Lost in Faith

Travelogue South Trip Oct 7-17, 2009

Oct. 7,8
Left Kansas City late arriving in DC just in time to catch International flight. Leaving at 6 pm and arriving in Dakar, Senegal on the west coast of Africa 8 hours later. A restless hour on the ground and back in the air for Johannesberg arriving 7 hours later.

It is around 5 pm in J’berg but our body clocks by now are all messed up. J’berg requires us to collect bags transport them to the Domestic terminal. A brisk walk to Domestic check in and we sit for 90 minutes waiting for our flight to East London.

Upon arriving in East London we see the friendly face of Rufus Luttig. Amazing this time the van rental went on without a hitch. Fortunately Rufus arrived early and straightened things out for us. In the vans and off to Bed and Breakfasts. We split up due to the Iron Man Triatholon being in East London.

Oct. 9
Great breakfast and off to the Transkei. We only had to drive to iDutywa which is about 90 minutes away. We stopped in Butterworth to get a feel for Africa.

In iDutywa 1200 students from a local high school awaited us at New Directions Church arranged by Peter Barnes. They sang and we talked and prayed for them as they were entering into final exams for the year.

A brief tour of iDutywa after the assembly and then lunch with Warren Raath, owner of the Build It (Home Depot like) in iDutywa. Warren lives in East London but travels to iDutywa a couple of days a week.

After lunch we drove to a business enterprise that Warren started, a rock quarry. Warren talked about business in the Transkei and suggested we think about two things, concrete blocks and cabbage.

That evening 1500 students gathered for an evangelistic outreach. Lots of songs in all kinds of languages and I spoke a little and Peter Barnes gave an invitation. During the invitation a girl behind us went into what seemed like convulsions Peter described it as demons manifesting themselves. They took her to a room to work with her.

The evening gave us a treat, life in a village. The men stayed with Nelie a lady who came to Christ thru Peter. She welcomed us into her home and we went to bed quickly due to fatigue of the trip.

Oct. 10
Up early and off to Mthatha where we had breakfast at Wimpies which quickly became a favorite. After Wimpies we went to drop off some medications to a nurse I met on my last trip, Cynthia Vava. She was at a marriage retreat so we found her and left the supplies with her. But first we must come have a look. We entered the hall and no one was there. Without really knowing what was happening we because the guest of honor and started a process as if we were married, marching down the aisle to Lord I Lift Your Name on High. Rufus took the cake the two step.

Rufus and I ended up at the head table on stage and we realized that no one had showed up for the marriage retreat so they decided to use us as their audience. When Rufus realized what had happened he slide over to the physican who was speaking and apologized that we weren’t going to be able to hear her message and beat a trail out of there. Lots of laughs in the van expecially as Cody Burch , a single guy exclaimed as if talking to his mother about his new bride, “Mom, you’ll love her, she is your age!”

Long Drive thru to Bambisana but the beauty of the Transkei as it changes kept everyone mesmerized. We stopped in Port St. Johns for groceries and ate and we off of the soon to be JAM Base.

The Bible School Students welcomed us to new home as we arrived all 9 of them.

The evening provided an interesting dynamic because we all slept in the chapel together. Some people snored! I won’t mention names but at one point I couldn’t get to sleep because I was laughing uncontrollably at the cacophony of snoring.

It was Sunday so there was a church service to celebrate the 9 Eastern Cape Bible College Students presence for the last 4 months. Before the church met we visited two homes in the village that the Bible students worked with. We gave them shoes, tooth brushes and hugs to encourage them.

Fortunately I gave the speaking responsibilities to Moses Mente, a young Xhosa who has a bright future. He did extremely well.

For the evening we went with them to the meeting at the Hospital next door. There was an aire of sadness because the students were leaving the next day and heading home. So this service also celebrated the students.

To bed again and the snoring only this time weather provided and even further adventure. A storm blew in and tried to blow the roof off the chapel. One piece of the corrugated tin roof was loose and as the wind would catch it bend it way back and then snap it back and make a horrendous sound. Amazing thing, some people slept thru it. Becky Kenealy heard it and woke and said, “Who fell?”

Oct 11
We packed up and headed to Bukwini. Another stop in Port St. Johns for groceries and a lunch at the Fishing Eagle restaurant.

We rolled into Bukwini in the afternoon. Bible School students made it there before us by taxi. We stayed with Eric and Ester Ngenjani. The air mattresses we took were a big help only we discovered that the air mattresses wicked the cold from the concrete straight to our bodies. Most of the nights we had a hard time getting warm. We purchased blankets as well as food in Port St. Johns which helped.

We cooked omelettes to expose our African friends to American food. Wasn’t a big hit!

Oct 12
Up early and off to our houses. Although Africa does not work well in the morning. We got started around 10 am and had to be back at 2pm for a meeting with the headman.

I stayed behind for premilinary meetings which never happened. Seems the headman (who is a women) want some of the proceeds from the food distribution. They didn’t realize that the bulk or our money goes straight to the grocery store only R1500 ($200) goes to committee to transport food from Mthatha to Bukwini. Seems this is going to be a recurring issue.

We also discovered that Eric and Esther has an allegiance to the Jehovah Witness, very disappointing. Not a foundation that we need to build on.

Oct 13
We went to the school at Ngadini to meet with students and faculty. Moses spoke again and the children sang. Afterwards we met with the faculty and talk about Beat the Drum next summer. They were very receptive.

Oct. 14
The team chose not to do the boat ride with Michael Hale so we headed south and stayed at Haga Haga on the coast. Beautiful place!

Oct 15
We left for the Luttig hunting farm by way of a game reserve where we say numerous species including a rhino. The game reserve was really long and all on dirt roads. All toll we spent about 6 hours on dirt roads. Our van rebelled just outside of Grahamstown and gave up the ghost. The rental car company was amazing at getting a new one to us.

While they brought a new van from PE we went to the Bible School and spent some time with the students. 12 of the 13 were there for the new term which will end in June of 2010.

Back to Luttig’s with a stop for Pizza. We sat around the Luttig’s and had pizza before we jumped into the van and headed to Mayim.

Oct 16
Early rise for hunters to go kill something. Steve Smithmier and I stayed behind and enjoyed the solitude of Mayim. 2 and ½ hours later the team return with 2 baby warthogs shot by none other than Sean Hoeflicker.

The rest of the afternoon was spent sitting around enjoying the warm African sun before a braai in the evening. Great time of sharing around the table at dinner downloading the trip.

Oct 17
Early out the door to PE for the team to leave. We got one more chance to see animals along the way. A quick stop at a new shop of African curios and the grocery store to get some favorite South African treats then on to airport. Team boarded plane and headed home

Rufus and I drove to Jeffreys Bay and had a great dinner with George and Michele Mwanza. We talked about LXP and Mercy Alliance and their understanding of things. It was the first time I’ve had a chance to talk with them. We discussed fund raising which is the biggest issue they face.

I dropped by the LXP house and bought paintings from Valentine mostly Masai warriors then off the the UCSA/VCSA Camp Ground which cost $5 a night and its 2 blocks from the beach.

Oct 18
Seems that sleep was the major issue for me on this trip. Even though I had my own room a business adjacent to the property’s alarm went off early in the morning and no one saw fit to turn it off. So it just shrieked from 5 am on. So I got up walked to the ATM, beach and watch the sunrise.

Rufus and I cut out for PE to catch a flight to Cape Town, We stopped by Makro which is SA version of Costco. Pretty cool place and it had everything we have and maybe more.

Flight to Cape Town was magnificent, ocean and mountains! Gerhard picked us up and took us to Stellenberg Church of the Student Service on Sunday night. They had a band that rocked the house. It was mostly in Afrikaans so didn’t have a foggy idea what was being said.

Oct 19
Peter Barnes from iDutywa joined us (Rufus, Donovan, Why and myself) for breakfast. We talked Xhosa culture and training leaders. Afterwards we headed to Apostle Battery which is JAMs camp. Magnificient view of Llanduno beach.

Then on to meet Floyd McClung at Africa House. The drive over Chapman’s Peak was stunning. We spent 2 hours with Floyd discussing discipleship in the Transkei. Floyd uttered a jewel when he said dream big build small. It was pretty clear that the only part that CPx will play is receiving leaders for 3 month periods for training.

Had to go back over Chapman’s Peak, darn to get the car and take Rufus and Donovan to the airport. Got them there in time to get back to their wives.

Why and I turned around went home and I had some down time. Ate with Why and son Anton for dinner and had a great discussion about sports ministry

Oct 20
Why and I had a long breakfast discussing Shoal Creek-Stellenberg partnerships as well as the future of JAM. He drove me back to the Apostle Battery where I spent evening with the JAMers. We had a braai, cooking snook, sweet potatoes and mixed veggies.

They had climbed Table Mountain that day so we downloaded that experience talking leadership.

Oct 21
Gerhard and Why took me to a 2010 meeting of church leaders in Cape Town. Topics included the Global day of Prayer, World Cup and the Lusanne Conference on World Evangelization.

Why and I had lunch at Spur and then on to the winelands for a little wine tasting.

Anton joined us for dinner celebrating my last night in SA.

Oct 22
Breakfast the Feesmark, Stellenberg Church’s craft bazaar which grosses about R3,000,000 ($400,000) not to shabby. Impressive kraft and food stuff as well as a catered tent with a dynomite breakfast.

Tinnis, a JAMer who is becoming Gerhard’s right hand man.

Off the airport for 23 hours of airtime!