Here's to our ladies

Today (Saturday) we made up for our day off yesterday, as predicted. It was a productive day, though.

Some of our ladies were eager to continue a project they started (and re-started) on Thursday at Capri. They spent a good part of the day moving dirt and laying blocks to continue the driveway around the back of the hospice. Then these industrious and versatile women shifted into full “relational mode” and accompanied a handful of Living Hope clients to Masiphumelele, visiting their humble homes and offering needed gifts of towels. Then it was back to shovels and wheelbarrows for the remainder of the day. I have had plenty of reasons to be more than impressed with my fellow team members on this trip, but this display tops them all!

Of course, Marsha, our crafts expert (you might have seen her list of requested supplies at church) has continued to help create beauty from scraps of paper and bits of ribbon…many examples of which you’ll no doubt have the opportunity to see and purchase on our return, to benefit Living Hope even further.

At the newly-created offices, also at Living Hope Capri, it was time to paint the new walls. Liz, Brian, Heather and myself were the paint crew (Brian did take a break to help Aaron chuck rocks and trash into a dumpster), working around Walt as he finished trim details, and a couple of people working on installing lights. We put a first coat on most of the area to be covered, so that project will be continued on Monday (unless our hosts have other plans).

The rest of the construction crew continued the relocation of the shop area at Muizenberg. Most of the elements are in place, but there’s more to be done on Monday there as well.

A tired but satisfied group of people made their way back to the team house for a pizza buffet, except for myself, because after a quick cleanup and change of clothes I was off to King of Kings Baptist Centre to perform a couple of songs at their missions banquet (I put a couple of slices of pizza aside for later—maybe breakfast). I found a couple of familiar faces to dine with, and enjoyed the evening. It was much like any missions awareness event in the States. The meal was served in three courses (starter, main course, and dessert), and for each course there was a missionary speaker or a media presentation. I was during the main course, and since I’ve learned to avoid singing after eating, I had to fend off attempts to take my food away and explain I was holding onto it. Judging from the mostly-elderly faces I could see from the stage I wasn’t sure if the upbeat (and/or offbeat) songs I had chosen were being received well at first (I started wishing I had something more like Sinatra or Wayne Newton) but the attendees did respond well, and even began clapping along (on the right beat!) toward the end. They were very gracious.

Tomorrow is church at King of Kings, then at Masiphumelele, then to the waterfront, where some will visit Robben Island and the rest will eat, shop, visit museums, etc.