A Thankful Voluntour Experience

I knew this would be a special experience.  For months, we had been planning the first ever BLOOM Voluntour, where we would offer the opportunity for people to travel to Lesotho and South Africa with us.  After the applications came in and we had our six volunteers chosen, I just had a feeling that this would be a special group.  Well, I vastly underestimated the sheer awesomeness this group of volunteers would bring to Lesotho, us and to one another.

So to be perfectly honest, I was a bit nervous about how the volunteers would react to our time in Lesotho.  Because we value relationships and communities as an organization, this meant we weren’t heading to Africa to “save” anyone, build for anyone or do for anyone.  Sure, this isn’t what a typical “mission trip” looks like, so I didn’t know what our volunteers would think.

Well, after just a few short days in Lesotho, I think it started to make sense for the group. We were enjoying the beautiful experiences of simply being in community.  We spent a day at Leratong Community Center, which we fund, and didn’t do anything but play games with all the kids there.  After our time at the Center, we hiked up a mountain to see some dinosaur footprints and were accompanied by many of the children we had been with earlier.  The beauty of the landscape and those we were sharing it with was truly unlike anything we’ve experienced before.  This is how we have developed as an organization, by building community first.  As we continue to grow our work at Community Learning Centers, this group of volunteers will know exactly how those foundations were built.

I don’t need to dive into many more details about the trip since you can find the blogs written by our volunteers below.  But I have to say, publicly, how honored I am to have shared this experience with William and 6 others on the Voluntour with me.  As I said in previous blogs, I was most looking forward to seeing how others would react to being in Lesotho for the first time, and seeing their smiles and emotions and reactions.  Well I certainly got my wish and basked in that during the entire 11 day trip.

No one can ever take away the experience we had, made so wonderful because of all of our gracious hosts along the way in Lesotho and South Africa.  I know that Lesotho and BLOOM Africa have 6 new friends, advocates and lifelong supporters.  I also know that I will never forget the special times spent with this group and will forever cherish my time with them.

  

I hope many of you find adventures to embark on, and never shy away from an experience that could possible change your life forever.

Salang hantle,

Andrew

7 Travel Surprises From My Time in Lesotho and South Africa

One of my favorite travel quotes that I always keep with me is the famous words of Mark Twain "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime. “

There is another travel truth he forgets to mention however, it goes ...  no matter how many guidebooks you read, google topics you search, questions you ask your well-traveled BLOOM Africa deputy director brother or preconceived notions (either conscious or unconscious) you pack with you, there will always be travel surprises. And really, aren't the surprises and the unexpected what makes travel so special?

Ok, Twain probably wouldn’t say that but it is something that I believe. Throughout the trip, I kept a list of all the surprises I was lucky enough to experience and learn from during my week in Lesotho and South Africa as a BLOOM Volunteer 2014 trip member. Here are some of my favorites:

The braai.
The first stop of our trip was at BLOOM founder Andrew Steele's host family, the Monama’s , home for a barbecue or as they say in South Africa, a braai. After more than 20 hours of travel, I appreciated the time and care they put in to introduce us to South African cuisine and honored by the way they welcomed us, in true barbecue fashion, as family.

The time we spent that first afternoon together sharing about our backgrounds, learning from the six university students the family so generously provides a home for (who were absolutely remarkable, by the way, in both their dedication to learning and future aspirations), and getting to know each other set the tone for opening our hearts and minds to the experiences ahead of us.

Lumela!
I practiced and practiced but still Sesotho words left my mouth as jumbled noises. To my surprise, no matter how jumbled my hello "lumela" (pronounced ‘du-may-la’) came out I was greeted and welcomed in return graciously. I will forever be humbled by and remember the warm welcomes, smiles, and thumbs up “sharps” the Basotho people gave me.

Tour guides.
Our tour guides came in various and surprising forms. The passion and love for their culture of all our spontaneous tour guides made every step we took together precious and impactful.

From children grabbing our hands and disregarding their bare feet to lead us along the rocky hilltop path of Roma to see dinosaur footprints to leadership from the Thaba Bosiu Youth Sports Development Centre dropping their plans to walk us through Lesotho history on Thaba Bosiu's mountaintops. Our quiet morning with Lerato, the chief’s daughter and manager of the Ramabanta Trading Post Guest Lodge, spent patiently answering questions, sharing traditions and guiding us through her beautiful village and Maicy, Malefa, and Bokang, the endearing members of Team Lesotho, who embedded themselves as an integral part of the trip for 3 days.

Atop Thaba Bosiu

And of course, our outstanding driver, Klaas, who carefully led (and tolerated) us for the entirety of the trip.

To each of our tour guides, I cannot thank you enough for your time and allowing us to become so intimately engaged in your country.  Meeting and building relationships with each of you was hands down the highlight of my time in Lesotho and South Africa.

Fat cakes.
Fat cakes are like a mix between the best bread you've ever eaten combined with the happiest funnel cake you've ever enjoyed; all for the price of a pack of gum. I can't say what I learned from fat cakes, but I can say if you travel to Lesotho for the fat cakes and just the fat cakes, you won't leave disappointed.

Fences.
As we drove throughout South Africa and especially in Johannesburg, I was surprised and shocked by the tall fences and barbed wired that enclosed every home and business. It was a constant and eerie reminder of South Africa's Apartheid past and the barriers that we as people and communities put up to keep each other out. It was also a reminder of the continued work required to fulfill Mandela's dream of a rainbow nation, both in South Africa and here at home.

Lesotho’s beauty.
Yes, I saw pictures. Yes, I heard stories. Yes, I watched videos and read descriptions but there was nothing I could have done to prepare for the breathtaking beauty of Lesotho and its people.  I am happy that pictures, words and videos can’t capture it and that all future visitors will also be surprised by the power of nature’s beauty and how much of it is consolidated within Lesotho’s borders.

The big five.
Our last days of the trip were spent at Kruger National Park, where we found elephants, rhinos and buffalo. Our safari didn't spot any of the big L's - lions or leopards - but at that point we were so filled with love, who cares?  

Giraffe at Kruger Park

For me, the real big five of the trip was Liz, Laura, Sarah, Brigid and Adam, my fellow Voluntours, for joining the trip with such enthusiasm. Whether we were stuck in a ditch on a remote game reserve dirt road, providing shoulders for our exhausted bodies to lean on or listening as we shared the immense emotions we were feeling – I am so glad I had the opportunity to share each and every moment with you.

Through all the surprises, the greatest lesson I learned came to me as no surprise at all: No matter where you are in the world, as humans, we are all the same. Kaofela Rea Tsoana.  

Yes, cultures differ and landscapes change. Language barriers exist and fences might separate us but at the core, a children’s laughter, a smile, the human spirit, unites us as one. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you Lesotho and South Africa for all of your surprises.  And thank you BLOOM Africa for taking me on this adventure.

-Destinee

Destinee Thomas lives in Cincinnati, Ohio and is the sister of BLOOM Deputy Director, William Thomas.  She joined us on the Voluntour and wrote this reflection after her experience.

New Adventures, New Learnings

As Sarah has already filled you in, we have already had the privilege of seeing both community work and the beauty of Lesotho so far on the Voluntour.  But we had just scratched the surface…

The third full day of our unique adventure started with a drive to learn more about a Youth Empowerment Sports group. The president of the organization, Ntate Chaka, spoke to us about their programs, which are empowering youth to find their passion - whether it is sports, drawing, reading, art, etc. – as well as educating them about healthy life choices, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and HIV/AIDS awareness. He spoke with such passion and conviction about the importance of exposing youth to opportunities that we all walked out of there feeling inspired.

From there, we travelled to Thaba Bosiu (“Mountain of the Night”) where King Moshoeshoe defended this village from invasion and the country of Lesotho originated. We were accompanied by Ntate Chaka and several other volunteers from his organization. One of them served as our historian and tour guide up the mountain. Let me tell you, that climb was not easy, but completely worth it.  We saw things that defied logic: a tree that has fallen down but still continues to produce leaves; a ‘beach’ of sand on top of a mountain devoid of a body of water; and also tasted the crisp water of one of the seven fresh water springs atop the mountain (these features allowed for families and villages to survive independently). Every Basotho person can trace their ancestry back to that very mountain. One mountain. All of this, plus the incredible view that cannot be described in words or captured in pictures, made us fully aware that we were experiencing something special.

Our next drive through the winding roads of the mountains brought us to Ramabanta. If there is one place in Lesotho that is a must-see, this place is it. As you take the last turn towards the village through Nkesi’s Pass, The view opens up to valleys and mountains that can only be insufficiently described as perfection. The Trading Post Adventures lodge manager, Lerato Nkesi, is the Chief’s daughter. She is the most down to earth, good-hearted person I have met. She took us around the village on our second day in Ramabanta. We saw the primary school; the clinic where they were dispensing the HIV/AIDS medication and helping mothers with delivery; the care center where women of the village make wool hats and scarves to make their living; and we tried homemade beer made by a village woman. Everyone in the village is so gracious and friendly. We are blessed to have the opportunity to stay here and learn so much about both the way of life and the opportunities to help this community.

The more I experience on this trip, the more I am convinced that BLOOM Africa is taking the right approach in their work. We are not here to come in as outsiders and impose our agenda onto the people of Lesotho. We are not here to come in and build something that will not last and then we disappear. We are not here to bring supplies or outdated books that the community doesn’t need.

We are here to LEARN about the communities of Lesotho. We are here to MEET people in the community doing great work. We are here to work with PASSIONATE people who are telling us what they NEED. We ARE here to build something that will LAST – a groundwork of partnerships WITHIN the community that are actually helping the people of these communities to provide for themselves and their families and give them opportunities to thrive.

I have been humbled by my experiences over the past four days. I have met amazing people, seen amazing things and have been inspired to do more. I thank the BLOOM Africa team as well as the people of Lesotho for sharing their lives with us. I will remember these experiences for the rest of my life and will forever be inspired by the words spoken to us tonight from my new friend Malefa - “we are all born with infinite potential into a world of limitless opportunities”.

Laura

Laura Olson is from Chicago, IL and on the BLOOM Voluntour

A Unique Adventure

Chicago to Amsterdam: 7 Hours

Amsterdam to Johannesburg: 11 Hours

Being welcomed with opened arms by a family in Bloemfontein, South Africa: Priceless.

After many seated hours from Chicago to South Africa on our KLM flights (yep—multiple), and a 4 hour drive from Johannesburg to Bloemfontein (both cities located in South Africa), our group could not have been more humbled and truly grateful for an amazing meal with at least thirty of Andrew’s “family” members. (This was Andrew’s host family during his volunteer year.)  We attended an event called a Braai, which is the South African term for a barbeque (unexpectedly similar to a typical American BBQ). There was singing, dancing, prayer, socialization, and lots of lots of delicious food, all provided by the Monama  family. We quickly made friends with many of the folks there, including some university students studying accounting to mechanical engineering.  I don’t think we could have started our trip out with a more joyful, friendlier or more cultural experience.

After the Braai, we loaded back into the bus and headed to Lesotho. We entered into the Magic Mountain Kingdom without any issues, and then headed to Roma. We arrived late, ate dinner and hit the hay. Man! Traveling really wore us out!

Today, Monday, March 03, 2014 was simply amazing. We began by connecting with a group of Basotho who serve as volunteers for BLOOM Africa by connecting our work in the States to the families and children in Leostho who we serve. Maicy, Ma’Monaheng, Bokang and Malefa make up an integral part in the success of BLOOM Africa’s projects and mission.  We then walked to the Leratong Community Center, and saw all the great aspects of that space. The Leratong Community Center offers a space for children to play after school, while also growing their life skills: Volunteer Basotho women teach young children from the community how to knit and sew. Children also get the opportunity to read, write and build their language, social and emotional skills.  Since BLOOM Africa funds this Center, it was great to get an inside look.

Later in the day we returned to Leratong to enjoy the shiny, smiling faces of the children post-school day. We played Duck, Duck, Goose and also learned a fun game/song combination that Basotho children—Bana, in Sesotho—grow up playing. We played basketball and soccer; we read books; our normal-seeming volunteers became the silliest Tickle Monsters you’ve ever met. The joy and laughter was overwhelming, in a good way.

We ended the day hiking up to the top of a mountain in Roma to see dinosaur footprints—made, they say, by the Lesothosaurus— and a Lesotho sunset. We were accompanied by about 20 kids who were eager to show us the way to the “dinosaur”. It was apparent that they were proud to know the way, and proud to show us around their home. While the dinosaur prints were cool, they were no match for the breathtaking views that were waiting for us at the top of the mountain. Words cannot describe the beauty, peace and joy of the sight.

My name is Sarah Braden, and I am BLOOM Voluntour 2014 teammate and a long-time BLOOM supporter. While I absolutely enjoy reporting about this adventure from the eyes of group as a whole, this blog entry wouldn’t be complete without a personal reflection:

The joy and vitality of the Basotho is something that cannot be explained; only experienced. It is humbling, exciting and restores my faith in the strength and love of humanity. Families support each other with extremely limited resources; kids find joy in silly games; strangers greet you, no matter the color of your skin. The community is filled with a sense of amity, hard work and hope.  The grass is not the greenest, the work is not the easiest, and circumstances are far from ideal. However, joy, hope and acceptance are definitely present; and that makes all the difference in the world.

I speak for my group when I say that this day, well, it ROCKED. And tomorrow we will travel to Ramamabanta to continue this unique adventure.

Sarah

Sarah Braden is from Dallas, Texas and on the BLOOM Voluntour

It's That Time

Nervous. Apprehensive. Excited. All emotions I felt as I waited to
depart on my first flight to Lesotho.

Today, nearly eight years later and for the third year in a row, my
brother and partner, Andrew and I will be embarking on a trip to the
mountain kingdom to continue the work of BLOOM Africa.
But this time feels extra special.

With us, we are joined by six volunteers. I can tell they are all
nervous, apprehensive, and naive - as I was my first trip. And excited
(talking about you, Adam Waxman, Mr. three-calls-a-day and new Lesotho
travel guide extraordinaire.)

Their excitement fills me with pride. As well as gratitude to Profesor
Rosenberg, who first introduced me to me the tremendous spirit and
culture of Lesotho all those years ago and encouraged me to become a
shepherd of the Lesotho culture myself.

Will you join us on this adventure?

Over the next eight days, I will be sharing my love for Lesotho with
our volunteers and here on the blog with you. Visit daily for updates
and please send your comments, questions and good spirits on our
Facebook page.

With excitement,

William

William is BLOOM Africa's Deputy Director and Vice Chair of the Board

Being a Voluntourist in Community

So there is a blog that has gone viral over the last couple of weeks.  The blog, titled 'The problem with little white girls (and boys)" touches on the ever present issue of short-lived 'mission trips' that commonly takes place in less developed nations.  As we at BLOOM Africa gear up for a return visit to Lesotho on Friday, taking with us 6 volunteers for the first time, I felt like it was necessary to reflect and respond.

Many of us on the BLOOM team are on this team because of a short time spent in Lesotho at one time or another.  For me, it was a month in the summer of 2009.  Looking back, I have to admit that as a 22 year old college senior, I didn't yet "get it."  Our trip was focused on building things, which typically fell apart 6 months to a year later.  And unfortunately, it was easy to see some people were there for the wrong reasons.  But that doesn't mean that trip, and all of those before and after, were at a great fault.  Service trips can be done well if the local community is involved.  If there are things being built together, with a local expert leading the way, the extra hands from western volunteers may actually be warmly welcomed.  There is the ability for cultural understanding through working together that could be helpful.  But, sadly, often times this is not how these trips are typically organized.  But, the impact the trip had on my life can't be overlooked.  The experience did something to me that I couldn't explain. It ignited a passion in me that I never knew I had.  Many students, myself included, suddenly were on a path for a life of service.  For that, I am forever thankful.  But I longed for something that was more sustainable.

The trip caused me to pursue service opportunities, which led me to volunteering in Bloemfontein, South Africa for a year after graduation.  The program I served through, called Young Adults in Global Mission, has an unlikely mission.  The mission is 'accompaniment.'  What does that mean!?  Accompaniment basically means to be in community with those you serve.  To walk hand-in-hand with the marginalized and go foar beyond sympathy and empathy.  It is living in true community where understanding and love can occur.  So I have to be thankful for that time spent in Lesotho, although I learned so much more about community development after living in South Africa.

Recently, I was lucky enough to attend a lecture by Dr. Paul Farmer (founder of Partners In Health) and Fr. Gustavo Gutierrez (founder of Liberation Theology) in Chicago.  These two giants in the field of development and fighting poverty have written a book (In the Company of the Poor) where accompaniment is seen as the best way to fight poverty.  Why?  Because until a person breaks the barriers of their privilege and truly feels what their brothers and sisters feel, they will not be able to understand poverty.  Without understanding poverty, how can we ever overcome it?

As we embark on BLOOM Africa's first ever 'Voluntour', accompaniment remains our focus.  As the volunteers going on the Voluntour saw our itinerary, they may have been a bit surprised to not find any cement mixing, building houses or painting projects.  Instead, they found a lot of community conversations, long walks, meetings with village chiefs and time spent with out volunteers.  I believe there is great value in cross-cultural experiences that sometimes come from "mission trips", but the mission has to be right.  If the mission is to travel somewhere less developed than home, throw together a structure and then leave, it is neither sustainable nor beneficial to the community.  But if the mission is to travel somewhere to share in experiences with others, learn a new culture, and create friendships and relationships, it is a sustainable good.

Reuniting with my dear friend, Rose

We believe that BLOOM Africa has positioned itself in a true accompaniment model.  Our team of volunteers and staff in Lesotho are growing every year, and we are empowered by their passion for BLOOM's work.  Our Community Learning Centers are organized and operated by our partners in Lesotho, and we want the programming to stem from community needs and local challenges.

As we count down the hours until we depart for Lesotho, there was an excerpt from the blog that caught my attention, "Before you sign up for a volunteer trip anywhere in the world this summer, consider whether you possess the skill set necessary for that trip to be successful.  If yes, awesome.  If not, it might be a good idea to reconsider your trip.  Sadly, taking part in international aid where you aren't particularly helpful is no benign.  It's detrimental."

Well I think every human has the skill of accompaniment.  We all have the ability to spend time with others, get to know others, and understand others.  We all know how to share a meal, share a laugh and share hope.  I highly encourage you to travel internationally, but keeping in mind how much you have to learn by spending time with others in community...a community that has much to teach us, and not the other way around.

Andrew Steele is the Founder of BLOOM Africa and served as a Young Adult in Global Mission volunteer in 2010-2011

An Exciting Return

It’s that time of year again.  In just 10 short days, I will be heading back to Lesotho with my good friend and BLOOM Deputy Director, William Thomas.  This will be the third year we have gone back to Lesotho to continue building strong, life-long relationships with our friends and partners.  But, this year is different than the last few years in a big way.  We are bringing 6 volunteers with us.

This year is the inaugural BLOOM Voluntour, where 6 volunteers will join us on an amazing journey of self-discovery and transformative experiences.  The volunteers are as diverse as the beautiful mountain ranges in Lesotho.  Three volunteers will join us from Chicago, one from Dallas, one from Cincinnati and one from sunny Santa Monica.  You have already met two of the volunteers on this blog, (Laura and Sarah) and you’ll meet the rest of the gang on this blog and on our social media.  On February 28, we will all depart from Chicago’s O’Hare airport towards our welcoming hosts and friends in Lesotho and South Africa. 

After we settle in for the night after our long flight, we will travel to Lesotho with a stop in Bloemfontein.  We will be having a South African braai with the Monamas, my host family during my time in South Africa, and others in the community.  After our fill, we will head east and cross into Lesotho through the Maseru Bridge border gate. 

We will be spending 5 days in Lesotho, mainly in the Roma and Ramabanta communities.  In Roma, we will volunteer at Leratong Community Centre, meet members of the community and hike to see dinosaur footprints.  We’ll spend a day in Thaba Bosiu, the mountain range where the Lesotho kingdom was born.  There, we will meet with partners who BLOOM Africa has funded, and hike up the famous mountain where King Moshoeshoe defended the Basotho nation against all intruders.  We will then trek high up into the mountains until we reach the tranquil village of Ramabanta.  The volunteers will enjoy an afternoon of pony trekking where they will see cave paintings dating back thousands of years.  We’ll also meet with women in the community who have been making scarves and hats in the Center where BLOOM is expanding its work. 

Ramabanta

After our time in Lesotho, we will head to the world famous Kruger National Park in South Africa, where we will spend 3 days on safari.  There, we will have the chance to spot the big 5 (Elephant, Lion, Rhino, Leopard, Water Buffalo), as well as embark on some exciting activities and adventures.  Our visit will conclude with a visit to the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, one of the most powerful museum experiences one can endure.  And on March 10, we will return to our homes, changed and transformed forever.

I’ve often been asked what I’m most looking forward to about this upcoming visit.  I honestly have to say that it’s the opportunity to introduce Lesotho and South Africa to 6 fantastic folks.  To see their faces when they see the sun set behind the majestic Maluti Mountains.  To hear their laughter when talking  with the children at the Community Center.  To touch their hands as we walk together with our partners and learn more about Basotho culture.  To taste new foods with them that they have never had.  To see their expressions when they hear their first Lion roar in the distance deep in the bush.

And like last year, we will be blogging our experiences right here.  Follow us on our journey, and I hope you can join us next year!

With great anticipation,

Andrew

Volunteer Spotlight: Sarah Braden

Sarah will be joining us on the BLOOM Voluntour in March.  In preparation for her return to Lesotho, we posed these questions in which she responds below:

Sarah and her dog Lucy

What made you want to go on the Voluntour?

I took my first trip to Lesotho in 2009 with a group of Wittenberg University students, and the 'Magic Mountain Kingdom' totally stole my heart.  While there was great need, the happiness I saw in the children, and the selfless giving of the Basotho was overwhelming.  When our bus arrived in the city, happy children ran alongside us with bright smiles on their faces.  For being a country of immense poverty, it struck me how excited and happy they were.  I was truly moved that first night.  Our group completed many different projects around the city, including planting gardens, digging pit latrines, and painting bedrooms and orphanages.  It is so rewarding to serve.  Our trip lasted for a little under a month, and upon leaving, I knew that I had to go back someday.  I began volunteering for BLOOM Africa the year after I graduated by hosting annual happy hour events in Beaumont and then Dallas, Texas.  When I heard about the Voluntour opportunity, it wasn't even a question of whether or not I wanted to go. I emailed Andrew and said, "Where do I sign up!?"

What are some things you're excited about to experience in Lesotho?

I am most excited to interact with the children and families.  It's a very freeing feeling to work alongside somebody.  I am also excited to grow alongside the other BLOOM volunteers.  A person experiences a lot of emotions when put in a new environment, especially an environment so completely different than where we live.  I think that talking about our experiences together as a group will allow each of us to grow in our own ways.

What makes you want to serve

I've always had a heart for service.  I went on my first service trip in 2007 with Athletes in Action.  We went to LA and served at churches and day cares along skid row.  That's when I truly realized how much I've been blessed in my own life, and it made me want to give time and energy to people who really need it.  Ever since that trip, I've continued to seek out ways to serve.  I believe when you give for no reason other than to just give, you get just as much out of the experience as what you produce.

Sarah lives in Dallas, Texas.