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| Our new HOME! |
Well we made it to South Africa! After 24 hours of
traveling we were joyfully greeted by the staff from "African
Enterprise"! They brought us to a hotel where we stayed for the night--
thrilled to finally sleep in an actual bed, contrary to the stiff, upright
airplane seats! Once we loaded up our bus the next day, we began our drive with the entire group singing Happy Birthday to me! I quickly felt welcomed and loved
as we began our journey. =) We ventured out to study some of the historic sites in
Johannesburg (Joburg) and Soweto. It was a beautiful beginning to a wonderful
day. The city was filled with history, the people all with a unique story, and
each site with an obvious piece of South Africa. We quickly became accustomed
to the diversity amongst all the people and the unrestricted use of referring to
one another as black, white, or colored.
After completing a of a full day
of historic sites, tribal dances, and cultural eating we were just one more
flight and a 2 hour bus ride from the place we would call home for the next 12
weeks. When we finally arrived at our home in Pietermaritzburg (known by the
locals as just "Maritzburg"), on the Africa Enterprise campus, we
were in complete awe. As I stepped out of the bus I felt as though I had just
been dropped off in the middle of an exotic rainforest. Trees surrounding every
aspect of the campus, a natural waterfall flowing directly behind my
"chalet"/sleeping-quarters, flowers and greenery around every turn,
and zebras, monkeys, and buck joining me on my morning run! I could not have
imagined such a more incredible home! It is so easy to see the greatness of Our
God in such a beautiful place! Although our campus is hidden in the midst of
Africa's splendor, we are only miles from some of the greatest poverty in all
the world. These areas are where we all will be working every Tuesday and
Thursday at our service sites during our stay in Pietermaritzburg. I am
anxiously looking forward to the opportunities we will be given as we work
amongst the community and help in whatever ways the Lord leads us to. I am
prayerfully asking The Lord for His hand to be with us, guiding us, leading us,
and providing specific opportunities for us to be used by Him for His glory!
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| Our "chalets" beneath the waterfall on our campus! |
[United States poverty: Income < $23,000/year ~ $63/day]
[South Africa poverty: Income < $700/year ~ $2/day]
