South Africa through the Lens of Kehfin

We arrived at Capetown International Airport at 9 am on Friday January 7th (2 am back home), and after 19 hours of British plane rides with "proper right" meals and toilets instead of bathrooms, and 9 hours of loitering in the London airport, the best thing we could have asked for was to have our smelly, greasy, un-showered bodies greeted by the warm, South African summer air! IN JANUARY boo-yah!

It took a while for it to register in my mind that I was actually on a different continent for the first time in my life. The Sun was shining and we were all trudging through the airport with our thick winter jackets that were so essential hours before in London. The ACTS staff readily greeted us and we loaded up the vans and headed to The Team House in Noordhoek, which is where we are staying for the entire month. On the way to the house where we would be staying

for the month, we passed a section of the highway where just off the road there was an enormous cluster the size of a common suburban neighborhood of small "shanties", which is slang for metal shacks. These shanties were no bigger than the shed in my backyard where my family stores our lawnmower, and yet it was apparent that many families were living in these and calling them home. At that point in the car ride, which was minutes after we left the airport, the car was completely silent. No one was speaking, but we all knew what each other was thinking. I didn't expect to witness such a harsh reality so abruptly in the trip, however, it was the first eye-opening experience I had.

We soon pulled to the Team House in Noordhoek. The house is awesome and sits literally next to the beach. We get to wake up to the sound of waves crashing on the rocks and a view of the Atlantic Ocean and mountains in the distance that requires hours to take it all in. The only downside is that the ocean water at the beach is absolutely frigid and only someone who has gone completely zonkers would swim in it. From how I've already described this place, one might think that there is little room to complain, and I would have to concur.

Aside from all the awesome landscapes and beautiful weather, I feel that it is important to not get lost in the appeal of this trip as a vacation, but to remember that I, as well as the rest of my team, am here on a mission to serve God and serve others. I hope that I can keep Him as the center and focus of every interaction and experience I have. Some ways to reinforce that mentality are daily devotionals that we are encouraged to do. The devotional guide has been prepared by Molly Baker, she's the bee's knees, and it is really providing some great Scripture to encourage me.

One of the best verses I've read so far in my devotions is 2 Timothy 2:7-"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline."

This verse really calmed any fears or insecurities I had about this missions trip. I know that if I rely on God and fill myself with His holy spirit, He will use me for his purpose and that any ministry I complete will be pleasing and glorifying to Him.

So, this being my first blog entry, I'll leave it at that and describe more of my first week in South Africa later. Please continue to pray for our team and I just want to say that I am blessed to be here and glad to have so much support from everyone back home!