Back in the USA or at least somewhere over it on a United Jetliner

What a surreal experience it is to have been so immersed in a culture and continent so different from our own for over 2 weeks and then to be thrust back into the microcosm of our culture as seen at Washington Dulles International Airport. After a long (made even longer by a security problem at our refueling point in Dakar, Senegal) sleepless, overnight trip from Johannesburg to Washington, we breezed through Customs, washed up and brushed our teeth then wasted no time heading for the closest Starbucks Stand. Unless you bring your own coffee to Africa, it seems that the only coffee you can get is NesCafe Instant. My Iced Americano never tasted better.

That luxury aside, Judy and I found ourselves reliving the experiences, sights, and most of all, people that we had encountered on this Mission Trip. We both realize that it was a once in a lifetime, profoundly enriching experience for us, for the rest of the team, our church and community, and, we hope, for the various lives we touched and were touched by.

After the rest of the team parted with us for their return to the US, Judy and I were met at OR Tambo International Airport in Jo’burgh (that’s what locals call Johannesburgh) by Karl Teichert, one of Calvary’s Missionaries with OC International in South Africa. He took us to the home of John, Heather, Micah, Caleb and Jake Witherow (also missionaries with OCI) where we enjoyed Braii (pronounced Bri) or what we would call a Barbecue. In addition to the Witherows, Karl’s family of Jenny, Anne, Scott, Stephen and John joined us. It was wonderful fellowship to all be together and to watch their faces as we unpacked the goodies we had brought for them from the states; things such as Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers, Graham Crackers, Macaroni and Cheese, Angel Food Cake Mixes, Starbucks Coffee, Duct tape, books and clothes. We take things so for granted, it was really amazing to see how such simple things could bring such joy.

That night we had a chilly – no, downright frigid - night of sleep. It gets cold in Johannesburg this time of year. The temperature was down in the low 30s F at night and only in the 50s during the day. None of the houses are built with heat. Speed records were set for morning showers that day.

On Tuesday, the Teicherts picked us up for a drive to Nelspruit and Matsul; About 4 hours north and east of Jo’burg. There we met Jane Mongwe, the wife of the Adam Mongwe who pastors the Sonrise Community Church in Nelspruit – a church planted by and equipped with leadership through the efforts of OCI. Jane has been working to begin a ministry with orphans and widows in a deprived area north of town. Eventually the plan is to build a community care center that will provide day care for infants and toddlers, medical care, counseling and support for those affected by HIV/AIDS. Even now they are encouraging and helping children to live as families and parents as this has proven to be a better environment than living in an orphanage. One gripping story was that of a young 14 year old girl whose parents both died of AIDS. She now lives with 3 cousins who also have no parents. The oldest is a 17 year old girl who is in her “matric” year (senior in high school) and is working hard to excel and go on to become a mechanical engineer. This is no easy task under the best of circumstances but is made even more difficult because she herself has a two year old child. We gave each of these "family members" Bibles and New Testaments, prayed with them, and then almost as an afterthought gave them a roll of duct tape, a package of lined notebook paper and a hand held calculator. The spontaneous, heartfelt exclamation of gratitude to God for such a simple thing as notebook paper was more than enough to bring tears to our eyes. We visited two families in this same area and it was yet another experience of us feeling that we had received more blessing than we had given.

That night the Teicherts and us had reservations to stay at a Mission Air Station just outside Nelspruit. Thinking we would be housed in very modest, cramped accommodations, we found that Mercy Air – an international aviation support ministry – rents out a large guest house. It would be an understatement to say that this was a true oasis of comfort and luxury set amidst lush orchards of oranges, avocadoes, bananas, and pine and eucalyptus forests (grown strictly for paper manufacture). It is also just a short drive from the Kruger Game Park – one of Africa’s largest and most popular tourist destinations.

Wednesday was spent driving through the reserve and viewing the majesty and wonder of the African Savannah. We were able to see first hand 21 of the 33 most common species in the park. In fact, we saw four of the big five – lions, cape buffalo, elephants and rhinos (we didn’t see a leopard). Though only 200 kms (120 miles) from Jo’burgh, it is an entirely different climate and we sweltered under 95 degree heat there. Later that night, we attended the Pongwe’s church where I was privileged to bring the message to a group of about 40 warm, loving, brothers and sisters. Worship was different than it might have been because their keyboard player had been hijacked at gunpoint and his keyboard, wallet, cell phone and bucky (Pickup truck) had been taken. Fortunately he had not been shot as is often the case in South Africa. Pastor Adam had Judy and I come to the front of the church where he and an elder laid hands on us and prayed for us, our ministry and our church while the rest of the congregation prayed African style – all at once, out loud and in many different tongues. It was quite a moving experience. Adam, having been trained and equipped by OCI is now an integral part of the Church Planting Alliance – an ecumenical group that is seeking to train, place and equip pastors in new, under-churched areas throughout South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.

Thursday we drove back to Jo’burg and enjoyed another dinner with Teicherts and Witherows at a wonderful restaurant called Moyo’s featuring traditional African food, music, décor and face painting. Quite an experience. Friday morning, we packed up, left the Teichert house and visited OCI’s offices, did a little more shopping and then spent the better part of the day at the Apartheid Museum – a very sobering experience. From there, it was on to the airport for the aforementioned flight home.

There you have it – the last of an incredible trip but not the last of the memories to be cherished, stories to be told and partnerships to be nurtured and furthered. I plan on keeping the diary open so that other members of the team can write entries that would express their own feelings and thoughts after having returned home as well. We shared so much, but I know their experiences and perspectives are probably different and more profound than mine.

I can’t help but feel a little bit like the Apostle Paul who, after visiting and ministering in different cities and churches, commonly wrote back to them saying he constantly thanked God for them as he remembered them in his prayers. I will forever give thanks to God as well as I remember Rachel, Joy, Ted, Capier, Bishop Joseph, Mwombe, Shadrack, Kristin, Paul, Valentine, Eddie, MaryJane, Innocent, Compassion, Adam, Jane, Karl and Jenny and family, and John and Heather and family. More than names from a distant land, these are now people with whom we share a common blessing and experience. I hope that you will join with me in praying for these dear brothers and sisters in Christ. They are a real part of who we are and what the kingdom of heaven is.

In the OCI office, I was moved to tears by a poster depicting a different slant on the Lord’s Supper. It showed gathered around the table of the Lord, men and women of every age, culture, language, and color. May we never forget that we are just one small part of the kingdom and that one day we will sit at that table where people will come from north and south and east and west to sit at the table in true unity.

7/12/2008 : view on map : permalink : add a comment