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.