Cape Town: Monday, Dec. 7

Day 8: Getting Deeper

Monique from the Cape Flats YMCA led us through Bonney Town (sp?), an “in between” facility for boys. These are boys who’ve been charged with a crime and are awaiting trial. The boys are ages 13 to 18 and are in the facility anywhere from two weeks to two years.

The system is incredibly flawed in this way by making boys who have not been convicted of a crime serve prison time. What’s worse is that if and when they are convicted and sentenced, their time at Bonney Town is not deducted from their sentence. It’s ridiculous – costly in the sense of dollars and lives wasted.

We first met the youngest boys, who seemed lighthearted, considering their circumstances. Then we met the older boys and were able to have an incredibly deep and intense conversation. About 15 boys each shared their name and charges. Charges ranged from rape to murder to armed robbery to theft. Although most of these boys looked like they are leading rough lives, it was hard to see them as murderers, rapists and thieves. They are boys, young boys. They have their entire lives ahead of them, and yet, statistics show most of them will never reach their God-given potential. And while they made mistakes, their circumstances honestly do not allow them many other options. Many of these boys come from abusive homes, drug addict parents, neighborhoods run by gangs, and they really don’t have an option. They join gangs to survive. And once in the gangs, the drugs, alcohol and violence begin and there is no escape. We learned the only way to get out of the gangs is through a “transition,” which means taking Jesus into their lives and converting to Christianity.

The conversation we had with these boys was one of the most honest and real conversations I’ve ever had. Any problems I thought I had were left in that cold, cement room. After listening to a 14-year-old talk about an inescapable life of drugs and gangs, and now facing murder charges, I simply cannot complain.

I left with mixed feelings – both discouragement and hope. Knowing that statistics show most of the boys I met with never lead a better life is frustrating, but seeing the programs the YMCA is providing to help them get out of their situation gives me hope that enough of them will make it out to eventually make a difference in the overall situation for the country.

Cape Flats YMCA: We saw the YZone program at a school in a low to middle income neighborhood. This group of kids participate in the YMCA program after school, which is good for them because they would otherwise go home to parentless homes, gangs, abuse, or worse.

We were so lucky they performed song and dance for us. The first group of about 50 kids sang a beautiful song, followed by a fun, upbeat song led by the most energetic YMCA staff person ever. It was so great to see every single one of these children engaged and completely into the songs. The YMCA is the highlight of their day.

After the song, a group of girls of a wide age range danced traditional African dance. They were wearing matching track suits that had been donated. Again, every girl took her role seriously and participated in the dance with energy and enthusiasm.

Not only were the children amazing, the YMCA staff were once again incredible. They were so full of passion and energy, it was infectious. These are people working for a small stipend, not a livable wage, and they give their time day after day running programs at multiple schools and facilities. The executive director, Ricky, led by example. He is clearly young at heart, yet has the experience and knowledge to run an effective YMCA program.

Finally we visited their association office, which hit home because it serves the same purpose as my own office, but they are able to work effectively with much less than what I am afforded at my job.