Reflections on South Africa

It amazes me how two months can go by so quickly in a blur. Before we went, Jeremy (our team leader) told us that it would be like operating on a low grade fever. Everything is just a little bit slower. I think in the same way, it's hard to really realize and remember everything that's happening. Since being back, of course the first question people ask is, "How was Africa?" And I'll I ever know to say is, "Good!" Haha, how do you sum up an experience like that in a short conversation. I still haven't figured it out. So three weeks later, here's my thoughts...

THINGS I LEARNED FROM SOUTH AFRICANS
- Generosity. I noticed how willing they are to share what they have with others. It is always a community effort with South Africans. If you bring food in a group, you pass it around to everyone in the room. If you have a guest over, you feed them or give them something to drink. They love to share.
- They aren't afraid to be wrong. In our bible studies they would frequently tell each other they were wrong. And they never were embarrassed or ashamed to be corrected.

THINGS I LEARNED ABOUT MYSELF
- City life is hard for me. I didn't realize it until we were out of the city and at Ebenezer Farm for camp. I instantly felt more free and more alive where there was open land and quiet nights and a sky full of stars. Being in the city surrounded by walls was harder on me than I realized at the time.

Maybe I'll have more things to add as time goes on!

I've been busy since being back in the country! I took a few days to recover from jet lag and rest up before starting back in the office. I visited our Summer Leadership Project the following weekend with our CCP team, and I loved seeing all the students there! I'm finally settling back into a routine at the office, but now I'm trying to find a place to live for next month... And we're gearing up on campus for the new semester to be starting. Phew, I'll be ready for a vacation after all this!

I made a sweet friend, Kristin from CO Charlotte, while in SA.
Here we are selling T-Shirts at Camp.

More Pics From South Africa!

Braai with Students (Friday Night Event) 

 




Cooking pap, chakalaka,
and buttering buns with Fifi.

Typical braai food: boerewors on a
buttered bun (kinda like a brat) with
pap (like grits) topped with chakalaka
(there is nothing that compares to this!)

With girls from Skoonveld:
Nwabisa and Khosi


Lion and Rhino Park

Petting a 6 month old
lion cub... And a tiger, too!


Visit to Soweto Township

Our team in front of Soccer City
(World Cup 2010 venue).

The stand where we bought
our Kota's for lunch that day.

The infamous Kota (bread, fries,
russian, cheese, special meat and sauce).


Trip to Pilanesburg

Our team the morning
after camping out in Africa.

Pilanesburg Animal Reserve

These signs were posted all over.
Yikes!

Rhino...
Up close and personal.


Only 3 more weeks left!

This Week In Pictures

For our cultural excursion this past week we had the chance to go see a soccer match in a nearby township called Soweto.  It was a championship game between two South African teams.  We were cheering for the Orlando Pirates and the whole stadium rushed the field when they won the game!  After the game, people were dancing and cheering in the streets.
 

Right before the game, we had our first taste of fat cakes.  The owner of our guest house made a huge pan them for us before we headed out for Soweto, and we thought they were so yummy!  Kind of like a funnel cake without sugar, or a form of a donut that isn’t very sweet.  We liked it best with jam.  Here’s Blaine eating one in our kombi.

Here are all the girls that came to the Bible Study in Amper Daar this week (it’s pretty easy to pick the girls from our team, Lindsay and Lauren).  Tebogo, a student leader, shared the bridge diagram and then we split up in smaller groups to talk through it.  The two girls in my group acknowledged that they were not on the side of the bridge with God, but they seemed confused about what it would take to get to that side.  Most of these girls think they have to clean up their lives in order to get to God.  

We ate dinner one night in the SS (their student center) after Skoonveld had their Bible Study.  We visit the B-Spot most commonly because it stays open later than other places at night.  You can find burgers and chips (french fries) at this place.  One of these girls had just gotten her first Bible from Lawton and Emily and was telling me how she was excited to learn more.

Cheers from South Africa!

Our first few days in Africa!

Day One (Wednesday). After spending the night at one of our student’s brother’s house, our team packed up our bags and headed to the airport in Atlanta, GA.  We took off for South Africa around 8pm that night.  None of our team had seats together, so we were spread out all over the plane.  I ended up with a window seat and was able to sleep a majority of our 15 hour flight.  When I wasn’t sleeping, I tried to pick a movie from their huge selection (but never could decide on one), ate the food they passed out, or read a book.  The time passed quickly and before I knew it, we landed in Johannesburg!

Day Two (Thursday).  We arrived in South Africa around 5pm their time with swollen feet and sleepy eyes.  I got my first stamp in my passport and realized that for the first time I stand out in a crowd.  After meeting the COJ staff in the airport, we took a lift (elevator) up to where our kombi (10 passenger van) was parked and drove in the left side of the rode to our home for the next seven weeks.  We were greeted by some of the student leaders (Tebogo, Moratu, Beulah, KK, and Michelle for those of you who may know them!) from our campus who helped us unload and had dinner waiting for us.  I was surprised at how nice our place was and was especially excited to find coffee and tea in every room.

Day Three (Friday).  I was surprised that I slept all the way through the first night, because everyone told me that I would wake up around 3am.  We loaded our team up and took our first excursion to the Apartheid Museum where we learned about a key part of South Africa’s history.  I was particularly impacted by the devotion of men like Mandela to their cause to bring about change in their country.  The COJ Campus Director, Jeff, taught us more about South African culture that afternoon and we got to tour the campus.  We finished up that night with a braai with the student leaders.  We all enjoyed spending time getting to know their team.

Day Four (Saturday).  We spent Saturday morning watching our first South African soccer game between two of the residence halls and then learned more about the specific res’s where our students would be ministering in.  Our girls will be spending time in Amper Daar, Skoonveld, and Benjemijm.  As many of you know, the culture in these halls is much like our sororities and fraternities back in the states.  Lauren and Lindsay will be in Amper Daar, Karen, Danielle and Ashley are in Benjemijm, and Lawton and Emily are in Skoonveld.  I’ll get to spend time with our girls in all of the res’s while I’m here.  In the afternoon, our team had a lot of fun playing soccer together.  We finished our evening with dinner and a time of worship.

Day Five (Sunday).  This day will be a Sabbath day for us each week and will give us a chance to rest in the midst of a fast paced schedule.  We attended church at Sophiatown Community Church which was within walking distance of Koffifi, our house.  Our guys played some more soccer with guys from the church while the girls watched and talked.  I got to talk for a while with TK, one of the student leaders with COJ who lives in Skoonveld.  I’ve had many friends get to know her on previous CCP teams so it was sweet to get to know her and hear about her life.  Then we had our first grocery store experience at the Pic’N’Pay.  I’m finding that I like the food here better than in the states!  

We start ministry on the campus this week and we're all excited to get to know students here! 

Africa, here we come!

We're leaving for Johannesburg, South Africa tonight for our Cross Cultural Project!  The past couple of weeks have been crazy trying to get ready in the midst of my other job responsibilities.  But I'm excited to be landing in another country tomorrow night!  I'll try to keep up with my blog while we're there, but check our team blog, too!

CCP Blog

It's hard to believe, but we leave for South Africa in a little more than 2 months!  You can follow the team on our blog at: crossculturalproject2011.blogspot.com.

A Feast For All Peoples: Mexico and Italy

Between our weekly dinner/prayer and planning for the summer to South Africa, I find myself having a greater concern for all that God is doing in the world.  In light of this, I wanted to share a video we watched at our CCP Retreat this weekend from the Joshua Project... Check it out!



So I've gotten a little behind on our dinner updates - life has been crazy lately.  Two weeks ago, Kelsey volunteered to make tacos for us and we prayed for Mexico!  Again, our meals tend to be merely inspired by particular countries and not truly authentic.  One thing that stuck out to me about Mexico is that over 50% of the population is under 20.  Isn't that crazy?!  And it is a largely unreached people group because there a few ministries targeting that age group.  We've also noticed that in the countries we have read about, the college campuses are not being reached.  Though we have a particular interest in that age group because of their stage and my job, it really is a strategic place for ministry.  They are the future leaders who will be the ones to affect change in their countries and they naturally move out from the college campus to the world.  It has been affirming to me to continue to minister to college students in the states with these hopes in mind.

Then this past week, Snickets (aka Nikki) made her specialty spaghetti for us as we learned about Italy.  I learned that it is a largely spiritually dead place, despite it's rich history.  Most church goers are cynical toward the church and non-church goers are opposed to the things of God.  There is even a large population of Satan-worshipers and much corruption caused by the mafia.  If I were to think of the most dark and dead spiritual nations, I would never have thought of Italy.  But it is.  Sometimes when I read about these places, I wonder what I am still doing here!  But then I remember there is much need here, too.

Our First CCP Retreat!

CCP South Africa: 2011

Every summer we take a team of students to Johannesburg, South Africa for our Cross Cultural Project. For 6-7 weeks we partner with the Campus Outreach team on a college campus. To learn more about their ministry, you can watch this video: