tunnels

after much preparation
finally YESTERDAY
the work began
on the T U N N E L S.
tunnels are what i've learned here are called greenhouses
(where fruits and veggies grow in stable environment).

from the bright and early morn until the south african quitting time of 4pm
joey and his CREW
dug trenches,
to release the sides of the tunnels
which are held down, not by stakes, but by burying the excess on the sides
deep
deep
into the ground.


















they dug up 
in order to
take down
the tunnels.
and then
once
again
they will dig
only this time new trenches
to set up the tunnels on the Living Way Campus.




for now these 4 young men and Joey spend their day digging.
digging until all 3 tunnels are taken down,
rolled up carefully,
and transferred.

YESTERDAY
Joey introduced me to these 4 young men
who without the jobs we were offering
could very possibly not have work.
and no work means
no money.
no food.

i shook each of their hands, smiled as i looked each into the eye.
all the time thinking
about how hard, long they were working 
literally
for their food.
survival.
so different than what i have seen,
throughout  "the shelter",
where i have lived out my own life thus far.

and so
this is Africa.
where men sit on the side of the road
hoping to be chosen to work that day for some passer-by.
where the strongest, fittest, youngest go first
and the others
wait behind for their opportunity
to earn, to work, to eat, to live.

Africa
where the work day wraps down at 4pm so the workers can walk
or find a bus
home

where discrimination and poverty mix haphazardly with the beautiful landscape

Africa
where life is lived
a bit slower (which is nice)
and quite differently than my heart and mind are accoustumed to.
but adjusting to.

a place
where we long to make a difference by being Light to those around us.
Loving.
Working. Helping.
Changing lives. (both ours and theirs).

and so the work begins. hard work. work for the body and for the soul.

today we are thankful that God chose us to serve HIM here amongst these people
and in this place.