A smiling witness witnessed a smile

I have been a witness to the world’s most beautiful smile today. The bearer of this grin was a little boy, around the age of five. He and I spent the better part of the morning playing dominos, coloring, and teaching him how to do a puzzle. The pearly whites came out as the last piece of the puzzle had been put in place. High-fives and hugs were exchanged all around. The pride in his eyes and the smile on his face meant even more, knowing that he has been a victim of childhood rape.

My new friend and his two brothers are currently living at Nonceba, a safe haven for children who have been abused. Currently, there are seven children living at the shelter, all there because they have been the victims of horrendous, unspeakable crimes. The Center is located in Khayelitsha, the second largest township in the country, situated on the outskirts of Cape Town. It is amidst these miles of shacks that young children are more likely to be raped than they are to learn to read.

Nonceba is an incredible organization. It dedicates itself to providing counseling, shelter, and support services for those adversely affected. There is also an attached domestic violence shelter that currently houses nine women. Now that I’m done with my classes, I will be spending the mornings volunteering here. There is no better way I can think to spend my last week in South Africa.

Speaking of my last week here, boy does time fly! It is hard to believe that the quarter is drawing to a close and I’ll be heading to Ghana in t-minus six days! I’ve been busy trying to pack in the last minute items on my “to-do” list. Since I last wrote, I can check off wine tasting, dining at a vineyard with my professors (for our farewell banquet), going to a music concert (to see the South African band “Goldfish”), a night on the town with girlfriends, hiking, and having a potluck off my list. Whew! What a way to kick-start summer!