I have not blogged for a long time! The past three weeks have been crazy. I have been so busy. After I left Pietermariztburg our group of 52 drove along the coast of South Africa, called the Garden Route. We drove from PMB to Capetown. We spent each night in a different city. We stopped in East London, Port Elizabeth, and George. Each place we stopped in was different from the last. South Africa is truly a unique country. It is so diverse. The beauty, the people, the landscape is all so different. During our drive we went from sprawling fields of green, to large villages, to mountains, to areas of desert. I am still so amazed at how different this country is. Each area has soemthign so unique about it. I love South Africa. As we were driving I was just blown away at the beauty of south Africa and how blessed I am to be able to see so much of the country that has captured my heart. As we were driving I was overwhelmed at the situation I am in. I am half way around the world, in an incredibly beautiful country, rich with culture, and I am blessed enough to see the entire country and experience things that the citizens of this country will never have the opportunity to experience. The more time I am here in this country, the more I have realized how deeply moved I am by the people of the country. It has During our garden route drive we were able to do a few different things. One day we did these adventure caves which as crazy. We crawled through caves. It sounds kind of lame, but it was really cool. After the caves we went to an ostrich farm. Random, yes, but also fun. We were able to ride the ostriches. I am quite positive that they are one of the ugliest creatures on this planet. Along the way we were able to go bungee jumping. We went bungee jumping off the highest bridge in the world. I loved it, absolutely loved it. It was crazy. By far one of the coolest experiences I have had. The bridge overlooks these beautiful mountains and the ocean. The jump itself is about 7 seconds of free fall. It was so much fun. I would love to do it again.
I have spent the last week at the Bible Institue of South Africa. It is about a twenty or thirty minute drive, or 45 minute train ride, into the heart of Capetown. It is in a city called Kalk Bay. It is a little beach town. I love it. It kind of reminds me of home. It is absolutely beautiful. Our campus overlooks the ocean and the mountains. Every morning I run on the beach while the sunrises. I love it. Our group has been split in half, so while half of us have been here at the Bible Institute, the other half of the group has been living with homestays in a nearby coloured community called Ocean View. I will be switching over to Ocean View this evening and staying with my host family, Clive and Lucy for a week, then we will all meet up again as a group and spend two nights together in capetown before the group flies home to the states and I fly back to PMB. This part of the semester has been interesting. I have loved the freedom and being in capetown. The city is beautiful and I am beyond blessed to be able to see the things I have been seeing and experience a whole new side of south Africa, but I miss Haniville. I miss my friends in Haniville. I find myself constantly thinking about the people there and the relationships I have formed. Being at BI though has given me a lot more time to just unwind and really examine why I am in South Africa. I had a really interesting talk with Njabulo the other day. I called to check in on him and see how he was doing and we ended up talking for an hour or so about Haniville and the reason I am going back. he asked my opinion of South Africa and I asked him his opinion of APU students in Haniville. He told me that the people of Haniville can very easily tell when people are there to truly get to know the people, or when people are there to take pictures, build a house and cross it off their list. That hurt my heart. Njabulo was passionate about this. He explained that the people of Haniville are not just something to be observed, which I completely agree with. It made me think a lot. I have really been wrestling with God’s plan for this summer and what his purpose is of bringing me back to South Africa and placing me in Haniville for the next three months. I am confused. As I was talking to Jay about Haniville I told him that I see a lot of hope within his community and a lot of the people I have met have so much truth and joy within them. He told me he didn’t see this, that he is ready to get out of Haniville and that he himself does not see the hope. It made me think. Who am I to come into this community and try to encourage the youth to be the leaders of Haniville and stick around when that is the last place they want to be? I have no idea the pain and the struggles that come from living within a township. I have been praying earnestly that God will reveal to me where my role is with this. I have been praying for wisdom. I do not know whether or not I am supposed to be encouraging individuals to rise up as leaders in Haniville or help them find a way to leave Haniville. I have been praying for divine intervention and for the holy spirit to truly guide my time there. During. our conversations a lot of my prayers were answered in different ways. I have been praying that God will convict my heart of things that are not of him and I realized that lot of the things I had planned for this summer, were my plans, I had not consulted God, I had not prayed for his guidance. I was really convicted of this and humbled. I really sat and thought about what this summer is about. I realized that I need to continue to put God at the center and give each day to him. I want my time in Haniville to be used for his glorification and praise. I need to be reminded and humbled, day after day, that my life is not my own, my time, my plans are not my own, they are HIS. I pray that I will be able to give each day to him while I am in south Africa and put my trust in him. His plans are so perfect and beautiful, far greater than anything that I could try to think up. I am praying that my time here will not be my own, but that it will be his. I am praying for divine appointments, for wisdom, for trust and for God to really just reveal his plan and purpose of my time in Haniville. One of my biggest prayers is that the Holy Spirit will be the guiding force of my time here. Another thing I have been struggling with is what difference does it make? What is my time in haniville actually doing? It is worth it? I have to continue to remind myself that God has brought me here for a very specific reason and I need to trust in that. Sometimes I get so confused. I have been convicted lately of this idea of loving my neighbor and what it should look like in my life. I have a hard time with this concept because for me I have an intense love for South Africa, and for the impoverished people of this community. I have grown to deeply love and care about Africa. My passion for this country is only growing my the day, but is it wrong or pointless for me to spend all my time here, when there are people in my own house in America, on my own street hurting just as badly, just in different ways? I am confused, to say the least.
During my time in cape town I have been reading a lot more. I just finished a book called khayelitsha. It is a story of a white south Africa living in a black township in the heart of capetwon. This story is beautiful. I loved the book. It is all about his experiences as a white man in a township and the journey that it led him on. During his time in the township he was forced to confront his own racial prejudices face to face and also learned a big lesson in community and genuine friendship. I feel like these are things that I am also discovering. I have been looking at my heart a lot lately and doing a lot of thinking. The way that south Africa works and the way they approach race has made me do a lot of self examination. I have been looking at my own prejudices. As the writer of the book described his time in Khayelitsha and the impact it had on his life, I was moved to tears over and over again. The words he used to describe the love he ahd and the way the community had treated him overhwlemd me because it describes the way I feel about haniville. I can see myself living here, in south Africa, in a township and being completely content. The toehr day I as talking to sihle and he asked me when I was coming home, I told him august 1st, because that is hwen my flight to America is, and he said, no allie home to haniville. I am blessed to be able to say I have another home in South Africa. Haniville is quickly becoming my second home. It is shaping me more and more each day and the people there are becoming more and more like family as I am able to deepen relatonships.
On Wednesday we went to Langa township. Langa is the oldest township. It is predominately Xhosa. Our group went on a tour of langa. I was so frustrated and angry that “township tours” actually exist and that APU was taking part of this. Yet I went, and I actually had a good time. We went to this place called Mzoli’s Meats for lunch. It is a place where rich and poor, black and white, South African and foreigner meet and share a meal. It was a beautiful image of the growth that is going on within South Africa and the reconciliation that is possible. One thng that I never get used to in South Africa is the contrast that exists within this country. Even within Langa, a township, there were very distinct contrasts. We walked through a neighborhood called Beverly hills, which was really nice, then across the street was the informal settlement where the immigrants live. I was amazed at this. I was also forced to think about the impact that American culture has had on life in south Africa.
On Thursday our group went to Robben Island, where Mandela and hundreds of other freedom fighters were imprisoned for years as political prisoners during the struggle against apartheid. Mandela was imprisoned for twenty-seven years during apartheid. When he came out he easily could have created a civil war, yet he came out asking for peace and reconciliation. The story of Mandela and South Africa is one of the most beautiful stories in history, in my opinion. I have no idea how any human being could come out of prison after nearly thirty years with open arms, ready to forgive and move forwards towards peace and forgiveness. I feel so privileged and blessed to be able to see a place like Robben island. It holds so much history and so much beauty.
Yesterday our group hiked up table mountain. It was hard. Oh my goodness that is nature’s ultimate stairmaster. I am so sore today. Table mountain is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. It is a 360 view of capetown. I love it up there. Once again, South Africa’s beauty never ceases to amaze me.
Everywhere we go in south Africa there is a giant buzz about 2010, the world cup. It is crazy here, understandably. As the nation gears up for the world cup, I cant help but feel a little bit discouraged by the things that are happening around world cup. There are buildings being built in front of shantytowns to hide the squatter camps. There are thousands of dollars being poured into things to make the nation look beautiful, while hiding places where, in my opinion, the beauty actually lies. I hate that the government is spending money on hiding the problems instead of fixing it. It enrages me. As world cup hype grows I am also aware of all the danger that lies within 2010. The children of south Africa are now a huge target for child slavery. Prostitution has been legalized. Human trafficking is going to go through the roof here. It hurts my heart, deeply hurts my heart, to think of the things that are going to happen this summer in South Africa.
I leave for homestays tonight. I am so excited. I am excited to be living within a coloured community and get to spend time with a family. My prayer is that I will really be able to listen and engage with them. I have so much to learn about south Africa. I want to hear more about the things that shape everyday life here. After my homestay I will be heading back to Haniville. I cant wait for may 5th, when I get to go home!
II Corinthians 5:
Heavenly dwelling.
"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
the last two weeks in pietermariztburg
Matthew 5
The Beatitudes
Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
"the way to deeper knowledge of God is through the lonely valleys of soul poverty and abnegation of all things. The blessed ones who possess the kingdom are they who have repudiated every external thing and have rooted from their hearts all sense of possessing. These are the 'poor in spirit.' They have reached an inward state paralleling the outward circumstances of the common beggar in the streets of Jerusalem. that is what the word poor as Christ used it actually means. These blessed poor are no longer slaves to the tyranny of things ... though free from all sense of possessing, they yet possess all thing, theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
A.W. Tozer
These past two weeks have been a crazy whirlwind. we are finishing up our time at AE. i leave tomorrow morning at 5 am for capetown. We are driving the Garden Route from here to Capetown and will be stopping each night in a new city. I am blessed to be able to see so much of South Africa. My love for this country is only growing.
i spent the last five days on safari and in a zulu village.
the couple of days leading up the safari were a bit more difficult though. we had our final days at walk in the light and spent friday, saturday and sunday with the senior youth. We spent the whole week finishing Mandla's house. We did not completely finish it, but we got close. We worked at walk in the light on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, then had a debriefing day on Thursday, then Friday was our "study day" for our finals on Saturday. Saturday was finals, then Sunday was Easter. We left Monday morning at 530 for the safari. Good Friday was my favorite day in South Africa so far. I went to Haniville with tanya, Jon, and our friend's mom. We went to show Lauren's mom Haniville and Jon is working on a photo book about Haniville so he needed to go get some more pictures of the township before we leave PMB. it was the four of us Americans and the four senior youth boys. we spent the day walking through haniville and just hanging out with one another. we stopped by Mandla's and prayed and vistited for a while. as we walked, i felt at home. i felt at ease. It was the first time that i felt like i was finally able to see haniville in a different way. i was not surrounded by 20 other white americans, which i loved, dont get me wrong, it is just a different type of experience. while we were walking around the township i was able to have a great conversation with Njabulo about God. one of the things that i have learned over and over again here is that the one thing that truly can bridge any gap, and bring people together is God. We are two very different people, from completely different backgrounds. we have different joys, different struggles, yet we are bonded together as brother and sister in the name of Jesus. i am still continually so amazed by this. each day.
The senior youth continue to amaze me. They spent thursday through sunday together, praying and fasting. they all spent the night at the house of walk in the light from thursday until sunday. they are so committed to the church, to their relationship with God, and to one another. they truly are a body of christ, united under his name, and they are visible acting as his hands and feet to their neighbors. i have said this so many times before in this blog, but they are truly teaching me so much about the Kingdom of God. i am continually challenged and humbled by their love and commitment. they have chosen to follow Jesus, and they will give up anything in order to seek him more earnestly. It was cool to be able to meet the youth where they are and see them in their element. Njabulo took us to his house, where we met his whole family. i loved it. i loved every minute of that day. i am so excited for the next four months. as i was walking around haniville, i felt at home. i felt at peace. i know that sounds super cheesy but it really is how i feel. my love for this place grows more and more each day. it is surprising me. one thing that i was overwhelmed by in haniville on friday though was the alcohol. there was so much alcohol that day. it was 3 in the afternoon and i feel like every home i passed there were people out front drinking, and drunk people passing us on the streets. alcoholism is such a huge problem in haniville. it has such a strong hold on so many families. there were bottles laying around everywhere on the street.
there is so much more i want to know about haniville, and so much more i have to learn. i want to be able to truly hear from the community the root problems in that township. i am so interested in life in haniville. i want to hear more about it. i want to hear what it was like to grow up there. i want to know the joys and struggles of the township. i am so excited to continue to learn more and more about this place as my time here continues.
On Saturday we took our exams. i am officially done with my isiZulu class. praise the lord.
Sunday was easter! it was an incredible day. we went to walk in the light church. most of church was in Zulu but it didnt matter. it was just a minor detail. i feel like i saw and felt the spirit moving more in that church then i usually do in an english speaking church. worship was incredible. you could see the genuine hearts of worship among the congregation. of course, there was a lot of dancing. dancing up and down the isles, dancing in the front of the church, lots of clapping and cheering. i loved it. there is so much life in south africa. it is so vibrant. The God that i love and i seek out, and the God that meets me where i am, does the same for the people in that church. there is nothing that God does not transcend.
Sthembileh
she is one of the senior youth. she is incredible. She speaks a lot at church. she spoke on sunday. she was speaking so much truth, she was a vessel of God's words. she is 18 years old. she lost both her parents a couple years ago. she moved to haniville after that. she is going to college right now. she has a lot of big dreams. God is going to use her in incredible ways. when she speaks, people listen. she is genuinely seeking God, each day. she has chosen to live her life by his standards. She is living for his kingdom. i am so amazed by her. She speaks truth everytime she talks.
she planned the entire easter weekend services. she is an incredible woman. i love spending time with her. she spoke shortly about our time together. i didnt realize that they cared for our group of students the way that they did. she said it perfect when she said, we were all able to come together in the name of jesus and love one another, regardless of any other circumstances. i was so touched by her.
After church Sthembileh, Sipho, Sihle, Snash, Njabulo, and Tash came back to AE for the day. it was a good day. it was our last day with the senior youth. we spent the day just hanging out. when we said goodbye, it was really hard. everyone was crying. i guess i had not realized how deep the friendships we all had formed with one another really were until that night. it was a lot of emotions. watching them say goodbye to everyone made my heart hurt. i am really starting to resent short term missions. i am ready to move her. i am ready to really start ministry in the place that God has called me to. i just wish it would happen sooner. hah i am having a hard time finding patience and trusting that God's timing is better than my own.
We spent all of last week on a safari and in a rural zulu village. the past week was crazy. our group split up because we are too large. half of us went to safari and half went to the village, then we switched half way through. i went to safari first. it was so much fun. i just love being in this country. it was so nice to be able to get away and just hang out with everyone. i have grown to love each individual on this semester so much. we just have fun together. one of my favorite parts of the safari was the drive to the safari. it was a five hour drive. i love car rides. i have spent more time in buses this past semester then in my entire life, yet i am growing quite fond of long drives. i love seeing how different south africa is. it truly is one of the most captivating places. i was sick on safari with a bad head cold and cough, but other than that, it was a great couple of days. while we were on safari the other group got really sick in the Zulu village. 20 out of 27 of that group got sick. a few were hospitalized. When we switched groups, we were all extremely hesitant to go into the village, but it turned out good. I really enjoyed it actually. i think that i would eventually love to spend some time in a village. we stayed in mud huts with the local people. it was great. we spent the first night there zulu dancing. In the Zulu culture there is a specific dance that they do. They throw their leg up and slam it down on the ground. youtube zulu dancing and see it. hah. i love that song and dance is such an integral part of life here in SA. it is a part of everything. while the ladies were cooking, they sang, as we sat around the fireplace, we sang as a group. we offered a song as a thank you to them for dancing. it is incredible to see how alive the people of South Africa are. my favorite part of the night though was the stars. they were unreal. i have never seen that many stars before. i am amazed at my creator. last week, on Good Friday, i went for a run early in the morning, and on my way back from this huge hill i stopped and looked at the trees. they were swaying, line by line, in perfect rhythm. I was taken aback by this for a good 20 minutes. i was humbled. i felt like i was watching creation cry out to its creator. creation was praising him. it was unlike anything i have experienced before. i feel like i am experiencing God in so many new ways here. I am seeing him work in the smallest ways.
(brandon hook photography)
I really loved being in the village though. despite the fact that we were all scared we were going to get sick the whole time, it was really nice to be away from the business and really get to experience the Zulu culture. The next day we took a hike with a local medicine man up through the mountains. he showed us all of the different trees and plants that the Zulu people have been using as medication for generations and generations. We hiked to another village, where we spent some time with the local ladies who were doing beadwork. Beadwork is very popular in Zulu culture. After that we hiked back down to our village and relaxed for a couple hours. After that we learned a little bit about the fighting part of zulu culture. The Zulus are very big on fighting. they are known as warriors. from a young age, the boys are taught how to fight. they handed us swords and shields made out of plants. then told us to fight. it was a hilarious hour.
the next day we woke up and had breakfast then we built another mud hut. to be honest, i was not super excited about this. building those huts are hard work. it takes a lot of energy. we worked on that for an hour and half then showered and left. out showers were fun. they were just a curtain with this pully bucket thing that dumped out water on us. it was quite the adventure.
we leave tomorrow morning at 6 for our journey to capetown. we will be driving for 5 days. we are stopping along the major coastal cities on our way. on tuesday i will be going bungee jumping and then adventure cave diving. i wont have internet until next week.
The Beatitudes
Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
"the way to deeper knowledge of God is through the lonely valleys of soul poverty and abnegation of all things. The blessed ones who possess the kingdom are they who have repudiated every external thing and have rooted from their hearts all sense of possessing. These are the 'poor in spirit.' They have reached an inward state paralleling the outward circumstances of the common beggar in the streets of Jerusalem. that is what the word poor as Christ used it actually means. These blessed poor are no longer slaves to the tyranny of things ... though free from all sense of possessing, they yet possess all thing, theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
A.W. Tozer
These past two weeks have been a crazy whirlwind. we are finishing up our time at AE. i leave tomorrow morning at 5 am for capetown. We are driving the Garden Route from here to Capetown and will be stopping each night in a new city. I am blessed to be able to see so much of South Africa. My love for this country is only growing.
i spent the last five days on safari and in a zulu village.
the couple of days leading up the safari were a bit more difficult though. we had our final days at walk in the light and spent friday, saturday and sunday with the senior youth. We spent the whole week finishing Mandla's house. We did not completely finish it, but we got close. We worked at walk in the light on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, then had a debriefing day on Thursday, then Friday was our "study day" for our finals on Saturday. Saturday was finals, then Sunday was Easter. We left Monday morning at 530 for the safari. Good Friday was my favorite day in South Africa so far. I went to Haniville with tanya, Jon, and our friend's mom. We went to show Lauren's mom Haniville and Jon is working on a photo book about Haniville so he needed to go get some more pictures of the township before we leave PMB. it was the four of us Americans and the four senior youth boys. we spent the day walking through haniville and just hanging out with one another. we stopped by Mandla's and prayed and vistited for a while. as we walked, i felt at home. i felt at ease. It was the first time that i felt like i was finally able to see haniville in a different way. i was not surrounded by 20 other white americans, which i loved, dont get me wrong, it is just a different type of experience. while we were walking around the township i was able to have a great conversation with Njabulo about God. one of the things that i have learned over and over again here is that the one thing that truly can bridge any gap, and bring people together is God. We are two very different people, from completely different backgrounds. we have different joys, different struggles, yet we are bonded together as brother and sister in the name of Jesus. i am still continually so amazed by this. each day.
The senior youth continue to amaze me. They spent thursday through sunday together, praying and fasting. they all spent the night at the house of walk in the light from thursday until sunday. they are so committed to the church, to their relationship with God, and to one another. they truly are a body of christ, united under his name, and they are visible acting as his hands and feet to their neighbors. i have said this so many times before in this blog, but they are truly teaching me so much about the Kingdom of God. i am continually challenged and humbled by their love and commitment. they have chosen to follow Jesus, and they will give up anything in order to seek him more earnestly. It was cool to be able to meet the youth where they are and see them in their element. Njabulo took us to his house, where we met his whole family. i loved it. i loved every minute of that day. i am so excited for the next four months. as i was walking around haniville, i felt at home. i felt at peace. i know that sounds super cheesy but it really is how i feel. my love for this place grows more and more each day. it is surprising me. one thing that i was overwhelmed by in haniville on friday though was the alcohol. there was so much alcohol that day. it was 3 in the afternoon and i feel like every home i passed there were people out front drinking, and drunk people passing us on the streets. alcoholism is such a huge problem in haniville. it has such a strong hold on so many families. there were bottles laying around everywhere on the street.
there is so much more i want to know about haniville, and so much more i have to learn. i want to be able to truly hear from the community the root problems in that township. i am so interested in life in haniville. i want to hear more about it. i want to hear what it was like to grow up there. i want to know the joys and struggles of the township. i am so excited to continue to learn more and more about this place as my time here continues.
On Saturday we took our exams. i am officially done with my isiZulu class. praise the lord.
Sunday was easter! it was an incredible day. we went to walk in the light church. most of church was in Zulu but it didnt matter. it was just a minor detail. i feel like i saw and felt the spirit moving more in that church then i usually do in an english speaking church. worship was incredible. you could see the genuine hearts of worship among the congregation. of course, there was a lot of dancing. dancing up and down the isles, dancing in the front of the church, lots of clapping and cheering. i loved it. there is so much life in south africa. it is so vibrant. The God that i love and i seek out, and the God that meets me where i am, does the same for the people in that church. there is nothing that God does not transcend.
Sthembileh
she is one of the senior youth. she is incredible. She speaks a lot at church. she spoke on sunday. she was speaking so much truth, she was a vessel of God's words. she is 18 years old. she lost both her parents a couple years ago. she moved to haniville after that. she is going to college right now. she has a lot of big dreams. God is going to use her in incredible ways. when she speaks, people listen. she is genuinely seeking God, each day. she has chosen to live her life by his standards. She is living for his kingdom. i am so amazed by her. She speaks truth everytime she talks.
she planned the entire easter weekend services. she is an incredible woman. i love spending time with her. she spoke shortly about our time together. i didnt realize that they cared for our group of students the way that they did. she said it perfect when she said, we were all able to come together in the name of jesus and love one another, regardless of any other circumstances. i was so touched by her.
After church Sthembileh, Sipho, Sihle, Snash, Njabulo, and Tash came back to AE for the day. it was a good day. it was our last day with the senior youth. we spent the day just hanging out. when we said goodbye, it was really hard. everyone was crying. i guess i had not realized how deep the friendships we all had formed with one another really were until that night. it was a lot of emotions. watching them say goodbye to everyone made my heart hurt. i am really starting to resent short term missions. i am ready to move her. i am ready to really start ministry in the place that God has called me to. i just wish it would happen sooner. hah i am having a hard time finding patience and trusting that God's timing is better than my own.
We spent all of last week on a safari and in a rural zulu village. the past week was crazy. our group split up because we are too large. half of us went to safari and half went to the village, then we switched half way through. i went to safari first. it was so much fun. i just love being in this country. it was so nice to be able to get away and just hang out with everyone. i have grown to love each individual on this semester so much. we just have fun together. one of my favorite parts of the safari was the drive to the safari. it was a five hour drive. i love car rides. i have spent more time in buses this past semester then in my entire life, yet i am growing quite fond of long drives. i love seeing how different south africa is. it truly is one of the most captivating places. i was sick on safari with a bad head cold and cough, but other than that, it was a great couple of days. while we were on safari the other group got really sick in the Zulu village. 20 out of 27 of that group got sick. a few were hospitalized. When we switched groups, we were all extremely hesitant to go into the village, but it turned out good. I really enjoyed it actually. i think that i would eventually love to spend some time in a village. we stayed in mud huts with the local people. it was great. we spent the first night there zulu dancing. In the Zulu culture there is a specific dance that they do. They throw their leg up and slam it down on the ground. youtube zulu dancing and see it. hah. i love that song and dance is such an integral part of life here in SA. it is a part of everything. while the ladies were cooking, they sang, as we sat around the fireplace, we sang as a group. we offered a song as a thank you to them for dancing. it is incredible to see how alive the people of South Africa are. my favorite part of the night though was the stars. they were unreal. i have never seen that many stars before. i am amazed at my creator. last week, on Good Friday, i went for a run early in the morning, and on my way back from this huge hill i stopped and looked at the trees. they were swaying, line by line, in perfect rhythm. I was taken aback by this for a good 20 minutes. i was humbled. i felt like i was watching creation cry out to its creator. creation was praising him. it was unlike anything i have experienced before. i feel like i am experiencing God in so many new ways here. I am seeing him work in the smallest ways.
(brandon hook photography)
I really loved being in the village though. despite the fact that we were all scared we were going to get sick the whole time, it was really nice to be away from the business and really get to experience the Zulu culture. The next day we took a hike with a local medicine man up through the mountains. he showed us all of the different trees and plants that the Zulu people have been using as medication for generations and generations. We hiked to another village, where we spent some time with the local ladies who were doing beadwork. Beadwork is very popular in Zulu culture. After that we hiked back down to our village and relaxed for a couple hours. After that we learned a little bit about the fighting part of zulu culture. The Zulus are very big on fighting. they are known as warriors. from a young age, the boys are taught how to fight. they handed us swords and shields made out of plants. then told us to fight. it was a hilarious hour.
the next day we woke up and had breakfast then we built another mud hut. to be honest, i was not super excited about this. building those huts are hard work. it takes a lot of energy. we worked on that for an hour and half then showered and left. out showers were fun. they were just a curtain with this pully bucket thing that dumped out water on us. it was quite the adventure.
we leave tomorrow morning at 6 for our journey to capetown. we will be driving for 5 days. we are stopping along the major coastal cities on our way. on tuesday i will be going bungee jumping and then adventure cave diving. i wont have internet until next week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)