South African Journey

Just a short thing about my birthday. I had informed folks here in Alex as to when my birthday is. I wasn’t sure if we would be doing something for it or not. I knew that with my birthday falling on a Tuesday it would be unlikely since everyone has to work the following day. I was at the church for a church council meeting the night of my birthday. The meeting was going long and I hadn’t been told of plans for anything. I was fine with not having a party and didn’t expect mu...

New Years was, like Christmas, quite different than those of the past. New Years Eve 2009 I was swimming in the Indian Ocean on the Durban coast. I along with 4 other volunteers gathered together for a few days in Durban because we were told that that is where all of Africa goes for New Years. The weather became rainy as the clock ticked towards 2010. As we walked out onto the beach a few minutes before midnight we were shocked to find it beach fairly empty. We just assumed that the rain kept...

Christmas in South Africa was quite different that the past 22 Christmas’s I have experienced. Just about every previous Christmas I have experienced I haven’t been able to wear shorts and a t-shirt. There have been a few that involved snow on Christmas and most have been cold. This time around was quite different. There was no need for a winter jacket or gloves, just a fan and lots of water to stay cool and hydrated. I spent the Christmas holiday with a local Pastor and his famil...

12-28-09

During my time here in South Africa I have come to learn that every situation I am put in has a hidden meaning behind it,regardless of how things might seem right off the bat. There are times when things run smoothly and other times when I start wondering why I am at this particular event. I have learned that even if I am questioning why I am somewhere it doesn’t take long for the answer to be revealed to me. I had another one of these experiences...

Yes, I know I have been bad at updating this site! I am sorry, as I know there are at least 2 people that want more, I really wish I had the time to post more as well! In the past month+ I have been quite busy. I have started working 3 days a week at an orphanage here in Alex. I have spent a couple weeks near Krugarsdorp at the Western Circuit’s office. I attended the first ELCA-YAGM/M.U.D. retreat over Thanksgiving. I keep hearing from people back in North Carolina that ...