November
5, 2003
E-newsletter #1
Greetings from Cape Town!
Here is, as promised, our first e-newsletter.
We are now in the third week of intensive Xhosa
study. It is hard work but also fun. Our tutor, Sandiswe Mangcu,
is giving us a wonderful introduction to her mother tongue and
culture. The patterns of sound and grammar are unlike anything
we know, especially the assorted clicks that sound like corks
popping. Words and sentences are determined by subject and object
concords. All speech elements must be “in accord,”
which is a reflection of basic Xhosa values.
In the city, however, the signs of discord are
many: the sight of a Rolls Royce cruising past street kids begging
in heavy traffic; the shacks and shanties of “informal settlements”
lining the highway from the airport; the faces of men and women
and children behind the statistics of HIV/AIDS.
We have so far worshipped in three very different
settings: a Xhosa speaking (and singing!) Presbyterian Church
in Nyanga township; an English speaking Presbyterian congregation
near our flat; and the Anglican Cathedral of St. George downtown,
delightfully diverse mix of ages and races languages.
Our current accommodation at Hiddingh Mews (see
www.capeguest.com for photos)
allows us to walk to most places downtown in less than half an
hour. Directly across is a shopping center with a variety of stores—a
great convenience for groceries and laundry, as we do not have
a car. While shopping for our daily needs, we have felt the declining
value of the dollar against the South African Rand. A dollar is
worth 40 percent less than a year ago.
We celebrate every step toward settling in.
We are now the proud owners of a temporary prepaid land-line telephone
with local Internet access (you can still reach us at JHAHKS@aol.com).
We have found and installed all the transformers and adaptor plugs
necessary to run our electronic equipment. With a new printer,
which we carried home from the other end of town, our mini-office
is up and running. This newsletter is proof of this fact.
We often remember that you are part of the reason
why we are here, and we remain grateful for your prayers and support.
Ken and Susanne |
