Back in the Northern Hemisphere

I think I am finally over my jet lag, and back to "normal" life. It has been hard answering people's questions about the trip. Some just want to know about the animals we saw at the Game Park. Others are curious about the landscape and temperature of South Africa (much cooler than I thought it would be!), and some ask me to boil it down to my favorite memory, or the thing that impacted me the most. Those are the hard questions, because it's impossible to condense those 2 weeks into a single lasting memory that sticks out because our team was involved in so many different areas.
I went to Muizenberg every day to the homeless shelter there and worked in the kitchen. I came to care so much for the people I met there in just a short period of time. Our team was able to celebrate a birthday with one man, and mourn the loss of a baby of another woman. Our morning devotion time was special for me, as they quickly volunteered me to sing for them. While working in the kitchen, my new friend Leslie would teach me phrases in Afrikaans amidst our playful banter, and Carol, Leila, and I would sing Beatles songs. I was able to have several spiritual conversations with the people there and offer them the hope that Christ has bigger and better plans for them that are beyond what this world has to offer them. I watched as Kathy read from the Bible and had a discussion with a man named George, and I witnessed Joanne surround a young lady named Marleen with love and comfort. The above picture of Joanne praying with Marleen says more about what we did in Muizenberg than the words I type ever could.
So those are just some of the memories from South Africa that I take with me. Now back home Brentwood Baptist seems smaller, as I saw 5 or 6 team members at church on Sunday that I never would have known if it weren't for this trip. We come from all ages and backgrounds, and various places of ministry within the church, so it's exciting to see how through our different circles, we can share the message of what God is doing in South Africa, and what God is doing in our individual lives. The trip may be over, but the mission work has just begun.

South Africa Wrap Up

I hope to see a few other team members offer some closing thoughts as well.

I could write about this trip for years to come, however space is limited, so i'll try to be brief.
As with many mission trips of this nature, team members spend an extremely larger amount of time together and get to know each other quite well. Sometimes too well haha
I have to say that I began some very good friendships with several of the team members. I learned so much from watching them and sharing with them, as well as listening to their stories. I had the opportunity to see christians put into practice things I sometimes just hear people speak of doing. This was a high point of my trip. The bonding that occurs is something that words can not describe. When several people are united for a single purpose and cause it cn be overwhelming to see the results at times. I can think of two team members that really has a major influence on me during our two week stay. The sharing of feelings and insights were so helpful and touching. Also to see how they are so passionate about their walks with Christ. I won't mention names, each team member was special to me in one way or another, although two really had a major impact. They know who they are, I have shared this with them both. I just want to say thank you for all they taught me and for showing me where I need to improve in my walk.

Another high point was seeing our money (BBC'S) in action. It's one thing to donate money to the mission's offering, but something entirely different to see it in action. BBC is partnered with Living Hope Centre in South Africa and to actually see how well this money has been used , and the results from our support, as well as seeing results from the SA Mission team service in just undescribable. So many times we saw volunteers and staff completely sold out to God and to doing his work. It was so amazing to see how so few people have been able to touch the lives of so many.

This was an humbling experience and one I wish each of you could personally experience. Our photos, videos, and stories can not adequately express all that we experienced. I'm convinced that God's hand was in BBC'S decision to partner with this organization. The SA Team witnessed first hand that God is alive and well.

Thank you to each one that prayed for us , and supported us in other ways too. Each one of us could feel the prayers of those back home praying for us each day. There is still much work to be done in South Africa, and I hope to have the opportunity to return on the next trip.

I pray that each of us team memberswill be able to take what we have experienced and learned and make a difference in Brentwood as well.

Roger

Opportunities are everywhere

The trip to the game park was supposed to be for fun and a chance to wind down , after our work was completed in Cape Town. I think there was no one surprised when we discovered there were many opportunities to continue our work while at the Edeni Game Park.

Our accomodations were a little different from Cape Town. We stayed in very nice tent/log combinations. We were only semi-roughing it. The reserve was very beautiful . As we entered we were greeted by wildlife, such as waterbuck, impala, zebras, among others. We took a safari ride the night of our arrival that was just breathtaking. After seeing much wildlife we were treated to one of the most awesome displays of stars I have ever seen. The sky was completely clear, and with the only light being from our guides spotlight everything was well viewed. The southern cross was very prominent, as were Scorpio, and the milky way. I had never had the opportunity to really see just how "milky" the milky way is. It was so peaceful and beautiful , words can't describe the feeling of trying to process exactly what we were seeing and experiencing. As Aaron had stated so many times on the trip....."Big Bang Theory...YEAH right!" How could anyone not believe God created all this.

As the next few days came, we took a morning and evening ride thatw ere each 3-4 hours . We also took one final ride on the morning we departed. We saw 4 out of the big 5, with the leopard being the only one we couldn't find.

It was a little strange to be awaken on the first morning by the sound of baboons screaming "Raaalloooooo". This was around 4am and our wake up call was not until 5:30am. Then who could forget "something" trying to get into the tent Jason and I were in on the second morning around 1am.

As I mentioned earlier we had many opportunities to share with the staff. Tommy and Nina had a wonderful opportunity to witness to and council a lady from house keeping. The group I rode with on the safaris had interesting conversations with our driver, Jubalani, about how many christians worked at the reserve. We also learned that the owner is also a christian. A special highlight was when he asked Amanda to sing into his two way radio so his brother (driving the other land cruiser) could hear it and be blessed.

This was a wonderful way to wrap up this leg of our journey.
Hopefully as we al begin to readjust to USA time we will be able to post our wrap up comments about the trip. Please check back over the next few days for these.

Roger

Even after the trip is over, the mission continues

The house is quiet this morning, since most of the team has left for Johannesburg to go to the game park. Three of us--Mark Mattson, Rhonda Price, and myself--will fly home today (through tomorrow). We are all going to miss the rest of the group, but I think I speak for all three of us when I say we're glad that, because we have a later flight, we didn't have to get up as early this morning!

Friday was a rewarding day for me personally. The original schedule had called for us to be finished working on Thursday and just be tourists ("ministering" to the local economy...???). But there were a couple of projects we didn't want to leave undone at the hospice, including preparing the flowerbeds around the building and putting up shelves. So we extended our work through lunch and took care of those things; the shelves are up and the flowerbeds are almost completed. Also a few of us went to the homeless shelter and participated in the devotional time in the morning and spent more time with the guests.

I spent the morning at the Christian radio station across the street, CCFM. The station is another result of the ministry vision of the church, and continues to grow in its outreach and community presence. In a conversation with Avril Thomas (wife of Pastor John Thomas and manager of the station) at dinner the night before, I had found out they were planning to do a songwriting workshop in a couple of weeks, as part of a continuing series to develop local Christian musicians. So I offered to compile a list of resources, such as articles, websites and books by professionals, to help inform her on the topic. She was very appreciative, and I felt I was being used to encourage her, by offering these "loaves and fishes" of information. While I waited to get on the office computer there, I sat in the studio to watch the live talk program they had going on at the time. The host was very professional, as she interviewed a woman who represented a Christian children's home in the area, introduced a song or two between segments, read recipes to her listeners, etc. I didn't feel like I was doing as much "hands-on" work Friday morning, but I felt I was there to help build a bridge of relationship for our mutual benefit. I must admit I was glad to be clean all day for a change!

Friday afternoon most of us went on a tour of Robben Island, off the Cape Town waterfront. This island had been used over the centuries as a place for social outcasts of various kinds, including lepers and the mentally ill, and in 1964 it became a depository for political prisoners including Nelson Mandela. There was a bus tour of the island and a walking tour of the prison itself, after which we were invited to take a "short walk to freedom" (a pun on Mandela's autobiography title) back to our ferry. The prison tour was led by a former prisoner. He was of Xhosa background, very articulate and pointed in his lectures; reminded me of John Houseman in "The Paper Chase." He had the unfortunate duty of asking a woman to try to keep her little girl quiet; the girl was around one and a half years old, and kept humming to herself, happily oblivious to the dark nature of the place she was in. She never did stay quiet for long; I supposed that was HER song of freedom! Our guide confessed, when pressed, that the reason he continued to work on the island, the last place you'd think he'd want to be, was that even with the changes that have taken place over the past 10 years, it was still tough for many non-whites to find jobs, so there he was. As we have found in our own country, true change takes time.

Well, it's time to eat my final breakfast on this trip; I would not be surprised if I find myself back here again someday in the near future...in fact, I look forward to the opportunity. Meanwhile, the mission continues and the work goes on.


Grace & Peace,
Mark Kelly Hall

And we're off...

Goodbye Capetown. Our work is done, but really only just beginning. We've met so many wonderful people here- our host family, the Johnsons, John and Avril Thomas, Big John, and Uncle Edsil- some of my personal faves- and all the people at the homeless shelter in Musizenberg this week has made this trip so worthwhile. I realized that it wasn't about the work projects being done, or the tasks to be completed. For me, it was all about the relationships I formed, showing God to others, and seeing God in them as well. It was so much harder than I ever could have imagined leaving the shelter in Muizenberg today. There were some heartbreaking moments, some joyous ones, and some bittersweet ones.

I became fairly close to one of the men there named Leslie who worked in the kitchen. He was teaching me some Afrikaans, and he and I would engage in playful banter everyday. I really think of him as a big brother type, so it was hard to say goodbye not knowing if I would ever see him again. On one hand, when I return to South Africa I would love to come back and work in Muizenberg, but I don't want Leslie to be there. I want him back to work as a silk screen printer, which is what he used to do before the governmental change, and what his heart longs to do again. So it's bittersweet because, yes, I want to see these wonderful people again, but in a year or two when I come back, I pray that I don't see them at the homeless shelter. Hopefully through programs such as the Lifeskills classes that Living hope sponsors many of these folks will be off the streets and able to support themselves. My biggest task in helping them comes now when I begin to pray for them faithfully.

Tomorrow morning we leave for Johannesburg, or Jo-Berg or Joey, as the Captonians call it! We have another plane flight ahead of us and then a 4 hour bus ride to get to the game park where we will hopefully see some elephants, among other animals. (ps- I finally saw the penguins today and I cannot tell you how exciting that was!!!) No internet connection there though, so you'll have to be kept in suspense until next Wednesday when we will all be safely back in Brentwood and ready to share our pictures and stories with you all who have been missing us and praying for us. Thanks for the comments- you guys are great!

Mission Possible

Well, it seems as if we have been together here for at least a month. That's a good thing, not bad. We have been able to coexist very well and are sad that this was the last day to actually work. I was at the Capri worksite today, this is where the Hospice is located. We all decided to skip some sightseeing and work an additional half day. This allowed us to finish up a few projects. We also left the next team less work to do.

It felt bitter sweet to be there working today, seeing so much accomplished, but so much more that could have been completed. It was such an awesome time the past few days.

This afternoon we went over to waterfront for lunch. Then we toured Robben Iland (yes that is spelled correctly) . This is the prison where Nelson Mandella spent most of his 27 years in prison. The ferry ride to and from the Island was much fun. Next we concluded the day by eating dinner and doing some shopping. Aaron was adventurous and tried the big game sampler and shared with everyone. I have one question for you Aaron, how fast acn a Kudu run ? LOL

Tomorrow we leave at dark thirty for the game park, so no more posts until we are back in the states. Thanks for reading , thanks for your encouragement, and your prayers!!!

Roger

no spiders here

I can't believe that tomorrow is our last day in Capetown... we all agree that next time, and there definetly will be a next time, we want more time at the sites doing work. Two weeks seems to be the standard amount of time for teams, not including the days spent travelling. It's been pretty amazing to see how God has changed our hearts and opened our eyes to the rest of the world. Sometimes as Americans we get isolated from the rest of the planet. Yes, we hear how things are in other places, but sometimes like Thomas, we need to see them to believe them. I praise God for him showing us real life examples of what it means to fully live your lives for Christ through the team members and volunteers from Living Hope.

Luckily for me, I have not had any more run-ins with the local wildlife, although we did almost hit some guinea fowl on the road today. More humorous moments today: the use of the word "buttload" creaping into team's vocabulary- you can thank Leigh Ann for that one. JoAnn calling our host, Jay Johnson this afternoon saying, "hello Jay? This is JoAnn Rankin from the United States of America..." and us almost seeing Tom Cruise in a movie shoot tonight- ask the white Komvi about that one.

All this to say, most of us did not know each other before we came on this trip, but now we look forward to running into each other at Brentwood and beyond. It serves as a reminder at how big our church is, but how vast the opportunities are to be involved. Many of us are already involved in various ministries within the church, but now I would say we will be spread out even more. You find what God has called you to do, and you do it. And it becomes joy, not a job- the people who volunteer here absolutely love what they do- yes it's hard work, but they wouldn't rather be anywhere else. True ministry happens when the work we are doing for God isn't work anymore but becomes as much of a blessing to the servant as it is to those being served.

Some food for thought: Here's what I finally decided I miss about the States today: Iced tea!!! When I get back I am having me a big old glass of the stuff. I do love having tea time mid-day though- that's something that would be nice to catch on over in the U.S. One week from today: iced tea with lemon, here I come. Till then, "Dankie" for the prayers- I love and miss you all!

you would not believe

OK so here goes today was definitely different! Some of us got the wonderful blessing of shoveling dirt and starting to make flower bed by digging and turning the dirt. Some of us were even more blessed to help get the compost (wonderful smelling stuff) and shovel it into wheelbarrows! I was fortunate enough to get to do both and I wanted to share what happen today! Jason and I were over at the compost pile talking and I was looking at a snail because they are everywhere here and they are huge well I was looking at this snail when I felt something on my shoulder and then I brushed it away and it landed on my hand and it was a SPIDER. That is correct a real live SPIDER! I was screaming because we all know how I feel about spiders! Well, Jason ended up killing it and Karen was blessed enough to see it as well. So we all though it was a tarantula but we later found out that it was a wolf spider and they like to bite! It was a little scary but God did protect us and I even went back to the pile and did not see any more spiders.
The rest of the day was good we had the teen club adn the kids sang for us and it was such a sweet blessing! They were so good. Oh and I now have a Xosha name and I hope to be able to say it by the time I get home! We are about to go out to dinner so BYE for now!

In Christ,
Danielle Schneider

It's Official !!!!

I had to post , since it's now 12:10am and officially my birthday! I can't think of a better way or better group with which to celebrate :-) Although it's supposed to be cold and rainy today, I can't think of anywhere else I wold rather be . It's not everyday , one gets to celebrate his birthday in South Africa, so it should be one to remember :-)

Roger

Capri and Children's Club

This morning began with construction. I along with Mark h. helped our construction guru , Alan, purchase 30 concrete slabs. We made two trips both times loading and unloading the slabs. These were to be buried in the ground aroung the Hospice , for the future patients to have something to brighten their days. Between trips I was able to drive Alan's "South African" nissan truck. It was really strange driving a manual shift with the shift on the left . I'm used to steering from the right hand side , because of my job, but not shifting gears with my left hand.

We began this project with two, then commandeered 3 others to help. These slabs were about 4 feet long and 35 lbs each. Jason C. , Mark J., and Mark M. all pitched in on this project. This was rather frustrating work , seeing as how we couldn't get the first angle or corner to set. Then everything fell into place.

After lunch a large group of us went to the children's club. We had 63 kids today, that is almost 3 times as many as yesterday. It was so touching to see the kids repond to the love and attention we were showing them. It was also heart warming to see Stacie carry two of the kids, then sitting in the floor with three or four. Jason had several attached to him. Mark had an entire herd of children trying to climb on him. I was swinging kids in a circle, and Rhonda was giving kids rides on her back. Remember all this was after working at manual labor type projects for about 4 hours. The point is, we were all smiling!! No one felt burdened by these kids. They seemed to be so starved for love or even one on one attention. I couldn't help but think that maybe the snack we fed them was the last time they would eat today. There were probaly only about 1% of the kids that spoke any language, but I think this helped us to be more aware of the children and able to connect with them even more.

Tonight in our devotion we were reminded that 1 out of 4 of these kids might not even be living in a year or two. The ones that do not become HIV positive will still lose parents or siblings to this disease. It's truly an emotional roller coaster that we have been on. Hopefully this will all make us more aware of others and realize just how much we take for granted in our own lives.

Roger

Living Hope: living by faith

Last night was one of the most special times for me thus far in Cape Town. Pastor John Thomas and his wife Avril had the entire team, along with our host family, the Johnsons, over to their house for dinner. This man is an exceptional example of what it means to follow God by faith. I cannot count the number of stories I have heard since I have been here about this church stepping out on faith and punrchasing a building before they had the money to pay for it, and God providing! One time for us would be a big deal, but these people see that as simply being obdeient to God- not being out-of-the ordinary. Their church is 4 years old and has 400 members. From that church, Fish Hoek Baptist church that later changed its named to King of Kings Baptist Center, was spawned a Christian radio station (the 3rd most listened to station in the greater Cape Town area), the Masi Baptist Church, an AIDS hospice, the Muizenberg homeless shelter, the Capri cente, and the Ocean View Center! This congregation has an absolute passion for what God is doing and sharing the love of Christ with those that do not know him. It's very humbling to see what a church of 400 has done to impact its community verses our church of 4000. My prayer is that our team would come back to Brentwood and be on fire for God, fanning the flame and encouragivinng others to join our cause as well. True, we may not have the AIDS pandemic on our doorstep at home the way it is here, but that doesn't make the problem any less. We live outside the capitol city of TN- I know there are homeless and needy people there who could desperately use a helping hand, and there are lost people everywhere in a world where we almost assume that people are Christians. Just because the wealthy and the poor do not live a mile apart the way they do here doesn't make it right for us to turn our heads to the greatest problems at hand. The biggest lesson I have learned in this regard is that Living Hope pools their resources and takes care of their community, then praying with faith that God will in turn provide for them, whereas we have gotten in the habit of taking care ouf ourselves and then helping out with whatever we have leftover! Where is our trust in the Lord? God is really breaking us down this week and teaching us what it really means to live by faith, and I am excited to continue to learn more.

He really DOES have the whole world in His hands!

We’ve just returned from our second Children’s Club at Masiphumelele Baptist Church. These have gone very well so far. The children are well-behaved, although like any group of energetic kids, we have to keep them occupied or they’ll be in a frenzy before we know it.

I’ve enjoyed leading the kids in singing a few songs. Fortunately, they have already learned many of them in English, so we can sing together. “He’s Got the Whole World,” “Amen,” and even “Jesus Loves Me” have gone very well. When I got them going on “Jesus Loves Me” today, they went on to sing it in Xhosa, so the rest of us just enjoyed! The keyboardist for their choir, Walter, has been adding his efforts, playing along with us and also playing while they color with crayons, etc. The participation of the local members in leadership (sometimes unasked) has required me to adjust a bit, but I’m glad to do it because locals ministering to locals is the way it’s supposed to be.

I enjoy watching the local teacher, Natalie, give the lesson; even though I don’t understand the language, the similarities to a scene in a typical Sunday School are striking. Kids are kids everywhere, even when the lesson is on why we should say “no” to sex outside of marriage; this is the kind of thing they have to teach very early to try to reduce the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

We also visited the Christian radio station CCFM started by the church today. Compared to most radio stations in the U.S., the “presenters” (announcers) at this station have an incredible amount of freedom and responsibility (depending on how you look at it) for putting together their own programming, choosing music, etc. for their time slots. They are required to include 40% local music, which is a challenge for them at this point, because obviously Christian music is not as common in South Africa as in the U.S. It does make the station much more relevant to the local community, though. CCFM has a large listenership, including many Muslims, and offers counseling and help to those who call in to the station. The pastor shared with us tonight that Nelson Mandela told him he had listened to the pastor's sermons when in Cape Town from time to time. That's the kind of feedback you dream of in broadcasting!

Grace & Peace,
Mark Kelly Hall

Construction

Today, I was part of the construction team. Originally it was going to be for just the morning and then head over to help with the children's club. There was more need for workers at the construction projects, so I worked there. The first project i was involved in was helping Cathy P. , Jason C. and Stacie with removing paint and primering. The former center had substained quite a bit of water damage in the walls and we were trying to repair these. I think we inhaled a little too much dust, about 30 minutes into the project we were already creating really silly songs and making some really bad jokes. I was told that I have a "happy place" in my mind, long story behind that one :-) This may have been from my wearing a dust mask as a cool hat?? Hmmmmm...not sure.

We continued with this for a few hours, then split up the teams again. Stacie and I worked on more paint in an apartment. Jason and Cathy finished the original project. Lunch came and we again divided teams and projects. Tommy and Nina were finishing applying paint primer , as Jason , Cathy, and Stacie left to help at another location. We finished all we could on the paint projects , then Tommy, Dao, Mark M , and Walt built a retaining wall. There is a horrible erosion problem caused by high winds and very often the Hospice has sand filter in under the door. If anyone knows how to solve the sand problem, all suggestions are welcomed.

This was an all work day, although we accomplished quite a bit of work, we still have a long long way to go. It feels good though, to be able to help ready what will be a safe , nice place for people with a terrible disease to go and seek treatment , and learn there is hope.

The work has been hard and at times we question why we are doing task in the way that we are, but we understand that it all has it's purpose. I agree with the statement that Amanda made in her post. She mentioned feeling ashamed about things we take for granted, that are considered a luxury in certain parts of this area.

Hopefully someone else will fill you in on the children's club activities for today.
Everyone is exhausted at this point and we haven't even had dinner. It's difficult to explain how working hard and being tired can actually make you feel better. Knowing that we have done some small part to make someone's life a little easier or brighter after so many have told them that there is no hope, that's reward within it's self.

Muizenberg

A team of 6 today went to Muizenberg to work in the homeless shelter. 3 went upstairs to teach crafts- cardmaking- to the people so they can in turn learn how to make these on their own to sell. I was with the other 2, Cathy Wilcox and Joanne, who worked downstairs in the kitchen. Our "job" for the day was to interact with the people there. We all got there in time for the morning devotional and were able to pick up some of their songs fairly quickly. After devotional we split up. I don't have time to tell you about the many people we met today, except to say this place was so filthy that it was hard to eat the lunches we had packed, and no one wanted to use the bathrooms there. When I did break down to do so, I was so ashamed. These people use these facilities every day, and that's if they're lucky. Again, I cannot imagine how blessed I am, and how often I take it for granted.
The others will probably be posting about the construction and children's club they participated in today.
One more quick story, is that Jason, Leigh Ann, Mark Hall and I got to sing the song "Somebody's Praying Me Through" last night at the King of Kings church- coincidentally, this is the same night that Brentwood was doing the musical at the church, although I think we had them beat by several hours! I know I was blessed by the experience, and judging by those congregation members that I talked to afterwards, they were blessed too.
The line has formed- several are waiting to use the computers, so fare well for now.

Table Mountain and King of Kings

Continuing where Aaron left off........after the services he spoke of we headed to Table Mountain. We had lunch on the top of the mountain, with one of the most breath taking views I have ever experienced. Several of us kept talking about the diversity of this country, not only in nature, but also in the people , and the division of wealth here. We took walks along the paths and took in probably one of the most AWESOME sights of natural beauty in any part of the world. I just hope the photos and video we bring back can capture this. After seeing how this place was originally designed by God, it is so heart breaking to remember that so many here live without hope ANY hope. Seeing the children that have been orphaned and hearing the stories of how young many of the parents have died so young. No matter what is accomplished here through us or any other team that follows, it seems so little. Maybe this is why it seems with almost every devotion we hear, service we attend, or project we participate in , that some reference of the parable of the sower and the seed keeps popping up.

After an afternoon of visiting table moutain and a South African flea market, we headed back for dinner. We had to quickly eat in order for those of us that still had the energy could go to support Jason, Amanda, and Leigh Ann as they would be participating in the service tonight at King of Kings. This was a rather unique service. The trio sang one song with Mark H. and another with the three of them. This was more of a youth led service. The worship area was set up much like Kairos, with small tables to allow for more one to one time fellowship. We heard stories from some missionaries that had recently returned and then we to part in the Lord's Supper. This was done with more of a personal touch, hence the small groups at the tables.

We were once again reminded by God's hand in this world when we got back. Upon exiting the convi (actually a microbus) we were amazed at the shear splendor of a picture perfect starry night. With little or no outdoor man made light, it was breathtaking.

It is 6:20 am as I write this and we are beginning our day. Today will be our first time to work in our individual teams. We will begin with some light construction, then branch out into teams or community outreach, children's clubs, more serious construction, and various others. I can only imagine the range of emotion our community outreach team as well as the children workers will experience today. Our real effort begins in full force today . Our prayer is that even as little as it seems we accomplish , will be the seeds that others and God can use to later produce into something that man can not do along.

Continue to pray for our efforts, and God's help.

Masipumpelele, Apartheid, and AIDS

This morning we started the day by worshipping at King of Kings Baptist Church (also known as Fish Hoek Baptist Church). This is a predominantly white church led by Pastor John Thomas. We were blessed by an African Children's choir, which is composed of children from all over South Africa, that sang beautiful songs about God. I was moved to tears when these young children, living amongst such poverty, loudly sang "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus." We also heard Pastor Thomas preach and then we went to then we headed to Masipumpelele, which is a suburb of Cape Town. It's almost the same distance from Masipumpelele to Cape Town as Brentwood is from Nashville (minus all the winding roads through the mountains here). Masi, as the locals call it, is a black community of some 16,000 or so people who speak Xhosa (pronounced Ko-sa) as well as English. This is a settlement, or squatter camp. These people were forced into this settlement during Apartheid. Incidentally, a lot of the ministry issues that the Living Hope Centre, Fish Hoek Baptist, and Masipumpelele deal with are a result of Apartheid. Let me explain...

The blacks (that's not a derogatory or slang term here, as it is sometimes in America) were basically told during Apartheid that they would never gain a better life and that they might as well endure a life without hope for employment, fulfilling life dreams, etc. When Apartheid ended in 1994, these people in Masi were excited about the opportunity to gain employment, support their families, and live life to the fullest. Unfortunately, so were thousands of others all across South Africa. Many people traveled from all over the country to Masi (and the hundreds of other squatter camps) for these same reasons. Employment that was promised never really took shape, but the number of people in these settlements increased rapidly. You can figure out the recipe that you have when thousands of people continue to be drawn to one area without money, or a means to gain a better life. They built homes made of sheet metal, cardboard, brick and any other supplies they could find. In these shanty-towns, the HIV/AIDS pandemic began to incubate at an unfathomable rate.

First Baptist Church in Masipumpelele (through the Living Hope Centre) is in the middle of ALL of this. Brentwood Baptist's missions funding supports the early education about HIV, testing and post counseling, and then facilitates the eternal spiritual concern for the infected individual. This is a great thing, and our church is making a difference here. You see, if the government does the testing then the results remain confidential and 99% of the time the patient will not tell others that they are infected because of the stigma that revolves around this dreaded disease. Thus, it continues to spread. When Living Hope administers testing to the people of Masi, then they can do post counseling, medical care, and most importantly - care for that person on a spiritual level. This is very holistic approach. As a result, men and women who would never attend church or give Christianity a chance are now seeing the love and compassion of Jesus Christ through this program. Better yet, many of them are accepting Christ as their Savior! Our church's mission efforts are prolonging the life of HIV patients, so that infected mothers can be with their children longer, the nucleus of the family can stay in-tact longer, and people can see the Gospel in action - with a chance to respond. Praise God for his grace and faithfulness!

Another Beautiful Morning in Paradise

Good morning,

It's about 6:30am as I write this and already we have a line waiting to get onto the internet. The view from the team house is so incredible, although the morning sky is a little cloudy the mountains , beach, and ocean are so beautiful to look upon. As with many things in this country , looks can be very deceptive. Each morning we see the natural beauty of this wonderful country, then we also get to see the not so pretty side of what man has created.

As some of the earlier post suggest, we have began to make that transition from being mere observers, to actual doers. It may be early in our trip, but already the bonds are beginning to form among our team members. Many wonderful friendships have begun. We have laughed hysterically and also cried with each other. That's the gamet of emotions we constantly feel. One moment we are having fun and enjoy ourselves, then suddenly we are struck by the contrast of how just a few yards makes an incredible difference in how the locals live their lives.

Today we plan to attend two local churches for worship, then possibly a third tonight. This afternoon we will see more of the area, take in a little sightseeing, and maybe even rest.

Yesterday , as we were doing our projects , each task seemed to remind us of how relevant some of the recent sermons we have heard have been. While working on the erosion problem, Amanda and I were both struck by how appropriate the Kairos message was last week. Mike has been teaching a series on the book of Mark, and last week he taught about the sowing of seeds. As we planted the "Kudzu" type of plant we wondered just what would take root. The soil was sandy, but appropriate for this type of plant. This reminded us also of the real seeds we would be planting in the next few days. The thought we had was we would never see what happens with these plants on the sandy hill, although others will benefit from them. Then we were reminded we may never know what happens to the seeds we plant with the people, but we don't have to know. Our job is to sow, God will then take over.

Then later in the afternoon, I was discussing with Tommy a converation he had with our local helper Jason. This man appears to have some simple thinking at first, almost child like, then when you begin to listen to him his thoughts are so profound. This lead Tommy and I to a discussion on how man can ruin things and many other topics.

These are just two examples of the mind set we are experiencing. So many "little" things can remind us of very important truths. Already we have seen how the people, the sights, and experiences are having an effect on us. This is shaping up to be a truly life changing experience for mnay, if not all of us.

The real "dirt" on missions work in South Africa

Today (Saturday) we made the transition from being "tourists," gawking in wonder and sometimes confusion and dismay at the sights of Cape Town (or so it felt to me at times), to "workers." We jumped in with both feet AND hands, and most of us got them all thoroughly dirty in the work we did at the Living Hope Community Centre in Capri. This is the location where a former bar ("The Croaking Frog") has been turned into a place of outreach to the community, and where the hospice building is being completed. We planted cuttings of a plant (the South African equivalent to kudzu?) to reduce wind erosion in the sandy soil around the new building. This involved digging shallow holes in a bank of earth on two sides of the building and putting in the cuttings...and praying they take root. The wind is constant, and it becomes a health concern to keep soil from blowing into the building.

Another project was to clear out some space in front to make more room for parking, which involved some more digging and moving rocks and tires. Some of these rocks were very large, but a couple of our guys and a local employee of Living Hope had the skill and brute strength to get it done. In the process, we managed to avoid being attacked by a scorpion we met, and and by the snakes we heard about from our local helper but thankfully did NOT meet.

We took a break to get a tour of the hospice facility from Pastor John Thomas of Fish Hoek Baptist Church, the church that initiated and oversees the ministries of Living Hope Community Centre. The hospice will be a place where locals who are sick and dying will be able to come at no charge to be cared for in a professional and loving environment, with an emphasis on ministering to them spiritually as well as physically. Plans are underway for one of our group, a registered nurse with hospice experience, to work for a year here, thanks to the support of Brentwood Baptist Church. Along with showing us the wards and visiting rooms, Pastor Thomas showed us a glimpse of his heart and his passion for reaching out to offer a tangible, practical experience of the Gospel in action to people who are possibly at the lowest point in their lives. He shared a couple of stories of how God had provided both the bold vision of the hospice and the means to accomplish it, involving local volunteers, churches around the world, and even government resources in the task. After our sweaty work in the dirt and the wind outside, and despite the fact that the walls were still bare and the furniture had yet to be brought in, I was struck by the beauty and the peacefulness of this place. I imagine it will be a shelter in the storm for the patients, most of whom would not otherwise be able to afford any healthcare at all, and I don't doubt that many visitors and patients will come to know God in a new way. Though in some ways, it will obviously be a place of death for many...but in more important ways, it will be a place of life and hope.

By the way, if you have a hard time keeping up with the different names and locations of the ministry sites and the organizational structures involved, don't feel bad, because so do many of us! This is a result of the apparent approach to ministry by Fish Hoek Baptist Church that I wish I could see more often; instead of simply duplicating the kinds of ministries they are familiar with and stamping the church name on them, the church leaders look at the practical needs of the area and think of ways they can serve God by serving the people at their point of greatest need. They then use the opportunity they have to speak to the spiritual needs. This approach of "earning the right to be heard" works on a personal level, as well, so it's something I can do every day. This is one of the greatest things missions work has taught me over the years, so it's inspiring to see it on such a large scale in this faraway place.

Grace & Peace,
Mark Kelly Hall
www.markmusicmatters.com

work day at Capri

Today was our first day working at one of the sights. It took several van trips to get us all there, but once we made it to Capri, we were put straight to work! Capri is the sight where the new hospice is almost complete, and also where the Living Hope Community Church's main business offices are. One group worked in the vegetable garden shelling peas, and pulling carrots. (In Scott's defense, he shelled one pea!) They stress the importance of healthy eating here because medicines are not readily available, and because they have seen comparable health results with those eating many vegetables to those taking medications. Another group was put in charge of planting little plants that will spread across the sandy ground outside to help prevent wind erotion. It was very cool to see how we were living out the scripture just preached to many of us last Tuesday night at Kairos where Mike talked about the parable of the seeds and the sewer. We may never be able to come back and see the fruits of our labor, but we were able to literally plant and water these tiny shrubs, and trust that God will continue to provide others to take the next steps in helping these plants grow.

Late in the morning the group met Pastor John Thomas of Living Hope Community Church who gave us the first tour of the hospice facility. It was both encouraging and heartbreaking at the same time to see this building that will soon house terminal AIDS patients. Towards the end of the tour, Pastor Thomas shared with us a few stories that helped us put into perspective what Living Hope is doing about AIDS in the community. He shared with us a story about a young mother of 14 who has HIV/AIDS, who had passed the virus along to her baby. When the child was born she named the baby "no hope," but the church rallied around them showing them love and caring for her and her baby. When the baby began to get better, the young mother went to the church and told them she had decided to change the baby's name to "she must get better" after seeing the hope brought to her and her family. This in a very real way demonstrates how they came upon the name of their church- Living Hope- because they meet the needs of the people in physical ways, but also reach out to their spiritual needs. They show people that there is hope after life, and hope during life through the person of Jesus Christ.

The other story Pastor Thomas shared with us was about a support group within their church for young mothers (ages 13-15) . The girls got together and came up with a motto for their group: It is better to live with HIV and have Christ in our life, than to not have HIV and live a life without Christ. This hit hard with us, as many of asked ourselves the same question. We as Americans are not surrounded by AIDS the way these people are, but even so, could we ask ourselves the same question and come to this conclusion? It was very challenging, and encouraging at the same time. We were able to see where all the funding from our Missions budget goes to, and the people it affects.

Tomorrow we will attend 2 different church services and I'm excited to share in those and see how different cultures worship the same great God. We appreciate your continued prayers for us, as many of us are in the early stages of culture shock. It is difficult to see the "Haves" and the "Have Nots" so close to one another and be angry at God. Our prayer is that we can see those in need and help them as best as we can, and that our hearts will continue to change and be changed once we return home. Until then however, there is much to be done in the ways of construction, repairs, outreach, crafts, and childrens' clubs. All that will be starting on Monday. Sharing the 3 computers and 6 bathrooms among 26+ of us has been interesting so far, but God is giving us the patience we need, and allowing us to be flexible in whatever situation. Almost time for bed here- all of our days are busy and we still need ample rest to get over the jet lag. Pray for us as we continue to serve our great and powerful God.

Thoughts from 35,000 feet

Here is an excerpt from my journal, 9-30-04:
--
I am on the "big plane," on the way to Cape Town. We'll stop on an island off the coast of West Africa to refuel. Unfortunately for those who'd like to stretch their legs, we won't be on the ground long enough to able to get off the plane. Funny, all the money [and preparation time, etc.] it takes to get ON the plane, and the main thing that occupies most passengers' minds is "when can I get OFF?" Trips like this are a reminder of the value of living in the moment & treasuring the journey.

There's a display on the screen in front of me on the bulkhead wall that shows where the plane is on its path, with stats on how far it is to the destination & how much time it will take to get there (& how cold it is just outside the window: 50 degrees below zero F!). It's interesting for a while, but then you realize how futile it is to think about the numbers, given how big they are; back to the "treasure the journey" idea.
--
The rest of our trip went very smoothly, with no major delays in customs and only one unfortunate soul not getting her luggage on time (my sympathies!). It is now Saturday morning, and the group is starting to come alive after a much-needed night of sleep. We got a great overview of the area in a bus tour that began as soon as we left the airport. We had the pleasure of visiting the "Learn To Earn" center in one of the townships, operated by African Leadership. This is where students learn practical work skills such as sewing, woodworking and even basic graphic design. After a few weeks of formal learning, they can return to the center for further mentoring and use of the equipment. They also get instruction on life skills and spiritual principles as well, in keeping with the purpose of the center to equip the students to be good citizens, not only of South Africa, but also of God's kingdom.

Thanks for your continued prayers!
Grace & Peace,
Mark Kelly Hall
www.markmusicmatters.com

The Journey Truly Begins

I can verify that we all got a hearty laugh out of Amanda's little incedent with the baboon. The flight was 16.5 hours and we were so ready to be in South Africa. Obviously we were a little fatigued when we got off the plane at 10am this morning, so taking in some sights and getting a feel for the surrounding area was just what we needed. This place is beautiful: the mountain ranges, the animals, and especially the sunset that the entire team watched, just before dinner. The Father painted a wonderful canvas today! Now it's time to get some rest. We are headed to the church in Masipumphelele tomorrow morning, to help out with several projects they are doing. It's one of the settlement camps, or slums, as some call it.

Thank you so much to all of you who prayed for safe travel. We know that the Father was with us and His Spirit is at work here in Cape Town. We are anxious to be used by God. We know that by simply loving God and loving people, we will open a door to share our story with our friends in this area. The ministry must come before the message. Only after we have shown these people that we are willing to roll up our sleeves and work in their neighborhood, will we earn the right to be heard.

Enjoying His Grace - Aaron Bryant

The Eagle has landed

Well we finally made it! Sorry to those of you who were expecting an update sooner, but as soon as we got off the plane this morning, we were bussed down the road to see some of the local sights. It was hard to look out your window and see rows and rows of shacks, trash, & clothes hanging on lines- all crammed into this one little area- to see all these people who have so little when you have so much in comparison. We were told that over a million people live here in this settlement that can be seen from the main highway. Our destination though was the headquarters for a program sponsered through Living Hope Community Church called Learn to Earn. We were given a tour of the facilities where people learn skills such as crafts, computer design, sewing, & woodworking for a small fee, and then are able to take these skills out into the community and find employment.
Our touristy-event for the day included a bus trip all the way to the end of the cape of Good Hope, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. Some hiked to the top of the mountain while others took a tram. We all got some great pictures. The highlight of the day for me so far was being semi-attacked by a baboon! Yes, a baboon. They're all over the place when you first park and get out at the cape. In fact, we saw one baboon inside these people's car while we were parking. You pretty much have to stay out of their way and let them leave on their own time because they can get fairly aggressive. Well, the wind was blowing extremely hard and while several from our group were inching closer to 2 baboons to take pictures of them, my pink Kentucky hat blew off my head. Well anyone who knows me, knows that I love that pink hat, and was not about to let it blow off the overlook! So I chased it several feet, snatching it up when I froze and realized a baboon was running full force at me! All I could do was brace myself and pray that he didn't decide to hurt me. Luckily I felt 2 paws smack my shirt, and then it was gone- almost like a playful, "Tag, you're it" sort of thing. Needless to say, I did not engage in the game of tag with my new baboon friend and held onto my hat very tightly for the rest of the afternoon. Later on we all got some great pictures of the scenery and the wildlife- some ostriches and Bachs ( a sort of deer-looking animal), and the sunset back at the house at Noordhoek where we are staying. Seeing the beautiful scenery today, and the glorious sunset over the ocean served as a reminder to us just how Big and Great God's world is. I am so thankful to be able to experience this part of his creation. Sleep is going to come easy tonight as our bodies adjust to the new time (we're 7 hours ahead of central time). Tomorrow begins our official day of work. More to come then. Continue to pray for us as we begin our work here in capetown.

Zero hour approaches

Eleven hours from now and our little group of 26 will be at the airport awaiting to embark on a very unique adventure. There will be little or no sleep for our team as we must meet at 4am Thursday at BBC to begin our much anticipated mission. We have a general outline of our duties, however as with all mission trips we will remain flexible. I called this trip unique, we will literally be living history for the next few weeks. Hopefully, with God's help and leadership, we will help bring hope and healing to a land that has seen much turmoil and unrest . Just ten years removed from apartheid, we will be going where few mission groups, especially white Americans , have been willing to work. HIV/AIDS have devastated this part of the world and have left many adults and children with little or no hope for a future, ANY future. Please pray that we can do some small part to help change this.

I'm sure our views and hearts will be dramatically changed by this experience, as for now we are not sure what to expect. We can only be willing to be used as instruments to show love and grace to those that have basically been outcast from their lives and homes.

I personally look forward to working with the other 25 members that have sacrificed time, money, and themselves to be a part of this. We will try to keep you updated each day.

Roger Sigmon

This is an aerial view of the city of Cape Town. It's at the southern most tip of the country and continent of Africa. As pastor John Thomas once said, You can't get any more Southern Baptist than that!

3 weeks and counting

In a little less than 3 weeks, a team of 26 members will embark on a journey from Brentwood, TN, to Cape Town, South Africa where we will be assisting the Living Hope Church with mission work. Details are still not cemented as to what each team member will be doing on a day-to-day basis, but we know we will be helping with the construction of a hospice for AIDS patients, working with children and teens in an after-school program, teaching crafts, and doing some evangelism and outreach. But not to worry! We are told that there is a great need for us, and will be put to good use the two weeks we are there. Each team member has been called by God to be on this trip for many different and specific reasons that only He knows, so we are excited to see how God can use us as a team.

Our group leaves Nashville on Thursday morning, September 30th, and will arrive in Cape Town, South Africa Friday morning (can we say jet lag?). This first day will be spent unpacking and seeing some of the sights, because the nest day we jump right into our work. No rest for the weary! More to come later...