Time to Head Home...

I have been back in the states for a few weeks now, and I feel like I haven't finished my trip to South Africa properly until I write this last post. Watching all the World Cup matches on tv really takes me back! I found a new place in Grant Park and am getting back in the swing with work, however I keep having thoughts of Cape Town and how good it was to me. To leave my first official blog open-ended would be a slap in the face to all the wonderful people who made my time in South Africa so prosperous and meaningful. So here we go...the final days.

Monday May 17...back to school! It was a normal day with the kids and we wrapped up with a younger boys field hockey match followed by practice with the girls. As I walked home the clouds rolled in and the temperature started to drop. Just before I made it to my pad on Ringwood, I came across a man walking the neighborhood that seemed familiar; turns out I passed him a week or so ago and gave him a small donation from what I had in my pockets. This time I stopped to chat with him and see how he was. He told me of his struggles to find and keep steady work as well as the way he is treated in the community over and over again. I just listened and tried to put myself in his shoes for a minute...just to understand for one minute what it must be like without all of the luxuries that I have on a daily basis. He spoke of his love for the Lord and how he tries to live an honest life even though it seems the cards are stacked against him most of the time. I told him that I did not know what I could do for him, but to look for me in the neighborhood and that hopefully we would cross paths again. When I got home, I immediately packed a bag for him full of things that any person living on the streets could use...a pair of pants, a clean t-shirt, clean socks, a couple of granola bars, some money and a long sleeved shirt to keep warm in the cold weather. The thing was, I didn't know if I would ever see him again to give it to him...and unfortunately I did not. For me though, it was an eye opener and another nudge from the Lord that we as Christians, and just plain people for that matter, have got to help those less fortunate than us in any way that we can. I hope that guy is making it ok through the Cape Town winter and that his faith will see him through somehow.

Tuesday I spoke with Jada from first grade about being Pen Pals and she seemed pretty excited about it. This way I'll be able to keep up with her and be her sponsor for different things going on at school. She is definitely the brightest in her class, and I see big things for her if she can make it out with an education. Boys field hockey games in the afternoon and a game of soccer with the kids later on under a beautiful sunny sky. We got news that Jonathan's grandfather passed away, possibly from complications caused by a stroke; everyone at the school is being really supportive since they all knew the man and respected him greatly. Walked home and chatted with the Johnsons as I passed the back door...good timing for me as I was handed a nice plate of chicken and potatoes! Wednesday evening was Overdrive at Old Mutual with the Southpoint family. Several members recently traveled to the US for the huge Drive conference and brought back some really cool videos of the events; not to mention a lot of very useful information that they wanted to share with everyone back home. We gathered in the auditorium where church is held every Sunday and they first went over the budget and voted on a few amendments to the church constitution. Next was a killer video, highlighted with clips from Drive and all of the events that went on over the few days. We had worship and Derek got on stage to flex his vocal abilities...I had no idea! John then spoke and challenged the crowd with the 90 day tithing challenge which brought about some really strong stories of faith and how the Lord provides when you take the first step.

Samkelo got a shot of confidence today, Thursday, when he did well on the time worksheet after some much needed one on one help. It was his afternoon with Liz as well, so that really made his day. The girls field hockey team is upset because they keep losing and think that I am never going to take them for Gatsbys, their favorite sandwich, and cold drinks if they don't win. I just keep telling them to play hard and never quit...as kids they can't see that I'm going to reward them no matter what; just trying to fire them up a little with the incentive to win! Grabbed some lamb and boerewors for tonight's braai at Ivor's and Glenn fetched me around 8. We had some red wine, good food and wonderful conversation round the braai; these are the nights when I feel like one of the Capetonians for sure. Fridays have turned into half days and sometimes you really need that after a long week with a room full of kids...God Bless 'em.

Saturday morning...time to hike! Met up with Becky and Brenda, my core hiking group, for a little time on the trails. We parked at Newlands and hiked up through the forest to the Woodcutter's Trail; from there we hit the bridge and worked our way to the Fence, it's a fence come to find out, and over to the descending trail near the Boxhouse. I will never forget my time in the outdoors in Cape Town, and I hope to make it back one day to further explore the mountain and the endless options for hiking through such a beautiful landscape. Sunday morning...5 am alarm! Brendon fetched me and we loaded in for the 9:30 service. John and Becky teamed up for today's message about men and women and how our inherent differences have a major impact on communication and marriage...really good stuff. I rode back to the Pad with Glenn for lunch on the patio with his folks...chicken, potatoes, veggies and salad. These Sunday meals have become something I really look forward to after putting in a full morning at church. We just relax and talk over a wonderful meal, and Ollie and Jimbo are always there for moral support. Here comes the last week of May and my last week at the Pad.

Monday morning means assembly in the hall and a little time to wake up for a new week. I helped Samkelo some more today one on one, and the kids seemed to be focused and worked pretty hard. Grade 2's are growing beans and gearing up for the end of term presentations on certain countries assigned to them. With the World Cup coming, it's a good way for them to learn about other cultures and share that knowledge with the rest of the school. I worked with Sade at after care on her pen pal letter and then the girls had field hockey practice. Alison dropped me off after school and I immediately went for a run along the canal as the afternoon sun was still hanging around. I am slowly wrapping my head around the fact that even after a good day at school, these are kids and you will never have a perfect day. I am focusing on the little victories that Liz and I talk about all the time; you really can't take it too personally if you have a bad day and the kids act up or don't want to listen at all. We look forward to our 'tea time' in between intervals when we lock the door, have some tea and food and decompress from what just went down in the class room. I knew I would miss them, and as I am typing this I definitely do. As I walked home, Charmiane spotted me and offered to drop me at Howard Center...I gladly accepted. I did a little shopping, bumped into Becky and Leah and made my way home for supper and some reading before bed. On Wednesday the Grade 2's had a little behavior issue, the entire class, while the Grade 1's continue to be controllable. The boys won their hockey match in the afternoon and we're about to celebrate Teacher Liz's birthday tomorrow!

The rain and cold returned today and the girls had to play their afternoon matches in it. Alison and Liz fetched me for dinner, and we headed over to the Fat Cactus, a really good and familiar Mexican joint, for Liz's birthday dinner. She invited lots of her friends and it was nice to continue to meet new people over some really good food! The next day, Friday, I had a renewed determination about me, not sure why, but I made a point to spend quality time with each child in both classes. I think that knowing my trip is about to come to a close has me concerned about my time with the kids and I really want to make sure I do as much for them as possible. That evening Derek and Wendy had people over for supper and to watch Avatar which I had never soon; everyone else there had seen it at least 7 times I think. What a cool movie to watch with surround sound and with a bunch of cool people. They are such nice folks to have me in their home, feed me and offer such hospitality all evening...great time!

Saturday morning and Becky fetched me for what was to be my last hike in Cape Town. We started at Newlands again and hit the Newlands Ravine trail, followed it through a pass which revealed views of the city on one side and Robben Island, Cape Town Stadium and the ocean on the other...beautiful! It was cool in the shade and nice and warm in the sun; this ended up being a very tough hike and I loved every minute of it. I don't think it was Becky or Brenda's favorite, but we all got a killer work out, that's for sure. Our destination was the top of Devil's Peak and from there you can see everything! Of course I forgot my camera thinking we were going on more of a trail run on this particular morning...oh well. It was so peaceful at the top, legs dangling over Cape Town, as I just sat on the highest rock and listened to the distant hum of the city below; one can really get some thinking done at a place like this. As we made our way back, the trail got tougher and for me, going down is much tougher than going up. I banged my knee on a boulder at one point, and I think I am still feeling it a month later. I grabbed a shower back home and rolled to the Hobbs' place for the Super 14 finals between the Stormers and the Blue Bulls; this match finally put me over the top with rugby, and I saw the pace and stamina needed to play this game well. Again, the hospitality was unmatched as I was fed and watered the entire time I was there...water is Castle beer in this case. They had some really cool folks over and caught a ride home with a nice couple that ended up staying as late as I did. Sunday morning came quickly and I caught a ride in with Brendon and Matt for load in. Today would be my acting debut in Upstreet as I told Colin I would do whatever I could to help him out with the kids ministries. I had no idea he would give me a major role to play...the person who delivers the moral of the story at the very end nonetheless. I was pretty nervous and flubbed my lines each time we ran through it before hand. But when it came time to do it live and in front of an audience, we all nailed it and I felt great afterwards. After second service, Rory's wife came up and told us that two girls committed their lives to Christ after the performance when they posed that situation to all the kids; that was a really cool feeling to be a small part of it, and I feel like that one event could have been my purpose for coming to Cape Town. Glenn and I had burgers at Steers afterwards and had a nice chat about everything that has been happening on my trip. Back to the Pad to pack my things and drop off some bags at the Loynes' place as it's time to say goodbye to the Johnsons and move back to East Way for my last two weeks. Gavin and I spoke to Maureen briefly as I threw my stuff down in their guest suite, and then it was back to Ringwood for one last night's sleep at the Pad.

Woke up Monday and packed my final things before doing a little house keeping. I rode in to school with Liz and brought the Grade 2's a big batch of peanuts and raisins as a treat; they love that mixture and always try to get their hands on mine when I bring it in. Since field hockey is over for the term, afternoon practices are as well, so I headed back to the Loynes' to get unpacked and settle in. I walked to the Spar for some provisions and used the evening to read, relax and get mentally prepared for my final two weeks in CT...time has flown! Now I am able to walk to school in the mornings since my new home is just a couple of minutes from the train station. The rail line separates Pinelands from Maitland Garden Village and the area where I spend most of my time during the week. It is such a blessing to be able to walk almost everywhere including work, the grocery, banks and church! After school, the after care kids played Nikkis under the blazing sun...I am just soaking this up now, playing all the games with the kids and acting like one whenever I can!! I took a bunch of pictures of and with the kids since I know my opportunities to document this trip are slowly running out. That evening, Maureen offered me a plate of bobotie which is a very old South African dish with origins in Indonesia or Malaysia. It's a beef mince and veggie casserole, served this particular evening with rice and peas and some bread...a Castle to wash it down of course. Wednesday morning I walked to school under an amazing orange sky as the sun rose over Cape Town. We had a good day with the kids and I met Nana for the first time at after care. She is from Ghana originally and currently lives in Atlanta of all places and attends Agnes Scott. She is in CT to put in some hours volunteering and her school is supporting the trip; very nice girl and it's funny to see how different all the African cultures are when she visits with the kids from Cape Town. We walked the boys after care group to the park in Pinelands and had a nice picnic for them complete with Gatsbys, chips and lots of cold drinks. The Gatsby looks like a sub on a long roll, but the ingredients are a bit different with Vienna sausages, fries and all kinds of other toppings to choose from. I ate pretty healthy for most of my trip...lots of tomato sandwiches, fruits, veggies etc. So when you put a huge sandwich in front of me, I'm gonna do what I do. It was nice to just get really full and relax with the kids outside of the school environment. They played on the playground and swings and had a blast...we all really enjoyed seeing them let loose and have fun. I woke up early on Thursday to a heavy rain with lots of thunder and lightening...it felt so good to roll over and go right back to sleep, you know. As I walked to school on this particular morning, a blue and gray mini bus pulled up next to me and a man offered me a ride; I could see a kid or two inside, but I kindly declined since I really enjoy my walks all over town. Suddenly the sliding door opened and I saw the other ten kids in the bus motioning for me to come and ride the rest of the way to school with them...I could not say no any longer. The man was very nice and even though most of these kids were not in my classes, they knew who I was and all knew my name; they are such good kids and so polite to offer me a ride. By the way, kids in South Africa have a hard time saying the 'a' in Brad, so my name ended up being Bread...it's the running joke now and I love it! After classes today, we had a Roadshow come to the school to advertise their product a bit and put on a fun skit for the kids with soccer and dancing...everyone enjoyed it and I got some good pictures for the school. They played 'Make the Circle Bigger' which is another point of laughter with Liz and myself.,..the kids sing it all the time, and today was my first chance to hear the proper song over the speakers. This afternoon was the girls' turn and we walked them to the park just as we did the boys the day before. We surprised them with Gatsbys and they were very appreciative. They nailed those sandwiches and had a good time playing; we looked at the pictures they took with my camera on my lap top and after we cleaned up I walked the block and a half back to the Loynes'. I read a bit before bed...tonight it's the 'Seed Sower' by Angus Buchan...his follow up to a book that everyone should read, 'Faith Like Potatoes'.

Friday was a bit foggy and over cast and the kids had joint after care today with boys and girls together. Another company came and threw a soccer party for the kids on the astro; they had food and donated a bunch of soccer balls to the school after playing a free for all soccer match with all the kids. It's nice to see a company who will come out and spend time with the kids without asking for anything in return...we all know how good that feels just to give your time. Saturday morning I got up and walked all over Pinelands to get some errands done and prepare for the afternoon outing. Alison and Liz fetched me and we drove out to Blouburg for a nice lunch by the beach with the city and Table Mountain in the background. The day was still a bit hazy, but it was hard to complain with such great scenery and company. I grabbed a few souvenirs on the way home for friends and family; it was all hitting me at once that the trip was almost over and I had several things like that to take care of before I left. I also got Jada's birthday gift that morning and wrapped it when I got home in the afternoon...I got her a puzzle, some new crayons and a coloring book and some maths flash cards for her first run at addition. I was up super early on Sunday and caught a ride in with David, Simon and Matt. We did the load in thing and wrapped up the Myths of Marriage series. After load out, I caught a ride back to East Way with Glenn...my personal chauffeur...just kidding me bru. I tried a jog but it was cold and windy and I wussed out after a quick jaunt through the neighborhood. I was so glad to finally have a hot shower, my first of the day, and from there I fixed lunch with some hot rooibos tea...my new winter habit! That evening I relaxed in the super cozy separate den that I am so fortunate to have along with satellite tv...snuggled down with the blanket for some Top Gear and travel channel, my favorites!

I took Monday morning to run some necessary errands around Pinelands...flower shop, bank etc. I got to school at 11, just in time to watch the kids play their World Cup soccer matches. I took a ton of pics and everyone had a blast even though it was really cold and windy out. After care was indoors today because of the weather...the boys played games and the girls had dress up, hilarious! Tuesday morning and I OVERSLEPT!!! NOOOOO!! I put my phone on vibrate and forgot to take it off, so I bolted upright knowing there was too much sun in the room...Liz would be waiting for me outside in ten minutes, so I threw myself together and somehow made it out front in time...I hate that feeling! We made it through classes and had to play games inside again until the rain let up; then we went out for some soccer on the astro thank goodness. I think I needed to go out and play as much as they did! I hit the Spar after school and grabbed some cottage pie for supper and a bunch of cupcakes for the kids tomorrow as it's the last day of school. I really am so fortunate to have landed this gig in the first place and to have been able to stay for the entire term...such a blessing. Wednesday was gonna be a good day and the kids made soccer player puppets in class; I also showed them how to play paper football, that old game we all used to play on our desks as kids...they loved it and I made several footballs for them to have after I was gone. After a hard but brief rain, there was the most amazing rainbow all the way over the entire school, and I rushed out to capture it on my camera. Cape Town has some of the most beautiful rainbows I have ever seen, hands down. As classes let out and I said my goodbyes to the kids who would not be coming for the field trip tomorrow, we passed out cup cakes to all and many hugs were shared. I then walked home with Jada and guarded her big red bag full of presents so that none of the other kids would hassle her. She was very happy with the bag's contents and it of course made me feel good to spoil her on her 7th birthday. When I got back, Alison presented me with the most treasured thing from my trip...a scrap book with pictures and comments from every kid in both of my classes plus the after care...it is priceless and I will have it forever to remind me of my time in Cape Town. The girls had dance club that afternoon and we shared the leftover sweets with them...they did not last long as you can imagine. I walked home and shared my new prized possession with Maureen; as a teacher she loved it and read every page of it. Thursday morning and it's time for the Coca Cola tour! I rode in with Alison and we got the kids organized. I had the most pleasant conversation with Jada's father before we left. He came with her to drop her off and he told me all about his church and their ministries to help those in the community. He is helping prostitutes get off the streets and is working to start an AIDS outreach as well, not to mention leading those in the MGV community at their church. He is an amazing guy, and I took that conversation as a time to listen and soak up all he had to say; he knew the Lord's purpose for himself and his wife, and that was how they lived their life...giving back. Amazing! The tour of the Coke facility was fun and the kids drank as much free Coke as possible...and yes, we had one to puke from too much! Back at school around lunch time and we (me, Alison, Liz, Lucretia, Nana and Sharne) cleaned out the container and got it good and organized for the next term. I gave all the girls all big hugs and said goodbye, not knowing who I might not see again. That evening, Adam and Tamara fetched me and we rode to Pam's place for supper. We were joined by Dale and Brendon and we had such a lovely time over a great meal and watched the pre World Cup concert on tv. These folks are my actual friends by now and it's so cool to spend time in someone's home, so far from my home, feeling comfortable and blessed to know such amazing folks.

Friday morning June 11 and I'm up early for a walk to Howard Center for some vuvuzelas! By now I wake up to the sound of them in the neighborhood since the World Cup is finally here! Adam, Dale and Michael W. picked me up around noon so we could make our way down to the V&A Waterfront and get started with the pre game festivities. We were all decked out in our Bafana gear, and the boys really went all out with their face paint and flags! We did some walking and took some pictures before finding a nice spot to watch the first match on tv...South Africa themselves opening the competition against Mexico. I think the most exciting part of the day came when Bafana scored the opening goal and the entire country roared at the same time...thrilling! The game ended in a 1 - 1 draw, but that was a moral victory for the underdog Boys. We then made our way to Cape Town Stadium as the sun set over Cape Town. The vibe was really cool as people from all over the world were here to celebrate the World Cup. What an amazing venue and we had seats eight rows off the pitch between the corner and the goal...thanks Brendon!! This game ended in a nill nill draw, but a chance to be there for the Cape Town opener on the other side of the world from my home was something I will never forget! Lekka!

Saturday morning I slept in a tad...vuvuzela hangover from blowing on that thing all day before you know. I pretty much chilled all day and watched soccer. That evening we ordered pizza and I had a great chat with Maureen and Brent...two of the nicest folks I have ever met. After supper, I retired back to my lounge and watched the US play England to a 1 - 1 draw...we'll take it. I read a bit and hit the sack as you know what time I get up on Sundays in Cape Town. Pam fetched me and we got to church at 6 am. Load in and I had a nice chat with James Senior who I had not seen in a while. I made it a point to say as many goodbyes as possible as this was the last time I would see most of these folks that I have spent the last three months serving with. I watched World Cup and did some pre flight home laundry so I could pack things up. I'm excited to get back home; three months was perfect and now it's time to get back to my responsibilities and keep pushing forward.

Monday morning I packed my bags and made sure everything was ready as my flight left that night. Alison and Liz, surprise guest, fetched me at the Loynes' and I was off to the airport...just like that. It's strange to stay in a foreign country for a while and then just leave all of a sudden. It made me realize how valuable my time in South Africa truly was, and I was able to leave knowing that I did not turn down any opportunity or adventure and that I gave everything that I had of myself. After all, that was the reason I made the trip in the first place. I had some supper and flew out around midnight. The flight to Amsterdam was smooth and I had a couple of hours to chill in the airport. The second half of my trip was equally uneventful until we were just outside Atlanta. I hear...'Ladies and gentlemen, I have some bad news. The Atlanta airport is close due to weather and we're going to Memphis'. BUMMER! But oh well, I figured it would work out fine and of course it did. We sat in Memphis for an hour and a half, refueled and made it back to Atlanta by 10 pm. I breezed through customs and made it home before midnight. It's strange walking in to your home after such a long time gone...not like the homecoming I was expecting. After a couple of days though, things returned to normal and I never once had a bit of jet lag...just went right on with my life since I had two weeks to find a new place and move.

Well, now we're all caught up and I am sure that taking the time to finish this blog has truly helped me put the trip in to perspective. I found a killer town home in a great part of the city and got moved without incident. I was able to visit with my South Africa group, attend a service at my home church and get reconnected with my friends and family. Honestly though, I feel like I now have a new family in South Africa...and I'll always be able to go back and feel welcome. I can't wait for Glenn to visit the states in a couple months so I can pay him back for all the rides and all the favors he did for me. And when South Africans from Southpoint Church make their way to Atlanta, they are made to feel at home the same way I was because there is a whole network of people who are making these relationships and opportunities possible. They do it because they are serving Jesus. The Lord is working all over the world and I have seen it with my own eyes. Cheers!

Feeling Like A Local Now...

After the back to back days off, it was time to get back in gear and focus on the kids for the rest of the week. I would be assisting another teacher who was going to work with our Grade 2 kids in the mornings, and the Grade 1's that we usually have just before lunch would remain with their other teacher for the full day. It was a good experience for me to observe a teacher with 40 plus years experience as she handled two classes at once. I was able to provide assistance on several occasions and mainly worked with the kids from my class to help them along with their assignments etc. After classes, I rode with Alison to a couple of sporting goods stores to set the kids up with some shin pads and gum guards...something we were short on and really needed to make sure all the boys and girls were safe for field hockey in the afternoons. The kids are getting better each week and for a group who have very little experience with the game, I am impressed I have to say. That evening I was invited to sit in with the Southpoint guys' community group, and Dale fetched me on the way to our meeting spot...literally just around the corner from my current residence. All of the guys that I know through church were there, and they really have a solid group of young men who all volunteer at church, play in the band or work with production. I say young men and laugh, but the truth is that I am the old man in the group for sure...bunch of high school and college kids! We watched one of Andy Stanley's DVDs and went through the questions at the end that are geared to really get you talking and thinking; and of course there was dessert!

My new home is even closer to the school, so now I can walk to and from without having to bum rides. It's only for a week though, and then it's back to the Pad which is also walkable but not first thing in the morning...more of a walk home kind of thing. Wednesday was a typical school day, and I used some of the break time to study Spanish. We then got the girls outfitted for their hockey match that afternoon, but unfortunately they lost again...showing promise though. I walked home and hit the Spar for groceries on the way; it really is amazing how I can survive here mainly on foot! Fridays have morphed into half days since the girls have their dance club in the afternoons...I can't really be of much help with that you know. I walked to the Pick 'n Pay and got a bunch of the Bafana Bafana bracelets for the kids as rewards for good behavior. They have been trying to rip mine off my arm all week, so I needed to stockpile for the rest of the trip. I went back to East Way to pack a little in preparation to move back to the Pad before the Seniors fetched me for a lovely dinner over at Pam's place. James told us of his adventures over the past week or so as he dealt with the repercussions of the Iceland volcano eruption and the ensuing ash cloud that wreaked havoc on the airline industry in this part of the world for several weeks. He was stuck in Dubai for a bit and missed his chance to visit England before heading over to Switzerland, but it was good to see him back in CT safe and sound. Saturday morning I was up early to finish packing and move back to the other side of Forest Drive...just a hop and a skip from the Loynes' place where I spent the last week. I threw down my bags and immediately went for a jog by the canal that runs through the heart of Pinelands on what was a beautiful afternoon. That evening the Johnsons had some guests over for dinner including Colin and Katja and our good friend Alison from Camp Sonshine among others. We had a great dinner and some good red wine as we talked about all kinds of interesting South African topics; I just sit and soak up all of this new information, never getting tired of hearing the stories and how different life can be here from my home in the states.

Sunday morning was another early one and Pam fetched me for Road Crew at Old Mutual around 6 am. The service was a familiar one and the focus was to be a blessing to others...not just worrying about how we ourselves can be blessed all the time. I believe I heard this same message in Atlanta at Buckhead Church, but it was still a strong point to make and the South African twist at Southpoint did a great job of emphasizing how important this is. I stuck around to help tear down as well, and Brendon dropped me back at the Pad around lunch time. I made lunch and scarfed it down before reading a quick chapter and indulging in an afternoon nap...nice! Back up at 4 pm to get ready for the week and watch my new favorite show, The Philanthropist, before bed. It interests me because the main character is a very wealthy man who travels all over the world helping the less fortunate; he often ends up in third world countries and I am really interested in doing more of this type of thing in the future.

Monday brought a fresh week of school and the new Camp Sonshine field hockey shirts came in today; they look really good and when the socks come in, our kids will certainly feel better with a proper uniform. Monday afternoons are for the boys and girls to practice hockey, and I think they are really coming along. Tuesday was a tough day with the kids as they have been misbehaving a lot lately and are very hard to control with the exception of the same few each time. I find this challenging and am working on letting the frustration go and remembering that they are just kids. At the same time, they have to learn to respect the teacher and focus on learning; most of these kids are already behind mind you. It's starting to get cold in the evenings as winter is fast approaching, and I have been told that the rains will begin soon. Wednesday was more of the same with the kids in class, but moral was high in the afternoon as the new socks came in for the hockey teams. Thursday brought two swift punches to the crotch from an overly excited first grader, and I did all I could to keep my composure...not cool but it was bound to happen at some point when you spend all day with people who barely come up to your belly button. I have been spending my evenings lately watching some good movies like Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes...Robert Downey Jr is on a roll these days. Friday was another half day after a good morning of working with the kids, and I came home and jogged the canal for a little cardio before the weekend hit.

Saturday consisted of reading, laundry and the crosswords...very relaxing! Sunday was a cold and rainy day and Becky did a wonderful job delivering the message at Southpoint in John's absence...very appropriate on Mother's Day. I rode with Liz and Alison to Fairview that afternoon for wine and cheese tasting...delicious. Lots of goat cheese and cabernet, my favorites! On Monday I rewarded some recent better behavior with a soccer ball for the Grade 2 boys and skipping ropes for the girls...they were very excited! I hate seeing them just hanging around the class room during interval with nothing to do, so I figured I could use those things as incentives for working hard and behaving in class. The rain and cold is off and on every day now, and it really throws a kink in our outdoor hockey practices. Luckily we have access to the main hall after 3 pm so we rolled with the punches and got in a few reps to salvage the day. That evening Glenn fetched me and we also grabbed Gareth on the way to meet Amy and Andrew to see Iron Man 2 at the theater...really good flick. Wednesday was rough as the kids were nuts, but I was excited because the boys had their first away field hockey match that afternoon. We piled the team in to Alison's mother's mini bus and rolled over to a nice cricket field where they had it divided up to work for hockey. The boys played a great game and won convincingly; besides being their first time on the road it was their first time to play on grass versus astro...I was proud of them. Thursday was another holiday for Ascension Day, and I met Alison and Liz for lunch at Howard Center's coffee shop. I then spent some time at the book store and printed off some pictures from home so I could share them with the kids on Friday. I read my new book all afternoon and settled in early that evening to be rested for one more day of school this week. We powered through Grade 2 and then Grade 1 before sending the kids off for the weekend. Alison, Liz and I then rode out to a petting zoo to research it for a possible Grade 2 class trip before the end of the term. Not too bad...they had birds, ducks, chickens, turkeys, bunnies, goats, sheep and a pony that the kids can ride; we'll see how it works out going forward.

Saturday was a beautiful day after a full week of rain, wind and cold...yes in Cape Town. I rode with Glenn and his folks to the civic center for the food and wine event; man was that place packed. The food was nice and we really enjoyed the wine tasting. R10 for a glass and then you just go down the lines for free...not too shabby. I watched a little soccer before going to bed early since Sunday morning means a 5 am alarm going off. Brendon fetched me for load in and we started a new series at Southpoint focusing on marriage. It was a great message and I swear it was one of the biggest crowds I have seen yet! Mara's daughter Heather just flew in for an 80 day stint similar to mine, and it was nice to visit with a fellow Georgian for a bit. I came back to the Pad and Glenn came over for a potjie with his folks...love it. I got a surprise call from Allan and Brenda for an afternoon hike and I of course took them up on it. Gotta get outside when you can in the winter time because you know the rain will be back. It was a great weekend as you can surely tell!

Skottel, Field Hockey, Lion's Head and More...

Friday night, 16 April...I walked from my place at the Johnsons' home to the Southpoint Church office which is the home of the Attic and InsideOut. This interactive program is held once a month and is used to bring the young people of Southpoint together for an hour or two. It starts out a lot like a normal service with two or three worship songs from the band followed by a message / sermon; this evening Matt Hastings delivered the message, and he talked about sin. He used some nice visual aids to reinforce his point, and delivered the message in a way that young people could understand and relate to. There was a very strong response from the crowd at the end, and you knew that they got the point; the band then closed out the group time with one last song...they rock by the way! From there, the older group leaders assembled up front, and their group members joined them so that they could break up and have small group time for the next half hour or so. I think InsideOut is a really nice way to give the kids some time to themselves apart from the Sunday morning service so they can be among their peers as they grow in their relationship with Christ. Saturday morning I slept in a bit and went out for a jog along the canal...nice views of Table Mountain and it's right in the middle of Pinelands. After grabbing some groceries, I walked back to the Pad to read the paper and study some Spanish. That afternoon I had a potjie dinner with the Johnsons...that's a pot you sit down in the grill after getting the fire nice and hot to the side. You then proceed to make kind of a stew...tonight's potjie would consist of curry, lamb and potatoes, and it was delicious! Then it was off to bed to get up early and catch a ride to old Mutual to set up for church.

I have never been a big fan of getting up when it is still dark, but once I get moving and remember that we're about to work hard to make the service and everything that goes along with it a success, it is really fun. I have been working with the Host Team lately, and I really love being one of the greeters out front; I managed to land that position again this Sunday morning. It's great since now I know so many people...I get to see everyone on their way in and see all the families and kids who are excited to be at Southpoint. As is customary most Sundays after the service, Glenn joined his folks and myself at the Pad for lunch, and today I was introduced to the skottel. I love seeing the different cooking methods over here, and I am truly tempted to buy a skottel and ship it back to the states...very cool. It's a giant wok that is mounted on a gas burner and elevated to about waist height. We started with grape seed oil and added onion and bacon to start. While that cooked down, I put on the customary chef's apron and manned the skottel; that way they could blame it on me if the meal did not turn out as planned. Next Carla added mushrooms and they soaked up the juices from the bacon nicely; then she poured canned tomatoes around the edge as everything else cooked nicely in the middle over the heat. Once the pasta came out, we poured it on top and gave everything a good mix...it came together very nicely, and the fun was doing it outside on a mild, autumn Cape Town Sunday afternoon. That meal after an early morning called for a nap, and I felt no shame in indulging. Once I was rested, I got up and read and prepared for the week ahead. We have two holidays coming up on the 26th and 27th, so I need to try and get some things lined up.

Monday morning was tough as we realized as soon as we entered that the Camp Sunshine classroom had been broken into again, and a computer was missing besides the back window being broken out. After carrying on with the day working with Grade 2 and Grade 1 kids, I was allowed to sit in on a meeting with all of the teachers at Maitland Garden School plus Alison and Liz. It was interesting to see how they all communicate and to hear about the issues and how everyone is planning to deal with them. After school and after care I went for a jog, hit the Pick N Pay and made note cards to study for my Spanish quiz...gotta get serious with the studying; it's been a while since I had to memorize and study like the old days, but I'm confident these classes will help me improve a great deal. The Johnsons have some good friends coming in town on Friday and they have booked the Pad, so I need to get ready to move our for a week or so...gotta find a place quick!! I worked at Camp Sonshine all day Tuesday and we played field hockey in the afternoon with the boys. This is a tough game, and you really need to watch out for your feet...the ball can not touch any player's foot or they stop play. You have to stay low as well since the face of the stick is very small and a sweeping motion using the face and neck is most effective. The boys caught on quickly for their first time, and it's a good thing since matches start up soon. That afternoon, Alison dropped me off at Rachel's for Spanish and we all made some good progress; class will be cancelled for the next few weeks though, as a group of folks are heading to the states and Rachel is part of that group. Tuesday was another full day with the kids and the boys had their first field hockey match in the afternoon. They played really well and could have easily won; it ended in a 4 - 4 tie. Tomorrow will be interesting as we are taking the entire school to Seaport so they can swim in the pools by the sea. This trip was supposed to take place the day my GlobalX team visited Camp Sonshine, so we are all hopeful that everything will go according to plan...fingers crossed!

Well it's my Dad's birthday today, so I emailed him back in the states. I forgot to adjust my cell phone to international calling, so I can not dial out; would have been nice to speak with him, but we'll celebrate when I return. Over at the school we loaded up all the kids on to three double decker buses for a swimming trip to Seapoint. The kids had a blast and had a nice hot dog lunch served outside by the pools. We actually made it back in one piece and with all the kids so it was definitely a success. I got off the bus and suddenly realized there were several hockey matches slated for the afternoon. We had great weather and Janet Senior was there to cheer on her kids' school whom we were pitted against that day. I believe the first match was a scoreless tie, the second we won and the third we lost to some really talented girls. That night I rode with Glenn to Nicole's parents' house for the Thursday night braai, and the usual suspects were there. They always offer me food and wine...thank goodness since Pinelands is dry, and I have not made it to the bottle store yet...shame! They have a really nice covered braai area with a great built-in fire pit...love the braai! We had a great visit and Glenn dropped me back at the Pad for a good night's sleep. Friday was gorgeous as so many of the days here in Cape Town have been...sunny and mild. We worked with the Grade 2 kids and Alison picked me up at 11 to take me to my new home for the next week or so. The owners are good friends with Alison's parents, so I am very lucky to have had her on my side to make the connection. This lovely home is in the old part of Pinelands, and it has an incredible guest suite complete with separate sitting room off the bathroom...very nice. I dropped my things, got the 411 on the alarm, garage and gate situation and then it was back to school to finish the day. Earlier in the week we passed out fliers to all the kids about a Day of Fun on Saturday, and there was a good buzz going around about it. We'll come early in the morning to prepare and see how it goes.

Alison and Liz fetched me at 8:30 outside my new home, and we sped over to the school to prepare for who knew what size crowd. We really hoped the kids would bring their parents and Grannies to the Day of Fun, so we planned for a big crowd by organizing several games to play outside as well as a batch of songs to sing inside before and after. I'll be honest and say that we hoped for more people than actually came, but by the end we had a very nice crowd and they truly enjoyed the music and games. We caught a break as well as a person from the area came forward with some specific information about the recent break-ins at the school and possibly the whereabouts of some of the stolen goods. It would be nice if there was some sort of closure to the situation, and the community needs to know that the school is there to help...stealing from it is only stealing from themselves in the end. That night I hung out with my new hosts' daughter and some of her friends at their home where I am staying. Funny enough, they were dressing for an 80's birthday party that night, and it was nice to meet and talk to more people my age for a few hours. I finally scored some red wine as well, so we all kicked back and had a couple of glasses before they left for their party. I had to be up early for road crew in the morning at church, so I regretfully turned down an invitation to join them and hit the sack.

Pam fetched me around 6 am Sunday morning and we headed to Old Mutual for set up. I know the system now and really feel like I am helping these folks as they work hard each and every Sunday morning to prepare for a service...it is actually a lot of fun. We wrapped up the series 'At Work' and I think the South Africans really liked the message as well as the way Jeff Henderson goes about his business on stage. He is a really good speaker and gets just emotional enough sometimes to let you know that he truly cares so much about his message and the people that it hopefully reaches. I came back to East Way and read for a while out by the pool; check out 'Blood River' by Tim Butcher if you are interested in reading about old and new exploration of western Africa along the Congo River...great book! Tuesday is a holiday and the school is closed on Monday as well; hopefully something fun will pop up. Monday morning I got up and started a much needed load of laundry. I had breakfast and headed out for a run through Pinelands which gave me some time to think about some upcoming life decisions I need to make. Later that afternoon I was treated to a drive down to Camp's Bay; sushi and cold Castle beer as we sat outside across from the beach and watched the afternoon go by. That night I chilled out at the house and prepared for Tuesday's hike up Lion's Head...the smaller peak that keeps showing up throughout all of my pictures. Tuesday morning Becky picked me up and we rode through the city to the beginning of the trail. We were a six-some as Glenn, Brendon, Michael and Leah rounded out the group, and all of these folks have been up this hike on more than one occasion; all I knew was that it was child's play compared to India Venster. This hike was a ton of fun, and from my pictures you will see a few spots that require you to pull up on chains and do a bit of climbing. Overall it's pretty basic but really gets you sweating; I was huffing and puffing nicely by the time we reached the top. After a snack and some pictures we headed back down and you can really build up speed after passing the chains and ladders and run down most of it...what a blast!! The hiking is one of my favorite things to do here, and I hope I can squeeze in a few more before I go. Tomorrow it's back to work at the school and with Liz out of town, I'll be helping one of the veteran teachers who will be handling our kids for the rest of the week. I hope I can pick up on a few of her methods as she has been teaching for many years, and I have witnessed how she teaches and controls a class full of kids.

First Week @ Camp Sonshine!

Monday began my volunteer time at Camp Sonshine in Maitland Garden Village, just a bit down the road from Pinelands where I currently live. The Grade 1 and 2 teacher, Teacher Liz, has been nice enough to pick me up in the mornings, and I am very thankful that she too lives in Pinelends; it's tough depending on everyone for transport and you eventually feel like a total pain in the butt because of it. Alison is making the same sacrifice in the afternoons by picking me up, so I owe these folks some hard work during the week, which it turns out won't be a problem because I absolutely loved my first week there! Grade 2 comes to class from 8 until 10:30 and then we have First Interval. Then Grade 1 comes from 11 until 12:30 at which point we have Second Interval...by then I am famished and ready to sit and eat as Liz and I usually discuss the insanity that just ensued...it is great fun though. The kids are easily distracted and love to go to the toilet just to get out of class...that's an old trick that keeps on working to this day. Most of them are very bright as well, and I think at that age kids just love to go crazy around each other; when you get them to quiet down and learn something however, it makes it all worth it and you can't help but to love them. In the afternoons, Camp Sonshine has an after care program for girls and boys that provides games, exercise and a good learning environment to keep them busy until their parents get off of work. I usually stay until most of the kids are gone and walk to the train station where I grab a ride from Alison. Eventually, you start to like certain kids more than others for various reasons, but my plan is to help them all with equal effort to make sure that my time here can make the biggest positive impact possible; I know that I will miss them all no matter how good or bad they act during this short 2 month stretch. This particular Monday evening, we decided to meet at Rachel's for another Spanish tutor session, and we started with a short quiz followed by some new material that will require some studying this weekend for sure. She lives in Pinelands as well, so the geographical situation could not be set up any better for me; I can literally walk everywhere I need to go except for work, and that includes the grocery store and church. Tuesday morning was a taste of reality as the kids came in really fired up and very hard to control to start the lesson. I decided to bribe them with Livestrong bracelets given to me by a friend that knew the kids would be all over them. To keep the week going smoothly, I have given away at least seven of them to the best behaved kids, and I have no idea what we'll do about next week. Gotta go to the store and figure out what else they might like as a prize. I can get some of them to listen sometimes, but Liz really has a handle on how to get through to them when things seem at the bring of chaos...gotta respect a teacher who can lay down the law at the right time, and the kids truly love her...coming up for hugs after class and again before they leave for the day. After care went well and we played kick ball on the astro field. Alison dropped me off at the Howard center where I grabbed a few groceries and walked back to The Pad. From there it was dinner, email, brain storming about school and a movie before bed.

Wednesday was another day for me to adjust to my new schedule, continue to figure these kids out and learn how best to have a positive impact in the class room. Thursday flew by as well and we played soccer on the astro during after care. Some of these kids have amazing soccer skills, and they made this American look pretty foolish a couple of times for sure. Last night I had dinner, worked on my blog, read and got in bed for another episode of Top Gear, a great British car show hosted by three hilarious car enthusiasts. It is huge on this side of the world, and if you are not familiar, you MUST check it out on the web if possible. This morning, Friday, I was up early and eager to see how insane these kids would be with the weekend just a few hours away. It wasn't too crazy though, and on Fridays we try to have some fun and take them outside a bit to keep them sane. It's a beautiful, windy day here in Cape Town, and I am planning to check out InsideOut for the first time tonight at the Attic just down the road. The guys that visited the states recently are back in town, and I hope to catch up with them and hear some stories. I'm ready for the weekend and a chance to relax, study, read and prepare for week two of school.

Starting To Finally Settle In...

Easter Sunday...I rose at 5:15 and rode to Old Mutual with James to help the Road Crew set up for the service. I'm learning the process of where everything goes and how the process works so I can now be an asset versus kind of in the way but helping a little. John finished the Lost & Found series and we took part in communion to wrap up the Easter service; we then had coffee, tea and hot cross buns (a South African favorite) while we fellow shipped in the main hall. Colin had invited me for a braai at his house, so I rode with him and two of his beautiful girls out to the Big Bay area where you can get the most amazing views of Table Mountain from the beaches. There I met John Leach, head of Waymakers Ministries, and his wife who tend to the needs of the peoples in the remote areas of sub-Saharan Africa. What an interesting person to talk to about his travels throughout this continent and everything that goes along with trying to do God's work here on earth. Colin manned the braai and Katya prepared some lovely side dishes, and we had a wonderful meal filled with stories of life and faith. Later that afternoon, Colin and I met Glenn at Common Ground for their late afternoon Easter service which was very nice as well. They have a great band and a new, modern facility complete with cafe and views of Table Mountain right out the front door. What a wonderful Easter weekend it was, filled with so many new friends who always include me in everything from church to meals to meeting new and exciting people here in Cape Town.

One thing to note is that there are a lot of holidays here and Easter Monday is one of them...gotta love it! I decided to sit down and put some time into this blog you are reading, which is my first one as you can probably tell. After a couple of hours at the computer, John Werge and his family came by the Seniors' for yet another braai which I happily joined in on. They just got back from a trip to Victoria Falls and we talked about all of the thrilling things to do there; they say it's something you really must see. I'm finally feeling rested now that I am getting some normal sleep, and I'm even waking up throughout the night which for me is unheard of. I think finally being over the cold that I had when I got here as well as getting on a new schedule is really boosting my energy; I am so happy to be well and my excitement is growing to get started with volunteer work etc. It's Tuesday morning and I started things off with my daily reading in Streams in the Desert...it's a great little devotional that was recommended and gifted to me by some good friends. I then rode with Janet over to the Southpoint offices to sort the rest of the donations from the states for MetroKids and another of the organizations the Seniors like to support. After that it was back home to have lunch and discuss how MetroKids would be handling the Winter Break Camps which they use to keep kids out of trouble and off the streets when their folks are at work. This is a often time of neglect and with the World Cup coming in June, there will be new dangers lurking everywhere. Next I hopped in the Landy with James and Asanda and we rode to the town ships to visit some families and drop off fliers about the next Sidewalk Sunday School. I feel very comfortable going in to the homes now with these guys who have relationships with these families and are seen as being a positive influence on their kids; it is a far cry from even the worst neighborhoods I know of in the states. Each time I go to the town ships I get a glimpse of how God is using MetroKids Africa to bring light and hope into an existence that can be all but hopeless for most.

Wednesday morning I rode with the Seniors to meet Pam and check out a home / business in Pinelands that would be the perfect spot for their new office. It's a huge place with multiple kitchens and enough room for them to house the interns that would come from all over the world to learn how MetroKids works as well as how they would play a part in all of it. We then headed back home where I met Julia, one of their volunteers, and we cleaned out their garage which was busting at the seams with the typical garage contents plus all of their props, sweets and necessities for running Sidewalks. Carla then picked me up and we rode to her house to check out my new pad, called The Pad, where the Johnsons have so kindly offered their guest suite off the back of the house. I can again come and go as I please, but I can also step inside and visit as we see each other often coming and going. Carla just brought me a plate of piping hot leftovers if that tells you anything about my set up and the Capetonian hospitality that I keep referring to! I hung out with the Seniors for a bit before bed, discussing the contents of the day's newspaper and all of the craziness going on here with the recent murder of far right wing leader Eugene TerreBlanche who was beaten to death on his farm Villanna in Ventersdorp. It's a strange time here in South Africa as I guess it really is everywhere with all of the natural disasters, wars and recessions that we are currently facing all over the world. After a good night's rest, I was up and ready for a day of MetroKids volunteer training in Kayelitsha, one of the town ships they focus on. We went by Julia's place and picked her up as well as her little girl before meeting the rest of the junior leaders at the local church. We showed them the beginning of the Bill Wilson, creator of Metro Ministries, DVD and played some team building games before focusing on the 'dance moves' to some of the songs they like to play for the kids at Sidewalks. James and Janet finished up with a serious message about staying away from premarital sex as well as taking responsibility for your actions. With AIDS and teen pregnancy as common as they are here, this message can never be drilled in to their heads often enough, and I pray that they will listen and not be another statistic like so many before them. Back at home, I packed my bags and James dropped me off at the Johnson's to settle in to my newest home in Cape Town. I unpacked, all the way for the first time, and had a wonderful dinner with my new hosts. We talked for several hours and by then I was ready for the bed and a good night of rest.

Friday was a glimpse in to a day that I am extremely frightened of having while here for such a limited time. It was a great day, don't get me wrong, but I am not here to relax and piddle around town; I just don't want to get home and feel like I wasted a single day. I was up early and continued to settle in to my surroundings before Spanish tutor at 11, which I am taking along with a couple of local girls who are learning it for the first time. I took it for years in grade school and high school but was never conversational with it. When I came here and saw children speaking two and three languages, I knew I had to get back in the game. Luckily, Rachel is an accomplished Spanish speaker, and I am excited to tap back in to a language that I already have a firm foundation in. I spent the rest of the day reading the paper and working on the computer, and somehow the day managed to absolutely fly by; I just didn't feel as productive as I want to be, and this volunteer work can not come soon enough. That night consisted of some heavy duty quiet time with a few books and my journal...in the morning we tackle Table Mountain!

Becky, Matt and Rachel picked me up at 7:30 and we met Allan and Brenda at the base of the mountain to begin our trek. Keep in mind I was not told anything about this hike except to bring water, a jacket, sunscreen and money for refreshments at the top. I am not going to go through the details of the next five hours in words since we would be here for a while if I did. I will say that India Venster is the most fun and most challenging hike /climb I have been on to date, and I am embarrassed to say that my legs are still not right...and it's Thursday. This place has some amazing outdoor options, and I hope that I have a chance to explore many more before mid June. After the hike I posted the pics and was in bed by 8:45...not possible for me without some serious physical exertion during the day. It worked out well though, as I was up at 4:45 to meet the Road Crew at Stellenberg and catch a ride to Old Mutual for Sunday morning set up. I rode over with Dale and helped with the usual unloading of the container / putting everything in its right place. I worked Host Team for the service and was posted up out front to greet the people as they entered from the parking lot. I know a lot of these families by now, but I do love the double takes when the ones I haven't met hear the American accent first thing in the morning. That afternoon I had lunch with Glenn and his folks here in the backyard on a brilliantly sunny afternoon! I start at Camp Sonshine in the morning, volunteering with Grades 1 and 2 plus helping with the after care activities. Liz and Alison have been nice enough to provide transport to and from school, and I am ready for the challenge of working with kids...something that is rather foreign to me. Here's to hoping they don't completely run me over!

On My Own in Cape Town...

After 10 days with the team and a jam packed schedule, reality set in that things were about to change, and I was about to be on my own. Although I was a little nervous, the people that I am surrounded by in association with Southpoint Church are some of the most cheerful and hospitable that you can imagine, and I had a sense of calm going in to a new week. I am being hosted by the Seniors, a wonderful family who started MetroKids Africa here in Cape Town. With my own bedroom and bath out back of the house, I have both privacy and company anytime I need it...very nice. They include me in everything, and I plan to begin volunteering with MetroKids very soon. Back to Monday...we dropped my team off at the airport and took the two rented SUV's back to their home. As I got settled that afternoon, I was informed that there was a ticket to that evening's rugby final in Stellenbosch featuring the home town Maties vs the University of Cape Town. Stellenbosch has a beautiful campus in wine country, and we got there just early enough to catch the end of the preliminary match. As game time neared, the place filled to capacity and the fans were amped! This was my first rugby match, and Dale and Brendon were nice enough to keep me informed as things were happening. They serve cold beer and a wonderfully fresh jerky called Biltong...blows our stuff away. I'm actually having some Springbok Biltong right now as I type. There was also a streaker and a beer can war between the fans; we just happened to be sitting on the end of the Stellenbosch section, right next to the UCT fans, so we were slightly involved, like it or not. The problem was that as the tossing of cans continued, they became more and more full and ended up as foaming missiles by the end of it. In the end, the Maties won in a match that looked closer by the score than it really was. What a first night on my own in CT...thanks boys!

Tuesday morning I walked only a mile or so to the Southpoint Church Offices in Pinelands for the weekly meeting and some discussion about the previous week's events. Everyone agreed things had gone well, and I think the Southpoint folks got a nice emotional lift from the Northpoint team. A few of the Southpoint guys are actually headed state side to Northpoint, Buckhead and the partner church in Athens to gather information and continue to improve their knowledge in order to grow Southpoint Church. The rest of the afternoon consisted of catching up on laundry, email and some reading. On Wednesday, I got more acclimated to the Pinelands area on foot; fyi, nearly everyone here has a dog if not two, so don't walk too close to the gates unless you're ok with being barked at by every K9 along the way. Sometimes, you just have to pray and trust that the gates are closed as a Doberman gallops toward you barking at the top of his lungs.

Thursday morning I headed back to the church offices to meet with Pam, Southpoint's Superwoman, and Alison from Camp Sonshine which we visited as a team the week before. I hope to volunteer there as well so I can have two productive places to spend my time. We sorted many of the donations that our team brought from the states including clothing for kids and adults, shoes and school supplies galore! That evening I got a call from Ivor about the weekly Thursday night braai, our version of grilling out / BBQ, and I was excited to go and continue to meet some great new folks...much hospitality on their part. On Friday morning I rode to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens with the Seniors and two of their lovely kids for Becky's surprise birthday picnic. A great time was had by all and all of the familiar faces from Southpoint were there. I walked around and got some good shots of the natural amphitheater and stage as well as some plant life. That afternoon I rode to the town ships with James Senior so he could check up on some folks he knows. After a quick stop, we pulled up to the home of a child that he keeps tabs on through Sidewalk Sunday School and a relationship with the family. As it turns out, the family believes his mother has cancer and they are both currently in Johannesburg. James lead a prayer with the family right there in their living room, and they all were very grateful. It's amazing to see the warm welcome that he gets as the kids see the MetroKids Land Rover coming down the streets which are lined with shacks for miles; this is an area that I could never go to alone, but after five plus years of work in these town ships, this family and their many volunteers are making a difference in the lives of these children. Today has been pretty mellow as most places are closed, and folks are settled in for the Easter weekend which includes a holiday on Monday as well. We'll braai at the Seniors tonight and then it's up at 5:30 am to get to Old Mutual by 6 where we'll set everything up for the 9:30 service. I'm excited for the Easter service and what a new week has in store.

The First 10 Days with my GlobalX Group!

Hello and welcome to a first time blogger's first trip to Africa! Let me first say what a great group of folks we had, and our many meetings, social events and prayer times really brought this team together before we ever left the ground in Atlanta. Tracy Herring was our fearless leader, and this was her second trip to Cape Town; she did a wonderful job the entire time, and we remained focused on the tasks at hand without incident! The rest of the group consisted of Darrel Richardson, Mary Mondol, Bri Marshall, Emily Lantz, Brian Sholly, Scott Riddle, Shawnie Merritt, Mara Hilterbrandt and last but certainly not least, Dana Stephens. These folks come from all over Atlanta and attend Northpoint, Brown's Bridge and Buckhead Churches. We had a couple of early hurdles with travel which is to be expected, and eventually our entire team was united in Cape Town. This place is beautifully green and lush, and Table Mountain seems to follow you around wherever you go...always looming in the distance. After a short night's sleep on Saturday night, we rose early and went directly to Old Mutual...a modern office park in the Pinelands neighborhood. Southpoint outgrew its original home on Stellenberg Road, but that building remains the home of Inside Out, the Attic and the church offices. After holding services at a nearby school for a brief time, a long awaited opportunity to utilize Old Mutual's wide open spaces and large auditorium for Southpoint Church services came to fruition. Volunteers arrive at 6 am to set up the entire place so it is able to host Waumba Land, Up Street and a huge common area featuring Connections, a wonderful cafe and plenty of room for people to gather and fellowship after the service. The band and production crew have to set up, sound check and work out any and all issues by 8 am so they can run through the service with pastor John Hastings before folks start arriving at 9 am. Church starts at 9:30 and lasts about an hour in the same format of a Northpoint Ministries service. After church that morning, we took a cable car to the top of Table Mountain where you can see the entire city far below. It was cool and breezy atop the mountain, and we eventually broke up in to groups to pray over the city. From there we headed back down and had dinner with the Hastings, Colin and Katya and the rest of our team. It was a great first day, although I think most of us were completely out of whack from jet lag and culture shock.



Monday March, 22 started off at the Southpoint Church Offices for a meeting with Derek and Wendy Coleman as well as Larry to discuss Starting Point, Small Groups and Strategic Service among the Southpoint community. That night we hosted the first of three celebration dinners at the same location for the adult members of Southpoint. They were encouraged to discuss different 'wins' they had witnessed while working with / at Southpoint, and we had one person from each table share their best story. It was very encouraging for all of these folks to hear such positive stories and remember what a great thing they are all doing in the community.

Tuesday started at the church offices again where we met with Colin, Kathy and Trudy to discuss the children's ministries such as Up Street and Waumba land. On a side not, when I say church offices, don't be confused. This is actually the old church which once outgrown was transformed to a place that can function in many useful ways for the church body. It has a big kitchen and open space as you walk in, several offices and restrooms and a huge auditorium in the back where church services used to be held. There is a wonderful patio outside with a nice side yard and playground equipment for the kids; this is such a warm place that I loved visiting! That night we hosted another dinner for the people who focus on these Children's Ministries and again discussed 'wins' in order to encourage these people in their daily efforts. It was really fun to serve dinners as a group so they could for once take a load off and just enjoy themselves and the success stories taking place at Southpoint.



On Wednesday we headed over to Camp Sonshine, just down the road from our hotel in
Pinelands. Alison Smith's mission there is to serve the children of Africa through excellent camps and after school educational programs to see them grow in to mature and productive adults. We played with the kids and took a ton of pictures...they do love the camera! That evening we broke up the team in to groups of two or three and went to different homes in the community to visit with several of the Small Groups that the Northpoint model so wisely focuses on. These Small Groups provide the church members with an intimate way to gather each week and focus on scripture, literature or study guides for example which keep them in a growing relationship with Jesus. I was lucky enough to end up at a brie hosted by Gareth's parents where most of the young folks were. I met the guys and what a cool group they are; most of them play in the band or are involved with sound and production in some way at Southpoint. We had a great time and I began to connect with them immediately on Facebook which will be huge for the rest of my trip!

We took a bit of a break on Thursday as the group piled in to the Toyotas for a trip to Somerset West and a tour of Lourensford Wines. What a lush, beautiful country this is, and I was immediately reminded of Napa, CA with the mountains, vineyards and wonderful sunshine accompanied by a cool breeze. We tasted coffee, chocolate and wine at Lourensford and had a great lunch outside under the tent. I have to admit my first real goof of the trip here. I was one of the main drivers for our team, which I welcomed as it was a chance to drive a manual transmission while sitting on the right side of the car and driving on the left hand side of the road. It's strange but not really too tough until you get in to turn lanes etc. I'm just glad the pedals and gears are laid out the same! I did, however, forget to turn the headlights off when we parked and the truck was dead as a door nail when we returned to leave. Luckily, a guy in the office had cables and got us going again pretty quickly. My car at home goes off like a burglar alarm if I try to exit and leave the lights on, whereas this car did not even so much as beep at me...lesson learned! Anyway, that evening we went to the Warehouse where Caroline told us how they sort and distribute their clothing, shoes etc to the needy people of the community. We then helped her sort clothes and organize the place, which is huge, followed by a team prayer before leaving.



Michael Hastings, Adam Stabler and Matt and Rachel Hastings joined us for breakfast at the hotel the next morning, Friday, to discuss Inside Out, the Band and Road Crew. All of these guys have so much talent be it musically or on the production side, and they really do make the services special through these gifts. Then it was over to the church offices to meet with James and Janet Senior to discuss their npo Metro Kids Africa. They hold Sidewalk Sunday School in the townships to let these children know of God's love for them and to show them a better way to live. What a sight it was to ride in the back of the Metro Kids Land Rover and watch the children spill out of the shacks as a young local announced on the bull horn that there was about to be another Sidewalk event. They came out in droves, and I believe we had over 1,000 kids there that afternoon. There was a drama about Easter and how Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and the kids were really in to it...not to mention that good behavior is rewarded with sweets at the end. It was a pretty emotional day, followed by our final dinner in honor of Inside Out, the Band and Road Crew. These young folks are doing so much at Southpoint and in the Cape Town community, and I am definitely feeling inspired to get more involved upon my return to Atlanta.


The next morning Becky Hastings met us at the hotel and a small group of us followed her over to a nice hike to get the blood pumping. About half way through, the rain came down and we got soaked on our descent to the cars...it couldn't ruin our time on the trails in such a great place, though, and we rushed back to the hotel for hot showers and breakfast. Then off we went to Boulders to see the African Penguins as well as the Cape of Good Hope a bit further down the road. Here you will find some of the most gorgeous views in the world, and we took some amazing pictures. We had dinner that night as a group in Haup Bay and celebrated another great day in South Africa.