Painting for Joy

Being in Delft township has been an incredible experience. We have done so much just in one week and I have given so much as well as taken so much from the experience. I have seen everything from an African medical clinic, homes of families in the township, so many children and an incredible amount of joy in the lives of the South African people. Everything that we have done to help out in the township, small or large, has made such a huge impact on the people of Afrika Tikkun, which is an organization in Delft township that helps transform the township into a better community. The experience that impacted me the most while being in Delft was when 5 others and I painted a mural on the outside of the main building. One of the staff members, Lizeka, told us she wanted a tree painted on the wall because trees are always present and because of that they give hope to the children. I thought her words were so beautiful, and because I've had a weird obsession with trees, what Liz said really impacted me lot and gave me a reason to love trees that much more. So the six of us sketched out what we wanted to eventually paint, went and got paint and then went to town on the wall. We had a very short time to actually paint the wall, but we all worked together and finished what we all thought was a masterpiece. In my free time back home, I find peace and relaxation in painting, so doing this was such a remarkable experience. Knowing that we were painting this wall to give back to the community and children of Delft made it that much more meaningful. Once it was all finished, the reaction of the staff of Afrika Tikkun made the entire process so worth it. They were all raving about our work on the wall and Liz told us that what we had painted was so much better than what she had in mind! Everyone genuinely appreciated our work and loved the effort and heart that we put into the mural. I was on a painter's high and couldn't stop smiling, knowing that when the kids saw the wall, they would be so filled with joy; knowing the reaction of the children thrilled me beyond belief. This mural was by far my favorite part of the week in Delft because we made an impact on that community that will stay there forever.