A couple weeks after arriving in South Africa earlier this year, I was given the Basotho name Palesa. This week, I was given a surname. I am now proudly Palesa Moloi.

Palesa means flower. I have no idea the meaning behind Moloi. But I share with with 2 people I love, Abram and Jeanette Moloi, so I’m embracing it proudly!

As a side note, I’m trying to learn Afrikaans. I’m hoping it’s easier than Sosotho and Zulu, because that’s not going so well!

We pulled up to the first school Tuesday morning to sounds of kids yelling “Makgoa” out the windows. At first it seemed a little strange, Makgoa is white person in Sosotho, but after being here over 6 months we’ve embraced it. As the car pulls to a stop they stare inquisically at us and then start pointing and waving.

Alfred and I go inside to meet the school headmaster to figure out where we’ll be doing the assembly. We sit in the school lobby and wait, and wait. About 15 minutes later, after meeting with the deputy headmaster and several teachers, none of which who knew what was going on, we finally met with the now infamous headmaster. He directed us to a teacher who was able to get us set up in an outdoor meeting area. Kids started streaming out of classrooms, curious why the Makgoa were here.

Kaylen and I started talking to a bunch of kids in grade 10. We started talking about music. They call techno music house music. It’s their favorite. I explain how we use both terms in the states. They ask me who my favorite South Africa DJ is. I laugh and tell them I have no idea, but we talk a little about Lucky Dube [thanks, Amy...] they like him too. Then, the question I’ve been waiting for comes, “do you know 50 cent?” As if, as Americans, we rub shoulders with rappers on a daily basis. I explain that America is huge and most of don’t know celebrities. They act disappointed. The conversation quickly switches to something else.

A few hours later we’re on our way home. We did two assemblies at schools to promote our village discipleship program, LaunchPad. We ate a packed lunch on the steps of a church we spent a lot of time at during Thrive Trip, it was odd without everyone there. Shannon and I ran and visited a family she had spent a lot of time with a few weeks ago, they were so excited to see her.

LaunchPad classes start next week, I’m co-teaching Love, Sex and Relationships at a school, if all the kids come that we’re hoping for, the class will be nearly 200 people.

[jumping on my soapbox...]

I think we’ve all been in conversations where people shift the blame. We use excuses all the time, “it would have been done, but [insert excuse here]“. There are times when we have a indirect or less direct responsibility to a problem, and rather than accepting our part and trying to be part of the solution, we sink deeper and deeper into denial. We hope that we’ll go by unnoticed, that people won’t realize we were actually involved and we’ll get by scot free. If we take an active part in the solution, others may look deeper and realize that we had something to do with the problem in the first place, so out of pride, we lay low.

While Thrive Trip was here, I was with my group in a house in Qwa Qwa. The woman spoke English and was active in the community. The conversation quickly turned to AIDS and American’s involvement in the pandemic in Africa. I asked her if she thought that the Western media’s influence [movies, music, etc.] had affected African culture negatively, and if so, have we, by dramatizing drugs, drinking and sex, perpetuated AIDS in South Africa.

“Yes.” She answered with no hesistation.

She went on to explain it wasn’t our fault, that people were making negative choices regarding sex and partners. BUT, there is a direct correlation between Western influence and the rising AIDS rate. A majority of African tribes value monogomy. Women were expected to be virgins when they were married. Just like in European cultures, many time a sheet was checked after the marriage night to see if there was blood and the woman was in fact a virgin when she said “I do”. But most American movies and music don’t abide by the same values, casual sex is encouraged. In a society where 1 in 4 people are infected with HIV, no wonder more and more people are continuing to be infected as this generation of South Africans is increasingly adhering to this American value system they see in movies.

How many times have you heard, “AIDS is Africa’s problem” or “it’s not our fault, we didn’t have anything to do with it”. Sigh.

It is our problem. As Americans we have perpetuated the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa. I believe we are indirectly responsible for the deaths of thousands a day from AIDS. We are indirectly responsible for millions of orphans and street kids in South Africa.

It’s time to stop passing the blame and realize that as Americans, our influence is much greater than the geographical borders of our country. As part of a global economy, we have the power to positively or negatively impact the world.

So, how will you be part of the solution?

[and off my soapbox...]

I think most of us refer to the plot of land (aka 2500 acres) we live on as a game reserve. There are wildebeests, zebra, blesbock and all sorts of other African creatures roaming through the mountains. However, today I saw a different side of what lives among us. It might be more accurate to say we live on a farm. There are cows, pigs and chickens. The neighbors farm maize (corn) and I think I saw a Pioneer sign on the way home from town the other day.

Here’s Enoch with the chickens. He’s a funny guy, his wife Mimi works in the kitchen. We all call her gogo Mimi (Grandma Mimi).

There are moments that it feels a lot like America here. There are about 75-80 Americans on the base this week. So conversations feel oddly like the ones at home. Food seems American-ish [I had a tortilla for lunch- pronounced tort-til-la here- that hasn't happened in a while] AND rumor has it we’re all going out for cheeseburgers for the 4th of July [you don't get much more American than that--although, I'll refrain from the burger part...].

Then, random things happen that make me realize how far I really am from American culture. How far I am from the life I lived just a few months ago. Today I got an email from The Palm…

To put it into perspective $130 is over R800. That’s a monthly salary for a lot of Basothos. Crazy how much can change in 6 months…

I live on a game reserve at the foothills of three mountains. It is by far the most beautiful place I’ve ever lived. I hate even admitting this at the risk of seeming ungrateful; but there are days where it feels normal. Days where it doesn’t awe me when I’m outside and see the most amazing sunset through the gap between two mountains, or mornings where I’m running as the sun is rising and I hardly give it a second look.

But then, there are days like today. Days where I am speechless and utterly amazed at what my backyard contains. Days where I wish I knew more about rocks and how they are formed. Days where I could sit on top of a mountain and stare out in to the distance for hours, just taking in the beauty of creation. So thankful for the Creator.

Allan: do you ever get sick of Africa?

Jody: have you seen the stars?

well said, jodes, well said.