Home is where the heart is, a statement thus far true to the bone. We can build houses, and invite guests, share smiles, yet it will either be one of two things for them, a home or a house. Five weeks have past, and I miss home, my second home, home of Priscilla Clapp.

In the words of Dempers’, my brother from another mother, “it was a privilege”, one could have not asked for a better host mom. The greatest thing about the fundamentals of humanity is that, a smile opens a door faster than a key does. Our host mom was proof of this in more ways than one, the first day was proof. One could swear me and Dempers were adopted brothers who just got shipped from the “mother land” as most African American’s would say, to an American home. The beauty about this all was that this was a home.

Families have their far share of discussions at the dinner table. The question you may ask, what did we discuss at supper? The answer to that is simple, my brother Dempers (alias “Demokratis”) can attest to this, we talked about everything that is and was. The main meal sometimes would be the greatest rice, and some mind blowing vegetarian sides, and for the carnivore as we called Dempers in the house, were lovely pieces of meat (be it chicken or steak), and to top it, some politics, economics, leadership, and the likes.

The greatest tragedy would be me not sharing what happened on day one of getting home. In a nutshell this is how events turn themselves out. We get home the first day all smiles and excitement, you could even smell it in the air, or was that the smell of not bathing for more than twelve hours? The first thing that would ideally happen after travelling for a day, would be to rest, relax digest the new environment, and enjoy the moment. The reality of that skipped our minds, we had a “conference”, the Who Gets The Best Room imbizo”, which took more than half an hour, where our host mom took five minutes explaining where everything is, and then we took to the tables to discuss a room. In the end I won the room downstairs, which looked like a James bond hide out, it had a hidden entrance, how nifty was that, and Dempers finally got the room three flowers from me. I only realize now that he got a lot from each leadership session, but got more from having to go three floors up every night.

One never thought much on what impact the host family can have on you till now. The people we stayed with were like our journals to some of us who did not have personal journals at first. Trust is not an over night session like blackberry messenger (BBM), but with progress that is were the waters get deep and better for both intern and host family, mom in our case. The impact that our host mom had might have not been a fire that got ignited from day one, but with time it become and has become a furnace furled flame. To have someone listen to you after a day from work that jut might have rubbed you of the wrong way, helps in the longest run of this journey, having someone to motivate you for future endeavours, someone to induce a fire of passion into your belly to want to know and influence things in your country, that is something of value to me. The added bonus was Dempers and my half siblings, Mini-mouse, Batman, and Mini-man, the cats that ruled the house. The one thing my father always taught me was that, your attitude determines the people who will contribute greatly to your life, and how they will choose to stay in it. Dempers “Demokratis” Meyer has and will always be a legend. Where do you have a guy give you his 100% self for nothing in return, even after a day of work, jam-packed sessions, and a walk from Du Point circle? A guy who will sing R’n B songs at 23h45 at night? I do not think one can ever find such a person, personally this was my SAWIP-DC highlight amongst an array of many others.

The value of a host family is one you create, sustain, and nurture throughout your entire SAWIP experience. The connections we made are somewhat equivalent to those we have on our biological families, and at times much higher. Here I stand, and well, proud to say I stayed not in a house, but in a home, that of Priscilla Clapp. It gives me great pleasure to have stayed in a home that will always have a place in my heart, thank you Ms Clapp.

A life time can be judged as being too long. A life time, our life time is somewhat something that is to an extent in our hands. We ought to realize and question what value would we be of if we had nothing, the truth of it being, when we are down to nothing. Here we are in the spin of things, the center piece being Washington D.C, and the curtain opener, being the most pivotal aspect of leadership in our life time, servant leadership.

Permit me to start by eluding from the main and initial notion, servant leadership, and allow me to tie it in with the events that make up our first week in the Washington D.C. Rain marked the arrival of the SAWIP fifteen, the 2011 class, one could take them as an excuse for relatives. The proceedings were ventured through by a braai, what Americans call a barbeque, hosted by the lovely Cantrel family, with the presence of the US Board. Come Monday, the metro became the place to get lost at or should one say in, if you are not getting into the wrong metro, you are dumbfounded as to where you are at. I thought my geography worked like a charm, till I realised, being a couple of meters below the ground can be change things drastically.

Selling SAWIP is similar to selling water to persons in a desert; everyone needs a peace of it. I personally can attest to this, why? I was a merchant for the night. I ought to say thanks to Ms Karen Strydom for letting us host the fundraiser at her house, where people saw the value of this amazing program, where as an intern, you see the interests of the world in a room filled with the movers and shakers of D.C and other spheres of America. What followed was something I can not afford to contract Parkinson’s diseases to erase; it captured the future in a glimpse, words, and discourse, the Youth Day roundtable discussion with Ambassador Rasool

While time has flown by like rearing a teen, the fruits of Democracy allowed us to celebrate Youth day on foreign soil, but in a South African home. We entered into this day under the theme; Youth Action for Economic Freedom in our Lifetime. One must acknowledge the honour of being chosen to speak at that event, we all where moved at the words placed forth as key points of the discussion by fellow SAWIP interns, Howard university and the young American professionals. Many of the things that I learnt from that dialogue center around the concept that we understand as human development and its goals that need to be highlighted, objectively approached, nationally pursued and achieved, as suggested by Erik de Ridder. This concept has been explored in the realm of academia, including that of private institution in a form of international reports. However; a set model for South Africa has not been set as yet, even though some have come close to having the same frameworks, none have been dynamic in their approach.

Human development is not mono-culturally centred, yet it is dynamically multifaceted to establish the pursuit of a more evened platform in three aspects, social, economical, and political development. The core quest being the end point where all citizens of the country can participate in the steering of the great vessel we call South Africa on all three levels of development, this all ties in with the freedom charter in one way or another. Human development in the context of South Africa will one day be propagated into the global playing field as soon as we master and understand in our own model. One of the key facets that make up the keys that will start, drive, and steer human development is Servant leadership. Servant leadership is the inverted mirror image of self-serving leadership, which we are branded for by the world as a result of our past flaws in leadership. It is rooted in the demonstration of the desire to lead people as an authentic servant through servant hood that is Ubuntu centred. The “I am because We are” philosophy is mother to servant leadership, and will ever be so as long as the ideal of service is centred around the African continent, but more South Africa. Dr. Kent Keith once wrote, “To be a servant-leader, the African must reject the concept of leadership as a money-spinning business venture; or a rare opportunity to feather one’s nest and bequeath material security to one’s offspring. He must repent of past misdeeds, adopt transparency and make appropriate restitutions” - (The case of leadership)-.

Servant leadership grants room for shared vision on the future of a family, a community, a nation, and the world. It is the center that feeds the periphery, it is transparent, it is invigorating those who are in line in its path and those who choose it, and it nurses the injustices that have and might have occurred. The foundation we have shall be brick-laid more and more by the contractors that we shall meet along the path here in D.C and back home in South Africa.

We are by virtue of SAWIP and rooted personal values in a dynamic setting, a playing field where everyone is a winner; the loser is that one being that chooses to stay inert while servants, leaders, erupt to spew change and gases of motivation for a better future. Today we work like slaves; tomorrow we live like queens and kings.

Behind every great man is an even greater woman. Behind the curtain that the act of leadership is performed, lay stage men and women who go beyond the call of duty without the urgency to get admiration out of it all. Their passion, the bigger picture, the end result is there greatest desire, aside from the all encompassing picture. These stage men and women make up, the SAWIP 2011 management team.

Leading from the rear guarantees in most cases the desired outcomes envisioned by a leader. We are all imperfect beings who strive for perfection. On this journey we have come to terms with the fact that some paths are longer, yet they venture us towards a perfect narrative for all who embody that very road. Here they are, Kim Williams, Claire Shoolin, Vivek Ramsaroop, Melvyn Lubega and other very incredible co-management staff. The thing about this team is that they know that “I” plays no part in “TEAM”.

Running a ship like the Titanic must have been a major hustle with nature and mechanics. Running a colossal vessel like the SAWIP 2011 intern must take an even greater anchor than the Titanic needed in times of clocking in at the harbour. No ship runs perfectly without storms forming, norming, and at times performing against or with the ship. Here we are months into an ocean that has had its far share of tides, whirlpools, storms, calm sees, but more so smooth breezes of inert and unvoiced exhilaration.

The construction of this ship is owed to firstly to Kim. She managed to make calls that would present me with nightmares in the day if I were in her shoes, e-mails that at times placed smiles, and some of which dipped into strong tea a spoon of disappointment. Claire and the American management team side made big runs for the sails to catch high winds that did not favour the entire ships parts at first, but a breeze was finally met, furthermore, how can one forget Viv and Melvyn, the men behind the paddles when engines seemed to somewhat weary on the ship.

The shores of Washington D.C and even New York have had its fair share of tidal encounters. I am not one to narrate drama and thrillers, yet reflection was needed when the entire ship had a minor disconnect with its crew members. One must acknowledge that the fault was not on the ship alone, but the anchors too, but then that is a tale well too told and well buried. Here we are, a mile stone above the apex, and reasoning with some of the expectations that should have been set forth, most excellently executed, reasons well shared. A journey of a thousand miles, has its uncalculated and unforeseen steps, yet well learned from and redefined by the leaps made. Thus we journey on with a symbiotic aura, a feel of openness if one must say.

Our history has come teach us that a mat does not function as a cover for issues unresolved, thanks not granted rightfully so. Thanks is a gift in accordance to all, as the mention of names will fuel elitism, and compromise the ideals and the vision set forth by SAWIP, thus to the team and management, thank you for the journey thus far, the storming, the interpersonal motivation and learning, if there is such a word, then permit me to say; the New Yorking, and more so the progressive realization of cohesion has been of value to as all if my voice may be all encompassing one. “The protection of intangible cultural heritage and maintaining the continuity of the national culture constitute an essential cultural base for enhancing cohesion in the nation.” - Li Changchun

Steps taken by all man pave the path before them. The path chosen by all man is rooted in the very soil that has paid its dues for their chosen journey; here I am reaping the fruits of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, and many men who shared in his vision for us all to journey on to great things. Today I am an intern in the office of the honourable Congressman Bobby L. Rush.

Who could have thought, the first government I would work for would be a foreign one? Truth be told, getting the news just after my exams was ideal, because I would have started drafting policies in my exams rather than answering the questions that I was being examined on. I must admit that my knowledge of the Congressman was below any significant barometer of the “I-know-scale”, but that of congress in general was well in order. The eagerness and act thereof of who the congressman was, put the icing on the cake, because the hits on Google mad sure I stayed up the entire night and dawn reading more about the man himself.

Allow me to give you a Congressman Bobby L. Rush 101 synoptic lecture; after all I do have the congressional bragging rights. Congressman Rush is the representative of the district of Illinois, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, “he believes in the constitutional promise of equality, liberty and justice for all Americans” -http://rush.house.gov/ . The aura around him; be it in a meeting, a chat in the office, or a lift ride to the office, is beyond the norm of being in contact with a government representative. He manages to look beyond positions, titles and the likes, and treats you as an equal; I mean is that normal for a guy, who defeated Obama in a primary, a man who was once a Black panther.

Swimming outside one’s comfort zone, makes the dive into new waters with it. Working in the Rayburn building gives you a certain heightened confidence, a certain desire to know more, a particular need to ask what can be done differently by South Africa within the realm of government. The first hour of being in room 2268 stripped me naked of my “what if a mess up” mentality, and induced a desire in me learn more as the days went by.

In order to be trusted with great things you start with the smalls. The first day presented itself with lessons of standard protocol for everything, when I mean everything I am not fooling around, from how to answer calls, how to do research, how to write proposals in terms of briefings and not forgetting the use of a photocopy-scan-all-office-purpose machine called “Ricoh”. The basic run of the normal day would be to arrive in the office at 09h00 in the morning eager to work until 18h00, where half of the day you attended the most amazing briefings, and meetings with people you thought you would never meet. The highlight of attending briefings and meetings, (besides meeting important individuals) was how my opinions were valued to extents I never imagined.

Behind every great man is a great woman, but behind every great government official lies a staff that goes the extra miles and even beyond to see the success of an office. Come the end of my internship, I will appreciate more so the folks that get to work at seven in the morning to see that the speeches off the day are well prepared for the man in charge, the women and men who cannot attend their sons’ football games because of the damage that the press has ignited for the office they represent.

My general work etiquette before this venture was, working to live; now I live to work. Much can be learned from this all by my government back home. What would happen if all government institutions and bodies had interns? Would that not spark more interest in engaging with the government for the youth? These questions amongst others have used my mind as a treadmill and now, they need to be answered, and the question is how? .

The world’s voice has been the loudest in the presence of a mirror. If you held all your successes in your hands, and faced the mirror straight on, the very things you had in your hand, on your body, even the very thoughts that reside your mind would be reflected without flaw. I have realised that mirrors do lie sometimes, and maybe they present us with the greatest lies. I can stand with my B.Pharm degree in front of a mirror come graduation, but does that define what or who I am? The big question is; does it assemble a blueprint of what I am capable of becoming?

Introspection can do wonders to clean the mirror we call the mind. The road prior to D.C has had its fair share of lessons with their respective values. The one thing remains true about life, is that it manages to grant you the lesson first, and teaches you later on. The light of this statement comes after “forming, storming, performing, and norming” within the confines of my head, after talks with my fellow colleagues, and even with my family. What resonates from it all is that, my degree will not become a box that will define me; it should not become a tunnel grid that narrows me into the “rat race” years beyond graduation, or even become a vial that blinds me from my contribution to the greater scheme of things in South Africa.

Much can be learnt from just listening to people who have been through the same tides as you have. Two weeks back when we celebrated Youth day at the embassy, where along side Sizwe gave the opening speeches and remarks, I was approached by a lecturer from Howard University, and she asked me what I was studying and I told her. The contours of someone’s face can tell stories on their own, and that can be accounted for her facial response before she said anything. She paused and said to me; “young man, you like pharmacy, but the trick is that you’re born to speak for your country. Do not let your degree build walls around what you are…” I almost shocked on the thank you that occupied my mouth like Christmas pudding. This goes back to my initial statement that mirrors can be deceiving, and in my case my mirror has been telling me white lies.

In the words of SAWIP alumni Khaya Mayile, “do not think out the box, crush the box completely”. It is such words that transcend beyond the very thought of knowing what one can become. If I am to think that influencing change in South Africa will require another pharmacist, then I might as well rob my own country of the opportunity of having a visionary, a leader, a patriot in the ideals of human development in South African. My journey thus far has been an illumination of some sort, a message that beckoned to be freed, and a great deal of reflective activity induced by Nigel Bailey, British High Commissioner Dr. Nicola Brewer, and my current supervisor that needed my dire attention.

Many may never get the opportunity to find there niche, not that I have found mine, and that alone can deprive my peers the opportunity that hovers in their subconscious of the world that lies beyond their degrees. We are young, roads are yet to be discovered, some created and redefined , but not everyone will have SAWIP experiences to grant them the wake-up call that I am still getting. It is this very urge that has made me realise that after all is said and done, I need to make sure that the recipe is shared with my peers. This might not move mountains, but it will surely save some from bringing boulders from high points.

This all reminds me of the poem, The Road not Taken by Robert frost, where in the last two stanza he captures it so beautifully as he say, “I took the one less travelled by, And it made all the difference” The road head is not an easy one, but acknowledging that a B.Pharm degree will not define who I am or my train of thought. “More power than all the success slogans ever penned by human hand is the realization for every man that he has but one boss. That boss is the man - he - himself.” - Gabriel Heatter

The greatest gift that one can grant another being is one that is purely intangible. I sat in church once, and the preacher said, “The real measure of your wealth is how much you would be worth if you lost all your money”, the certainty of that statement resonated only upon the end of my community service hours at Al Noor (meaning a place of light) Orphanage Center.

This part of my journey on SAWIP left me with a few questions, does servant leadership have to be delicately placed into a box to be defined? Or does it encompass certain facets that root selfless service unto others? Time is the most precious commodity that one can have, lose, or give. Servant leadership is one of the many components that SAWIP entails in its mores, if one should say, that add value to “SAWIPers”.

My community service journey began with a decision to not only change communities, but to also change positions, in terms of where I serve from and that was the transition from serving from a portfolio, and serving as a servant purely without a title. Al Noor Orphanage Center, is a center that was brought to light to me by Thuli (fellow SAWIPer). The orphanage is not just another house turned “social-services-centre” but it is indeed a home for 24 children ages six to sixteen, and catering for both boys and girls who all have a story to tell.

It is said that smiles open doors faster than keys do, and the reality of that materialised each day I spent the collective hours with the kids, that are now my friends. When we raise our sleeves as leaders, we raise the very spirit of the people who we are serving with a selfless heart and an assertive mind. When I helped those kids with their home work, they made sure that I let them lead their minds into venturing into finding the solutions to the questions in their books, and not for me to give them all the answers.

Somehow they knew that they had it in them, they just needed a catalyst of some sort to give them the nudge, without giving them the upper hand to the finish line. When we played games, at times with other volunteers and even with my fellow SAWIP colleagues, they wanted me to participate and not always facilitate. I felt as though their greatest desire was not to be treated like numbers in the social service system, however, as children of a family like setting that does not take grid of the social ideals that society expects of a family.

I took it upon myself to share in their load, be it cleaning the boys’ rooms, because the “ladies” conference center was always neat, to washing dishes, and all other choirs that needed to be attended to. Far too often I felt like a duck in the water, always dipping my self into something new every time I came there, it was keeping my head in the waters that was the challenge. One minute I am in the kitchen the next minute, I am on the little soccer pitch shouting, “off-side, corner kick!!”, and realising how much it means to teach those amazing kids about team work. One of the greatest treasures I discovered is how much they needed someone to listen to their dreams.

I took the greatest pleasure in excavating each ones dream, and what a discovery I made. One of the boys that I asked what he wants to become one day, responded in a manner that saw the ground bellow me fall into a deep space of introspective thought. The boy is only twelve, and this was his response when I asked about his dreams, “When I grow up I want to be a lawyer”, and when I asked why, he continued to say, “…because I want to help social workers help children like me to have a better life, and live in better homes in my country.”

That very day, Mpumi and Mangaka were present, and I think as distinctive law students they too felt the weight that response carried. At such a young age he owned his dream, he saw his purpose, and drew South Africa’s vision into his own heart, as he used the word “my” It left me wondering whether or not I am doing enough to aid in this country’s vision for a better future.

I served Al Noor to the best of my abilities to achieve my set goals, which drew me out of my comfort zone and propelled me into a zone with emigrating to. The reward in self has never lasted, but has always been outweighed by that of selflessness.

To give of one’s time, genuinely deposits more to both served community, and servant, but more so the servant (assumed name, servant leader). It is thus true to me that the infamous axiom, “to live like a king, one must work like a slave” has become a component of my definition of what servant leadership is to me personally.

The one true thing I take way from this individual community service project, thanks to the Al Noor family, is summed up J. Brotherton’s words, “My richness consists not in the extent of my possessions; but in the fewness of my wants.”

When history took brush strokes at the future it made sure that every colour was used. South Africa is a canvas on its own that is yet to be finished, and gazed upon in admirable wonder by the very world that has taken strokes that have changed the tints that history has provided. It is being that chosen colour that makes one to desire to always illuminate the canvas from a minute corner, to let the eyes of the world see the what the future strokes will do to the finale portrait.