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| Chantel Daniels |
This past weekend half of us headed
to Ocean View to spend a weekend with a host family. I had the honor and
pleasure of staying with the Daniels family, including Auntie Sylvia, Uncle
Louis and the ever-wonderful Chantel. I also got to room with Charity, which
was super awesome to get to know her better.
The first night we attended a
ballroom dance class with the most talented students I have ever met. We
cha-chaed, waltzed and jived the night away. When walking in and out, there was
a resounding boom of powerful voices from the youth church that welcomed us
when we came and bid us farewell as we exited. Their voices combined with the
dance moves of these incredible students were a slight culture shock that I was
“not in Kansas” anymore.
I remember my parents and the
parents of my friends growing up always encouraging us to go out and play,
never allowing us to stay in the house if the weather was nice. Our
neighborhood, town and surrounding towns were our playgrounds whenever we
wished. We had the freedom to walk down the streets and into the homes of
strangers because we were children.
This luxury has not been afforded to
my all neighbors down the road in Bridgeport, New Haven and Danbury where more
commerce and crime occur; similarly in the comparison that can be contrived
between Ocean View and the more elite Kommetjie nearby. Seeing these students
dancing and singing reaffirmed for me the power of the youth of tomorrow and
today. Our future leaders, our future workers, lovers, parents etc, all coming together
in solidarity to fight against stereotypes applied by a system that worked so
consistently against them is an image that is pleasantly stamped into my
memory.
When Chantal first spoke with us to
tell us all about the adventure we would be embarking on over the weekend, she
told us all to focus on the heart and the love of the people and community. At
the braai we were so graciously invited to on Saturday night and during the
service we attended on Sunday, I was reminded of these words. We were so
welcomed, loved and embraced by people we had never met before. There was no
need for the awkward scroll through old text messages or bad selfies because
the focus was on the stories of the people surrounding us. People from all
different backgrounds, histories and socioeconomic statuses (from Ocean View
and the US) all came together to share laughs and their love for their
community. It was so very nice to not have to look out into a sea of IPhone lit
faces but a sea of faces lit by the dimming braai coals and outdoor lights.
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