First Christmas in RSA

Well, we were away from home for the first time ever during Christmas.  We missed being with our family, but had a wonderful day.  We began the day by Skyping, Yaya and Poppy and Mammy.  We had to get the girls up at 6 am to do this and our folks in the states had to stay up until just about midnight to see Isabel and Kylie open their presents.  Isn't the internet wonderful.  After the excitement of the morning I had the opportunity to preach at Snake Park.  Although many were not their it was a joy to share the gospel on Christmas day.  Which is what it is all about, right?  Well, I loved it!  That afternoon our team and friends came over for lunch.  It was great, and very close to mom's cooking.  Frank's turkey was excellent and could only be topped by mom's, but everyone knows that.  We had a great afternoon of eating and fellowship and finished up with an intense round of White Elephant gift exchange.  So, first Christmas in RSA, a little warm, but not too bad.  Anyway, Merry Christmas and a happy Boxing Day to you all!

Bunny Chow

Today, after a hard day of visiting in Soweto, my friend Given took me took a place to enjoy a South African “delicacy”.  It's called Bunny Chow.  It is basically hollowed out bread with pretty much anything inside of it.  I think the Bunny Chow first began with the Indians who first came to work in South Africa.  Instead of carrying containers for bread and curry, it was easier to hollow the bread out and place the curry inside and then place the bread back over the top.  Basically, the meal was also a container.

My Bunny Chow had chips (french fries for you guys in the states), cheese, a fried egg, and some kind of bologna type meat in it.  Along with these ingredients it also had some type of spice like red chili pepper on it.  It was pretty good at first, but kind of got old as you kept eating it.  I took some home to Georgia and she did not seem to care for it.  I will probably try it again soon.  I hear there are countless combinations of it.  There's nothing like buying something on the side of the road and eating it.

Dobsonville

This past Saturday we had a great morning evangelizing in the area where I will be working next year.  Six of us went into the streets of Dobsonville and passed out Challenge Newspapers.  These are newspapers full of stories of people and how Jesus has changed their lives.  It's a really great tool to get people talking because it has stories of people from South Africa and sports figures on the back page telling how Jesus has changed their lives.  Through this we were able to show our faces in the area, meet people, and make contacts.  A few people seemed quite interested in beginning a Bible study in their home which would be wonderful. It's definitely a different place.  Many of the men were already busy drinking (or actually beyond busy) and it was only 10 o'clock in the morning.  God was good, as he always is, and answered prayers of meeting new people and giving all of us safe passage.

Braaing in Soweto

This week we were busy doing follow ups with the schools that we hope to work in next term.  We had a very successful day.  I met with all but one of my schools, as well as going to some of the other schools that Zach, Amber, and Rachel will be working. It was a beautiful day and as lunch was approaching, Zach, suggested that we try the Buy and Braai.  Braaing is the term in South Africa that we would call grilling or cooking out.  Anyway, they have these stores that have meat to purchase and then right outside on the street is a braai (grill).  So you buy and then you braai.  I was very fortunate to be given the honor of braaing that day, which was my first experience braaing in South Africa.  The meat was great and I think we were the main attraction that day as it was hot, we were braaing on the street, and were the only mulungos (white people) within miles.

Thanksgiving in RSA

So, it is Thanksgiving today.  Well, not in South Africa, due to the lack of Pilgrims, but in our wonderful home country.  Anyway, I think this is the first Thanksgiving that I actually spent working instead of eating.  However, all work and no play makes Brad a dull boy.  So, after work, Zack, Amber, Rachel, Alan, and I, along with a few of our national friends, decided to spend the afternoon sliding down the mine deposits in Soweto.  We had a plan, which involved two small plastic swimming pools and the force of gravity.  However, that did not work out as planned.  The sand was extremely soft and we only went about three feet down the hill.  Luckily, our national friends brought along cardboard and with the help of Zack, he and I made it down the hill in one piece.  I even came home with a couple of kilos of sand in my pants.  I have so much to be thankful for!

To top off the day, I got to take my three girls out for Thanksgiving dinner and it was great!  For a change we had steak, which I do prefer over turkey, and enjoyed for the first time since we landed in this beautiful country.  I’ll say it again.  I have so much to be thankful for!

Baptism in the Klip River

It was an amazing day today. I had the opportunity to assist in a baptism with Alan. I was honored to be asked to help baptize my friend and brother in Christ, Jerry. God was truly good to us on this day.  For the past six days the high has been in the 50's and 60's, cold, and rainy. We were not even sure if we would have a baptism today, but God came through, like He always does. It was a perfect, warm, and beautiful day.

Not only was it my first experience with baptizing another person, but it was also in a river! The water was cold, but, it was no where near as cold as the water in the Jordan (Pastor Rich, you know what I am talking about). Afterwards we had a great time of fellowship. It's wonderful to have a baptism here and to see the excitement and pure joy on the faces of those around you. Isn't our God great! Anyway, I just wanted to share this amazing day with all of you back home and abroad praying for my family and me. We love you all!

Do they have bacon here?

OK, so about a week or two back, I discovered that there is "bacon" in South Africa. Unfortunately, many products here made from pig are called bacon. What many South Africans call bacon I would definitely call ham. The first "bacon" we bought was more rectangular in shape and the second type was in the shape of a circle. The problem was not the shape, but the taste and yes, you guessed it - IT TASTE LIKE HAM. So we asked around and our team let us know that what we are looking for is called Streaky Bacon. Which when you think about it bacon is in the shape of a streak, right. Is streaky a shape? Well, it's close to being like back home bacon, but it surely isn't Carolina Pride.

Soweto Towers

After prayer meeting this morning. Alan, Zack, and I went to Lehae to speak to the principal at the school there and then to visit. We visited a church member and then tried to locate another, but were unlucky. It has been unusually cold and rainy this week, so most stay inside or find something to do. We picked up Jerry, and then went to see Pastor Hughie and his wife Sylvia, who just had surgery. It was my first time meeting her and we had a wonderful visit. On the way back to take Jerry home we stopped by the Soweto Towers and took a look. They are amazing and I've heard that you can bungie jump from them. The only problem is that Zach has to get Alan's (our supervisor) permission and I have to get Georgia's permission. I guess we will probably have to settle for the view from below for now. If it ever happens, there will be some video, I promise. I guess only if I were to survive of course.

South Africa has internet?

OK, so we finally got internet two days ago. It only took the very "westernized" South Africa a month to hook it up. Pretty good, I guess they are about as quick as Time Warner back home.

So I am going to begin this blog thing. Georgia, has already started a blog for her and the girls. I guess I better do one so she won't show me up.

It has been busy around here for the past two weeks. I have had the opportunity to coach soccer, lead Bible study, preach at a youth conference (pictured), referee four soccer matches at our first tournament, preaching at the tournament, and I got a really nice sunburn as well. It's great to be in the place where God called you. We are all adjusting very well I think, and the package that Mammy sent from the States made everything even better. That Pillsbury Dark Chocolate cake mix was amazing!

Anyway I guess that I will update this later.

Back in South Carolina

Well, we've been back in town for a few days and are doing our best to go through all the stuff that we have scattered at various homes. Hopefully, in the next few days we will be much closer to packing for the trip to South Africa. What do you take for 2 years? I'm thinking just clothes and we'll figure out the rest when we get there.

Time does fly. It seems like only yesterday we were leaving for Virginia and here we are packing to get ready to go overseas.

Well, I must go. I am simply trying out this blog thing. Hopefully, it will be useful.

Brad