot of confusion and awkwardness.

Thursday afternoon saw us head to Mfuleni for Girl’s Club and Soccer Clinic. Except this week was a bit different. 

As usual, African timing meant that we were running a bit later than usual (30 minutes to be exact). So we pull up to the house where we have girls club each week and we (the girls) jump out and the others head over to the soccer field. However we soon discovered that we couldn’t use the house we normally meet in because the girl who lives there was busy, she did tell us that one of the other girls (who lives over the road) should be over soon though. Soon was an abstract concept. We waited in the street for about half-an-hour waiting for one of the other girls to turn up à much to our relief. We had found ourselves surrounded by children who demanded to be played with. These kids don’t really have any concept of boundaries or ‘nice play.’ A simple high-five can leave your arm stinging for about 5 minutes, a hug can mean getting someone else to prise a child’s arms from around your neck. And if you make the fatal error or sitting down and allowing them greater access to you then you may find that you become a human doll. Not that these kids ever meant it in a bad way (apart from one maybe – she scared me) but it was such a relief to be able to escape having to find inventive ways to stop children half your size and definitely more than half your age beating you up. But then, I guess this is outreach.

You’re probs wondering why we didn’t summon the Calvary à No phone. We figured it would be fine. Lesson learned: check with your host if you can meet in their house – it saves a lot of confusiona and awkwardness.