Back in the USA

Sorry about the lack of updates, as I have had no time or internet whatsoever in past couple of days. Between the airports, long lines, seventeen-hour flight and connection, I have been flat worn out. I slept for about twelve hours yesterday, but I have returned, and have much to say.

I missed my family.

As I said, I have much to write about my experiences in SA, and will do so in the next couple of days. In short, this trip changed many of my thoughts about poverty, Christianity, race, education, and more. I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you over the next few days.

And parents of students on this trip in January: your children are in for a wonderful and impacting trip. I am looking forward to return in a few short months.

Thanks to all of you for your prayers and thoughts over this time. I'll write more soon.

More Pics from South Africa

This is a view of our "cabin" at the game farm. An excellent place for braai's and seeing wild game.


At the crocodile park in Suncity. There were a few hundred of these lying around.


A place the students will love: an artificial ocean at Suncity.



You can see the large city looming in the background: it's called "The Lost City" and it is for exclusive members only. We, so sad, didn't qualify during our three-hour stay.


The entrance to the wave pool near the Lost City in Suncity. There were tourists everywhere, including me, I guess.

The Gary Player golf course. I took this from a lift (elevator) in one of the hotels. Great view.

An excellent pool at Suncity. Taken, again, from said lift. (I took about seventy-five pictures from here.)

"Said lift" itself.

A large baboon was roaming around Suncity looking through the "dustbins" (or, as we would call them, trash cans). Apparently these things can be nasty, so we didn't get any closer.

On our way back to Pretoria from Suncity, we passed through this one-way gate. Nice view. Also, there were many peddlers about as we waited trying to sell us stuff. It was hard not giving them money, since this is their primary source of income.

At the Lion Park (from my last post), this is the vehicle that took us around. Note the differences in this vehicle from the previous safari vehicle we took. Lions are the reason.

A small lion who stuck out her tongue at me.

Then she tried to scare me. I was sufficiently afraid. This would be my favorite pic of the lot if not for the chain-link fence.

A lovely giraffe with whom I became friends.

See?

On the lion tour. This is a young male white lion. Words cannot express how large and vicious these animals are.

This female started to "hunt" one of the passengers on our tour, a five-year old kid in the back seat. (The tour guide said that lions instinctively come after the young, the old, the weak, and the injured.)

The largest and most impressive lion at the park. The guide said he weighs over 300 kilograms. This is one of those times when pictures truly cannot do something justice, as I cannot write how impressive and spectacular it was to see this lion.

Just two more days left. I will write again soon, but I'm not sure about connections and internet at the airports. I'll do my best. This trip has been so exciting and wonderful and impacting; I will have several things to say and write in the upcoming days.

Please pray for me on my long trip home. Have a wonderful couple of days.

Off to See the Lions

My good friend Heindrich booked a trip for us today to see a lion park. I cannot wait. It's almost noon here, and most of you are still slumbering.

Hopefully our trip this afternoon looks nothing like the pictures below.

I'll speak with you all again soon. I leave to return home tomorrow night, and will arrive in on Wednesday before noon. Hope all is well.

Sunday

Woke up at about seven thirty this morning to the sound of lions roaring in the distance. An odd thing for American city-boy to hear while rolling out of bed.

Sadly, however, that would be the closest I would get to lions today, as our game drive in Sun City had to be postponed. We found ourselves getting behind this morning after a late breakfast, and it took us an indefinitely long time to clean up the kitchen. We then had to fill up the safari cruiser-- which, remarkably, gets only 2.5 kilometers per liter (Americans, that's less than six miles per gallon)-- and then clean it for the next group.

We then made the two-hour drive to Sun City, an African paradise casino-style family park in the middle of nowhere. I walked right by Gary Player's million dollar prize golf course but didn't have time (or a spare 5000 rand, which is over $600) to play. We saw some amazing experiences the students will get to have in South Africa at Sun City, most of which I will withhold my descriptions in order for students to tell their parents later.

This evening I experienced a church service which was entirely in Afrikaans. It was difficult at first, but interesting to see how some of the songs corresponded to the American melodies I know. Didn't get much out of the sermon, but I did listen intently. Amazingly, I met an American from Indiana after the service who was just as clueless as I was; turns out we both have South African connections who brought us there but neither of us understand Afrikaans. I had so missed hearing the American accent.

I wasn't able to mention it yesterday, but Saturday evening we went to a pub near our game farm to watch the most important rugby game in some time: South Africa, who is currently number one in the world, versus NewZealand, who is number two. The South Africans are named after their national animal called the Springbox (it's like deer) and the New Zealanders are called the "All Blacks" (not because of their race but because they wear all black uniforms). The electricity in the pub was as intense as any big NFL football game I have watched, and I really developed an interest in rugby; South Africa won 28-19. I would go on about rules and tries and kicks and scrums, but Americans aren't usually interested in that sort of thing.

Several things I have noticed about the South African people:
1) They care for their country and their people deeply, but there is still (much like America) a great racial divide between black and white. This is partially because of history (apartheid) but also because the blacks and whites do not interact due to language barriers. Virtually every black South African can speak English and at least understand Afrikaans, but very few of the whites ever learn the black languages, of which there are dozens.
2) South Africa has eleven official languages. Amazing.
3) These people value food much more highly than Americans. Probably because so many thousands in their country are starving. After a meal, every South African I have met makes it a point to either finish their food or find a use for it. Nothing is wasted. This morning when we were cleaning up the cabin, no one wanted the rest of the Fanta two-liter, so one of the men chugged half the thing instead of throwing it out. Also, one of the men I have met told me a story about how offended he was when he witnessed a "food fight" in America some years back. We could probably learn a lesson from the South Africans in this regard.
4) The South African press actually attempts to report on stories that are important: things like life, death, crime, poverty, and politics. They aren't as interested in sensationalist ratings-driven madness like we are in America. Probably why their front page this morning was about the slipping economy in Johannesburg while ours was about one "stupid" statement our President made during a press conference about healthcare.
5) South Africans have no idea what cold is. They put on their winter jackets and pretend to freeze to death when it gets into the 30s Farenheit. Right now is their winter, and it gets to 60 degrees in the afternoon. They still think it's cold. They're like those people in the South who complain when it gets to 50. I wish our summers were this dreadful.
6) Briaas (pronounced "brahies") are like barbeques in America, and the South Africans have them all the time. They love them. I have had three for dinner and have been here only five days. Not that I'm complaining; they're very good and tasty.
7) Most of these people have never heard of basketball.
8) Pedestrians beware. Cars have the right-of-way in South Africa, and if you do not get out of their way, you will be hit. Seriously.
9) South Africans actually call soccer "soccer." Weird, because I was positive every other country in the world called it "football." They do use the metric system, though, like every other country in the world. Oh yeah, except America. It's sad that I have to spend half my trip doing math conversions in my head to see how far we are from something or how fast we are driving.

Anyway, it was a wonderful day in South Africa. I am learning so much about these people, God, and myself, and we're putting together a great trip for our students. It is like I have been re-programmed, and much of what I have believed about life and love and this world has been turned on its head. God is here, among the poor and destitute of Africa, just as he is in the suburbs of Mason and the projects of Over the Rhine. If only we, too, could learn to live together and reach out to the desperate ones among us.

Have a wonderful evening. Until tomorrow.

Pictures from SA 2009

One of the first photos I took when I arrived in South Africa. This is of Edendale Community School about which I have written. A wonderful facility and surrounded by the mountains and hills of South Africa.

Pretoria. A beautiful view from the Union Buildings. The hills always seem to surround you here.

Me and a Sitting Man overlooking Pretoria.

One of the main government buildings of South Africa in Pretoria, with the South African flag flying overhead.

A lovely gentle-woman selling merchandise outside the Union Buildings. If you look closely you'll see her wearing an Obama-Biden sticker, which is why I took the picture with her. (Note: I am not stating any current or previous endorsement of any political candidate in any previous election. My official position, as always, is neutral.)

The Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria, marking the Afrikaners' Independence Day of December 16. We went to the top. Nice view.

Me with dangerous stuffed animals at the Farm Inn. I told you it was tasteful.

One of my favorite but most heart-wrenching shots of my trip thus far. This is the slums (the SAs would call them "sqatters' camps") of Mamelodi. About three miles from here are some of the nicest and wealthiest estates in all of South Africa.

This little boy is just one year old and HIV positive, and last week I complained because I couldn't get a wireless connection at my house for an hour. God forgive me.

This is Hannah, the woman who runs the AIDS Babies nursery I have written about. One of the most courageous and kind women I have ever met.



This little girl survived an abortion. She has permanent brain damage and cannot hold her head straight as you can see here.


Hannah is saddened to see signs that this little boy--who currently is being treated for TB-- may be HIV positive as well. I held him for about twenty minutes, and when I put him down to see if he could sit up, he cried and begged for me to hold him again. I cried as I picked him up.



In Afrikaans, the word "thank you" is pronounced "Dankee" and sounds a lot like the animals you see here. I made my new South African friends laugh when I told them I was going to go for a ride on the "Thank You."

This is our safari cruiser, or as the SAs would say, our "Game Drive" cruiser.

A beautiful animal we saw on the safari. Can't remember its name, but check out the horns. I walked right up to it in the jungle and took this shot (I was told they are peaceful; this one was).

You can just see me here in the Game Drive cruiser on the red clay roads.

Zebras' butts. They must work out.

There is no Afrikaans word for "monkey"; they just say "monkey." This is a "monkey," and there were about eight of them in this tree.

This zebra walked right in front of us.

This is the best shot I could get of the giraffes, or as the Afrikaans speakers say, "Camel Horses." Interesting. I cannot tell you how awesome it is, though, to see giraffes in their natural habitat. It was a spectacular sight.

We're going to "Sun City" tomorrow (Sunday) to see the Big Five: Lion, Buffalo, Leopard, Elephant, Rhinoceros. There were rhinos and leopards somewhere within the game farm today, but we missed them. 7000 acres and we couldn't find two rhinos. What are the odds.

Anyway, the trip planning is coming along well. We are excited to bring the students down here and see the tremendous beauty, but also the great needs, of South Africa. I am humbled to be here, to be alive, and to be enjoying this beautiful earth God has given us. Please continue to pray for me and South Africa.

Our Safari on Saturday

Kidding. My South African friend's group had this experience, and this is not our group in the cruiser. Thank God we haven't yet dealt with lions. (That's supposed to be tomorrow. Yippee.)

Notice the flat tire. These people are in a bad place. My friend assures me that they laugh about it now, but somehow I don't see them laughing at the time.

Pictures are uploaded. They'll be online in minutes.

Friday

Wish I could have written yesterday, but we drove to the "bush" as the South Africans call it, and the bush is a place without internet access. We in Ohio might call it "the sticks" or "the country," if you will. "The bush," though, is an amazing place in Africa.

Africans call it a "game farm." As an American, I was wondering why one would play scrabble near some stables. Didn't make sense. But a game farm, as I have discovered, is a nature preserve full of animals in natural habitats. Awesome. I'll get to more of it later.

Friday began as my guide Chris and I went to a small private school in Mamelodi (the extremely poor area I mentioned earlier in the week) to volunteer our services for when the students arrive in January. 98% of the students, teachers, and administrators there are black, and it was interesting for me to see the guarded nature with which even the administrators took our presence at their school. Although I might have a better understanding of their position had my people undergone apartheid... Long story short, we're going to work together. They were wonderful people and we will most likely learn more from them than they from us. As usual.

Next, we ventured to a hotel called the Farm Inn where there are stuffed lions and deer-like creatures all over the walls. All tastefully done, of course. We are going to bring the students there near the beginning of our trip. Bonus: they can offer us time with lion cubs and a mini-safari. Can't wait.

After lunch, we journeyed to perhaps the most emotional place I have visited in Africa. Our partner school assists a small nursery for babies with HIV, TB and other congenital deformities. I spent an hour there holding babies with AIDS, watched a baby born without a brain in silent suffering, and saw the beautiful sadness of a one-year-old child who survived an abortion attempt. Once again, words cannot describe.

The pictures are coming.

Finally, we finished the day at the game farm. A safari. At night. We drove the cruiser on makeshift roads through the wilderness, shining a spotlight upon the night around us. We saw Kudu (a large type of antelope), monkeys, and even zebras. Zebras. I couldn't believe it. Once again, the pictures are coming. I hope.

At one point, we turned off the lights and looked at the night sky above, and I beheld the greatest single spectacle of stars these eyes have seen. For a moment, I saw and felt God in his stars, and the world of Africa and America stood still. It was beautiful.

I miss you all. I miss my family. But I am blessed, and I love Africa. More is coming.

Thursday in Pretoria

My first full day in South Africa started bright and early at 1AM. Cincinnati time, at least.

Those who have made this trip tell me that the first night of sleep is difficult, and they are right. My night consisted of waking up every half-hour or so to see if the sun had risen yet. Sunrises and sets are very different here this time of year, as there is very little time for colors and changes and beauty. It is almost as if you look up one minute as the sun has somehow risen, but you don't remember when or how. It happens quickly here.

Today I visited Doxa Deo Christian school in the morning, where the principal introduced me to the student body as a special guest (gush). Then, he took me on a tour of the grounds, facilities, and classrooms.

When we entered each classroom, all of the students stood as a sign of respect. They wore nice, polished Harry-Potter style uniforms which are checked weekly, and they spoke English in my presence instead of Afrikaans. (Hmm.... Perhaps there's a lesson in there somewhere for our CHCA group. Not about languages or uniform checks, though, and certainly not about Harry Potter. I digress.)

From the school we traveled on through Mamelodi, one of the poorest areas in the region. I can still see the squatters standing by the road-side, begging for work in order not to have to return to their dilapidated living quarters which stretch on for miles and miles around the city. There are no roads within the slum areas, and so when one house is destroyed by fire or damage, everyone around it is affected as well.

Just driving by was enough for me.

We stopped then at Edendale Community School, a campus made up of mostly black students surrounded by barracks-style housing which supports and educates hundreds of what we might call "inner-city" people. It was here where I heard the familiar chant and refrain of the faithful: "We just don't have the money."

I heard this same message from several people today, always packaged in the kindest and most glancing of phrases like "budget shortage" or "re-allocation of funds" or "temporary closing" or "fundraising shortfalls." It is as if an entire army of God's people is waiting for the opportunity to do his work, but the money is still not there.

And so I walked the stretched and dried halls of Edendale, gently noting the patchwork paint and sunburnt walls. I wondered what our small group of sixteen students could do for them in such a short time in January, but the steadfast and excited reactions of hope from the mostly volunteer staff inspired me to meet them there, somehow, in hopes of making a difference.

From there we moved on to see the Union Buildings of South Africa, the government buildings where the president's office resides and Parliament is in session for six months of the year. Outside, I attempted to barter with some kind gentle-men and women for African-themed trinkets for the kiddies, but to no avail.

After lunch we headed to the Monument atop a hill in Pretoria where I learned about the history of the Afrikaners who founded South Africa in the mid-1800s. Normal South African history for any schoolboy in Pretoria, but profound and interesting for me. Had I more time and space, I will spill it for you, but I'm sure you'll want to see it for yourself one day.

Our final stop for the day was at a place called "Pop-UP"-- or People Upliftment Programme-- an organization began by Doxa Deo not long ago in order to assist the less fortunate and needy of the streets of Pretoria. Pop-UP provides full child-care for 65 children and at any given moment houses and puts to work dozens of "Learners," for whom they provide basic needs and train in basic skills and trades. They all maintain a nearly free vision, medical, and dental screening and treatment program for whoever needs it. Truly God's work.

It's been a long day. God is teaching me about myself and my culture, and how for too long we have been a "receiving" culture in a time when we have so much to give. It is my prayer that through times and trips like these we may learn and understand what it means to give our time, our resources, and our hearts and spirits to the lost and wounded souls who roam our streets, and the streets of our world.

Until tomorrow. Have a lovely evening.

And Finally... The Plane Touched Down

It's been a long day. Two days. Whatever.

I left home yesterday (Tuesday) at 2PM to get to the Dayton airport and was shocked to get through security and to the gate within about 20 minutes. I ended up sitting outside gate B14 for several hours as our 450 PM flight was delayed until 545. I know, I have it rough.

We got into Atlanta by about 710, in just enough time to make the 805 flight to Johannesburg. The Atlanta airport is huge, so it took me until just after 730 to make it from gate A34 to gate E10, and the flight to South Africa was already boarding.

Sat in the same seat for nearly sixteen hours. I cannot write how long of a flight it was. No really, I cannot begin to write it. I am not going to try, except to say that it has become one long haze in my memory of sleep and waking and in-flight entertainment.

My journey began tonight, though. I met Carel Krige, our contact in SA who works at the school Doxa Deo with whom we will be working in January. We spoke about South Africa over dinner and I am beginning to understand the love these people have for their country.

I am now sitting in a spare room in a large house in Pretoria, South Africa, being attended to by a wonderfully kind host family. For so long this moment has been just a thought, an inkling of something far away in the future. But here I sit, in Africa, and I am full of wonder and hope. The future has somehow become the present.

Tomorrow and Friday will consist of meeting with several members of the school's administration and planning how to reach out in service to the South African community during our trip in January. This weekend I will visit the "game farm," which apparently is like a nature preserve, except it's filled with all kinds of awesome animals we do not have in the States. I cannot wait.

Thanks for reading. I'll post more once I get a chance. We're six hours ahead here, so much of my posting in the evening you'll have to read the following morning. My troubles now consist of finding an adaptor for South African power voltage in order to charge my laptop, camera, video recorder, and cell phone. Oh, the problems I have...

We'll be in touch soon. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

Welcome

My life has been a journey toward Africa, and I am finally making my trip.

Thanks to so many of you, I have the opportunity to visit the continent about which I have read and studied so much. I will be departing Cincinnati on Tuesday, July 21, making the seventeen-hour flight southeast across oceans and jungles and deserts until I reach Johannesburg, South Africa on Wednesday, July 22.

I will keep you posted. Thank you for being a part of this journey with me.

Blessings to all of you. Welcome.