August Week 3 and 4

3rd Week

(Tobi, Me, Nosipho, Andrea, Beauty, Sunni)



(Phillip, Josh, Lucky)

Day 15: Tuesday August 21st

Today I had my 1st Xhosa class. Unfortunately everybody is ahead of me in learning the language. Hopefully I can get “one on one” private lessons so that I can catch up to everyone. At the new preschool we finished putting all the walls on. I was even allowed to use the power saw. Afterwards we filled in the cracks and nails with plaster. At the end of the day there were nine people and only one car. We had six people in the back and three people in the front.

(Beauty filling in the cracks)

(Mamma Veronica)

Day 16: Wednesday August 22nd

We had a late start this morning because we did not have all the supplies we needed to fill and sand the holes and cracks. I taught Sunday School today and we talked about courage and the Bible story was on David and Goliath. We made the courage bracelets that Grace Point Church donated to us. As usual we had over 100 kids and we ran out of stuff. At the end of the day we only had eight people and one car. Even though we had one less person in the car than yesterday it seemed that we had a lot of space.

Day 17: Thursday August 23rd

Before we finished sanding and filling the cracks with plaster we went to visit the mat factory. This is one of African Leaderships Job Creation. They are in the midst of creating a business plan so that they can sell more goods. Today we continued filling in the cracks and sanding the plaster. This process took us three days to do. What a tedious job. We also met the moderator of all the Presbyterian in Canada, Hans Comberg.

Day 18: Friday August 24th

Yeah, we finally started to paint today. We added two coats of paint, but the paint was so thin that we decided to buy higher quality paint and paint the third coat later. At Sunday School we told the story about the wordless book. I think the kids are getting used to us now and how we run things. I met a great boy named Honest. I really felt a connection with him. He is a 10 year old boy who can speak English well. I can see a lot of potential in him. I pray that I can built him up and encourage him to be the best that he can be.

Day 19: Saturday August 25th

This was Sunni’s last day in South Africa so we went sightseeing all day. Our 1st stop was at Boulders were the penguins are living. While we were there we saw some whales near the shore. It was a magnificent slight to behold. Our 2nd stop was Cape Point. Cape Point is where the Indian and Atlantic Ocean meets together. We saw lizards, baboons and zebra’s. We had a great time looking at God’s beautiful creation and taking funny pictures. After sightseeing at Cape Point I started my first driving lessons (standard car). The 3rd place we went to was Table Mountain. The view was spectacular. You can see all of Cape Town and the surrounding areas. The 4th place we went to was the market place to buy African gifts and then we went to the waterfront. There was so much to see and do and so little time. The white section of Cape Town reminds me a little bit of Vancouver. It is very clean and beautiful with flushing toilets and toilet paper. It is such a great contrast to the black people’s area in Khayelitsha. In the evening all the missionaries got together for a time of fellowship and I got to meet everybody involved in African Leadership. Once everybody left we decided to rent a movie and they made me drive again in the dark. What an adventure. I ended up driving on the wrong side of the street and doing silly things. Overall it was a fun day full of wonderful memories.

(Zeta, Me, Andrea)

(Wind blown tree)

(Andrea, Zeta, Me, Tobi)



Day 20: Sunday August 26th

We went to church in Khaylitsha and I drove there. After church Zeta took us to his favourite beach for a picnic and it started to rain. We ended up packing up and then stopping at a walkway on the beach until it stopped raining. We went for a walk and decided to play at the kid’s playground. Then it just down poured on us and we got all wet. We ended our day watching the sunset on the beach and then going for a walk at the Water front in downtown Cape Town. It was another day full of adventures.

Day 21: Monday August 27th

Today Tobi asked me to share at the prayer and worship time at the Bible College. I decided to share about how God provided for me and how he supplied my every need especially when it came to a car and my condo. Later on we researched on the internet for a car for me and then went out to look for a car at used car lots. It took us the whole day and I was somewhat frustrated because I didn’t know what I was looking for. We arrived at the mission home around 4:30 pm and Zeta didn’t have the keys to let us in. I finally had to climb over the fence.


Day 22: Tues August 28th

Phillip and I went to look for a car again and I had a better experience this time. I just ended up collecting tons of car quotes. In the afternoon I joined Angie who is in charge of the sports ministries and saw what she does each day.


Week 4

Day 23: Wednesday August 29th

This was our third day to look for a car and at the second lot we stopped at I found a 1998 White Mazda (130 km) for $28000 rand (almost $5000 Canadian). It has no air conditioning or a radio, but it was the right price. I am now debating if I should add A/C in the car. Any ways I am glad that is over now.

(Phillip, Josh, Ruyun, Esther, Ruth, Hannah)

Day 24: Thursday August 30th

We were late for the prayer and worship time at the college because somebody locked the keys to the car that I was going to drive. Paul finally got the keys by unrolling the window and using the coat hanger. Afterwards we went to new preschool sights and then drove to the waterfront to eat lunch with Josh. (Who is leaving today for Canada.) We saw a lot of warships docked at the waterfront while we were eating lunch. We then went to the car dealership and gave them my passport and identity picture so that they can process the papers for me to get the car. It will be ready tomorrow, but I don’t have the money yet in my bank account to buy it. Hopefully it will come soon!

Day 25: Friday August 31st

Andrea and I were taken to another preschool this morning and were asked to help out. The Mamma was too busy to help us, therefore, we didn’t have a translator to help us with the kids. We had a lot of time on our hands and the kids were somewhat out of control. We just did our best and the kids enjoyed their time with us anyways. Around 1:00 pm Pastor Ohm picked us up for lunch at Wimpy’s Burger’s and told us all about how the preschool run. In the evening Andrea decided to cook a Mexican dinner, but we couldn’t find the right ingredients to make burritos. We ended up making spaghetti instead. It’s really hard to cook different kinds of meals here because they don’t have a huge selection of ingredients.


Day 26: Saturday September 1st

Today Pastor Ohm loaned me the money to buy my car, but it wasn’t ready yet. I ended up staying at the house and cleaning and organizing all the supplies that the short-term missions teams left. In the afternoon I went to the youth worship and they talked about the difference between vision and dreams. Then Paul and Zeta invited me out for dinner with them to a Korean Restaurant.

(Saying good-bye to Tobi at the airport)

Day 27: Sunday September 2nd

Today I went to church with Paul at the University of Cape Town Church. We met Tobi and Richard there. The service is similar to the church in Canada. We then had lunch at this Rhodes Memorial Gardens just below Table Mountain. The view is amazing and the food and company was great. In the evening we helped Tobi pack her clothes and said good-bye to her at the airport.

(These are some of the Mama's that are in charge of the Preschools)

Day 28: Monday September 3rd

I phoned to see if my car was ready yet, but they were still working on it. Pastor Ohm then brought me to 4 preschools and I met all the staff.

(Mixing sand the cement together)

(Adding water to the cement mixer)

Day 29: Tuesday Sept 4th

Today after prayer and worship time we started to lay the floor cement on the mat factory. We first had to dig deep into the sand to get the good sand to mix in with the cement. When I got home I started to teach Ruth and Hannah how to read. (Ruth (6) and Hannah (5) are sisters staying at the Mission home for a couple of weeks because they are waiting to move to Lesotho with their family to start a new ministry there.) I am getting my teaching fix!