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!
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