July 23, 2007
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South Africa Update #3
We did not receive this update the first time it was sent. Here is the third update from the South Africa Team.
Hello again from Vryheid,
We have returned back to DHQ after a circular route
around the eastern part of the division. I will start
with our first stop after Mountain View Hospital, the
town of Nongoma. Although Nongoma is a rural town,
there is a bustling market area that is packed with
cars. There are only two gas stations and there are
almost constant lines at both of them. At times you
forget that you are still out in the country until a
group of cows amble in front of you on the sidewalk.
The corps here is a beautiful building that covered
in light brown bricks with stained glass windows. It
is very different from the other corps we have seen so
far. The Captains told us that the entire building was
donated by a local benefactor.
On Saturday, the team went out to the Thokazi
Corps to run a Kidz Club and a Home League meeting.
The corps is very secluded and is miles away from
paved road and surrounded by fields of grasses with
the low growing type of trees one thinks of when
thinking of Africa. The home league ladies were so
glad to see us. The Zulu culture places a very strong
value on hospitality and we have been treated so
warmly by everyone we meet.
After the meetings, we drove the long way back to
Nongoma where we held another Kidz Club meeting. Some
of us sat in on Youth Band and Chorus rehearsals; both
which are lead by a 17 year old who does a fine job.
Sunday morning, we gathered for worship at the
corps. The team participated in the service by playing
in the band, performing a drama, providing special
music, prayer, scripture reading (done partially in
Zulu), and Grant delivered the message. After church,
we were invited to come to an Anglican Tent Meeting in
town. We got there at 5:30 where a packed tent was
already moving with praises. The excitement kept going
with greetings, testimonies, songs and dancing until
we were called up to the platform to introduce
ourselves. By 8:30, the sermon started. It was after 9
when our group had to leave and the meeting was still
going with just as much shouting and singing as the
beginning.
On Monday morning we went on another outing to the
Hlabisa corps which is about 12 feet wide by 25 feet
long and made of planks lashed together with a
corrugated metal roof. We led a kids meeting there and
then headed back to the Nongoma corps for a farewell
braai (BBQ).
We spent the last few days in Ulundi which is
probably the largest town we have been in yet. This
weeks ministries were quite different than our
previous stops in that we were very involved with the
local government. We met at different police stations
for devotions in the morning and were guided through
government offices to pray and sing with the city
officials. It has been very encouraging to see a
strong Christian influence in the leadership of this
municipality and we have learned a lot here.
We are spending the night in Vryheid and preparing
for the next part of our ministry in Madadeni. It has
been a great night here with the Majors Harms as we
celebrated Dana’s birthday and were all able to laugh
and enjoy one another. I will write as soon as I am
able. Thank you all for your prayers because the
results have been visible in this last week.Sala Kahle,
Doug, Dana, Grant, Katy, Bongani, Sarah, Mona,
Thandeka, and Alberto
