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.