DAY 8 IN SOUTH AFRICA
Wow, the end is almost upon us. Today is the next to last day for our team here in South Africa. Today was another fun day for us as our mission work is over and we were able to visit some more sites. Today we spent the majority of our day at Robben Island. For those of you who aren't history buffs, Robben Island is the notorious prison several miles off the coast of Cape Town. It is the place where political prisoners during the Apartheid era here in South Africa were kept, most notably, Nelson Mandela. It is now a museum.
There was a 40 minute boat ride over to the island itself where we were then given a bus tour of all of the facilities on the campus as well as the story of what happened. We then went into the maximum prison where we were given a tour of the facility by a former prisoner. We were able to see a lot of the facility, most importantly the former cell in which Mr. Mandela was held. We learned a lot about what happened at this facility and it was really eye opening.
After our trip to the Robben Island museum, we grabbed some lunch at the waterfront mall, and then went by the Green Market downtown where I was able to FINALLY pick up a South African national soccer jersey for myself. When we finished there, we went riding through the beautiful Hout Bay area which is just a marvelous piece of the Western Cape before eating supper at the ACTS Team House (ACTS "African Christian Tours & Safaris" is the organization which handled the planning of our trip). The Team House is a facility where ACTS usually houses their teams but it was already being occupied by a team from Carson-Newman College, hence why we stayed this week at Silver Palms here in Nordhoek.
Tomorrow we will be going back to Barcelona for church services with Julius and his church that we visited last Saturday. This will be a very traditional African service in music and celebration which I am really looking forward to. We will then make a third attempt to visit Table Mountain (as weather as prevented our previous two attempts this week), before spending time at our friend Bonnies house, an International Missions Board missionary's house, Bonnie. Following dinner and fellowship at Bonnie's house we will then head to the airport to begin our trip back to North Carolina.
It feels like we just got here, but then at the same time I can tell we have been here all week. It is a bittersweet feeling as I am sitting here looking at my bed with all of my things that I am packing. Bonnie told us tonight that when we leave here a piece of our heart will be left here in Africa, and I know she is going to be right. This has been one of the best experiences of my life, not just because of being able to visit an absolutely beautiful city and visit some amazing places, but even more, the ministry we were able to be a part of is unlike anything I have ever done before. I am eternally grateful to all of those who made it possible for me to be here.
I am already making plans to come back here sometime soon. I don't know what will be next mission trip, but with already having been on two this year, God has placed a great desire in my heart to continue to go and to serve. But the thing I am reminded of is that we don't have to travel halfway across the world, or even out of the state to go on a mission. There are many many people who need to know the love of God right in your and my community. We just have to allow ourselves to be open to when God speaks. He speaks to all of us, the only difference is those who listen and those who don't. Don't miss out on the great things God is calling you to do.
Wow, the end is almost upon us. Today is the next to last day for our team here in South Africa. Today was another fun day for us as our mission work is over and we were able to visit some more sites. Today we spent the majority of our day at Robben Island. For those of you who aren't history buffs, Robben Island is the notorious prison several miles off the coast of Cape Town. It is the place where political prisoners during the Apartheid era here in South Africa were kept, most notably, Nelson Mandela. It is now a museum.
There was a 40 minute boat ride over to the island itself where we were then given a bus tour of all of the facilities on the campus as well as the story of what happened. We then went into the maximum prison where we were given a tour of the facility by a former prisoner. We were able to see a lot of the facility, most importantly the former cell in which Mr. Mandela was held. We learned a lot about what happened at this facility and it was really eye opening.
Photo of first prisoners arriving at Robben Island
Our tour guide who is a former prisoner who spent 4 years on Robben Island
Nelson Mandela's former prison cell on Robben Island
Tomorrow we will be going back to Barcelona for church services with Julius and his church that we visited last Saturday. This will be a very traditional African service in music and celebration which I am really looking forward to. We will then make a third attempt to visit Table Mountain (as weather as prevented our previous two attempts this week), before spending time at our friend Bonnies house, an International Missions Board missionary's house, Bonnie. Following dinner and fellowship at Bonnie's house we will then head to the airport to begin our trip back to North Carolina.
It feels like we just got here, but then at the same time I can tell we have been here all week. It is a bittersweet feeling as I am sitting here looking at my bed with all of my things that I am packing. Bonnie told us tonight that when we leave here a piece of our heart will be left here in Africa, and I know she is going to be right. This has been one of the best experiences of my life, not just because of being able to visit an absolutely beautiful city and visit some amazing places, but even more, the ministry we were able to be a part of is unlike anything I have ever done before. I am eternally grateful to all of those who made it possible for me to be here.
I am already making plans to come back here sometime soon. I don't know what will be next mission trip, but with already having been on two this year, God has placed a great desire in my heart to continue to go and to serve. But the thing I am reminded of is that we don't have to travel halfway across the world, or even out of the state to go on a mission. There are many many people who need to know the love of God right in your and my community. We just have to allow ourselves to be open to when God speaks. He speaks to all of us, the only difference is those who listen and those who don't. Don't miss out on the great things God is calling you to do.
Sunset here in South Africa in Hout Bay
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