Not Gone For Long, But Gone For "Good"

Ten years ago, on March 18th, 1999, I sailed into Cape Town, South Africa, at sunrise. Of all the ports-of-call on my Semester At Sea, the silouette of Table Mountain behind the city made this approach the most memorable. In the past 18 months, I’ve had the opportunity to return twice to Cape Town with several others from First Presbyterian Church in Houston. We partner with some amazing South Africans who run Agape Familiy Ministries in Grabouw, South Africa, about 45 minutes outside of Cape Town. Gerrit and Ami Coetzee founded Agape in 1994 and since then have been operating pre-schools for township children, providing small group homes for 35 orphaned and abandoned children, including one house for disabled children, inviting older township children to weekly youth clubs, and founding and supporting a church, prayer groups, and Bible study for former gangmembers who aren’t welcome in the more traditional churches. In an area where crime, addiction, and poverty are commonplace, lives have been transformed.

I have recently taken a leave of absence from my job and am planning to leave on April 8, 2009 (my 32nd birthday) to return to South Africa and work for six months with Agape. During my previous visits, I have gotten to know Gerrit and Ami, the children in their homes, and many of the youth and members of the community who are involved with their ministry. I am so excited about the opportunity to go back, get to know the ministry and community better, help out in whatever way I can, and show them that I love and care about them through my presence there.

My primary role will be the “assistant housemom” for the children’s homes, which includes playing with the kids, preparing meals, breaking up fights, administering medications, running errands, etc. Each of the homes that I will help with has between 5 and 9 kids with 1 or 2 adults present. The houseparents rarely have time for themselves to handle personal matters or just relax, so I hope to be able to alleviate some of these pressures. Additionally, I hope to be able to build relationships with some of the teenagers and young adults in the township and encourage them to seek out opportunities and help connect them to organizations and individuals who can help them further education and training and find better lives for themselves, their families, their country, and their continent. I am blessed to have the greatest group of friends and family – that is you and I am so thankful that you are part of my life. Many of you have asked how you can help me during this time. There are many ways and I hope you will consider helping me in one of these ways….

1. Keep in touch. Let me know how you are doing and what’s going on back home. I want to stay in communication with you all and am sure I’ll experience some homesickness.

2. Come visit! Within less than an hour’s drive from the Cape Town International Airport, you can spend time with me at Agape, visit wineries in the South African wine-producing region, and spend a day in awe of nature on the Cape Peninsula, which I consider the most beautiful place on earth.

3. Let me know if you have special passions or resources that could help Agape or the community in Grabouw, such as hosting a young adult for a cultural or educational exchange.

4. Pray for me and the children and staff and Agape and the people in the surrounding community.

We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thess. 1:2-3