South Africa-Day 3

After seeing the townships for the first time on Saturday afternoon, Sunday came as a welcome respite for me and I'm sure many of our team members.  We were so honored to attend King of Kings (formerly Fish Hoek Baptist) where John Thomas is pastor.  Unfortunatley, we were unable to hear John Thomas preach as he had a guest speaker (some of us did get to hear him the following week).  However, the worship songs were so much like home...Mercy Seat and Shout to the Lord just to name a few.  It was just what I needed to refill me before the week to come.  Oh, if I'd only known just how much refilling I needed!

After leaving King of Kings, we headed over to Masi Baptist which is the church in the township of Masi, but unfortunately for us, no one was there because they had all traveled together to attend a funeral.  There's one thing that can be said for these sweet South African people is that they come together when there is a need.  But not being able to experience that church service was just another ploy from Satan to keep God from being glorified.  But our God doesn't give up that easily!

After leaving Masi Baptist, we headed to a few different places for sightseeing. We stopped for lunch and we all split up.  Several of us ended up having lunch with one of the former LSEs.  During lunch, it turned a bit rainy.  Despite the rain, Clynton stopped and let us get up close and personal with some African penguins.  It was quite nasty by the time we arrived, but a few got a little more up close than others! 

After leaving the pengins, we took a drive to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope.  By the time we arrived, it wasn't raining anymore.  Cape Point was quite interesting. It was once thought to be the point at which the Atlantic and Indian Oceans come together.  You could either ride a trolley car up or hike up.  It didn't actually LOOK that far up when I started...

See those teeny tiny cars?  That's where I started!



There was a point where I thought I was seriously not going to make it.  I'm sure my other more in-shape team members are laughing right now, but for this overweight and out of shape girl, it was quite a climb!  Of course, the view from the top was spectacular!

And the trip along the way was quite entertaining on a variety of levels.  Babboons lined the walkway all the way up and down.  They weren't afraid of you and didn't pose a threat unless you had food on you. 

That is another of the things I so loved about South Africa.  Wildlife can be found just about everywhere.  Such a testament to God's wonderful creation.

Cape Point was just as beautiful and it is the most south western point of the continent of Africa.  Not many people can say they have been to the tip of Africa, but I can!

There is a group picture of us here, but I didn't take it with my camera but this will show you where we were.

After leaving these beautiful places, it was time to head back towards the Team House.  But first, it was on to drive through the 3 remaining townships.  First came Masiphumelele.  Masi is one of the largest townships.  1 square mile with 40,000 people living there.  The next township we came to was Red Hill.  And then finally, when I wasn't sure how much more I could endure, we ended in Ocean View, where I would be serving for the upcoming week. 

In each of these townships, we got out of our vans and prayed over the team members who would be working there.  I'm here to tell you, there is no feeling like having other Christians lay hands on you and pray for you as you prepare to do God's work.  Again, it was just the infilling that we needed.  The next day would begin a week the likes most of us have never seen or experienced before.  At least, that's the way it was for me.  I had no idea what I was in for.

I'm not sure why God seemed so much more evident in South Africa.  Perhaps because when you strip away all the extra stuff, you are left with all that really matters.  Or maybe it's because when you have no other place to be but down on your knees, you find that God really DOES come to you where you are.  I saw God everywhere I looked in South Africa.  From the majestic mountain peaks to the crashing waves to the sweet smiling faces of the children we worked with. 

But I'm getting ahead of myself.  Monday was to start our week of "holiday club" or Saddle Ridge Ranch. 

And it would also mark the beginning of an awakening in me...in many of us...