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!
