Every year, the last two weeks of December I get paid holiday from work.  Last year this allowed me to play disc golf in Alabama and visit my family in Georgia as well as friends in Florida.  This year my sister has decided that she has been too blessed, life was too easy for her...seems she forgot about the misery, failures, and disappointments on the way to success....and she has decided that her new mission is to move to South Africa with my 13 yr old niece and put shoes on the soles of children and help enrich the souls in their hearts.  I applaud her for making such a monumentous decision but I'm pretty sceptical of helping people that have a history of not helping themselves...you can stop your ranting about that statement now.

We've shown these people how to dig wells, grow crops, reduce the spread of HIV, and try to instill in them a moral fiber that has yet to take hold.  Every decade violence erupts and millions are dead in sensless violence in an orgy of evil and always blamed on religious or ethnic cleansing.  My heart is pretty hard against these folks.  HOWEVER, in South Africa there are millions...waves and waves of displaced children that have no blame or fault in the sins of their parents.  They come across the border and  fed, given medical attention, clothed, educated and hopefully one day will lead their people in what is right and just.

So...as you can see...I'm going there with a very closed mind about one issue...and a very warm heart about the children.  I thought maybe I could take some blue prints I got from discraft and make workable baskets...take a few discs and show the kids a sport that anyone can learn.  Instill in them the virtue of DiscGolf that to help a direct competitor to become better is a major part of our game.  A game that creates non-violent competition.  That can help them deal with frustration and over come adversity to become better.  A game that can take their minds off the horrors of what they have witnessed at such an early age in life....hopefully a game that can help heal those wounds.

I'm not on here asking for support.  Baskets would be too costly to transport when I can make them there.  Any kid that argues that a Titan should be legal due to Inside Demensions and are far supperior to Chainstars will most likely get a teary-eyed hug...not a debate.  I don't need financial support...and don't even need emotional support...I just wanted a pubilc forum to get something off my chest that I've been holding in for a while. I don't know how I'm going to react once I get there.  The last time I was on that continent  was under different circumstances and a different mission.  I still don't trust anyone over 16 there...but the little kids may break my heart and shatter a wall I've built up for decades.

Take pictures, Lee!

You can go instead of me...just have someone doctor my Passport...I don't think you understand how little I want to go on this trip.

oh my gosh == Lee. you are seriously an ignorant N American Hick ... For someone who seems to know absolutely nothing about Africa - South Africa or Social Development in Emerging Markets, those comments are seriously flawed and simple (McCain style) for a subject matter which is so complex, so entrenched and long lasting - your ignorance actually blew me off my seat. It seems the extent of your social development or environmental preservation knowledge is bound to baking cookies for the local church or planting a tree next to your picket fence ...

We'll (South Africans) will definitely make a mental note that you are NOT invited to one of our weekly games -- in fact I will personally send that message to the relatively small Disc golf community (in Johannesburg and Cape Town) to ensure it ...

Kind Regards
Max

Max Max, a guy gets on here and admits his own inner struggles yet is willing to go there and offer his support and then you get on here and blow him up. Not good, no matter what your political or social views.

you do know disc golf is (WORLDWIDE)so they have just as much reason to play disc golf as us and you should also think about other people too they did nothing to you for you to dog them like that maybe they think the same about you MAX so THINK ABOUT SOMETHING BEFORE YOU SAY IT you should give lee credit for thinking about some one else you don't have to be jealous hes a nice guy. good job lee

open forums guys,.. if lee has the right to voice his opinion, so does this south african gentleman. i would be careful to to get too defensive, or offensive ("P.S. We get south Africans to plant our trees for us here in the States...") due to the fact that in some perspectives these are most likely racist comments. sure, speak your minds... but be aware of what you're actually saying.

Finally, someone with sense.

Ok Everyone ... I work everyday in development in South Africa and Africa ... i don't appreciate these comments about South Africa because THEY ARE NOT TRUE

'I'm pretty sceptical of helping people that have a history of not helping themselves' (have you no idea about the history and struggle which ensued in S Africa)
'Every decade violence erupts and millions are dead in sensless violence in an orgy of evil and always blamed on religious or ethnic cleansing' (crap)
'Where children laugh and play and no parents anywhere because of fathers being killed in war' (what war?)
'You can go instead of me...just have someone doctor my Passport...I don't think you understand how little I want to go on this trip' (then don't go)

Its very irresponsible and ignorant to make such comments -- and shows very little knowledge of South Africa. I don't deny you might be a great guy - but if you're coming to our country - best you shape up your attitude, bring positive energy here and make a difference - and more importantly, get to understand the issues at a deep level if you hope to have any real impact on the ground. Bad mouthing South Africa after all the effort its people over decades have put into it - to make it one of the only real success stories in Africa, does not give any justice to us who work on the ground. (NB The grass might only seem greener in the US because people made it so - come do that here instead - far more aspirational)

-- The sufferings of the African continent (for example the Congo - are largely caused by Europeans - Belgians specifically, and the Americans - The Gov and CIA during Mobutu's era -- in widespread ethnic cleansing and economic pilfering and ivory/rubber) have a widespread history which started during imperialism and continues through independence of these countries.

Much of the ills of Africa have been co-created by minority dictators put in power by European and American counterparts and now with increased pressure from countries like China who are looking for cheap resources and seek to secure their energy (oil) supplies ... In developing countries it is always the majority who suffer in poverty and struggle to help themselves as they are badly equiped/educated to do so ... and its always a corrupt minority kept in place by the powers that be to maintain their own agenda (usually very cheap resources).

Ok -- i'm over this type of talk -- i do hope that the bad mouthing can stop now ...

I'd just like to know a little about disc golf. Do you play Max? Do you have courses with baskets there? What's your favorite disc? Where do you get your discs? Do you have any tournaments? Thanks

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