Final stop

After our final 2010 meeting, we hit the road for Johannesburg. It was a nice drive, and we were glad that there was a vehicle that needed to be returned to Joburg (having been loaned to Durban for use by the P2P team). We got a last look at the Drakensberg mountains, and saw some of Free State and some other countryside we hadn't been to before.

Our final stop before heading home was a 3 day stay in Joburg. We'd received three invitations, all from people we had come to love: Paul & Leonie Verster, Leon & Joan Shuker, and Lucas & Leona Scheepers. We had stayed with the first two couples when we first arrived, and since Leonie and Leon both had had recent surgeries, we landed with the Scheepers this time.

On the Tuesday, we went with Leona and an Australian volunteer named April to the new crèche in Tembisa township. The building is owned by an Ethiopian Church of Christ, but they use it very little. The Christadelphians arranged with them to operate a Sunday School there, and a crèche through the week. (You may have seen the entries on the P2Pearth blog about the major fix-up project, and the opening.) The building doesn't look like much outside, but it's really nice inside--now.

Leona had a meeting with one of the crèche teachers, so April did a class with the kids, and we tried to lend a hand. (The number of kids in the crèche has multiplied quite a bit since the opening--the term "throng" comes to mind...) We had a great time with the kids, who all wanted their pictures taken.












While in Tembisa we visited the orphanage there, which seems to be carrying on about the same as when we were there 6 months earlier.

Then Leona took us to the Lory Park Zoo, which specializes in taking in unwanted or abandoned pets, as well as wounded animals. Their specialties are exotic birds, and big cats - and we're talking BIG cats, from around the world as well as every sort found in South Africa. An unexpected highlight was the owner coming out and insisting that we participate in feeding the "baby" tigers. Hey, they were only 8 months old, how big could they be? Well, just take a look!

That evening we went to the Bible class in Pretoria, a little less than an hour's drive away. Paul led the study & discussion, and we were very pleased to learn that some attended who haven't been coming regularly.

Wednesday morning Jane went with Leona to a sisters class, and Paul...basically did nothing! In the afternoon we visited with Paul and Leonie--so nice to see them again. Then supper with Leon and Joan, and wonderful to see them again too. We went with them to a combined Bible class, drawing from Johannesburg/Kensington, Kempton Park, and Yeoville, and hosted by Yeoville. Paul led the class again, and we had yet another farewell as we said goodbye to the folks from the Johannesburg area.

Thursday was going home day. Lucas, who is the overall coordinator for all of the 2010 volunteers working in South Africa, debriefed us to gather our impressions and experiences from our time there. After lunch they took us to the airport and we were on our way home, where we arrived about 27 hours after being dropped off. Seemed like we were better prepared mentally for this trip, though--it didn't seem near as bad as the trip the other direction. The only glitch was that US Customs wouldn't allow us to bring in protea seeds. This is the SA national flower, and we had hoped to plant some, and had intended to give some to our beloved brother Mike Kaiser, who had cared for our house plants while we were gone. Sorry, Mike!

To all of you who supported us through prayer or in practical ways: Thank you!! Special thanks to our niece Abigail Fadelle, who took wonderful care of our house while we were away. To the loving and generous brothers and sisters in South Africa who hosted us, we thank you, and thank God for you. We hope that it will be our Father's will that we can go back, before too long!