Our itinerary and Glossary
By Ben (Finally!)
Sorry that this is my first post for South Africa. Its not that Alicia is experiencing more than I am, but simply that I am a very slow typer.
Here is our basic itinerary so that you can pray for us as we go:
July 31- August 15 Cape Town, South Africa.
Highlights- Aug. 5 Ben speaking at the evening service at Calvary Sanctuary.
August 8 Alicia is speaking for National Women's Day
Aug. 10-11 Ben is giving several seminars of drug abuse, youth ministry and family in Hanover Park- a sub-economic area.
Aug. 10 Ben and Alicia leading youth group for Calvary Sanctuary (The Church that is hosting us.)
We will also be visiting squatter camps, farming projects, and runaway teen shelters; and seeming the sights around the Western Cape.
August 15 Fly from Cape Town to Johannesburg, SA (Where it actually snowed two days ago. Everybody here is freaking out!)
Aug. 16 Bus from Jo-berg to Manzini. Swaziland
Highlights- In Swaziland we will be staying with a woman named Jabu who works with PACWA doing AIDS prevention and education. This will be very different from things in SA. We don't really know what to expect. We do know that there will be a large youth conference, and that I will be speaking.
Aug. 20 Bus from Manzini to Durban
We will be taking backpackers busses, and staying in hostels. We've heard that these are quite safe (Mom). Durban is where Gandhi praticed law before he started his world changing career of not eating.
Aug. 22 Bus to Port Elizabeth (There was a major flood here yesterday, but things should be better by there time we are there.)
Aug. 23 Bus to Cape Town.
Aug. 30 Depart for home.
Highlights- Seeing each one of your beautiful faces again.
Now for a brief glossary to aid in reading the rest of this blog:
African Renissance - The hope that the best days of this continent are at hand, and that there is a revolution afoot that is being led by Africans for Africans. They looking inward for hope and sings of progress, not to the West or East. Neither are they looking to the South for that matter. (Sorry Antarctica.)
Community Development- The stragegy and idea behind rehabilitating whole communities in poor areas in a holistic way. Development is more than giving a man a fish, but teaching a man how to fish, and teaching him how to teach his neighbors how to fish. It is more than pulling people our of a rushing river, but it involves heading up stream to stop whatever is causing them to fall in. Christian may translate this word "transformation." What would that make Developing Nations? Hmm.
apartheid- The South African governments policies of racial discrimination and segregation that is one of the primary roots of the suffering that people still encounter. Especially blacks and coloreds.
Colored- Having both black and white background. (It was only the "pure" whites who had any benefits under the apartheid system.)
Nelson Mandela - Not a communist.
Stupid- Not sleeping the night before I left. (For Ben, not for Alicia)
Afrikaans- The white people of Dutch and British decent and their language.
Xhosa- Pronounced (click you tongue) hosa. The prominent African tribe here in the Cape and their language.
Raand - The money of SA equal to about $6.75
Sorry that I use so many parenthesis. (Actually I'm not sorry at all!)
Sorry that this is my first post for South Africa. Its not that Alicia is experiencing more than I am, but simply that I am a very slow typer.
Here is our basic itinerary so that you can pray for us as we go:
July 31- August 15 Cape Town, South Africa.
Highlights- Aug. 5 Ben speaking at the evening service at Calvary Sanctuary.
August 8 Alicia is speaking for National Women's Day
Aug. 10-11 Ben is giving several seminars of drug abuse, youth ministry and family in Hanover Park- a sub-economic area.
Aug. 10 Ben and Alicia leading youth group for Calvary Sanctuary (The Church that is hosting us.)
We will also be visiting squatter camps, farming projects, and runaway teen shelters; and seeming the sights around the Western Cape.
August 15 Fly from Cape Town to Johannesburg, SA (Where it actually snowed two days ago. Everybody here is freaking out!)
Aug. 16 Bus from Jo-berg to Manzini. Swaziland
Highlights- In Swaziland we will be staying with a woman named Jabu who works with PACWA doing AIDS prevention and education. This will be very different from things in SA. We don't really know what to expect. We do know that there will be a large youth conference, and that I will be speaking.
Aug. 20 Bus from Manzini to Durban
We will be taking backpackers busses, and staying in hostels. We've heard that these are quite safe (Mom). Durban is where Gandhi praticed law before he started his world changing career of not eating.
Aug. 22 Bus to Port Elizabeth (There was a major flood here yesterday, but things should be better by there time we are there.)
Aug. 23 Bus to Cape Town.
Aug. 30 Depart for home.
Highlights- Seeing each one of your beautiful faces again.
Now for a brief glossary to aid in reading the rest of this blog:
African Renissance - The hope that the best days of this continent are at hand, and that there is a revolution afoot that is being led by Africans for Africans. They looking inward for hope and sings of progress, not to the West or East. Neither are they looking to the South for that matter. (Sorry Antarctica.)
Community Development- The stragegy and idea behind rehabilitating whole communities in poor areas in a holistic way. Development is more than giving a man a fish, but teaching a man how to fish, and teaching him how to teach his neighbors how to fish. It is more than pulling people our of a rushing river, but it involves heading up stream to stop whatever is causing them to fall in. Christian may translate this word "transformation." What would that make Developing Nations? Hmm.
apartheid- The South African governments policies of racial discrimination and segregation that is one of the primary roots of the suffering that people still encounter. Especially blacks and coloreds.
Colored- Having both black and white background. (It was only the "pure" whites who had any benefits under the apartheid system.)
Nelson Mandela - Not a communist.
Stupid- Not sleeping the night before I left. (For Ben, not for Alicia)
Afrikaans- The white people of Dutch and British decent and their language.
Xhosa- Pronounced (click you tongue) hosa. The prominent African tribe here in the Cape and their language.
Raand - The money of SA equal to about $6.75
Sorry that I use so many parenthesis. (Actually I'm not sorry at all!)
posted by The Mongoose Chronicle at 8:24 AM
4 Comments:
I just finished reading The Mongoose Chronicles up to this point, and I feel as though I was taken to another world. I am humbled by your words. I admire all that the two of you are doing. I can feel the love that you have for each other, for your families, for your fellow man, and for your Maker. I am amazed at how these websites can allow us to peek into your window from so far away! I will be tuning in regularly and praying for you along with so many others.
Love, Serena
PS1 Will have to speak with Kevoni
regarding the cancer sticks!
PS2 Ben you made me laugh out loud
more than once !!
Howdy! I just got home from a weekend away with Carol(we had so much fun)and was delighted to turn on (the computer) and see your message (you are such a fun writer)AND (I loved all of the parentheses because it reminds me of how you talk and think up so many extra things to add as you go (and, by the way, I love that about you)))))))) :)
It sounds like you are having a great trip. I've been praying for you SO MUCH! I didn't realize that you would be speaking so many times. I will be anxious to hear about what the Lord leads you to say.
Thanks for the encouragement about the safety of the hostiles (Ben) :) How are you getting along with the German Shepherds? Maybe they could go with you as escorts! It is really fun to know your schedule. This blog thing is a great idea and makes me feel close to you. I LOVE YOU BOTH!!! Mom
Praying for you thanks for the window in to the world.
Peace
T
Love reading your stories!!! Praying for ya. Kristin Davenport, the YL Boulder Admin, might be dropping you some thoughts and ideas.... North, the 1st Pres Sunday night sevice that her husband Jeff leads, is beginning some major involvment in S. Africa. Love ya both lots!
Scottie
Post a Comment
<< Home