Jesse Zink, formerly of St. John’s, Northampton, is a missionary serving in Mthatha, South Africa.
He is writing about his experience on his blog at mthathamission.blogspot.com. Here is Jesse's latest e-mail letter back home.
Jesse Zink was raised in St. John's, Northampton and worked at Bement
Camp and Conference Center for many years. He is now a missionary in
Mthatha, South Africa through the Young Adult Service Corps, a program
of the national church for young Episcopalians.
He works at the
Itipini Community Project, a clinic, pre-school, feeding program, and
community center that serves a shantytown outside Mthatha, the center
of one of the poorest parts of South Africa. The Project is funded by
the African Medical Mission, an organization started by two long-time
Episcopal missionaries, Chris and Jenny McConnachie.
Jesse posts regular updates to his blog about his work and life in
South Africa and he encourages you to check it out (and keep coming
back) to learn more about what wonders God is working among our
African brothers and sisters.
He says communication with home keeps him sane in South Africa. He loves
getting your comments, questions, and feedback. Jessie can be reached at: c/o CCP McConnachie/P/Bag x5014/Mthatha 5100 South Africa or jessezink – at –
gmail – dot – com.
Where is Mthatha? Click here.
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The Most Recent E-Mail from Jesse Zink in Mthatha
Dear friends,
One afternoon about two weeks back, I got a call from a young mother I
know pretty well. She is one of the many people in Itipini - male and
female of all ages - I have become close to in my time here. For the
last several months, we have had an ongoing and sporadic conversation
about how she should have an HIV test. Like so many others, she had
not been tested because she was afraid to find out that she might be
positive. I tried to explain in as many ways as I knew how the
importance of knowing your status and the health benefits that can
follow even a positive test. But I didn't seem to be getting anywhere
and I chalked it up as yet one more thing I couldn't do here. But that
phone call and its simple message changed all that: "Jesse, today I
went to a testing centre and had a blood test. I am negative."
I don't think I've ever cried tears of joy before but this was the
closest I've ever come. (Even writing this now, several days
afterwards, I can feel myself welling up.) I was shocked that she had
had the test, at long last. I was overjoyed, of course, at her status.
And I was moved that she wanted to make sure to tell me so soon after
learning her results, to the extent that she called me, rather than
waiting until the next time we bumped into each other.
I am getting on a plane tomorrow and heading back to North America to
see family and friends, tell the stories of my year here, and raise
some more money so I can return for another year. It is encounters
like this phone call that nourish me and make me want to return to
continue this exasperating business of mission. It reminds me again of
the importance of long-term mission commitments, of focusing energy on
building relationships, and of putting as much emphasis on who I am as
on what I do as a missionary. It gives me credible reason to hope that
my presence here has had discernible positive impact. Of course, this
bit of news is only one small ray of light in this young woman's
otherwise challenged and difficult life and there are many more like
her who need as much help but still… on insignificant and negligible
laurels such as these can I now rest.
My break from Mthatha has lengthened in the planning and now includes
a mildly overwhelming tour of several states that I hope will allow me
to re-connect with lots of old friends and make many new ones. I've
tried to alert those of you I know to be in a certain area of my
impending arrival but I'm not as up-to-date on where all of you are as
I should be. Herewith, a brief overview of my travel schedule. I'll
happily provide more information to any who want it.
August 31 - preaching, Christ Church Anglican, North Bay, ON
September 7 - preaching and forum, St. John's, Northampton, MA
September 9 - presentation, St. Peter's, Ellicott City, MD
September 10 - presentation, cathedral, Baltimore, MD
September 11-13 - Chicago, IL
September 14 - adult forum, St. James, Wilmington, NC
September 16 - presentation, Pinewood Preparatory School, Charleston, SC
September 18 - presentation, Hendersonville, NC
September 19-22 - A New Way conference, Houston, TX
September 23 - presentation, St. Mary's, CT
September 24 - presentation, St. Francis, Holden, MA
September 28 - preaching and adult forum, Christ Church Cathedral,
Springfield, MA
September 29-30 - New York, NY
I still have a few open evenings that I am hoping to fill in in the
next few weeks, specifically in my time in Western Massachusetts.
I continue to pour myself out online on my web log -
http://mthathamission.blogspot.com - and I encourage you to check it
out. In the last few weeks I've written about the launch of our new
micro-credit program, the joy an old, donated piano was able to bring
to the pre-school, the largest birthday party I've ever had (and the
first where English wasn't the dominant language), the final and
definitive translation of the Bement favourite, "O Nkosi Jesu," and
much more. I had thought I might take a break from blogging but I find
myself with a list of things I still want to write about so I'll
continue to spool out posts in the weeks ahead even though I won't
actually be in Itipini. This is also an excellent opportunity to
update this mailing list, which has seen some unexpected growth. I
have no problem sending these e-mails to any and all who want them but
as I am wary of overloading unsuspecting Inboxes, I might find myself
culling a few addresses I haven't heard from in a while.
It's 11 days short of a year ago since I first got on a plane to come
to South Africa. During the long journey, I wrote in my journal, "Now
I am sitting in Heathrow, partway to my destination, and I truly am
scared at what I am doing…. I have this fear of the great unknown I am
venturing into. I keep trying to picture what is a-waiting me in
Mthatha and what it will look like and I keep coming up with countless
new visions, all of which I am sure will be wrong. What will I be
doing? Who else will be there? Will I make friends?"
Needless to say, in a year, those particular fears have been washed
away, the questions answered, and the great unknown become known, in
the names and faces and stories of individuals - our brothers and
sisters in Christ - who have made my time here so memorable. "It takes
the whole world to know the whole Gospel," I heard at mission
training. Having seen the wonders God works even (especially) in
circumstances such as these, I now know this to be true and look
forward to learning this more deeply when I return.
This year would not have been possible without the financial support
of many of you and the emotional and prayful support of all of you. I
hope I have "earned my keep" in return for your generosity this past
year. For sure, I know it is only because of your unstinting support
that I have made it this far and been able to savour this experience
so fully. I can't wait to tell you all that in person!
Your man in Mthatha,
Jesse
Jesse Zink
Episcopal missionary in Mthatha, South Africa
c/o McConnachie
P/Bag x5014
Mthatha 5100 South Africa
jessezink@gmail.com
http://mthathamission.blogspot.com
mobile: +27 79 840 7683
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