A Missionary Life

New Blog Address

2010-02-24T06:25:00.001-08:00

Today I found out I could no longer load pictures on my blog unless I decide to pay for more storage or some other such nonsense. As this blog is free I have no desire to pay anything for it!! So I quickly went and found a web address nearly identical to this one - just add a "2" on the end! So here is a LINK to my new, yet strikingly similar looking blog. Check it out!!

Aaahhh, Relaxed!

2010-02-23T19:46:00.000-08:00

Monday I was able to take a little time for myself and did something I have never done before - I had a pedicure! It was wonderful and I was able to relax while I was there. For the first time in weeks I actually felt rested after taking it slow on Sunday and Monday. That is a huge blessing!

I have these strange toes (and even stranger posts I suppose!) where there really isn't a toenail to paint on my littlest toe. I had to laugh when the lady would try to file that toe and would just drop it without doing anything. I had always wondered what they would do! She did manage to dab some polish on that toenail though you really can't see it!

Team Meeting

2010-02-20T02:01:00.000-08:00

Friday early evening we had our first team meeting in quite a while with everyone here. The Petersons and Julie are back from their furloughs.

We had a good time, though my favorite part was holding Amanda, the newest Peterson. Isn't she a cutie???

After the meeting Julie and I went out for dinner and then back to her place. We had a great evening of just talking! It was wonderful!

The Moon

2010-02-20T01:55:00.000-08:00

On my way home the other night I noticed that the moon was absolutely beautiful. Don't you agree??

Fun Club

2010-02-20T01:40:00.001-08:00

This week at Fun Club we had 40 kids! Thankfully I had 7 helpers, and all 7 were greatly needed! Thank you so much Peta, Bianca, Chantel, Zoe, Irene, Jean, and Kathy!!!!!

I gave the Gospel again and was excited to have more children interested in knowing more about salvation. Last week 4 raised their hands and this week 14 more were also wanting to know more! I am doing home visits to each of these children and have had two very good visits. Please pray that I would be able to reach each home and that each heart would be receptive!

Time with Lona

2010-02-20T01:19:00.001-08:00

After teaching at the school I headed to Knysna to meet with Lona. We are continuing our lessons on how to teach children and Sunday school. After our lesson Madoda asked me if I would like to see the new shack where they are starting a church in another area of their community called Hlalani. The roads to this area were even worse . . . scary!! I then had to climb up a hill which wasn't terrible, but coming down was a little frightening. (Especially considering the fact that I was wearing sandals!)

Please pray for Madoda and Lona Ngesi as they work to reach their community for Christ!

Finishing the Life of David

2010-02-20T01:05:00.000-08:00

Since I began teaching in the school last year I have been using my two books on the life of David. On Wednesday with the Grade 7 class I finally finished teaching this curriculum. The next lessons before my furlough will be on Developing Right Attitudes. The first lesson is Anger vs. Self-Control. I'm excited about teaching this but it takes a lot more prep time which I have to find in my busy schedule!

Sunday

2010-02-20T00:44:00.001-08:00

Sundays are always busy days and this past was no exception. I didn't have to do creche again this week which meant I was able to hear the preaching. That is always an extra blessing.

We have rotating Sunday school teachers and right now Kathy is teaching the younger age group . . .

and Penny is teaching the older one . . .

After church and tea time I do my Bible study with the teen girls. This week we studied "Bible Study".

Island Bible Study

2010-02-19T00:48:00.000-08:00

On Thursday nights Dave teaches a Bible study on the island. (It really isn't an island but that is what it is called. I have no idea why!!) We meet in Mario and Jolanda's home. (The "j" has a "y" sound.) I have really been enjoying these studies. On this night the group was down a bit but we enjoyed the study on Fear.

Fun Club

2010-02-11T07:14:00.001-08:00

Today in Fun Club we started off with a game. We were hoping this would help get out the wiggles that the kids have after sitting in school all day! I think it worked. The children sat still and listened after playing the game!

We had 27 children and I was able to give the Gospel again today. Please pray that these hearts will be changed! Notice the serious then SILLY pictures! Kids are always fun.

Dinner with the Berrimans

2010-02-11T06:46:00.000-08:00

Wednesday evening I headed over to Shaun and Heidi's house to make dinner for them. Shaun and Heidi went cycling while I cooked and watched the kids. Gabriel grabbed this doily and put it on his head. I had to get a picture - what a cutie!

Courtney is also a cutie. She makes me smile!

Heidi is a great friend who will hate this picture for sure!

And Shaun . . . with this picture, need I say anything else!

Wednesday in Knysna

2010-02-11T06:36:00.000-08:00

Wednesday after I taught two classes at school I headed to Nekkies to meet with Lona. On the way I saw the smoke of the different fires which I had heard were burning in Knysna. One of the fires was very close to Lona and Madoda's new home. I also saw burned tracts of land, some very close to the road.

As I went down the road to the house I finally was able to stop and get a picture of PIGS. I often see them but haven't been able to get a picture until now!

I met with Lona and we talked about how to work with different ages. We also covered how to write an outline for a Bible story. My plans are to help Lona take a Bible passage and write her own lessons. Eventually she will be able to teach others in her church to teach as well!

School

2010-02-11T06:30:00.000-08:00

I am still teaching at the school. Each class is unique and I enjoy teaching them. I am finishing the life of David, a total of 11 lessons. I am almost finished with each of the classes. Please pray for me as I choose what I will teach next!

Eddie's Birthday

2010-02-11T06:19:00.000-08:00

This is a bit late but I saw the picture when going through my files and had to share it. Eddie, who attends the church, had his birthday and shared breakfast with Dave at the coffee shop. Heidi and Shaun gave him a piece of chocolate cake which he and Dave shared. Although it is late . . . Happy Birthday Eddie!

*Don't you just love Dave's face!!! I knew this picture could NOT be wasted!

"Clarification"

2010-02-08T10:18:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I needed to check and see if my garage door was closed. So, while I was there I decided to measure the slats on the door to give you an accurate size of my previously posted about HUGE grasshopper. So here it is . . .

Oh, wait a second, whoops! Centimeters and inches . . . so confusing! Did I say 5 inches??? It was 5 centimeters which is equal to . . . well, here is the actual size . . .

So we all agree that this grasshopper is HUGE? Right, huh, you with me here?? BIG?? Well if you would have seen him yourself . . . . . .

A Random Post on a Crazy Day

2010-02-08T09:10:00.000-08:00

This morning after I taught Opening Assembly I headed home to purchase more internet (as I had run out and Telkom changed their policies and I could go on but WON'T!). I decided to call Home Affairs and see how my visa application was going. To make a very, very LONG story shorter it wasn't going well. Dave met me at the office and we spent two hours trying to sort things out. I can get an extension that will last til my furlough and then . . . well, we have to sort things out. Enough said! But I did take a picture of myself driving home. I got a new necklace and thought you would like to see it. Don't you love the randomness of that paragraph - FUN!

Earlier today I had seen this HUGE grasshopper. Ok, so I can make up how HUGE it was and you would never really know. Well, it was bigger than American grasshoppers but HUGE would be an overstatement. It was BIG! You will just have to figure out how "big" BIG is!

That leads me to my next picture. My best friend at times . . . . BUG SPRAY!!! I have three or four cans of different variations. One for ants, this one which is lemon scented, one that is NOT scented yet stinks, and I'm sure some other one somewhere. (Confession - I sprayed the grasshopper so he would go away. I didn't want him to jump on me!) This spray kills spiders, ants, beetles, and other creepy crawlies which are a part of life in Africa.

Remember this post is RANDOM. I went grocery shopping after my morning at Home Affairs. I wandered through three different stores, spoke with a travel agent, got something to eat, and bought some books that were just over $1 (R9.95). I was going to take pictures as I went through the grocery store but didn't find enough exciting things except this. Grated Cheese - trust me - a "luxury" here! This is a very small portion and it costs almost $1. So rather buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself.

And the last in a very strange post. This is what happens when store employees typically do not speak English as a first language! I saw the sign and was confused but then I figured it out!

And just now, I reached up to rub my neck and . . . felt . . . something. I jerked my hand and nearly screamed. What was it . . . well, um, cough, cough, a sticker off of my new necklace! Oh brother!

Opening Assembly

2010-02-08T08:58:00.000-08:00

This morning I was able to teach the Opening Assembly at the school where I teach. I always love having this opportunity. Today I taught on the paralyzed man who was brought to Jesus by his four friends. I was able to give the truth of the Gospel with the lesson which is always exciting!

After my lesson the headmaster spoke to the children about our need for rain in this area. The drought is classified as a disaster and many of the small farms are struggling because they have NO water. Fires have also started and without water to fight these fires things could get very scary! He invited the children to join him in praying for rain. He said that they could get on their knees if they wanted. It was exciting to see the children recognizing the need to pray for rain!

This is half of the teachers as they also joined in praying for rain. Please join us in praying for rain for the Garden Route!! Thank you!

Bible Study

2010-02-08T08:52:00.000-08:00

Sunday was a great day and I was able to sit in and hear the preaching this week. There was only one little one and she went into the Sunday school class and did very well. So Julie and I were able to hear Dave preach. After church I had tea duty and then I was able to teach the Bible study to the teen girls. Sarah was out of town but we went ahead and had our lesson. We learned about Spiritual Growth. I really enjoy teaching and studying for this Bible study!

Fun Club

2010-02-06T00:13:00.000-08:00

This week went by rather quickly and I can't believe I haven't posted since Tuesday. I had grand plans to do better than that! Oh well, this week I have been sick off and on which made for a LONG week. Thursdays are always busy, but busy is good! We had 33 children at Fun Club. Please pray that more people at the church would be willing to help with this ministry!

Our lesson this week was on Christ coming to earth to die for our sins. The kids were pretty wild this week and I despaired of them actually sitting quietly and listening. As I taught the lesson they quieted down and were silent for most of the lesson time. I had to send one boy out but after he left . . . it was amazing. As I shared how Christ died on the cross and took the weight of our sins upon Himself, the kids were SILENT! There was no moving around, no talking, no noise at all! They listened intently and it was exciting to watch their faces as they were enthralled with the truth of the lesson. Please pray that hearts will be touched and lives changed.

Some weeks I wonder about doing this Fun Club and then I am reminded of the amazing opportunity that I have. Please pray for each of the children in the Fun Club and in the school. My last lesson on the life of David has the Gospel strongly incorporated into the lesson. I still have six grades to teach and it is thrilling to know they are hearing the truth!

Petersons Together Again

2010-02-02T11:49:00.001-08:00

Janelle Peterson returned yesterday with their other three children. Lee has been here with four of the children for about 3 weeks. It was fun to watch the four reunite with mom and their brand new baby sister. I didn't get any pics of Carissa or Jordan - those will come later. Baby Amanda is a cutie!!!!! The four kids and I made a sign to welcome home their family.

Sunday

2010-02-02T11:25:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning I did the creche with Julie again. She is going to start teaching them songs and a Bible lesson so we practiced sitting down to sing. Gabriel wasn't too impressed with just sitting!! Oh well, he will get used to it.

I thought I would give you a new picture of me.

After church I taught the teen girls Bible study. It is so fun to work with these girls.

Out of Order

2010-02-02T11:24:00.002-08:00

Oops, Thursday is after Friday - I thought Friday happened on Wednesday! Been a LONG week!

Fun Club

2010-02-02T11:24:00.000-08:00

Fun Club went well on Thursday. The kids were excited when they got there and ready to have, well, FUN!

Peta helped this week and taught an object lesson. She did an awesome job!! The kids LOVED it!

Then I taught the second lesson in the Salvation Series. The kids listened so well! One little boy who is usually a bit naughty was EXCELLENT! Praise the Lord!!!

Friday

2010-02-02T11:02:00.000-08:00

Friday morning I had a meeting with Dave in Wilderness. From there I headed to Liz's house (also in Wilderness) and we headed to Knysna for lunch. We ate at a 5-star golf resort and the food was DELICIOUS. How could I forget to get a picture of the food . . . ? I have no idea but I did. But I did get pictures of the view! After lunch we drove around and I got some more pictures. So here they all are together. Awesome.

On our drive we saw this baboon peeping in someone's window. So glad I don't have any of those at my place!!!!

I didn't get back to Sedge until almost 4:30 pm. I had to pick up my computer from a friend who was "cleaning" it up for me. Then I picked up 3 kids for youth and headed to George. I spent the evening with Julie M. which was fun! Unfortunately I forgot to get pictures. Oops!

Teaching

2010-02-02T10:47:00.000-08:00

This last week I haven't been blogging and realized I was behind. So what did I do last week, well that is a long list! Tuesday through Thursday mornings I teach at the school. (You already heard about my Monday last week!) As of Thursday I had taught Grade R - Grade 6 in the last two weeks.

Busy Monday

2010-01-25T11:48:00.000-08:00

Today started off with a prayer meeting at the school. This was my first time to attend this year. It was great to see Una, Sophie, Jeanette, and Anita today. What a special time to meet with these ladies and pray for the school!

After the prayer meeting I headed to George to go turn in my visa application at Home Affairs. I had driven there on Thursday to find that the man I needed to talk to was sick. Thankfully he was there today and I have my application turned in with all of my paperwork.

From there I headed back to Sedge and spent a little bit of time with Shaun and Heidi helping in the coffee shop before my meeting with Lona today. Lona and I went over the lesson for Sunday and I am excited to see how she is doing. She is going to do a practice teaching on Friday - pray for her - she is nervous!

From there I headed to the Petersons and picked up their oldest daughter. We went and found a cake for Lee. Then we headed back to the house and I did a little babysitting. Tonight there was a surprise birthday party for Lee. It was too funny when the first person arrived and he was wondering if there was a surprise party or something. He knew of three people coming but three more joined the "party"!! Happy Birthday Lee!!!

So I am finally home and decided to get my blog updated. Now I am off to bed as tomorrow is an early and busy day!

Sunday Late Lunch

2010-01-25T11:43:00.000-08:00

After the baptismal service Dave, Julie, Liz and I headed to the Knysna Waterfront for lunch at Limoncello. It was DELICIOUS!! This was the birthday dinner for both Dave and Julie. Both have their birthdays in the month of January. (Their sons have their birthdays in December - talk about a busy two months!!) HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE AND JULIE!!

Sunday Afternoon

2010-01-25T11:24:00.000-08:00

At 12:30 Sunday afternoon there was a baptismal service for the Nekkies group. We were able to use a church's facility to hold this event. It was good to have some people from our church as well as the Nekkies' believers.

Four believers were candidates for baptism.

They each gave their testimony which was translated into English for us to understand.

Then Madoda baptized each one. Here he is baptizing his wife, Lona. Not sure about the hand pushing down on the head. Trust me, each believer was under the water completely!!!

After the baptism we had a time of the Lord's Supper. Dave shared the Scripture for that and then the elements were passed around the group. What a special service!!!

Sunday Morning

2010-01-25T11:09:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning was a normal service in Sedge. We had a good crowd which is always encouraging!

Julie and I had creche again with two very cute kids! Julie brought hair clips for Autumn's hair. She made it look very pretty! The other little one was in creche for the first time - and it went pretty well!

Church Fellowship

2010-01-23T01:15:00.000-08:00

Last night we had a fellowship at the Rudolph's house. Everyone brought food to share and we enjoyed a wonderful meal! There were about 30 or so people there and it is always fun to get together.

At the Coffee Shop

2010-01-23T00:59:00.000-08:00

Friday morning I got up early and picked up Heidi and we headed to the Fresh Bean to get some work done before they opened. Heidi had 5 platters to go out and everything is made fresh that day! We skewered chicken and beef and it looked so yummy! Then I floured, egged, and breaded LOTS of chicken pieces. Heidi had already made mini sausage rolls, meatballs, chicken wrapped in bacon, and had chicken legs marinating. When the two women that work for her arrived they cooked the breaded chicken pieces and the rest of the already prepared foods. Then the chicken wings arrived and were put in marinade or seasoned and then into the oven. Later she made chicken curry and creamed spinach to stuff mini pitas and a delicious dip for each platter.

The kitchen stayed busy preparing this food and getting all of the regular orders for the customers. Everyone was doing something! Once her workers arrived I went out to help Shaun make coffee, take orders, waitress, and pretty much stay out of the kitchen!

Here is one of the platters and remember she made FIVE!!! I so wanted to just help myself but I had to hold back and only snatch one (or two or . . .) piece (or pieces???) of breaded chicken!!

After school Courtney joined the "circus" and I had to share a picture of this cutie! I enjoy helping out Shaun and Heidi. Helping in the coffee shop is a great way to get to know the people of this town!

First Fun Club 2010

2010-01-21T11:13:00.000-08:00

Today was our first Fun Club of this year. There were 31 children and they were happy to be in Fun Club.

These three boys decided to not participate in singing "I Love Him Better Every D-A-Y". That could be because they were supposed to do it like a ballerina - with their first finger pointed toward the top of their head and on their tiptoes. But their unwillingness made them "willing" volunteers! Ha ha!

I am teaching through the Abeka Salvation Series. Today's lesson was on Heaven. I'm excited about seeing how this year will go!

Training Lona

2010-01-21T10:58:00.001-08:00

Wednesday morning after I taught two classes at the school, I headed up to Nekkies to meet with Lona Ngesi. I met with her on Monday and gave her lots of homework. (That homework is to be done for next Monday.) This time I went over some things about teachers and children. Then I went over the importance of giving the Gospel completely - with a foundation of Who God is, what sin is, how we all sin, Who Jesus is, and what Jesus has done for us. On Monday Lona wouldn't let Madoda (her husband) sit in with us. He asked again this time and she let him know she didn't need TWO teachers. I told him he could stay if he didn't talk. They both listened and I'm so excited to see them learning. I'm also excited to see Lona become a wonderful teacher to the children in her community!! The first picture is the one that Madoda and Lona liked.

This picture is the one that I liked!

A SPECIAL THANKS TO MRS. SWARINGEN WHO TAUGHT ME "TEACHING BIBLE" IN SCHOOL! I AM USING MANY OF MY CLASS NOTES TO TEACH LONA!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!

First CMI Class

2010-01-21T10:53:00.000-08:00

Tuesday night was our first CMI class. There were 13 students at this class on Genesis. (Dave is the photographer for this pic!) Next week will be Dave's class on Pastor Counseling. I was a little tired for this class but hopefully things will mellow out and I will be more alert for the next one!

Teaching Again

2010-01-21T10:30:00.000-08:00

I began teaching again at the school this week. So far I have taught Grade R, 1, 2, and 3. It feels good to be back into my routine. The teachers were very happy to see me, especially the Grade 3 teacher!!!

Training Lona

2010-01-18T09:31:00.000-08:00

Today I met with Lona, Pastor Madoda's wife, to begin training her to teach Sunday school. She has a desire to teach the children in the community and I love having this opportunity to help her. We covered the Wordless Book today and I gave her LOTS of homework. She is studying the first lesson of five on the Wordless Book. I also asked her to memorize several verses and to read a few chapters from one of my books. We are meeting again on Wednesday and then she is going to teach me the first lesson next Monday. I'm looking forward to spending more time with Lona and seeing her grow in her abilities!

Service in Nekkies

2010-01-18T08:47:00.000-08:00

Ok, get our your imagination and go on a short trip with me. After church in Sedge I headed down the road to just outside the city of Knysna. The traffic wasn't terrible as it was Sunday and I made it through in good time. As I get out of the city I get into a more rural area. I turn left on the road for Nekkies and wind down a rather bumpy, washboard, gravel road. I park my car in front of the old army tent that houses the new Baptist Church in this area.

I can already hear the singing as I am a little late. I head inside to join the group that are meeting on this HOT Sunday morning. The sides of the tent are lowered to allow some air to flow and keep us cooler. As you look out these sections you watch as the community continues life during the service time. People walk by carrying laundry baskets, children run around playing together (or fighting and showing their adorable cuteness of "standing their ground" at the age of 6 or 7). Of course it wouldn't be quite normal until you see the occasional pig walk by. And if you are lucky you might even see the family cow saunter through the area.

The singing is amazing as there are only 3 or 4 hymnbooks yet everyone seems to know the words to the songs. Someone "leads" and everyone else compliments the singing. Some people get more into their singing than others and you can see through the hand motions that the song tells some kind of story. I really wish I understood the words that they were singing as it looks so interesting. They would reach down and stoop their back and push their hands toward the ground, then stand up and push them outwards, and then lift them up and wave them. One man was enjoying the music time for sure. (I suspected that he may have been intoxicated. If not, he was one interesting character!)

The offering is done very differently. Rather than passing around an offering plate or the more common South African method, passing around a bag with a handle - someone holds a plate at the front of the tent and those who have offering come forward during the singing and give their offering. After testimonies, LOTS of singing, several leading in prayer, the offering, and some special music it is time for the preaching.

This week Pastor Madoda preached and I enjoyed hearing him. The young man in the second picture was the interpreter and he did a great job. I'm always thankful that I can understand what is going on while I am there.

During the invitation a young lady came forward and said that she wanted to be saved. She was a little strange and had straggled in after the service started. Though having to be shushed many times because she wanted to "talk" during everything she did pray and accept Christ as her Savior. Please pray that she will have made a true confession and understand the step she took.

They continued meeting after I left as they were discussing the opening day of the church. I headed out with a thankful heart for the time I was able to share with these people who desire to hear God's Word preached. I rattle back up the bumpy road and head back toward home. My soul is refreshed and I am leaving with a smile on my face.

Manual Labor

2010-01-18T08:43:00.000-08:00

It is always interesting to watch how works gets done here in South Africa. I have wanted to get a picture of a ditch being dug and finally got one! No big backhoe here - rather a long line of men digging with pickaxes and shovels. With a huge amount of the population without work - providing jobs is always important. So next time you see a backhoe at work you can think of how work tends to get done here - by hand!

Flat Tyre

2010-01-18T08:30:00.000-08:00

On Friday I was at the coffee shop getting ready to leave and head to George for Youth. I went out to my car to find a very FLAT tyre (spelled that way here). Thankfully Shaun was willing to change the tyre for me and I was on my way. (He used to be a tyre repairman!) These pictures are from him putting my repaired tyre back on the car since I forgot to get a picture of the actual flat tyre.

And Courtney is a VERY good helper. I suppose one should learn as early in life as possible to change a flat tyre!!!

Drought

2010-01-18T08:25:00.000-08:00

One thing that we are dealing with here in the Garden Route is a drought. These signs are all over George and they are a bit blurry because I took these pictures while I was driving. We also have similar signs in Sedge. The drought is requiring water restrictions from Mossel Bay to Plettenburg Bay. We in Sedge and have been blessed to have the first operational desalination plant in the country. This has eased the severity of the drought in our area but the lack of water is a daily issue. Please pray that we would get LOTS of rain. When I hear the pitter patter of rain drops I get very excited. I usually run to the door or window and watch it fall.

After the Meeting

2010-01-18T08:22:00.000-08:00

Craig and Peta invited me to stay after the CMI info meeting to play a game they taught me called "42's". You play the game with dominoes and it is sorta similar to the game Rook. We had a great time and I really like this game!

CMI Info Meeting

2010-01-18T08:03:00.000-08:00

Tuesday night was our information meeting for CMI (Church Ministries Institute). It is exciting to see those who are interested in learning more about God's Word. There are around 13 different people taking one or both of the two classes offered!

Dave shared with us how the CMI program works and what we would need to do. I'm looking forward to taking these classes!

Working in Creche

2010-01-18T07:49:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning at church last week I was working in the creche. I had Gabe and Hannah and they really are cuties!!

Here is the progression of one having a toy which the other wants. That one taking it and then an attempt by the other to get it back. And finishing off with a smile instead of a fight! CUTIES!!

Visiting Julie

2010-01-18T07:40:00.000-08:00

It was wonderful to spend a day with Julie McFadden. She is finally home after her 6 month furlough to the States! We had a great time catching up and chatting. We also got together on Tuesday for lunch at our favorite restaurant. I kinda forgot to get a picture of her, so here is a picture of her prayer card! I do love this design a friend did for her. So glad you are back Julie!!!

Peta's Birthday

2010-01-18T07:00:00.001-08:00

The 8th of January was Peta's birthday and I was invited over to join them for dinner. Dinner was delicious though made by Peta which definitely breaks the birthday rules! Shouldn't someone else make dinner for you on your birthday??? Craig did help by carving the chicken!

And the delicious cake that Peta also made. Now I know this breaks rules - making your own cake??!!!???!!!!?? Hmm, maybe there needs to be a birthday celebration rule book made!

Thanks for inviting me over for dinner Peta!

Van Besouw House

2010-01-07T10:57:00.000-08:00

During my time in Cape Town I stayed with the vB family! I had a great time and enjoyed my time with them. I spent a lot of time swimming, playing table tennis, and sharing meals.

One night the Cropseys came for dinner. It was wonderful to see them again while they are here in South Africa doing furlough replacement!!

A Day at the V&A

2010-01-07T10:40:00.000-08:00

While in Cape Town I had to visit my favorite place - the V&A Waterfront. Monday of this week Brigitta, Joshua, Petra and I drove down into the city for a relaxing day. The mall was decorated for Christmas and I had to get another picture for my mom!

Petra and I had fun browsing through some interesting shops. I think this hat is perfect for her!

Hmm, I think these are perfect for me. Just my size - ha ha!!!

And on the way home we drove through Sea Point so I could see the progress on the World Cup stadium. It is looking very good. The roads have also had a good bit of work done. From there I headed to the New York Bagel Company to buy some bagels. YUM!!

We also saw some mounted police as we drove by the stadium. That could be a fun job!

Pastor Retreat

2010-01-07T10:25:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday of last week (the 30th of December) I went with Tony and Cathy Payne. They had invited Dr. and Mrs. Alan Patterson to come and teach some local pastors, their wives, and other church leaders. I went along to help cook and clean. It was a wonderful four days and I had a BLAST!!

Dr. Patterson taught through the book of Hebrews and his wife did two sessions with the ladies.

On Friday some of us went on a hike up Silvermine. Unfortunately the weather didn't quite cooperate and we ended up hiking in a cloud. It was fun none the less. Here is our group picture minus Dr. Patterson. Then I snapped a picture of Cathy and I - the cloud made us soaked!

Here is the whole group on the last day! I would love to help in a camp like this again. What a blessing to meet these men and ladies serving the Lord in ministry here in South Africa!

Boxing Day

2010-01-07T10:03:00.000-08:00

OOPS!! This post should be before the last
post and I made a mistake - please excuse it!!!

The day after Christmas is called Boxing Day and is celebrated here in South Africa. I spent the morning helping at the coffee shop and then enjoyed the afternoon and evening with Shaun, Heidi, and the kids. We had a beautiful drive to Oudtshoorn through the mountains and passes. We went to a petting zoo and play area. Shaun and I rode camels, Shaun and the kids rode the donkey cart, and all of us fed the different animals.

I enjoyed riding a camel for the first time . . . but it is a bit scary getting up and then getting down!

Isn't she a cutie!! I love this picture!!!!

Shaun and Heidi have become great friends and I love spending time with them and their kids!

Mini Golf

2010-01-07T09:45:00.000-08:00

The past week and a half I spent in Cape Town visiting friends and helping at a retreat. I drove down on Sunday afternoon. Monday Joshua, Brigitta, Justin and I went to a great putt-putt place. Sadly my game was very bad . . . but at least we had fun!

Afterwards we went to Tyger Valley Mall and enjoyed some lovely Marcels. This picture is especially for Rachel!!! (She LOVES Marcels which is not found in America - so sorry Rachel! *evil laugh*)

The Christmas decorations were beautiful and I had to get this picture for my mom. She loves Christmas and always decorates the house completely!

Away

2009-12-25T23:45:00.000-08:00

I have run out of internet for this month and I am heading out of town. I'll be back after my trip to Cape Town! Trust you all have a very Happy New Year!!!

Photo Shoot

2009-12-25T23:36:00.001-08:00

After dinner Peta, the girls and I headed out to take some pictures. We have LOTS. Here are two of Bianca . . .

Two of Chantel . . .

And two of me . . . (In the one I am falling ~ but it was funny!)

And the sisters . . .

Christmas Day

2009-12-25T23:25:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I went to Craig and Peta's house for Christmas dinner. I wish I had taken a picture of the table setting. GORGEOUS!!!! Great job Bianca! Craig's mom, sister, and sister's boyfriend were also there.

Here is a picture of the family.

I had a stack of presents waiting for me there. I didn't get a picture of them. A "Christmas Calories Don't Count" plate. Charlotte gave me a cool pen - I'll have to get a picture for you! A HOT pink wallet from Julie. And a set of Dove products from Craig's sister. There was probably more! I had a WONDERFUL Christmas.

Christmas Morning

2009-12-24T23:58:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke up very early ~ 5:30 am. I called my parents since it was only 10:30 pm for them. I laid back down and then got a phone call at 6:30 am from Petra. I laid down a bit more and then decided to call my brother at 7 am. (It was a bit late for him and I woke him up - hee hee!) I read for a while and then decided to get up for the day. So around 9 am I opened my presents. Unfortunately my mom's box didn't arrive. Julie had given me a gift as well as Heidi and Shaun. Here are my Christmas presents. Julie gave me the beautiful votive candles and the pad of Suzy Zoo paper. Heidi and Shaun gave me the cookbook which I cannot wait to use and the picture box.

And a close up of the picture. This is a little box that holds paper. I love it!

Christmas Lights

2009-12-24T23:43:00.000-08:00

Last night on the way home from the Poplins I decided to get some pictures of the beautiful lights in George. They have LOTS of lights and some interesting ones at that. They aren't all Christmasy but very colorful!

And in Sedge we have this Christmas tree! Very pretty. They also have put something in the street lights along the lagoon that make the lights different colors. I didn't get a good picture of that.

Christmas Eve

2009-12-24T23:25:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning I went and helped Shaun and Heidi at the coffee shop. Wow, it was so busy! I headed home with enough time for a quick nap before driving to George. The Poplins invited me for Christmas Eve. Then they were invited to the Hurst's home and I was included. Jurie and Belinda also were there and it was a great evening.

These folks all attend the church in George. As is typical of this time of year we had a braai. Justin Hurst and his mom did an amazing job cooking the food for us! No gas here - this was all cooked over hot coals!

Justin has 8 snakes I think. Here is Drew holding his largest. I also held this snake but didn't get a picture! Hey after holding that really big one in Addo this wasn't too bad at all. (Yeah, my braveness left when the snake started moving its head closer and closer to me!! **shiver**)

The Poplins gave me a set of coasters and I love the colors! Can't wait to use these!

Cooking and Baking

2009-12-24T22:54:00.000-08:00

Wednesday I decided to do some baking. I called Rachel in America and we talked for a long time while I put together bowls of my different ingredients. I decided to wait to use the mixer til we were done on the phone. (All my banging around was loud enough!) I had three different types of cookies in different bowls waiting to be made.

My favorite are these chewy coconut cookies with cranberries and white chocolate. YUM!

And the three finished cookies. Unfortunately the peanut butter cookies were a FLOP! It is a South African recipe with strange measurements. It calls for a 1/5 of a cup of butter and 2/5 of a cup of peanut butter. So I kinda guessed and I must have guessed wrong! Oh well!

In the midst of making cookies I decided to make supper as well. I made my friend Bekah's recipe for stuffed peppers. I had to readjust the ingredients somewhat for what is available here and added some of my own things. Since I had some meat left over I made a small meatloaf as well. Here are the ingredients for the stuffing.

The stuffed pepper . . .

And the final products! It was a busy day of cooking and baking but I had fun!! (Um, I was hungry and ate the other pepper before the picture!)

Service in Nekkies

2009-12-20T08:05:00.000-08:00

Today I went to Nekkies again and took along some gifts from Dave and Julie for the people there. I enjoy visiting this new work. Here is a picture of the tent and the new sign which Dave picked up on Friday.

There were about 23 people in the service, though kids would come in and leave throughout the service. Pastor Madoda asked me to share a testimony. It went better than last time for sure!

These little ones are so sweet!

This week there was a special speaker from the Eastern Cape. His daughter did the interpreting for him.

After the preaching several came forward. Most of the invitation was in Xhosa but it was exciting to see these people moved by the preaching!

Sunday in Sedge

2009-12-20T07:59:00.001-08:00

This morning I worked in the creche with Julie and Penny - we had five children! Three were visitors. Here is Julie with Hannah - isn't Hannah a cutie!!

Here is Penny and her granddaughter Michaela.

Babysitting

2009-12-20T07:43:00.000-08:00

Friday I was able to finish my Christmas shopping. I had already arranged with Shaun and Heidi that I would babysit for them so they could go out. This was their first "date" in about 5 years! The kids were really good and are so cute! Thought you would enjoy their sweet faces.

Justin's Birthday

2009-12-20T07:28:00.001-08:00

Thursday was Justin's 18th birthday! In the evening we had a part at the Crane's home. It was the Rudolphs, Cranes, Poplins and I. After a dinner of hamburgers (which were delicious) we had chocolate cake. There were candles and a sparkler in the middle - which looked really cool!

The men and teens watched a movie after dinner. From the laughs coming from the lounge it sounded like a funny movie!

Happy Birthday Justin!!!

Coffee Shop

2009-12-20T07:20:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, which was a public holiday (Reconciliation Day), found me at the coffee shop helping out. Wow, it was very busy and we stayed on our toes for most of the morning. Shaun and Courtney were having fun when I got this picture.

Courtney found this "butterfly" which is really a moth I suppose. She loved looking at it sitting on the door step.

Here she is eating a " pink milkshake". She is such a cutie!!

Sunday Evening

2009-12-15T06:34:00.000-08:00

Sunday night was our Bible study in Knysna. This was the last Bible study until January. I enjoy spending time with this group of people!

Service in Nekkies

2009-12-15T06:02:00.000-08:00

Sunday afternoon Bianca, Chantel, and I joined Dave at the first service in the new tent in Nekkies. This is the service that I was able to visit a few weeks ago. Since then Dave has helped them find some land and purchase an old army mess tent. I didn't get a picture of the outside - sorry. There were 18 people there on Sunday.

Four teen girls sang for us and were joined by a young man. I didn't get him in the picture. They were really cute and they could sing!

Dave preached on salvation and then allowed Madoda (the pastor) to give the invitation in Xhosa.

Two people came forward to accept Christ. Please pray for Phyllis (with the red head covering) and Ace that they would grow in Christ.

Madoda prayed for them after they prayed the sinner's prayer. His wife, Lona interpreted for him. Two other men helped interpret as well. What a thrilling service this was and I was so thankful to have been there!

Sunday Morning

2009-12-15T05:52:00.000-08:00

Since we have begun the Christmas Holidays I no longer am teaching Sunday school til next year. I was planning to work in the creche but we didn't have any little ones. So, I was able to sit in a service for the first time in quite a while which was a blessing!!

Sunscreen??

2009-12-12T04:44:00.000-08:00

I applied sunscreen several times throughout my day at the rugby games, yet I still got burnt. The worst was my face and the tops of my feet. It was still worth going - I had such a good time.

Youth

2009-12-12T04:37:00.000-08:00

Last night was our last youth meeting for this year. Yesterday was the last official day of this school year. Many of us had been at the rugby game and were a bit tired. So the teens played outside some and then after snack came in to watch the last of the Rugby. It was a fun and relaxing evening.

Day of Rugby

2009-12-12T03:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was able to go with some of our Youth to an all day Rugby event. It was the younger teams from 16 different countries. Some of us went to where the teams were warming up and saw the US team up close. Though our comments about being behind them and cheering for them might have been confusing considering we were wearing Springbok jerseys.

I enjoyed the day though the sun was bright and hot and I knew that I would get burned. Oh well, rugby is one of my favorite sports and probably my favorite to watch.

The entire stadium (minus the few cheering for other teams) would get very excited when the South Africa Springboks came out to play. The Springboks are the #1 team and a joy to watch!!

Here is the team mascot.

This guy was one of the many crazily dressed people. He was hilarious even if he was very strange. He made our section more "lively" while he sat there!

Australia is also one of the best teams and the games they played were exciting to watch as well.

Chantel, Bianca, and I had a good time at the game.

Here is a picture from the South Africa vs. Zimbabwe game. Wow, that was a good one - but not to worry - the Springboks won it!!

All in all it was a great day and it was really cool to find out that I had been spotted on the TV coverage of the games. I even made it on the News highlights!! I thought that was pretty cool and wish I had TV so I could have seen it! Oh well - but to end this post - GO Bokke GO!! Today is the last day of this tournament and I'm rooting for my team to win!!

Another Sunset

2009-12-08T10:09:00.000-08:00

Tonight I saw the amazing orange glow on my walls, followed by bright pink. I have LOTS of pictures but wanted to share just a few with you. I love watching the sun as it sets on the ocean!!

The picture isn't quite the same. The sun itself was hot pink in person though in the picture it looks whiter.

It was all over way too quickly . . . . sigh . . . . beautiful!!!

A Busy Day

2009-12-08T06:02:00.001-08:00

This morning I baked some cookies for the teachers at the school where I teach. I then joined them for tea this morning. They gave me a gift and card and thanked me for my teaching at the school. I'm looking forward to teaching again next year.

From there I headed to George to the Home Affairs office. The office had moved as of the 1st of December. Thankfully I figured out where the new office is located. After an hour wait I was able to get my answers and the paperwork I will need to renew my visa.

I decided to eat lunch at a restaurant which I love. Kafe Serefe has some amazing food and it is definitely one of my favorites. When you come in they squirt rose water on your hands and then offer Turkish delight. Today I had the lamb schwarma . . . delicious!

After the Rain

2009-12-08T05:27:00.000-08:00

Last night after a wonderful day of RAIN we had a beautiful sunset. My walls were glowing orange and I knew it must be a good one. And it was . . . gorgeous!

And the strange after rain green hue . . . love it!!

Beautiful Sight and Sound

2009-12-07T06:25:00.000-08:00

Here where I live we are facing huge drought issues - the worst in over a century! Many cities have been declared Drought Disaster areas. George needs rain or it will run out of water in the next week or so. Sedgefield is having a desalination plant installed which should be running by the 18th of December and will make life much easier. Almost all of the cities along the Garden Route have water restrictions. And why am I telling you all of this - well right now there is a most beautiful sound and sight . . .

RAIN!!! It has rained all day long!! Good, heavy, restoring rainfall which is an answer to prayer for those who live in this area of the world. As the population of just my town will be more than tripled in the next few weeks as those on holiday come to our area, we need this rain. (The other cities and towns will experience this as well!) So while those in America are dreaming of snow, my song has become "Let it Rain, Let it Rain, Let it Rain"!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Lord for answering prayer!!!

Christmas

2009-12-06T07:14:00.000-08:00

I thought I would share with you my Christmas decorations. I'm not one to go all out and I tend to keep it simple, VERY simple. This year I did more than normal . . .

like the garland on the handrails . . .

and the bow on the elephant.

Here is my favorite ornament (which is too big for my tree). It is Cracker Barrel my favorite restaurant in America. I'm dreaming of their menu right now . . . . .

My favorite decoration is definitely my Willow Tree Nativity set.

So from my home to yours . . . a simple Merry Christmas!!

Meeting at my House

2009-12-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

Friday was our team meeting and this time we met at my house. We talked about working on a master plan for our ministries along the Garden Route. We also celebrated Sharan and Tina's birthdays. (Sharan's was on Monday and Tina's on Friday.) After our meeting we headed to The Bistro for a delicious dinner.

Service in Knysna

2009-11-29T04:33:00.000-08:00

Right after church in Sedge this morning, Dave, Julie and I headed to Knysna where Dave was going to preach for a small group of Africans meeting in someone's home. We thought we were early until Dave opened the car door and heard singing. They were waiting for us to arrive.

During the singing time different people testified, shared a testimony. Julie and I were asked to share a testimony as well.

Dave preached in English and it was interpreted into Xhosa by the pastor. I'm so sorry I don't have any clue how to spell his name.

Through some gifts from America Dave is purchasing a small piece of land and a tent to give this group a place to worship. When they heard the news they were so excited!!! Dave will also be encouraging the pastor as he continues this work.

I of course fell in love with the children. What sweet faces!!!

Here is the whole group waving as a thank-you to the church in America which gave the money for their "church"!

Teens Teaching

2009-11-29T04:25:00.000-08:00

Today two of the teen girls taught Sunday school. I love seeing our youth getting involved in the ministry! Here is Sarah teaching the younger age group - she had Courtney today.

And here is Charlotte teaching my class - Hannah and Chantel.

I'm so thankful that they are willing to serve the Lord!!

Whales

2009-11-28T02:04:00.000-08:00

I posted about my whale experience on my recent trip through Hermanus. I met a lady who had an amazing camera and had caught the breach of a whale. I had gotten some great tail pics so we agreed to email our pictures to each other. I received these today and had to share them with you. Breathtaking!!!

Youth

2009-11-28T01:52:00.000-08:00

Friday night we took our Sedge young people to George for Youth. This time we played softball which was a lot of fun. It has been a long time since I have played and I really enjoyed it. It was also a lot of fun trying to explain the game to South Africans who are avid cricket fans. They eventually got the hang of it and some of them turned out to be really good!

After the game time we headed back to the Crane's home and Rodney Poplin shared a challenge on the most important question of all - What will you do with Jesus? There were several unsaved young people there. Please pray that they would allow the truth of what they heard to touch their lives.

Being Decorative

2009-11-28T01:33:00.000-08:00

Friday I spent part of the day at the coffee shop helping out. I always give Heidi a hard time about not getting her new blackboard decorated. She told me to do it, so I did. I had a great time putting menu items up on the board.

Here is the finished product:

I also did two of the outside boards - doesn't all of this make you hungry?? I'll take you here to eat if you come visit!!

Thanksgiving Day

2009-11-28T00:47:00.000-08:00

Thursday morning I taught at the school for the last time this year. I'm looking forward to starting this ministry up again in the new school year which begins in January. I taught Grades One and Two.

In the evening the Americans (and a few others) gathered together to celebrate Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful meal and lots of great fellowship. We had turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, carrots, cranberry salad, Watergate salad, and a seven-layer salad. Plus all of the desserts! Enough to feed an army!! It was delicious and made the day very special. Here is Bryant carving the turkey.

It was a wonderful way to spend the day - with friends who have become family!

Last Fun Club for 2009

2009-11-26T00:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was our last Fun Club for this year. We had 40 kids which is probably because they heard there was going to be cake and snacks.

We celebrated Zoe's birthday with the kids. I'm so thankful for her help in Fun Club.

I had lots of teen helpers: Bianca, Chantel, Sarah, Charlotte, and Donovan. Chantel and Bianca helped do the Mosquito song again and Donovan helped me by being a "ballerina" during I Love Him Better Every D-A-Y. It was hilarious!

We did a game review of our past lessons - using it to teach the truths again. The kids were excited about that for sure!

Unfortunately the rest of the time was close to chaos and I wasn't able to get pictures. We set up six game stations and allowed the kids to play in groups. After the game time we gave them a cupcake, bag of chips, cup of drink, and a small bag of candy (called a party packet here). They had a great time and I am looking forward to next year.

Babysitting

2009-11-26T00:25:00.000-08:00

Tuesday night I babysat for Shaun and Heidi while they took Courtney to a school concert that she was in. She looked so cute in her red dress!

Gabe and I had a great time - he is such a cutie!!!

And since I have this picture of Heidi and Shaun I'll use it with this post. This was Wednesday at the coffee shop - finally both of them in the same picture!

Sunday

2009-11-26T00:12:00.000-08:00

Sunday is one of my busiest days, but also one of my favorite days. I love the fellowship with my church family! We had a good group in the morning!

Here is the "bottle row" - how cute. Though they got noisy shortly after this picture so I took them out to play in the creche until I taught Sunday school. I only had Chantel again and I forgot to take her picture.

After tea time I taught the last teen girls Bible study for this year. If the weather is nice this Sunday we may do a picnic at the beach.

Township Tour - Part 3

2009-11-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

We finished our tour with an amazing look at the city of Knysna. This view is breathtaking and they have it in the township.

This is a close up of the famous Knysna Heads - breathtaking scenery.

Here is our group from the church - the ladies were so glad that they had gone!

And here I am . . . I enjoyed the tour immensely. If you decide to come visit I'll make sure we get to do this tour - so when are you coming??

After the tour we headed back to where our cars were parked. This lady was selling wooden bowls and I asked if I could take her picture. I even bought a beautiful bowl for myself. I can't even imagine how heavy they must be to carry like that, can you??

Township Tour - Part 2

2009-11-25T23:25:00.000-08:00

After seeing the different business we loaded back up in our combie (van) and headed to a little preschool. It was so fun to watch the kids run and jump at everyone, wanting to be picked up, hugged, and loved. The kids sang for us and it was so cute!

Here are some during the National Anthem.

And some of their cute faces . . . this may have been my favorite part.

From there we headed to Ella's home and she gave her testimony - something she does with each tour. We had 10 ladies from our church (and a tour of about that many had gone the day before) and we were joined by a group of six from Sweden. Ella's testimony is very special and I was thankful to hear it for the second time!

Township Tour - Part 1

2009-11-25T22:57:00.000-08:00

On Friday of last week I was able to take a tour of the Knysna township hosted by Ella and Penny. They have a business called Emzini Tours (Emzini means Home in Xhosa) where they take visitors into the townships. I had been once before with Dave and Lee but this was my first time on the official tour.

Penny

Ella

First we were able to meet some of the business owners. Most business are in shipping containers - small but effective.

Here is a "restaurant" - are you hungry for this menu??

And some pictures of the township - makes me realize how much I have!

Fun Club

2009-11-25T22:35:00.000-08:00

Last week we had a great Fun Club with 21 children. Peta, Zoe, Chantel and Bianca were able to come and help.

First we had a review time over past lessons and we played the Picking Flowers game. It is always exciting to see how much they do remember.

Then I taught the next parable on the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin.

After this story we had another review game - Human Tic-Tac-Toe, which I found out is called Naughts and Crosses. (The kids sure did look at me funny when I said Tic-Tac-Toe!!)

Over all it was a great Fun Club!! And to finish off a cute picture of Courtney - she is adorable!!

I'll Be Back - I Promise!

2009-11-24T05:59:00.000-08:00

I can hardly believe that is has already been over a week since my last post. I am very busy this week and do not have time to get caught up on blogging. So, maybe Friday I'll get settled down and get the blogging done. Things are going well and I'm finishing up a lot of ministries for this year - which makes life BUSY! I'll be back - keep watching for new posts!!

A Busy Day

2009-11-15T11:16:00.000-08:00

I love busy days and Sundays are almost always very busy. Today started off with a longer than normal song and testimony time. Our numbers were down this morning but the extra time with singing was special.

After the songs and testimonies I taught Sunday school. I only had Chantel today and was glad she was there!!! We are learning about Becoming Like Christ and today was on serving and how Jesus washed the disciples feet.

After church and tea time I taught the teen girls Bible study but I forgot to take a picture (which I'm sure they were very happy about!) We learned about submitting to authority, specifically in forms of government.

Dave and Julie invited me over for lunch and it was wonderful. Dave made some delicious beef, potatoes, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower with cheese sauce, and rice. After lunch we had some time to talk about some ministry ideas for the future. Then Justin and I played XBox Soccer which I'm not very good at, but hey, I'm getting better. (In my own opinion I'm getting better. Though to be honest I have only ever scored one goal on my own and that wasn't today!!) Here is Justin playing with their camera!

I ran home to get ready for Bible study and had to take a picture of the clouds over the ocean. I love puffy white clouds.

This evening I went to Knysna for the Bible study and enjoyed it. I love this group of people and they are so friendly!!

The view from the Peterson's house is amazing. Here are some pictures of the Knysna Heads with some amazing clouds.

Setting Sun

2009-11-13T10:03:00.000-08:00

Tonight I was able to catch the setting of the sun in pictures. Though the sky is a bit cloudy I could still see the sun as it sank on the horizon. It really is amazing how fast the sun sets!

And here is the sunset from last night - I love watching the sun set on the ocean!!!

Whales - MUCH More than a Dot!!!!

2009-11-09T23:34:00.000-08:00

Monday I began my drive back to Sedge with Liz, a lady from church. We had decided to go back through Hermanus, a whale-watching town. It was a typical day of whales when we got there - dark dots on the ocean. We were both hoping to see much more but hey, a whale is a whale I suppose.

And then to catch two whales in one picture - so far a good day, but it was going to get better!!

. . . a little closer . . .

We climbed down on some rocks closer to the water and were able to see a whale floating on its back with its white underbelly showing. We were amazed at how close this whale was.

The town of Hermanus has a Whale Crier. This man blows his horn whenever he sees a whale, which was often yesterday!

I had to take my typical self portrait and then one of Liz and I. We then headed off the rocks to climb back up to where the restaurants were so we could get lunch. But as we began to climb the stairs we saw something amazing . . .

This whale breached out of the water and I got a very blurry picture. But it is a picture! The whale did this twice and I caught it the second time. I stayed there hoping it would go again and Liz headed to the top to check out the view.

I heard Liz calling me and quickly climbed up and was amazed again at the views that I was getting. It was a WONDERFUL whale watching day. I was able to get two different shots of tails - which is the highlight of any whale watching trip! The whale that was floating on its back was joined by another massive and huge whale. They swam together and we were both amazed at the size of the second whale - it was massive.

After a week of rain in Cape Town and a day that was supposed to be full of rain, it was exciting to see the sun shining. The weather in Hermanus was GORGEOUS and the water beautiful! I love seeing whales and this time was very special!

ALL OF THE PICTURES YOU SEE ARE STRAIGHT OUT OF CAMERA - NO ZOOMING IN ON THE COMPUTER. I SAW THESE WHALES THIS CLOSE!!!!

Baptism in Eerstrivier

2009-11-09T23:12:00.000-08:00

Sunday night was a combined service at Immanuel Baptiste Kerk in Eerstrivier. This church was started by the Paynes and they trained the pastor, Kevin Simpson. It was exciting to visit this church, especially for this combined service. I believe there were four churches represented.

A group from IBK sang a special and these young people did an excellent job. Lydia Simpson does a great job with them and it was exciting to see them serving the Lord through music!

Pastor Tony baptized five people, one from Delft and four from Northpine. Mr. Swartz baptized his two sons as the tradition here is. If a father is living for the Lord he is the one who baptizes his children. I love that!!

Pastor Tony preached which helped - he spoke in both English and Afrikaans which meant I could understand most of what was said. They do these combined services once a month and it is a wonderful time of fellowship for the churches.

My "Family"

2009-11-09T23:01:00.000-08:00

This trip I stayed with the van Besouws and had a great time. It was strange that Rachel wasn't there but I'm so glad that she is able to study at BJU this year! During my stay Petra was determined to make something "nice" for me. And that she did - she made apple and strawberry mini-pies, with no sugar! They were delicious! She also made an apple dessert.

Joshua made his famous lemon meringue. Look how tall his meringue is - amazing, and extremely DELECTABLE!!! Yum!

I am so thankful for my "family". It is always a blessing to spend time with them!! They always make me feel so at home.

My Kids

2009-11-09T22:45:00.000-08:00

Friday I spent the day with Caren. It was wonderful to see her and just to sit and chat. I went with her to pick up Micah from creche and held him in my lap on the way home. He is such a cutie!

Sunday I was able to get pictures of all three kids. JP, Azura, and Micah are all growing so fast!

I loved Micah's outfit - patched blue jeans and a fancy silk shirt! He is such a cutie!!!

I enjoyed my time with Caren and the kids. Can't wait to see them again some time!

Cave Golf and the V&A

2009-11-09T22:30:00.000-08:00

This past week I had to go to Cape Town for a doctor appointment. After my doctor visit (which went very well) I took Brigitta, Joshua, and Justin to the V&A for Cave Golf. This indoor 18-hole golf course is a lot of fun and we had the place to ourselves after a lady and her small son raced through the course. It was hillarious and very wild at times!

After the game we walked around the waterfront and enjoyed the beautiful day. We also had Marcels (frozen yogurt) which is something we don't have in Sedge. Here I am trying to ride inside this little helicopter - it was very tiny and I didn't quite make it inside!

New Hotel and Restaurant

2009-11-01T08:03:00.000-08:00

There is a new hotel in Wilderness and it has two new restaurants in it. Today I decided to try out Sails and one day I will probably visit the other - Foam. The views from the restaurant were amazing. The food was pretty good though the wait was a bit long. Another positive was the coloring - white, blue, and lime green!

Whales, I saw Whales!!

2009-11-01T07:55:00.001-08:00

This morning on my way to church I was sitting at the top of my driveway waiting for the gate to open. I looked out over the ocean and realized that there were whales out there!

Okay, so I know it is hard to see what I saw so I enlarged the picture and added arrows! So now, do you see them, huh, huh???

Combined Service

2009-11-01T07:31:00.000-08:00

Today we had another combined service, this time in Knysna. We try to meet with all of the churches every six weeks or so. Today Pastor Scheibner spoke - yes, he is very busy while he is here. In fact, next weekend our church is hosting a couples retreat and the Scheibners are teaching. Back to today, we had 54 there which was exciting.

Here is part of our Scripture reading for today, and don't worry, you probably can't understand or read it. This part of the passage was in Afrikaans.

The Poplins taught Sunday school today and had a very small crowd! They only had one and there was only one in creche. Julie stayed in with them and I was able to hear the preaching - an added blessing!

Parenting Seminar

2009-11-01T07:06:00.000-08:00

Saturday our church hosted a Parenting Seminar which was taught by Pastor and Mrs. Scheibner. We had about 36 adults come for the seminar itself.

The Poplins, new missionaries to the field, provided a four-hour program for the children. They did a great job and I think the kids enjoyed it! The teens came and were a big help!

Julie and I along with Carlien, Hannah, and Chantel did the creche (nursery) for the same four hour period. We had six little ones, three babies and three 3-year olds.

Please pray that there will be lasting fruit from this time of teaching!

Youth Night

2009-11-01T06:39:00.000-08:00

Every other Friday evening we take the Sedge youth to George for Youth Night. This week we also had youth from Pacaltsdorp as well. There were 35 young people there and we had a great time playing with a BIG ball. (It was almost as tall as me!) We then headed back to the Crane's home and after refreshments settled down for the challenge.

Pastor and Mrs. Scheibner are visiting from America and doing quite a bit while they are here. Before he spoke to the teens, he and his wife chose three teens to come up for a challenge. They were blindfolded and told to give their best "monkey" impression. Two had their blindfolds removed while Zachary did an amazing likeness of a primate!

After the fun, Pastor Scheibner spoke about a person who is "reactive" and a person who is "proactive" and challenged the teens to be proactive.

After the message the Scheibners were challenged to be "cooperative" which would be listed on the "proactive" tree. They were then required to eat a South African "delicacy" - sheep eyes! I'm not sure that they were quite ready for that challenge!! (But they were cooperative and enjoyed them I'm sure!)