The final day in Dihatshwane! This has been a week full of joy, tears, peace, chaos, adrenaline, exhaustion; think of an adjective and each of us can tell you a moment in which we experienced it.
We spent the morning at the Dihatshwane elementary school in order to pass out the school supplies we brought for each child. What we thought might be a simple exchange of gifts, however, turned into an event to unbridled excitement and mutual exchange!
In addition to regaling us with beautiful songs by both the children and their teachers, the school's traditional dance class presented several of their village dances complete with costumes and singing. Somehow, they also convinced us to sing for them, and Kimberly and myself to dance. Because we didn't have any swing music available we asked the children to sing a fast song to accompany us. I think we may be the first people to swing dance to a school yard of African children singing an African village song!
The afternoon brought our final VBS session with the children. All of us were shocked yesterday when several of the children came up to say "thank you" for the candy but could we please bring some rice or beans tomorrow? Needless to say, we were caught completely off guard by this. Naturally, in our American way of thinking, we thought they would all be enamored with candy much like American children. Humbled by these children's sense of need and honored that they felt comfortable enough to approach us with their request, we immediately made plans to make sure they got more than they could hope for.
To start with we handed out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches we made ourselves, along with fruit and crackers. We then presented an Easter picture story that concluded with Kinder Egg Surprises (we couldn't resist a little more chocolate)! Finally, at the conclusion of our time together, we handed out food bags with pap (a traditional African food similar to grits), rice, beans, and beef bouillon. Each of us contributed cash for the supplies and our leader, Joshua, was able to buy enough food for each child to have 21 meals (a total of 483 meals from pocket change)!
As the children hugged each of us goodbye and headed off towards home, we were all left with a sense of accomplishment and joy mixed with the sorrow of parting and the wish to do more.
Orchard:Africa has established a mission that is not only exciting to be a part of, but also fulfilling because of their focus on grounded and sustainable development. I think I can speak for our whole group in saying we believe in what they are doing in the Mafikeng area and will stay involved in whatever way we can!
After VBS concluded we all pilled into our bus and drove two hours to the Kwa Maritane lodge inside the Pilanesburg game reserve to process and re-acclimate to life outside of the remote African villages we have been ministering in for the past week. These next 36 hours will be a time of relaxing, discussion, and peacefulness for all of us. In fact, I'm sitting in the restaurant eating the best chocolate mousse I've ever had while Wildebeest's drink from the pond twenty feet in front me!
We won't have easy access to internet while we are here, but in many ways the opportunity to disconnect from the outside world and process what we have experienced will be a very good experience.
After our time here, we will head to Johannesburg and fly back to Phoenix. Once we are back home and have recovered from jet lag, we'll start going through the thousands of pictures and dozens of short videos documenting our time here. We'll put some of them here on this blog to see, and, of course, you can ask any of us to see them. I'm sure we'll be happy to share our adventure with you!
This mission trip is not only life changing, it is accessible to all ages. I strongly encourage you to consider joining next year. You will not be disappointed!!
i am glad it was fun for all of you. but with all the time effort and money that was put into helping another country. it could have been used to help the people in the USA. and do you realize the toll it takes on the familys that your missionarys have. to have them go on a trip like this. when the people in the USA could have used the same help you have given to another country.and you mission is to help familys, people and in genral the human race. but you mission just might have destroyed a marrage of one of your own missionarys. i hope your trip was worth it.
ReplyDeleteWhy can't you just be happy that someone is providing help to people in need? If this group helped in the US you would be complaining that the are forgetting the poor people in Africa. Why don't you just save the bitterness and let people do what they think is right. Who are you to judge!
ReplyDeleteLove - wherever and whenever it is shared - transforms us from who we were to who we are becoming. Kudos to these travelers for expanding their capacity to love. They will speak with greater credibility and carry deeper compassion for those who suffer. Who should be critiqued for responding to the call of our time? God so loves you, and loves the world, that God is sending the person you are created to be. Think about it. Bring the love of God - and we will change the world!
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