Roadtip to Upington!

Saturday April 25th was the wedding of Jody and Bianca. They’re from Grabouw, but much of their family lives in Upington, in the Northern Cape, near the Kalahari desert, so that is where they had their wedding. Bianca is Fransie’s sister and Karlien’s cousin, so Fransie was a groomsman and Kay-lynne was a flower girl (Kay-lynne's on the right).
All of Fergusson and Karlien’s kids went along (2 biological kids and 4 Agape kids), so I went along for the ride as the American nanny. The drive could probably be done in about 9 hours, but we tacked on 5 hours for leisurely stops at petrol stations along the way. The whole caravan of family coming from the Cape Town area would convene at places along the way and eat snacks, drink coffee and “cool drink” (soda), chat, stretch their legs, and watch the kids play. The first time we stopped (it was about midnight since we started the drive around 10PM), I waited in the car for about 10 minutes before I realized that this was not just a brief rest stop. We mingled in the parking lot for another 45 minutes.

Since Karlien was with Kay-lynne at the church early and Fergusson was running errands, it was my job to get the other 5 kids ready for the wedding. Here’s Rezhaan, Ranel, and Gwennie showing off my lip gloss.
The drive reminded me a bit like driving from Houston or Dallas to El Paso. The change in landscape is dramatic, but after hours and hours and begins to all look the same. Here is a shot of Gwennie and me and the pass that separates the Northern Cape from the Western Cape.

Over the Mountain

When people at Agape say they are going "over the mountain," it probably means they're headed to Somerset West (or Cape Town, but usually Somerset West). Sir Lowry's Pass is the portion of the N2 that takes you over the mountain that separates Grabouw from Cape Town.

My travel addiction has taken me to 35 countries, all of which I’ve found interesting and beautiful in their own way. I’ve thought since I first visited South Africa 10 years ago that this was the most beautiful. Every day I’m just in awe of the beauty of God’s creation. This is a typical sunset viewed Sir Lowry’s Pass.
Here is another gratuitous shot of the landscape, a view from Table Mountain.

When in Rome

One of the things that helps me enjoy traveling so much is my ability – or rather enjoyment of – adapting to a new place. I must get this from my father who bought cowboy boots and took us to the rodeo when we moved to Texas and picked up a pretty serious mountain climbing addiction when he moved to Colorado at age 46.

So here in South Africa it’s Rooibos tea and “pap.” The tea is herbal and translates literally “red bush.” Best enjoyed with milk and 1.5 sugars. I have at least a cup a day. Here’s a picture of me making the pap over the campfire. Susan, originally from Zimbabwe, was coaching me. The pap can also be made in a pot on the stove and is like cream of wheat or malt o meal. It can be eaten sweet, with milk and sugar or savory, with sausage or another meat.

Animals Corralled!

Two brothers from First Presbyterian Church Houston spent their spring break corralling these stuffed animals for the kids here at Agape. Their mother vacuum packed them and had them all in this truck which I carried with me on the plane. We distributed the animals before bed at the campsite and they were a big hit!

Nina, Sarika, and Ranel with new friends.

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