Last week I was reminded of how crazy life can be for some of the kids we work with at Ithemba.

Bulalani (pronounced Boo-La-La-Knee) is a 12-year-old boy with a soft gravely voice and deep self-confidence that makes him steady like the rhythm of a freight train.  Last week he was held at gunpoint while going to one of the little township shack stores, for his mom.  Bulalani, completely paralyzed with fear, stood with his hands white-knuckle clinched in his pockets.  He finally snapped out of the trance when one of his friends pushed the guy from behind and they escaped running like mercury on the wind.

I am thankful that he is okay, but the whole ordeal got me thinking about the environment in which these kids grow up.  How do you change environment?  How do you change culture?  How can you empower people to want to change social atmosphere?

I have a lot more questions than answers.  What I do know is that every kid we impact through Ithemba is another solution puzzle piece that has gently slide into place.  So for now, I’ll just hold onto my questions and my hope that change WILL come one child at a time.

LOVE. JOY. PEACE.

Zach