Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was a special day at Agape. It is the middle of summer and it feels like summer -- the kids ended their academic year earlier this month and start a new grade on January 13th. So for now we are enjoying the break from school and gearing up for the new year.

On Christmas Eve we had 2 jumping castles set up in the campsite, and I made 3 pots of potjiekos for dinner. Here are some photos and 2 videos from the day.

Kay-lynne, Avuyise, Sisipho, Meliska, Duwayne, and Sili, chopping vegetables

Ranel, Gwennie, Pelo (rightside up), Julian and Jeannie (upside down)

Danwill built and maintained the fire for 5 hours (Danwill, me, Samuel)

My first potjiekos (lamb, butternut, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, cabbage, berry juice)

In the evening we gathered in the Asiphe house therapy room for our second installment of Agape's nontraditional observance of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. Hanukkah commemorates the miracle where, at the dedication of a new temple, there was only enough oil to burn for one day, but the oil miraculously burned for eight days, just enough time to prepare more oil. At our informal celebrations, we sing and talk about the story of Hanukkah, about what God is doing in our lives, and that Jesus is the light (Matthew 5:14-16, John 1:4, John 8:12, 2 Corinthians 4:6, 1 John 1:5).

Pool Parties

Megan and I took two groups of kids on two separate days for pool parties and the home she's been staying at in Gordon's Bay, about 20 minutes from Grabouw. The lovely Americans who live there have gone back to the states for the holidays. We swam, ate pizza and ice cream, and watched movies. The kids loved it! The only major drama ensued when Duwayne, perhaps a bit overexcited, jumped into the deep end (5 feet) not realizing he wouldn't be able to reach the bottom. I watched him struggle to keep his head above water for a brief second and then jumped in (clothes on) for the rescue. It made a big impression on the kids but thankfully they were still able to enjoy themselves while being appropriate cautious around the pool. The kids are still telling stories of when they and Duwayne drowned at the pool. None of the kids are strong swimmers, but I am hoping that will change. Let me know if you want to come and give swimming lessons.

Cape Point with Megan

I made a new friend in December. Megan is an American who has been volunteering at Agape for most of December. Megan is from Montana and spent the past six years in California, where she worked as a personal trainer and massage therapist. Convenient, right? All of the children loved her, and she was a huge blessing, especially in the Asiphe Home for disabled children. We had a great time and learned a lot from each other. I dropped her off at the Cape Town airport Sunday. Megan is working at an orphanage in Magunga, Kenya, for three weeks and then heads to Vietnam where she's going to build bathrooms or something (she says she loves manual labor, which I have to admit I don't hear too often from my lawyer friends...).

Last week Megan and I spent a day at the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, one of my favorite places in the whole world. I was here the first time ten years ago on Semester at Sea. For a long time I'd wanted to spend more time exploring the Reserve, and Megan and I got a chance to do that. Here are some photos from our day. Megan, please post more on Facebook!

Atlantic Ocean currents on my left, Indian ocean currents on my right

We saw many ostriches, Atlantic Ocean in the background

Top 5 most beautiful beaches I have seen. We hiked to this point and took a wooden staircase down to the beach

Megan with the beach in the background

Lili

December brought a new arrival for Agape’s Asiphe Home for disabled children. Lili is almost 3 years old. Like the circumstances that bring each child to Agape, Lili’s story is a sad one. Last Christmas Lili spent like a normal almost-2 year old. In May Lili had some routine dental work done and didn’t wake up from the anesthesia. She was in a coma for a number of weeks and now has severe brain damage. Lili’s mother lives in a shack and can’t manage the special care that Lili now requires. The housemothers are falling in love with Lili (photo with Tannie Katie above).

While I am on the subject of the Asiphe house, many people ask for updates on baby Annabell so I’m including a more recent picture. There is still no doctor willing to put in a shunt, but she doesn’t seem to mind. Everyone loves Bella and it is hard to imagine life here without her.

Agape 4

Agape is made of of four premises, all within about 1-2 miles of each other. The properties are not so creatively named: Agape 1, Agape 2, Agape 3, and Agape 4. Agape 1 was the first premises, where it all started, and Agape 4 is the latest addition. You get the idea.

Each premises has its own amazing story of how it was given to Agape (they've not paid anything for any of them) and how God has provided the buildings, vision, and resources for each of the premises.

Agape 4 was given by a local farmer a couple of years ago. The property is immediately adjacent to a squatter camp, and the farmer knew that if he gave the property to Agape, something beneficial for the community would be built there, creating a buffer between the farm and the squatter camp. It took at least 18 months for the municipality to rezone the property from farming to residential. In July, the perimeter fence went up. The near-term plans for Agape 4 include another children's home and a school for disabled children.

Two weekends ago the teenagers from the church, some kids from the children's homes and others spent five hours cleaning up trash on Agape 4. We picked up all sorts of trash -- old shoes, wrappers and plastic of all sorts -- three trailers full of trash.

Here are some photos of Agape 4 in its current state, and then some pictures of Agape 2 so you can imagine how awesome Agape 4 will be one day.

Agape 4

Deslin, Agape 4 Trash pickup day

Nobie, Agape 4 Trash pickup day

Santie, Agape 4 Trash pickup day

Mary-Ann, Kay-lynne, and Ranel

Agape 2

Working It Out

You may have heard me mention that one of the hardest things about being here is that I haven’t been able to develop any consistent exercise habits. I am no gym rat or in line for any awards for my physique (although CSGV likes to reminisce about the time a trainer at the gym complimented my “sweep” and asked if I had been a powerlifter (!?)), but I have been in the habit of leaving from my house for walks along the bayou, through Memorial Park, or going to the gym, often with friends. Here at Agape if I leave the premises on foot alone, I’m only allowed to go as far as Agape 1, which is maybe half a mile away (and if I jogged it I would definitely be the target of unwanted attention). There is a gym in town, but I don’t (yet) have a car to get there, and I’m much less likely to go without a workout partner. Add to this the fact that my schedule revolves around dozens of kids, so it’s pretty unpredictable.

When I got back to South Africa several weeks ago, I was determined to make a plan. I started doing the exercise DVDs Laurel brought for me when she visited. It is something, but it’s not my idea of fun (alone, inside, imitating some ladies on my laptop, and trying not to jump so high that I shake the thin floor of the cabin I live in).

Then last week, Chicas (photo of us above) started leading some exercise classes right here at Agape 2. Chicas is on a holiday from his job (he works several weeks/months on, then several weeks/months off). He’s in great shape because of all the police/law enforcement training he’s been through, and he’s motivated to help me get rid of, as he calls it, “all the dirt” in my body.

Here in the photo and video you can see us exercising in the Agape 2 preschool with Avuyise, Elizabeth, Sisipho and Nina. Behind us are all the school’s toilet stalls. We also go jogging up and around a nearby mountain (maybe more like a hill, but we call it prayer mountain, where men from the church go and pray on Wednesday mornings).

Thankful

Rather than beat myself up for not posting this 8 weeks ago when I intended to, I'll take advantage of the Thanksgiving season to complete this long overdue post.

Moving to the other side of the world isn't easy. I couldn't do it alone, and luckily I didn't have to because of so many people there to help.

Claudia & David, in addition to being wonderful people and friends, are dream tenants in my townhome, keep track of my snail mail for me, and really help me in more ways than I can even begin to list.

MFF, the person who encouraged me to come to Agape for the first time, is a great friend and support and helps me navigate this unfamiliar world of "missions" and church protocol.

First Presbyterian Church Houston, for so many things and for starting this whole thing really. It was while I was sitting in church almost exactly 3 years ago (the Sunday either immediately before or after T'giving) that I heard about Agape for the first time.

Mom and Dad, for being willing and able to help out with anything I need, like expediting an International Drivers License, taking care of Ralphie, and helping me pack, for starters.

Sarah M and other friends back in Houston who held a fundraising garage sale for me last May, and other friends who've supported me financially during my time here.

MS Legal Search, my former employer, for supporting me through this time in an number of ways and being such wonderful friends and great people to share the past 4 years with.

Laurel, for the week-long visit in August in and being such a wonderful friend, for all the laughs, conversations, and special meals and outings during her time here.

Other American friends and friends-of-friends who came to visit me here at Agape, Krista & Ann, Emerson & Heather, Damien & Kara. It really is wonderful to connect my life here with friends from back home.

And to my people on this side....

Deslin, 16 years old, my Afrikaans tutor who lived with me for a few weeks in May/June.

Karlien & Fergusson, and Fransie, probably my best friends here (click links for the previous posts I've written about them).

Gerrit and Ami, the founders of Agape who, as they say, "went crazy for Jesus" about 20 years ago, left their jobs with 4 children to care for. In the civil unrest following the end of apartheid, they did something totally unthinkable. They moved in as the only whites to a township of blacks and coloureds (I promise it is a totally distinct cultural group here and that is the name for it, click the link for more info) where crime, gang violence, drug and alcohol abuse were rampant. White people in South Africa were not well-regarded by the non-whites, especially in those years. Gerrit and Ami started pre-schools for children who roamed the streets, built relationships with the people here, and gradually the ministry grew and continues to grow. Their biological children are grown (and 2nd grandchild is on the way), but Gerrit and Ami still live in the township with 8 younger children, ages 3-18, most of whom they've legally adopted as their own.

Priscilla, Fergusson's sister, who's someone I can talk to about anything. She is 28 and runs youth development programs at one of the nearby farms (farms here are kind of like small villages, like plantations in the old south).

And to God, who through this mystery of the Holy Spirit has been my biggest support during this time, teaching me things and surprising me in different ways almost every single day. I am so grateful for this privilege to be here.