An African Connection

It's been a while since I last posted about Anh Linh. Club members prepared and organized Jerri's visit to Singapore and the Singapore American School in January (read more at Tales from Vietnam, link to the right), and have taken steps to create lesson plans for our upcoming March visit.

This morning, I arrived back in Singapore after spending a week working with a Christian-affiliated education-social center in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa. The Bridgman Centre Bridgman Centre Website Click Here has been a place of security for about 100 children of HIV/AIDS stricken parents who receive basic education (supplementing local primary school education) and care by a group of amazingly dedicated individuals who cook, clean, teach, and care for the children.

The Three Connections:

1. Love is universal. Oftentimes, we fail to understand that showing our love comes before anything else in helping others. Whether we call Anh Linh a Free School or Love School, the Bridgman Centre kids show us our love is what promises them a promising future.
2. Education is the most basic tenet to break the poverty cycle. While the Bridgman Centre may not be a fully-fledged school, the center's weekly bible stories, lessons, and reading programs supplement the basic education all children receive from the public school system -- giving the kids an advantage over others.
3. Service is instinctive.  Go to a place without expectations. Our group arrived at the Bridgman Centre not knowing what we needed to accomplish. I myself first arrived at Anh Linh not knowing what I was expected to do. Keep an open mind, and perform service by instinct. Wherever there is a need, fulfill that need and seek to help in whatever way possible.

The Bridgman Centre blog is being set up as I write and a newly revamped website will be up within the next two weeks. I had a wonderful time there and highly encourage anyone who may pass by Jo'burg to stop by the center. South Africa has wonderful hospitable people, amazing food, excellent infrastructure, and an unforgettable cultural impact that would last a lifetime.

The Center

Chapel (Bible story time)

New iMac being tested in lab

Painting the walls & designs

With Thabo, a staff member