As many readers already know, I am a documentary photographer. And while it was a pleasure to teach and develop courses in the Powerhouse’s skills development center, I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t carve out some time to do some serious documentary work. There were many many stories I could have told, but what struck me most and seemed to be internationally important were the scores of Zimbabwean immigrants living in Mamelodi. Xenophobic attacks headlined world news around the beginning of 2008, and it seemed these foreigners (and neighbors) were being painted as the enemy. Yet as I got a chance to know many different Zimbabweans during our time in Mamelodi, I couldn’t help but be encouraged by their strong faith in the Lord to sustain and deliver them out of their dire circumstances where they struggled to survive just like their South African brothers and sisters. The photos below show just one of the many touching families and individuals we got to know. I personally learned a great deal from Vugani as a pastor and friend. You may view the photos below, or for a larger view (with full screen option) view them in the image gallery. Please note that some names have been changed in order to protect their identity.

In summary, the following relates Vugani’s struggle: Vugani managed a bakery back in Zimbabwe and made a good living. As the Zimbabwean dollar inflated rapidly and harsh political persecution set in, he left with his wife and two of his children were forced to cross the border, looking for a better life on the other side. Settling in Mamelodi, which exists in one of the wealthiest provinces of South Africa, he and his family are no longer starving, but are hardly living the good life they had imagined. With only his daughter’s income from washing dishes, Vugani and his wife Zanele must look outside their circumstances to find hope and strength.

Filed under: Stories and Zimbabwe by Nathan on November 30th, 2009. Tags: border, dreams, neighbor, pastor, refugee, Vugani, xenophobia, Zanele, Zimbabwe | 1 Comment

The two weeks that we recently spent serving and learning in Mamelodi proved to be two of the most well-spent, most obviously God-ordained weeks of the past year of my life. I was faced with the endearing joy that is so prevalent in the Powerhouse Church, and it made me face the lack of joy and belief in my own life. I got dirty working alongside people who sacrifice quite a bit to love their neighbors. I felt like I was jerked back awake from my tired distractedness in order to remember all of the ways my heart really does long to love those around me. Both our hands and our hearts were kept very busy throughout these two weeks.

For me, the most powerful day spent in the township was our Zimbabwe Day. Zimbabwe has suffered much over the past years, from political tyranny and persecution to the recent collapse of their economy. Many highly-education and qualified Zimbabweans have fled to South Africa to look for work in order to send food and resources home to their families. However, many of them have been met with discrimination and even violence as some in South Africa view them only as more competition for too few jobs.

On Zim Day, the Zimbabwean refugees in the community were invited to spend a day at the Powerhouse praying and sharing their stories as well as receiving food and clothing. We spent the morning sharing stories, praying together, singing together and passing around some of the cutest babies I have ever seen. We had lunch together, and afterward, we had a “thrift shop” of sorts where people could exchange tickets we gave them for clothing for themselves and their families to prepare for the upcoming winter. The Vision Trip team had come with hundreds of pounds of donated clothing and medicine packed in our suitcases, given by many generous people back home. It was a fun day, and it was a joy to be able to meet some very real needs. More dear to my heart, though, were the people I was able to meet and the stories I was able to hear from each of them. This was a day not about an “issue” that we read about on the news, but about our neighbors—our brothers and sisters—and the chance to know them and to love one another.

It is one thing to hear about the Zimbabwean crisis on the news. It is quite another to hear these people’s stories about risking their lives to cross into South Africa, driven by desperation to feed and clothe the children that they had no choice but to leave behind. They shared about struggles to find work and about how much they feel alienated in this new place. We heard over and over how much each of them long to be able to someday return home. I was surprised to be brought to the verge of tears over and over that day as the reality of each different situation sank in.

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.—Hebrews 11:13-14

Yet once again, I was surprised by joy. As we had come to expect in Mamelodi, at the most unassuming moments, the day’s agenda would happily be put on hold as the room erupted into an impromptu singing and dancing celebration, praising God for His goodness and power. You didn’t need to understand their language to know what they were singing. Or to join in and sing along…

Throughout our day together, my mind kept being drawn to the verse in Hebrews (11:13-14) that describes God’s people as aliens and strangers in this world. My heart ached as I got to know these people who had been driven from their homes. And yet I felt a joy and peace much stronger than any of these circumstances, as I witnessed these people who hope in God’s promise of a home where we truly will belong. Every single one of us in that room were equally strangers in a place that is not our home. I was reminded that even when our circumstances and doubts make the path ahead seem almost impossible, there is joy found in God’s promise of an eternity where He will wipe every tear from our eyes, where we will finally know as we are known and where we will truly be at home. And that joy of the Lord will be our strength.

i cry out for this world to be comfortable
to be fair, to be just, to be good
or maybe just to be easy
if You’re real, it would be what it should
this deep ache for mercy makes my heart heavy, heavy
when i’m quiet it makes my heart sing
this reminder that i don’t belong
also promises i will go home
there’s a promise that i will see home.

Megan Clarke is based in Carrboro, NC, with a background in social work, particularly working to combat homelessness. She recently returned from traveling for three months in Asia, exploring and volunteering. She will be beginning a master’s program at UNC Chapel-Hill in August to study Public Health, focusing on Health Behavior and Health Education. You can read more about her travels online at Battered Suitcases. You also can read about her random musings, for better or for worse, at her other blog, Becoming Real…if she would ever find the time to update it.

Filed under: General by Megan Clarke on June 22nd, 2009. Tags: Health Behavior and Health Education, homelessness, Megan Clarke, Public Health, social work, thrift shop, UNC-Chapel Hill, Zim Day, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe in the news, Zimbabwean refugees | Post a comment

I’ve been spending a good amount of time lately working on a story about the refugees from Zimbabwe living in Mamelodi. I’ve gotten to know a few people really well, and one of them is a man named Vugani and his family. His story will be featured soon, so I won’t go into the details now, but this past week Vugani needed to renew his permit that allows him to be here. Pretty much every six months Zimbabweans (and other refugees from Mozambique and elsewhere) have to go downtown to the Home Affairs office and renew their paperwork that allows them to be here under asylum. It’s an ordeal to say the least that is filled with corruption and frustration that becomes a very demeaning experience. And it’s not inside the office where the problems occur; it’s waiting outside, where people camp out the night before to get in line, where things get hectic. (Check out Will’s post as has more details and he shares his reason to be there as well.)

Women are separated into their own line, which is pretty civil though long and crowded. The men are in their own area where a system created by street thugs has evolved to get people into separate lines with about 10 in each line. Each opportunist promises to get those in his line(s) to the front of the queue, but only if you pay him first. Then he bribes the guards to let in his people (or he can take off with your money leaving you to come back the next day and try again). They only let a certain number of people in each day so if you don’t pay one of these guys, your chances are pretty slim that you’ll get in. The money these guys make compared to the average working man’s salary is astronomical, and they’ve usually pocketed it before 6 a.m.! The worst part is that those people waiting in line are already struggling to survive, many of them without work with families to support both here and back in other countries. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the police batons and belts that are employed while attempting to control the crowd.

It wasn’t safe for me to walk around in the open with my camera but I did get some shots while we waited in the Vito. Shooting through a closed window in virtually no light with moving people and slow shutter speeds was a challenge, but I have to give credit to the Canon 5D Mark II at 2000 ISO and higher; it performed wonderfully. I also thank God that He ordered my steps, as I headed into the experience without much idea what I’d be getting into! But as I often pray, God showed me what He wanted me to see. And despite only being able to shoot from the Vito, I was able to get some shots of Vugani which will add to his story. Please note that some names have been changed in order to protect their identity.

The photos were taken over two different mornings starting before dawn until around 8 a.m. The last day Will and I drove through downtown Pretoria checking out the early morning sights, which were fabulous!

Filed under: Zimbabwe by Nathan on April 18th, 2009. Tags: Home Affairs, injustice, Marabastad, permit renewal, queue, refugees, Zimbabwe | 1 Comment

Tshepo, Peter, Martha, Adelaide, Phina, William, Babongile, Mpho, Mmantwa, Simon, Simongile, Johannes, Vincent, Pinky, Joshua and Thembani.

I am excited about the first photography class! There are 16 students that are all eager to learn. I really enjoy teaching photography and we’ve had a lot of fun so far the two times we’ve met. A huge thank you to all those who donated their used cameras for this class. As you can see above, they’re in good hands!

The class meets once a week, on Wednesdays, which allows me to spend more time working on stories. To be able to spend time just doing stories (not shooting while we’re doing something else like the feeding scheme) is a relief because I’ve been struggling to make time for that since we got here back in August. I am working on a few stories with Zimbabwean refugees living in Mamelodi, and am hoping to also work on a story about youth in the township. So stay tuned for some new stories this month!

Filed under: General by Nathan on April 1st, 2009. Tags: photo class, photography, refugees, story ideas, youth, Zimbabwe | Post a comment