I Think I Need Translation!

I am still learning the "English" language here.  I've written before about wondering if we speak the same language.  So many words are new, different, or used differently.  Here are some more I've been learning:

• hoot: to honk the car horn

• rocket: a green leaf vegetable used in salads and cooking

• pudding: dessert

• rates: taxes

• tuck shop: a snack shop

• a flat: an apartment

• sweets: candy

• biscuits: cookies

• a "couple" biscuits: two of them

• a "few" biscuits: more than two of them

• panel beaters: car body shop

• plaster: a bandaid

• caravan: a camping trailer

• tekkies: sneakers, tennis shoes

• bring and braai: a potluck

• trolley: not the San Francisco cable car, but a grocery cart

I am constantly learning new ones!  One of my favorites was a newspaper ad I saw recently.  The advertisement was for beds - specifically a style of bed called a "sleigh" bed because of its shape.  Something was lost in the translation however, as they were advertising a "slave" bed.  I laughed for a long time over that one!!

"Now the whole earth had one language and few words."  - Genesis 11:1  Maybe it would have been more helpful if we'd stayed that way!!

Daily Life

I'm regularly asked what my daily life is like in South Africa.  In many ways it's the same.  There's still laundry to do, the house to clean, groceries to buy, errands to run.....the ordinary things of life don't change.  I guess the biggest difference in that area is that things seem to take longer.  There are many "conveniences" we live with in the U.S. that we take for granted and even consider them to sometimes be necessities.  A lot of those are missing in South Africa, so doing "life" takes longer.

I sometimes feel myself caught between a 1st and 3rd world country........a country in transition perhaps.  South Africa is a lovely country.  Many things are definitely modern, cutting edge, and "1st world."  And then there are other things that seem 3rd world.  I hesitate to even use those terms because they don't seem to do justice to the reality of life here.  Let's just say that there are areas that could do with some attention.

It's still in many ways a "paper society."  It seems strange to be helped by someone who is sitting by a computer, and yet they are writing everything out by hand with multiple copies being made by carbon paper.  Or they may be adding figures on paper by long hand when there is a calculator near by.

Because I handle all our finances and bookkeeping, I also do all our banking.  I think this has been one of the biggest adjustments for me.  It took us weeks and many, many trips to the bank before we could even get a bank account opened.  Getting checks to use this account took a while longer.  It took weeks for one and then months for the other to get the cards we needed for our financial business.  We use one card to get money from the bank and another card to make purchases.  Transactions that I'm used to taking care of at the bank in five minutes can take 60 - 90 minutes.  I constantly have to tell myself to slow down, relax, and be patient.

I see people, on a daily basis, getting irritated and rude because of these stresses of daily life.  I don't want to be like that or respond like that.  Smiling, chatting with people around me, praying, and thinking of ways to express appreciation helps!  I find myself constantly adjusting my expectations of time, and how much I can accomplish in a certain amount of time.  My "to do" list for each day never quite gets done.

There don't seem to be any 2 days alike.  I find myself each morning looking at what needs to be done, and asking the Lord for wisdom on which things to tackle that day.......not unlike what my life has always been like!  So daily life for me is much the same......but different.  Different people, a different country, a different culture, different ways of doing things.  But life still gets done!!

I'm happy here.  I'm grateful to be here.  I'm thankful for all the ways the Lord has helped us in being here.  It's home now........and becoming more precious to us day by day.

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."  Proverbs 16:3

Missing Out

Our grandson, Luke, just celebrated his 4th birthday.  We received the email invitation to his party at the zoo.  We sent our regrets.  We knew he wanted a bicycle.  We sent a check for his parents to buy that for him from us.  We called on his birthday to talk to him.  After 3 attempts, we managed to actually speak to him.  We assured him we loved him, and told him we wished we could come to his party when he asked if we would be there.  We watched the DVD sent by email of his party.  We wished we could have been there to join in the celebration.

These are the kinds of events that pull on my heartstrings now because I'm living half a world away from my 2 grandchildren.  I miss them!  I miss seeing the changes in them.  I miss watching them grow up.  I miss being close enough to talk to them any time I want for as long as I want.  I miss sending them surprise packages to remind them that I love them.

This was by FAR the biggest issue I had to process in moving to South Africa.  After a number of years of being very ill, our daughter was told by doctors that she would never be able to have children.  The Lord wonderfully healed her, but it was still uncertain if she would be able to conceive and carry children.  I never accepted the doctor's statements as fact, and prayed for years that we would have these little ones.  The story of each of their births is a miracle and testimony to God's goodness and power.  We are so grateful for their lives.  They are truly a gift from the Lord.

And now I'm so far away!  Overall I've had a great rest and peace about this.  In processing our decision to move here, I worked it through in my heart with the Lord, and it wasn't an "issue" any more.  But there are moments, like special celebrations, when I feel the distance.  I feel like I'm missing out.  Luke's birthday was one of those.

I had a good talk with the Lord about it!  I expressed my gratitude for the phone and internet that keeps us in good communication.  And I thanked the Lord again that we have these 2 dear ones.  Many medical experts said they weren't to be, but God's thoughts and ways were higher.  Near or far, they are a gift from Him.  I will enjoy and celebrate their lives.  I'm glad Luke had a 4th birthday!!

"David was greatly distressed.....he strengthened himself in the Lord his God."  I Samuel 30:6   I joined David in this.....my burden was lifted and my strength renewed.

Facing Fear

There seems to be one consistent, often discussed topic of conversation here - fear, and concern for safety.  Friends talk about it, shopkeepers talk about it, strangers talk about it........there's an article in almost every issue of the newspaper and it's a popular topic on the television news.  I am regularly asked why we came to South Africa.  People say to me that it's not safe here.  Why would I leave America?  Why would I choose to live here? Many are leaving South Africa and moving to other countries out of fear.  I happen to believe that God will bring others to replace them who are called to come out of love.  I think Floyd and I are part of the latter group.

Floyd has thought for years that we would probably live here someday, but I wasn't so sure.  I had my own reasons for that, but, yes, concern for safety was one of those.  It was something I needed to think and pray through in making our decision to move here.  Actually, when it came right down to it, it was pretty straight forward - being in God's will is the safest place to be!  I had a deep sense of calling that it was God's will for us to be here.  It doesn't mean there won't be problems, it just means He'll help us with whatever we have to face.

I remember when we lived in the Red Light District in Amsterdam, Holland.  It certainly wasn't your typical "safe" neighborhood!  People thought we were crazy to live there with our two young children.  Besides all the prostitution, there was drug dealing, fighting, crime, pornography, satanism......if you can think of an evil, it was probably there.  And, yet, we loved living there and felt safe!

We had a young Dutch woman who worked with us for a couple years, and then she made plans to move to England to study.  On her last evening in Amsterdam before taking the train to England, she came to say goodbye.  As she walked into our neighborhood that evening, she was consumed with fear!  She had lived and worked there boldly......not sensing fear........and now she was overwhelmed with it.  As she contemplated what was happening to her, she felt the Lord speak into her heart:  "During the years you lived and worked here, my grace was upon you.  Now you're coming in as a visitor.  I wanted you to see the difference so you can encourage the workers that I'm with them - even when they don't realize it."  I'll never forget her sharing that with us that evening........and I've remembered it all these years since. I am sure there are many instances in all of our lives when God has protected us, and we've not even been aware of it!  I'm so grateful for that.  My heart is increasingly consumed with a love for this country and the people here.  It's not something I can "work up."  I know it's from the Lord.  I can't think of anywhere else in the world that I'd rather be.  I'm careful.  I'm cautious.  I try to be wise.  But I don't live in fear.  I think that's a testimony to His grace!  For years now I've had a problem with sleep.  I've actually slept better since moving here than I have in a long time!  My mind and my heart are at rest in Him.  I think we can face fear, and come to a place of rest and peace.

"You will not fear the terror of the night, not the arrow that flies by the day.......For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways."  Psalms 91: 5

Hunting a "Dangerous Game"

I love all (or, mostly, all) of God's creatures......but I don't want them in my house!  Sossy, our Airedale Terrier, is the only one I really care to have living indoors with us.

We recently had one of these uninvited creatures in our house......a good sized black lizard.  Just thinking about it gives me the "heebie jeebies."  I really don't like them.  I saw this creature in the house one day, but it ran and I lost track of it.  We have a dear lady named Martha who works for us one day a week.  I heard an 'eek' one day when she was here, and then heard her quietly calling for me.  It turns out, she likes these creatures even less than me!  She's quite afraid of them.

So, between the two of us, we decided to help it get back outside where it belonged!  Martha tried to move it along towards the door with a dust pan, and I tried to sweep it out with a broom.  The poor thing was probably scared to death!  I had to make Sossy lay down in a different part of the room because she wanted to be in on whatever this was that was taking place.  It seemed so exciting to her.

This "dangerous game" lost it's tail, but we managed to get it outside.  It lay quietly for a long time, and then finally moved along.  Floyd, who was away traveling at the time, said he would have loved to have all this on video!  Such a helpful response!

Let's hope that we don't have any more creatures come visit!  I may be the one scared to death next time.

"God created every living creature that moves."  Gen. 1:20   Too bad He didn't tell them to stay outdoors!!

A Historical Note

I am contemplating the words of one of the first Europeans to land in Cape Colony, what is today South Africa, written on April 8, 1652. His lofty ideals were not to be lived out. I wonder what would have happened, in the history of the land, indeed in all of Africa, if they had been lived and practiced?

He gave this command to those serving under him: "Whoso, therefore, ill-treats or pushes any of the natives, whether he be right of wrong, shall, in their presence, be scourged with 50 lashes, in order that they shall perceive that such conduct is against our will, and that we are desirous to deal with them in love & friendship..."

I don't know if that is consistent with other things he wrote and believed, but in itself it is a powerful statement.

Fighting Fire... Literally!

We have been away for a retreat with our All Nations family here in South Africa for a few days. We were at a conference center in the mountains outside of Pretoria, in the northeast of the country. All during the weekend, we could see brush fires burning around us, but at a distance. Veld (brush) fires are not uncommon. They are usually left to burn, unless structures are threatened. Most times they burn themselves out. After lunch on Sunday, everyone said their goodbyes and were on their way. A few people stayed behind for a small meeting. During the afternoon, the fire edged closer to where we were.......until it was burning on two sides of the conference center!! Floyd and some of the other men rushed out to help fight the fire.......with hoses, buckets, wet blankets, and branches of green leaves that wouldn't catch fire. At one point the fire came within about 10-12 feet of the wooden cabin that we had been staying in and that I had just evacuated about 3 minutes before!

I've seen fire at a distance before, but never quite that close. It's exhilarating, and frightening! You realize how very quick and destructive it can be. Afterwards I noticed that Floyd's gray hair had been singed yellow in a few places. That's a little "too" close to the fire!!!

I've written before about all the unusual experiences we've had in our life here in Africa. This is yet one more! I wouldn't dare to imagine what might be next!

"As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze...." Psalms 83:14

A Word in Season

Many things have changed in South Africa in the last 13 years since apartheid was abolished. It's a new day, new season in many ways. And yet, I notice so many have a "downtrodden" spirit. You can feel it. It has grieved and saddened me. I've prayed and asked the Lord what I can do about it. It seems like such a big, overwhelming need.

The Lord has been challenging me to respond by encouraging and loving one person at a time. A smile, a kind word, an encouragement, an affirmation.......all can bless. It seems like such a small thing for a giant need. But I've realized if I'll do my part, then God can use it and do things I can't do. My small acts of kindness can begin to chip away and break down big walls of hurt, pain, anger, bitterness, and low self-esteem. It's what I can do. I can't change the past, but the seeds I sow now can affect the future.

I had a sweet, practical example of this a few days ago. I was sitting on a bench next to a lady. I could just feel her heavy spirit. My heart ached to reach out to her in some loving way. I looked over and smiled.......and noticed she was wearing a pretty wooden necklace. I told her how lovely it was. In response, she frowned and actually glared at me. I wasn't sure what else to do, so I sat there praying. A few minutes later she looked at me and smiled, and said, "You know I made it myself!" I immediately began to tell her how wonderful that was......how I can't do things like that.......and how I admired people with the ability to work with their hands. She told me how she'd seen one in a store, but it was too expensive. She went looking, found the beads, and made one. We talked for a few minutes, then she went on her way smiling.......with her step a little lighter!

It's just a small thing, but I have a feeling it's a big thing too. If enough people love in these small ways, it'll bring big change. I want to do my part! I ask the Lord daily now for sensitivity to His spirit to encourage those I come in contact with. I was thinking recently of a song we used to sing in church when I was growing up - "little is much when God is in it." I believe that's very true!

God created the universe by speaking things into existence. We can create good things in our world with our words too!

"A word in season, how good it is!" Proverbs 15:23

Our Furry Friend

Floyd loves dogs!  We've had a dog for most of our (soon-to-be 40!) years of being married.  Some I've liked, most I've tolerated....because I love Floyd. :}  Our current dog is "Sossy."  She's a sweet, fun, affectionate Airedale terrier.......not too big, but big enough so that Floyd doesn't think she's a "pretend" dog.  I think I like her almost as much as Floyd does.  She's a real sweetheart.

When we knew we were moving to South Africa, we faced the decision about what to do with Sossy.  She's only 3 years old, so she probably will live a good many years still.  Floyd has trained her well, so we hated to begin all over again with a puppy.  After much thought, discussion, and, yes, prayer......she came with us.  We're very happy about that.  She's like "family"......and is a sweet touch of "home."  Everyone loves her here, and she helps us meet new people.  There aren't many like her here, so people are always stopping us when we're out walking and asking us about her.

Unusual birds called guinea fowl roam the neighborhood here.  They can fly, but most of the time they walk around - in the street, in the yard.  They are funny shaped round birds with tiny little heads - very strange looking.  They can also be very annoying when they peck at your door, incessantly!!, wanting food.  A few times Sossy has been outside when they've been around and has chased them.  Now when they see her, they run. :}  It stopped the pecking on the door problem!!

Sossy loves to go for prayer walks with Floyd on the beach.  She treats the sand like snow.....getting her nose under it and flinging it in the air.  She also loves to run and run on the long beach.......as well as play with other dogs.  But she has stayed away from the water.

We were recently away for a few days, and some friends took care of Sossy.  One morning she fell into their swimming pool.  She was swimming, but crying........when they came out and rescued her.  She was really scared.  Needless to say, she's not a water dog!

She has become a protective, good watch dog too.  We hadn't seen that side of her before we moved here.  When Floyd is away, she steps this up a notch and feels she has to watch out for me!

Our sweet, furry friend is having her own African adventures!  If she could talk, I think she'd tell you that she loves living here.

"Whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name."  Genesis 2:19   I wonder what Adam would have called Sossy!  Maybe something like, well, "dog." :}

Mourning What is Lost - Honoring What Has Been

We experienced a tragedy recently when a pastor, a dear man of God, was shot and killed by a distraught man he had been counseling.  In fact, this man had tried to take his own life a few weeks before, and the pastor had found him and saved his life.

This pastor was a wonderful elder in the whole community of Masiphumelele, a township near where we live.  He was a servant to the people, highly respected.  He had lived and served in "Masi" for 18 years.  When there was a need or crisis, he was often the first one on the scene to help and minister.  He had touched many lives in the community.  The loss was widely felt.  The community responded with a quiet dignity and mourning, a sense of honor and respect for the leader they lost.

These events have caused me to think about how we grieve what has been lost. God cannot comfort us if we yield to the temptation to "spiritualize, rationalize, or criticize" when there is a loss. Giving into any one of these temptations, as a way of trying to help others through their grief, is a huge mistake. I have learned in my journey to avoid these three pitfalls. Let me explain why.

1. Don't over-spiritualize the loss of a great person or something precious to us with Christian cliches and superficial jargon . It is better just to say, "It hurts. I'm sorry. I will miss him." Commonly used phrases like, "The Lord understands," or "It was God's time," or "all things work together for good," are not only hurtful to those close to the one that we've lost, but can also denigrate the wrong choices of others who caused someone's death. These cliches lose their meaning by repeating them without thinking. They often reflect bad theology. For example, "all things do not work together for good..," but "in all things God works for good." There is a world of difference.

2. Don't rationalize or intellectualize someone's loss. There is a great temptation to find answers, to understand with our minds what must be responded to with our hearts. I have struggled this last week with why God would allow a great man to be killed tragically. There are times we should not try to explain what is unexplainable. There are aspects of our life on earth that do not fit into neat theological boxes. Even if we have the correct insight, it can be profoundly insensitive to speak it out. Far better to hold those thoughts and ponder them in our hearts.

3. A third way to respond to loss is to blame it on the enemy. Some people don't feel happy unless they have someone or something to blame. But the blame game will definitely hinder grieving. I get the impression that people believe Satan has more power than God.  Satan cannot do anything that God does not allow him to do. He is a created, fallen, finite being. He is a liar. He is limited. God does not cause evil to happen. God is not responsible for people's sinful choices, but He is greater than evil and sin. He can take the evil of this world and bring good out of it. The Bible says that God will cause even the wrath of sinful men to praise Him (Psalm 76:10).

On a natural level my human mind can't help but ask, "why him, Lord? He was one of the really good ones!  We need him." Though we shouldn't rationalize with human reasoning a serious loss, God does give insight and revelation. My heart has ached for this pastor's family (he left a wife, children, grandchildren), his congregation, and the community.  The need is so great.  Losing a life is always tragic, but losing this man has had an even greater impact.

As I have pondered this for the last couple weeks...... I was reading in Job and was struck by the words in Job 32:8 - "It is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand."  When Job reached a depth of humility and surrender to the gracious sovereignty of God, he was able then to receive wisdom and insight. "I have heard of you with the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see you..." (Job 42:5). Spiritual wisdom is revealed to the lowly of heart, not the mighty of mind. While I don't think we will ever have all our questions answered here on earth, I do believe God wants to give revelation and understanding to our hearts when our motive is to understand His ways .  It's His spirit in us that does that......for all the questions we bring to Him.  I continue to pray and seek God's perspective on these recent events.  While my heart grieves with those who mourn, my prayer is to respond with God's heart and with Godly understanding.

I've also prayed that many will be raised up to take this dear man's place!  His ministry was deeply rooted in the community, and now his very life has been sown into it.  Although I didn't have the privilege of knowing him personally in the short time we've been here, I honor him for the spiritual foundations he laid in the community.  I pray that there will be an abundance of eternal fruit from Pastor Phillip Mokson's life.

A New Year

I can't believe we're already a month into a new year!  Where did 2006 go?  It seemed to fly by!  Of course, I guess making a big international move had a little something to do with that.

We've had major things happening in these few beginning weeks of the year - wind, heat, fire, death.  There haven't been many "quiet" days.  It's felt at times like living in a war zone - certainly spiritually, if not physically.  You can almost feel the battle raging for the hearts and minds of people.  The enemy is at work, but God is the victor.

When the year began, I found myself praying and asking the Lord about what this year held in store.  There seemed to be lots of possibilities, a few certainties, and many questions.  I felt He spoke the verse at the bottom into my heart.  What a comfort to know that He's with us, and He doesn't fail.

I am a detailed, organized person.  I like to have "my ducks in a row."  I like to know what's around the corner so I can get ready and be prepared.  The last two years have been full of change, new beginnings.......and uncertainty. Uncertainty is hard for me, but, through the years, I've learned to be more flexible.  And I can be secure because of trusting the one who is our Rock!

A whole new year with lots of possibilities - and one absolute certainty........He is with us!!

"It is the Lord who goes before you; he will be with you, he will not fail you."  Deut. 31:8

Sally McClung

Every Day is an Adventure When You Live in Africa

Every day is an adventure for me in Africa. I never quite know what might be in store for my day when I wake up . There is, seemingly, never a dull day....and, I must say, I enjoy it a lot.

Fires - Recently, we've had a terrible fire blazing in our part of Cape Town. It was huge and continued burning for two days. We are house sitting for a friend in a home on the side of a mountain overlooking a valley. It has been both incredible and sad to watch the powerful destructive force of this fire. Sadly, there are also many fires in the townships that are destroying hundreds of homes of the poorest people in the city.

Snakes in the shower - On a more mundane, but certainly not boring level of life, my next door neighbor found a snake in her shower. It came up the drain. Needless to say, I look more carefully when I walk into the bathroom these days! I had seen a much larger snake just outside the door of a house we were looking at a few weeks ago. It was at one of the houses we were considering to buy. After seeing the snake, I wasn't very interested in that house!

Sad sounds - While I was doing emails this morning, I heard some rather horrible sounds. I listened and realized a wild animal was killing a cat! The wild animal was probably a lynx, a smallish wild cat about the size of an American bob cat.

And then there is the wind - Cape Town is known for its winds. They are powerful! We had heard about them, and now we're experiencing them. They have now been blowing for 6 days straight. I've expected the house to blow down a few times.

Summer during winter - December, January, and February are the hottest summer months in South Africa, when I'm used to it being winter. It's full-blown summer in the southern hemisphere, and it's been hot! I've had a few days when I've longed for nice, cool, air conditioning. A friend has lent us her car for a couple months. It has air conditioning. I've even been tempted to just go sit in the car to cool off!!

Strange bird sounds - I am awakened most mornings by the sound of very unusual bird calls. They are unlike any I've ever heard before. I don't even know what the birds look like, but I enjoy their morning concert.

Wild African animals - Many days we can see beautiful, wild African game in a small game reserve on the mountain behind us - springbok (playful), blesbuck (handsome), eland (majestic), and cape buffalo (ugly/beautiful). I love grabbing the binoculars and looking at them.

Driving on the left - I'm still getting used to driving on the left - quite a switch after 42 years of driving on the right (I started driving when I was 16, for those of you who are counting!). There are lots of pedestrians along the roadside, and the mini-van taxis are notorious for their speed and daring. I pray a lot when I drive.....and constantly remind myself to "think left"!

Tragedy in the townships - The past few days we have had some sad and tragic events take place. A pastor in the township near us was shot and killed by a distraught man he had been counseling. The pastor had served his community for 18 years, and had been a real servant to those in need. The loss of this dear man is being widely felt. We grieve with and for his family, his congregation, and the community. A day later, in the same township, there was a terrible, massive fire. Many homes were destroyed, and many people lost all their belongings. Some of these were people from the same church as the pastor who was killed. They lost their dear pastor and their home in two days.

Learning to love Africa - I can't say I understand life here, and my heart is heavy because of some of these recent events. But, yes, this is life in Africa - a wonderful place, and a place filled with need, sadness, and sometimes tragedy. I am learning to love Africa because God loves Africa. It's a new and different life from the one I've lived before. My heart is touched with its beauty, and broken with its need. It's my new homeland.

"The Lord your God is bringing you into a good land....." Deut. 8:7

Yours,
Sally McClung

Should We Love Muslims or Pray Against Them?

One scholar is predicting a clash of "Christian" and Muslim civilizations in the future, with inevitable victory being won by the more "dedicated" and persistent Muslim forces.

Others see Muslims as our enemies right now: "They are all terrorists at heart," they say.

Conservative Christians believe Muslims and Christians pray to different Gods, and that the true God does not hear a Muslim when he prays.

What do you believe?

Many followers of Jesus believe a proactive way to respond to the growing influence of Islam is to fast and pray during the month of Ramadan, the 30 day period each year when Muslims around the world fast and pray from sunrise to sunset. Learn how to be part of this world wide prayer movement at 30days.com. If you would like help thinking through these issues, or just some practical advice on how to reach out to Muslims, I recommend you check out this link today.

A helpful book on Islam is written by Carl Medearis, titled Pillars and Prophets. Carl lived in the Middle East for over ten years and offers insights into Islam without fear or prejudice.

Fire!!!

No, not the Holy Spirit kind - the natural kind!  Fire has been blazing in our valley for 2 days.

We are living (house-sitting for a friend) in a home on the side of a mountain overlooking a large valley.  Part of the valley is made up of what they call the "vlei" - a brush land nature preserve with a few scattered small lakes.  This area leads on out to the ocean.

A fire started in the afternoon in the vlei.  Two helicopters with huge water buckets battled the blaze for several hours, but had to stop when night came.  Firetrucks stood guard over the blaze during the night.

When I awoke the next morning, it was bigger than ever and spreading.  I told my neighbor that if this was a Calif. brush fire, they would be evacuating us all.  She calmly replied, "Not here."

The fire kept burning and spreading throughout the day, moving closer to the main road and to structures.  In early evening it turned into a big, bright orange ball as it hit an area of thick growth.  I watched it through the evening - almost like a fireworks display.  I again went to bed with the fire brightly blazing.

By the second morning, it was smaller.......and, thankfully, by that night it was only smoldering.  On the third morning I could plainly see the huge scorched area that had burned.  Wonderfully, no one was hurt.  I haven't heard the final report about structures.

Watching this fire was amazing - so large, so powerful, so fast, so all-consuming!  It was riveting.  I wanted to just stand and watch it's might and power.  I long to see that same thing happen with a spiritual fire in this land!!  May God light South Africa on fire with His Spirit.

"The flame sets the mountains ablaze......"  Psalm 83:14

Fire and Violence

A massive fire has been raging around one of the townships we are working in, just minutes from where we live in Cape Town, and then last night one of the pastors was killed. The township is called Massipumelele. Last night when the fire was blazing, there were emergency vehicles coming......we thought it was for the fire, but they turned into Massaphumele.The pastor who was shot and killed - Pastor Phillip Mokson - is a very good man who has done much good for the community of 18,000 people. He was a real elder in the community. There was a man in the church that he had been counseling. He was struggling with depression. He came into a prayer meeting with a gun, and shot the pastor in front of his family He just lost it. The pastor's family, his grandson, daughters and others - were there and saw it. The pastor has daughters with young children - he was the family patriarch.

Word has spread and people are all gathering at the church from the community. Members of our project team are helping to serve tea and snacks to people gathering at the church from the community.

This kind of violence hasn't happened in the community in a quite a while, so it's really shaken people. Please pray for God to bring good for the community out of the loss of this dear man's life. With the fire burning for 2 days (it's still going this morning, but smaller), there has been an uneasy "spirit" here.

Please be in prayer for the pastor's family and the community.

The Mighty Winds

"The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it."  John 3:8

That could have been written about Cape Town!!!  They told us about the winds when we were preparing to move here.  They call them the "Cape Doctor" because they blow so often that they keep the air quality clean and clear.  The air here is lovely and fresh.

We've been here long enough that we know what they're talking about now.  The wind blows and blows and blows!  And then it blows some more.  It blows loud!  It blows so strong you think the house will blow down.  It blows away everything you don't have anchored down outside.  And if you're outside, it blows you too!

Dec. and Jan. are supposed to be the windiest months, and we hadn't had much wind yet.......but then... wham!  It blew enough the last few days to make up for it.  In the summer the winds blow one direction (from the southeast)......in the winter another (from the northwest).  People build their houses (and decks for warm weather use) accordingly.

I actually quite enjoy all the different weather patterns here.  The weather changes continually - sometimes several times a day.  The variety is fascinating.  The home where we're house-sitting right now is on the side of a mountain overlooking the valley.  I love watching all the weather patterns move through the valley.

When I hear the winds begin to blow........I just think of the creator of the winds, and rejoice in His goodness in bringing us to this land of mighty winds.  I pray, too, that the winds of His Spirit will blow mightily across this land!!

A Southern Hemisphere Christmas

I love Christmas - not just a little, but a lot! It's my favorite time of the year. When I was growing up, it was the time of the year when it seemed like the whole family came together. It was also the time of year when I saw my dad's true, soft, generous heart. He often kept it well hidden the rest of the year. Every year he would vow and declare that he wasn't going to give any gifts. He didn't have enough money, people didn't need more stuff, prices were too high, etc. And every year, at the very last minute, he'd come to me quietly and ask me if I could help him shop - after everything was picked over, sizes were gone, and many shelves were bare! After awhile, I learned to look for "his" gifts early and ask the shop keepers to save them for us until his last minute shopping. He really had a sweet, tender heart, but I think he just didn't know how to show it.

I'm a sentimentalist. I love the decorations, the big tree, outside lights, the old songs, brightly wrapped gifts piled up under the tree, making cookies and candy, cold weather, snow when we were lucky, the fire roaring in the fireplace, hot chocolate, caroling, the stockings - you probably get the picture.

And now I find myself in a warm climate where everyone is barbequing and heading to the beach for the Christmas holiday season! Quite a change! I wondered how I would do. I was afraid I would be terribly homesick.

But I wasn't. The thing that made it very special was being with dear friends - friends we've known for 20-25 years - and new friends we've just met. It was such a treasure to be with them, to do fun things together, to laugh, talk, remember! The celebrating was different, but the richness was there because of the precious relationships. We all decided not to give gifts to each other, but I felt I was given a special gift - their love, welcome, and acceptance as we make our way in our new homeland. We had many invitations from other new friends here, too, who wanted to make sure we wouldn't be alone. I couldn't have been homesick if I'd tried!

I still like all the cold weather Christmas stuff, but I think I'll be okay in my new warm weather home! I'll find new ways to still be a Christmas sentimentalist!!

"A friend loves at all times......" Prov. 17:17