Lessons Learned as of Late

cheetah! his name is enigma
nelson mandela's cell


we hiked the mountain behind us
robben island

at the south-western most point of the african continent



peninsula tour
Me and baby Parker
Homestay family! teresa, jordan, corrine, luke, me, and paul
jordan holding parker!
teresa and me with the boys!
bungy jumping!

Well....I've been wanting to update this more...but time and internet connection has made it quite difficult. Homestays were AMAZING. The family I stayed with had a 3 week old little girl, a 7 year old boy, and a 12 year old boy. They were absolutely amazing. They welcomed us with open arms. By the end of the weekend I felt like I was a part of the family. The homestay put an entire new perspective on things for me. The family I stayed with was poor. They don't have much, but they seemed like they had everything. Teresa and I were talking with Paul (the dad) one night, and he told us how he views himself as extremely wealthy. He said he had a roof over his head, a car, a job, healthy children, a wife, food at night, and a bed....he said to him that makes him extremely wealthy. This really hit me. In the US...so many of us have all of that...yet we still want "more" and we strive to get more. What would happen if we just were content with what we had?

Then this week has been full of homework, final papers, excursions, and all that. Tuesday we went on a tour of the peninsula...absolutely breathtaking. This city is so gorgeous it is unreal. We even saw Africa penguins on the beach!

Wednesday I went to town with my cultural mentor, sal, and another cultural mentor. So fun!

Thursday we went on a tour of Robben Island. This was the main prison for apartheid political prisoners. It was also where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison. It was intense, and the way the prisoners were treated makes me sick.

Friday we went to the Cheetah Rehabilitation Center! I got to pet a cheetah! It was absolutely amazing!

Saturday we hiked table mountain. One of the hardest hikes of my life. It was all literally straight up hill with no flat parts. INSANE.

Sunday I went to Hillsong Church Capetown...it was wonderful as well.

We are coming to a close rapidly on my SA time. Definitely bittersweet. I cannot wait to go home...however....I am extremely apprehensive about many things that are awaiting me. I have changed into a completely different person. I have noticed this, and the leaders here have seen it as well. This brings so many new challenges and choices into my life when I return. However, I know that God will bring me through it and guide me the whole way. Miss you all! Can't wait to see everyone!

The last few weeks and CAPETOWN

With Dr Pozza, Professor Moorefield, Leslie, and our SA professors at dinner!
Community project group!
assessing!

So much to talk about! The last few weeks have been insane…We had to fit 6 weeks of coursework into 2 and a half because we knew that internet in CapeTown would be quite sparse. So a little run down….We did our community project which was child assessments at the family center. We found HUGE cavities, heart murmurs, cardiovascular problems, respiratory problems, failure to thrive, malnutrition…and lots more. Extremely heartbreaking. Then we put together Philip’s (the bus driver) engagement….I was in charge of the whole thing. She (Nomusa) went to seven different stations were some students had decorated and she received a quote or bible verse about love and a rose…the seventh station Musa (Philip’s 11 year old son) was waiting for her…and he walked her to the waterfall where we all had gathered with candles that lined the path down to the bottom of the waterfall.. Philip was there with 5 roses (making a dozen) and proposed. Then they had dinner just the two of them at the bottom of the waterfall at a table we had set up. Leslie and Reagen were the waiters. So fun! She was so happy! Then we had our thanksgiving farewell dinner. That was the hardest. We had to say goodbye to all of the relationships we had built over the last two months. I was crying so hard! After that, we took a 4 day trip down the coast. Along the way we climbed through caves, bungy jumped off the highest bridge in the world, sat on ostriches, and went to a wild animal park. So fun!

On Monday we arrived in Capetown. We will be here until we leave in two weeks. First, it is possibly the most gorgeous city in the world. Beautiful blue waters, mountains, so pretty! We are staying at Bible Institute of South Africa…it is literally RIGHT across from the beach. We love going running here! J

Tuesday we took a walking tour through downtown Capetown…we had to find certain things, go in museums, and interview people. It was definitely a cultural experience! Once again, gorgeous! Wednesday we had class and chapel. Today, we took a tour of a township called Langa. We also had AMAZING chicken at Mazoli’s Meat Market J.

There are so many differences between Capetown and Pietermaritzburg. First, it is completely evident that Capetown is MUCH wealthier. As a result, the gap between the rich and the poor is HUGE. There are seriously HUGE mansions within a few miles of EXTREMELY poor townships. People are begging for money, and other people have so much money they don’t know what to do with it all. It makes me think about the role Christians have in things like this. As followers of Jesus, is it our job to help bridge that gap between those that have and those that don’t? Aside from Socialism…how do we do that? This town is once again opening my eyes to the injustice of racism and poverty. Lord, I’m ready for my heart to be broken again for what breaks your heart.

I could really use prayer right now. Switching to a new place is really hard. It no longer feels like home, and it makes my longing for home even greater. We do homestays tomorrow (stay the weekend with local people), and I’m very nervous. I also want to have a positive attitude, and to be able to be completely open to God teaching me things in Capetown. Please pray for me in those things! Miss and love you all! Only a few more weeks until I come home!

Backpacking and Safari

the three of us rode with Reg every trip :-)

Hippos
Zebra
safari!
kels and me
rhinos
buffaloes
heyyy mufasa







holding the birthday boy
in our cave
SO COLD

our feet were so cold they hurt

in our cave





behind me is an extreme ledge


So two weeks ago 8 of the 9 nursing majors had the opportunity to go backpacking in the Drakensberg Mountains and spend the night in a cave. It was a 5 mile hike there and a 5 mile hike back. So exciting. However, it was definitely grueling. It was amazing to see the beauty of God's creation. I feel as though we often take it for granted. It was quite the experience having to pee in the wilderness that's for sure haha.

Then, that weekend we went 4 and a half hours NE to go on a safari! We stayed in little hut-type things and got bitten by mosquitoes haha. We saw: giraffes, warthogs (pumba), lions, buffaloes, rhinos, 1 elephant, impalla, inyala, koodoo (sp?), zebra, baboons, hippo....so fun! It was such a great experience!

As of today we have 1 week and 1 day left at AE. That's what I'm sad about. I have made great relationships here, and I'm really going to miss the people. Next week we head for Capetown, where we will be for the rest of the time. Oh...and I'm in charge of planning our bus driver's "American" engagement!!!! it takes place this sunday :-) i'll do a separate post all about that! miss and love you all!

Pray that I will be able to start sorting through everything that has happened and been experienced. Also...pray for stress. Trying to cram 2 courses into like 3 weeks...blah haha.