House in motion

Shortly before I arrived here, the owners of this house on Firfield Road, who live in Canada and are preparing to move to India, placed the house on the market. It sold almost immediately, and the contract was signed just a few days before I moved in. As a result, there has been lots of activity around here as the house is inspected and prepared, and as everyone makes arrangements for new lives in new places.

Johan and Klaas, the Afrikaans brothers who live in the room adjacent to mine, will be moving to an intentional community in India. Benny will return to his home in Frankfurt, Germany. Thembelani is heading to Canada for a three-month stay with the house's owners, and Milly will continue to live in the cottage in back for as long as the new owners will extend the lease. Gogo purchased a house in her hometown of Beaufort West, which is about five hours north of here. Lulu and Pearl will move to the nearby township of Luzuko in Philippi East, where Lulu will continue working at a hotel downtown, and Pearl will continue to attend school in Cape Town.

People have been coming and going this past week to cart away various items from the house - friends of the owners' taking books, lamps, dishes, pieces of furniture, etc. Gogo has been slowly packing up the things she will take with her, and working to secure affordable transport (movers and a moving truck) to get everything up to Beaufort West. Moving dates were set for the week after I left. Yesterday, though, Gogo learned that the transport was only available on June 18, which is the day before I go. It is also the day I return from a short trip to a game reserve north of Johannesburg. And so suddenly, it looks like Saturday night will be our last night together. It seems so sudden. We are going to have a party, though. Gogo will cook, we will eat together, have some cake, and then maybe we'll have a fire and some dancing.

This morning we are furiously writing down addresses and phone numbers, trying to figure out how we can stay in touch with each other, all of us about to fly off in so many directions in the world. In an instant this magical house will become the Firfield Road diaspora, and we will have to strain to continue to know each other. In this moment we are all dedicated to that, though. We are dedicated to going forward in the world with our good hearts and good work, and staying in touch and seeing each other again one day.

Over the weeks, various boxes and items have congregated around the piano by the door for Gogo to take with her to Beaufort West. There in that poor community, Gogo plans to work to help women gain job skills such as reading, writing, and sewing, and she has been collecting whatever items she might be able to use in that effort. Last night, this easel appeared in the mix. Clearly it had been used in some meeting or another here at the house. On it was written:

The existence of poverty is the proof of an unjust and ill-organised society, and our public charities are but the first tardy awakenings in the conscience of a robber.
- Sri Aurobindo

No doubt the spirit of the quotation will follow the little easel, but the words will be quickly erased to teach a more practical embodiment of that sentiment. There isn't much time for theory or philosophical musings where Gogo is headed. There is only a need for education, and action. One of the first things I did here was sign my name as a witness on the contract for Gogo's new house, and I am so honored to be a part of that purchase, which is likely her first ever. And on Wednesday, Gogo will head off to Beaufort West with all this stuff, with Neo happily beside her, to try in her way to change the lives of the women who languish in these poor areas with no chance how to learn to change. Gogo is the perfect example of a strong and fierce woman who can show them what might be possible. She speaks English, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Tswana - everyone will be able to hear her voice.

And so time winds down here in my little heaven of a house in Cape Town. On Sunday morning early, I leave with my friend Ryan to fly to Joburg, and then drive north to Pilanesberg, where his parents run a lodge. I will get to see the big animals there, and maybe even ride an elephant. More importantly, I'll get to spend some time with Ryan, who has become such a good friend here, meet his family, and see a whole other part of South Africa. I'll come back to the house on Wednesday for one last night, where it will be strangely quiet without Gogo's voice and the constant Xhosa chatter of the family. On Thursday morning, I leave for the airport to come home. I fly first to Joburg (2.5 hours), then to Washington, DC (18 hours), and then to Nashville (2 hours). On Friday morning I land in Nashville, where I will then promptly land in my bed. I hear it is hot at home. Sounds luxurious.