Eric's inspirational and very productive week

After a rather chilly week filled with high winds and daily drizzles, Mother Nature was on her best behavior on Sunday, affording Josh, Caroline, Drew, Becca, Molly, Alex L, and I to ascend Devil’s Peak. Devil’s Peak was for many of us the only remaining summit to conquer out of Cape Town’s Three Peaks, the other two being Lion’s Head and Table Mountain. The hike was probably my favorite yet, and the view from the top was breathtaking. Standing in one spot, I could see the entirety of Cape Town, from Kirstenbosch, to Muizenberg, to Mitchells Plain, to Rondebosch, to the Waterfront, and finally to the inner city. Next up: all Three Peaks in one day!

My three-day weekend started out on an extremely high note when Josh, Charity, Elizabeth, Molly, Mary, and I attended 7:15am mass at St. George’s Cathedral on Friday. The service was presided over by none other than Nobel Peace Prize winner and social justice activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Withdrawn from public life due to his age and health, it was really special to see him grow into himself as the service progressed. We had the opportunity to shake his hand and take pictures with him after, it was humbling to be in the presence of such an iconic, influential figure.

 

Josh, Eric, Charity, Molly, Mary, and Elizabeth at St. George's Cathedral with Archbishop Desmond Tutu

However, this past week was really special because I got to spend some time at both of my activist projects. First off, I want to thank each and every person (if you’re out there!) who contributed to either the Khayelitsha Fire Fighters Football Club or the Maitland Cottage Garden. Here are some updates of the work we are doing at each:

On Easter weekend, Drew, Meg, Lily, and I visited Maitland to begin the weeding and cleanup process of the current garden. However, before we left, we made 60 Easter goodie bags filled with candy and a special message for the children. At Maitland, we took to our hands and knees to begin removing dead and overgrown plants and picking up stones, garbage, and rocks that were buried in the soil. After 2.5 hours had passed, we had filled over 10 garbage bags to the brim and cleared out some significant space for plants, flowers, shrubs, and decorations. On Friday, after church, we went to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden to do some shopping at the garden center. With the help of an extremely knowledgeable staff member, we purchased a wide variety of garden additions, including aloe, grasses, succulents, flowers, and pots for the children to decorate. Additionally, we purchased some granite chips to help bolster the wheelchair paths. Once the materials are delivered to Maitland, the garden will begin to look greener than ever!

From Thursday to Sunday, the Khayelitsha Fire Fighters participated in a soccer tournament in Kensington. They won their first game in group play on Friday and set themselves up for a successful Saturday. Before traveling to the field, Derek, Abby, Mariko, Paige, and I stopped at Pick n Pay to buy snacks, drinks, and sandwich ingredients for the boys to enjoy between games. The atmosphere at the tournament was really fun, with 4 fields, bounce houses, and loud music in full swing. We cheered on the team as they came from behind to win their first game and then handily won their second to finish group play undefeated. They were extremely grateful to have some food in their stomach to fuel them to victory. Unfortunately, in the championship knockout bracket on Sunday, they lost their first game. Although I was not on hand to witness the game, I still felt extremely proud of their hard work and love for the sport. They understand that winning isn’t everything. Once Bongi gives us an inventory of the Fire Fighters’ equipment, we will be going to Sportsman's Warehouse to fill the needs.

 

With only a few weeks left in the semester, I am excited to see the garden to its completion and to present the athletes with some new shin guards, cleats, and soccer balls. It has also been fun to monitor my co-educators’ progress at their activist projects and to see the good work we are all doing in the community.