Manenberg

The past couple of days I have had the opportunity to go into Manenberg. I am aware that I am not the best at painting a picture with my words, but I feel as though I should give it a try...

When you enter Manenberg you quickly realize the need for any and every sort of help one could provide. From the kids running on the streets to the drug deals in plain daylight, this community seems to be crying out for help. I do not think I am going to be able to provide pictures of Manenberg, but hopefully you will feel like you have been there soon! If you were to stand in the middle of Manenberg Avenue and basically just take a panoramic photograph of what you saw then you would see concrete flats (apartments) on either side of a narrow road. These flats are two stories and they all look like buildings downtown that have been vacant for years. Some of them are painted different colors because the resident feels a sense of ownership and pride that his or her flat is slightly different than the next. Outside of these make-shift flats are shacks made out of tin, cardboard, various pieces of lumber, barbed wire, etc. These houses are usually extensions of the first floor flat. Some have running water and electricity, some don't. These shacks are smaller than your bedroom, yes your room. Usually there are in the neighborhood of 10-12 people in each of these shacks, but that can go up or down depending on the family situation. As you walk down the streets you see street vendors selling items from their shack. The graffiti on the walls remind you whose territory that you are in and are there as warnings to other members of the community. You can hear the sound of children playing in the schoolyard, this is a pleasant sound, but that sound is soon forgotten when you see the barbed wire around the yard and the disparity of the schools themselves. Teenagers roam the streets always glancing behind them as if someone were following them. A stereo plays a Tupac song from 3 streets over. Cars honking. Men working. So much poverty. so much hurt. This is Manenberg.

But there is hope. There is a God who is not surprised by any of this. God is close to the brokenhearted. It is tough to see in situations like this, but He is there and once you see a glimpse of Him you keep searching for other places he may be. You can see him in the tired and worn faces of the elderly as they smile when you walk past. You can see it in the sounds of people singing along the way. You can see it as church members pass out food to people lining up. You can see it in the sense of community. That is where it shines the brightest. That is where the hope is found. I envy them. I honestly mean that. I have everything I could ever need and want, but I envy them. I am jealous of their community. I am jealous of their passion for each other. They have nothing to give, but they give it to make sure their neighbor can make it one more day. Children laughing. Music playing. Community in action. This is Manenberg.