Back from the eastern cape...

Finally back on the internet after a month traveling east of Cape Town into the Transkei or "Wild Coast" region.  When I left Cape Town on a big yellow truck a month ago, I had no idea what to expect.  Gradually green mountains and vineyards gave way to arrid rolling grassy hills.  Monkeys became more and more common and english no longer the main spoken language.  Life lived out in the eastern cape is simpler, less complicated and more relational.  The main people group there is the Xhosa people, who speak a unique language know for it's clicks and pops.  Our leader, Rodger Galloway of "Cross Country Missions" gave us a crash course in Xhosa when we stopped in Jeffrey's Bay a few days into our trip.  While in J-Bay we were introduced to the Joshua Project, a program that offers education and mentorship to street kids.  They have already sent a graduate of their project on to higher education in youth ministry.  He has now returned to work with the boys and coach a soccer team for them.

The next major town stop was Port St. Johns, a beautiful beach town in the mountains.   There we were involved in street ministry, running a church service (which we were asked to do when we walked into the church) and several other things.  One of my teammates, Sarah, organized a massive soccer game with the kids in town.  Later we met up with Solomon, who runs a ministry to the youth of Port St. Johns.  Someone recently donated a building to them, which they will use for skills training, tutoring, and just a hang out spot.  If anyone would like to be involved with bringing skills training and christian mentoring to the youth of Port St. Johns, they can e-mail Solomon at portstjohnsyouthministry@live.co.za  Solomon is also praying for a woman to come and work with the young girls.  With the youth, we grabbed a taxi and headed out of town to the rural area where the free government housing is.  There is a large community of people living out of town who are 90% unemployed.  We taught them to play ultimate frisbee and tug-of-war, a change from their usual soccer games.  We were also able to give a message to them and have prayer with whoever wanted it.

I just want to say I'm so thankful to God to be here in BEAUTIFUL Muizenburg, South Africa!  For a while I was starting to doubt that I would actually be here, but what I've been wanting to do for years and years has finally happened as I stepped off the plane onto African soil!  Actually African concrete, but it's just as good for me.  Maybe you can see from the photo, here in the greater Cape Town area, there is absolutely everything you could ask for: amazing mountains, beautiful beaches, all the conveniences of any modern city and beautiful friendly people!  We are staying here in a local hostel, our hosts are some of the best, they cook fabulous meals for us and teach us words in Africaans.  It is surprisingly cold here, coming from a Kona, Hawaii summer we were not quite prepared for this.  But we learned how to take the public transportation, how to get to the mall and cheap clothing stores to get some warmer things.  Cathy who is in our group, is actually from South Africa and her family hosted us in their home in Vishoek which happens to be on the side of the mountain overlooking the bay.  It is just a short train ride and many steps up the mountain away.  So now that most of us have slept off our jet-lag, we are getting ready to travel again for a month through some more rural parts of South Africa.  We will be visiting people in the villages there and bringing some play equipment and things for them.  We were asked to bring work gloves along so it seems like we'll be getting our hands dirty out there!  Unfortunately there will be no internet there soo... look forward to a long update after a month!  Please pray for our team unity in love, protection and opportunity to be the hands and feet of God, and to have the heart of God for the people that we meet.  So, that's it for now, I'll write more soon!  (and more photos!)