Did I tell you we had kittens?

Oh ya, I forgot, we had kittens! I bet you didn't even know we had a cat. Well, actually, it's the "farm cat." I remember my Grandma's farm cats, aka barn cats. They were very independent animals who lived in the barn, got fed whatever grandma had, leftovers and all, had their babies in the barn, braved the elements...... Well, not exactly with this cat. Any of you who know Kalon and I know that we really aren't cat people!! But, this cat, cobra, was brought up with the Wadley's dogs. So, she really isn't a cat. Just to clear that up. Then, she attached herself to us after Ben (the other American) went home in February. She was only a kitten herself! (how am I doing here?) So, she hung around our house a lot. We started feeding her, she liked our bed..... enough said. Kalon and I are softies, ok! Well, When Anne-Marie and Kiersten were visiting in March - Cobra got "injured". Hummm.....9 weeks later, on May 28th, she gave birth to 2 kittens. Cobra is a tiny cat herself, and not yet a year old, so we guess that's why she had only 2. They are so cute!!

Who couldn't fall in love with this!

So, they are still at our house. I mean they're still so teeny! They are only just beginning to learn to climb on our bed! Actually, we have had to kick them out of the bedroom. I think they're nocturnal! They have had a visit from the Wadley's dogs. It's important that they become dogs too! Soon, we'll begin the adjustment to the farm. I'm not sure they'll really be "barn cats" though. That's too difficult for Kalon and I!

Oh, their names. Well, mom's name is Cobra. Yes, after the snakes that live here. The babies have been named Puffy and Adder. The other poisonous snake that lives here is a puffadder. See a pattern? So, their job, whether or not they decide to accept, is to catch mice so we don't GET snakes. I'm not sure who's teaching them to catch mice. So far Cobra hasn't seen any in our bedroom!!!

What's up? (May 28 edition)

Hey, folks!

We've been busy with visitors for the last few weeks.

First we had a large short-term missions team from Crossroads Church in Colorado visiting for a week. That was quite an experience. This team was well-organized, flexible, and with great hearts. They had a deep impact on the community of Philippi, both through the sheer impact of their presence, and in the ways they shared their lives with and taught the community. It was a delight to be alongside this team and the Philippians through that week.

On the heels of the Crossroads team was a 2 week potential staff trip which just ended Friday. 5 potential staff members came to visit Bridges SA and get a better sense of what this ministry looks like, and how they might fit with it.

Part of that visit was a four-day training of trainers (TOT) for CHE. The potential staff were joined for that part of their visit by 7 program facilitators from Philippi, a Korean couple learning English in the nearby community of Wellington, and an Aussie missionary working with his family in Lesotho.

Throughout it all, God's transforming work continues in Philippi. I am amazed at what is happening in this place! Look for more stories in this space.

Please pray for the following:

• That we won't succumb to burnout with so many visitors; we have another team coming next week, followed by a badly-needed 3 week break before Ocean Hills arrives for the OVC retreat
  
• For Muleki and Lulama Nkoloti as they wind up their visit to California (Pray especially this week that they will have the opportunity to really rest and relax before returning home)
  
• For Bridges SA potential staff, as they prayerfully consider joining with us,
  
• For Philippi staff, as they encourage, lead, and nurture God's transforming work within their community
• For the communities of Philippi and Lower Crossroads, as they continue to blossom and grow in health
• For the children in the OVC and ASP programs
  
• For Umthi We Sizwe, that they will continue to seek and receive God's grace and forgiveness, and to let their new lives shine boldly
  
• For our family's (and Linda's) search for a church home
• For our ability to connect with the needs around us, and wisdom to do so in the right way
• For the communities of Groendal, Matyotyombeni, and Mbekweni
  
• For Grace and Lucas, that they might continue to develop friendships, and to enjoy this still alien land

Thanks for your faithful prayers, and for your support.

What would you do without?

“The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.” _{Proverbs 18:23}


A mother stands in front of me at the Pick and Pay. The LCD monitor on the wall showing the weather forecast belies the dilemma she faces. The pay she received for her work isn't enough to pay for the meager collection of staple foods she has placed in her basket to feed her family. This even though bread is subsidized, and a loaf of delicious wheat bread tasty enough to satisfy even this Gelson's client runs a mere 5 rand ($0.70).


South Africa is made up of two economies. The trappings of the first economy suggest that the country has more in common with the first world (even with America) than its African brethren; there is plenty of fresh fruit and great food, entertainment, movieplexes, good roads, big warm houses. Even those great symbols of American culture, fast food and the shopping mall, are ubiquitous here.

A second economy coexists virtually alongside the first. It is an economy of poor nutrition, poor or nonexistent healthcare, dependence on hired "taxis" and foot for transportation, and tiny houses in crime-ridden self-contained slums.

The wealth of the first economy is built on abundant cheap labor supplied by the second. I suspect that the unique thing about South Africa is not that this is the case, but only that the relationship is so visible - it is a unique place where the veil between the two worlds is so thin that the story that we who live in the first economy like to tell about why the world is the way it is can be directly checked against the observable reality.


According to the free market, the value of a typical laborer in SA is something under R10/hr (It may even be the case that this is a generous wage.) Here is where some kind of equilibrium between supply and demand has been reached, such that employers suffer little turnover.

I know people who reason that, regrettable though these market wages are, that the poor quality of the life they enable is the best motivator to work hard, gain skills, and seek better employment. The answer, they claim, lies largely in training workers for more highly skilled employment.

Although I think training is an essential part of the solution, particularly over the mid to long-term, it seems to me that this does not preempt our responsibility to those who work for us. It is often easy to treat the condition of poverty as an abstraction. In this place, it is not possible without closing your eyes to reality; it is simply too real and concrete to allow pretense.


What are the elements of a decent, basic living?

Nutritious food?
Safe and hospitable shelter?
Warm clothing?
Medical care?
Time to spend with children?
Something to put aside to care for yourself when you can no longer work?
Perhaps even something spare to help care for others in your family (or maybe even your broader community) who cannot meet their own needs?


The hard truth is that market wages here don't come close to covering even a majority of these needs. This even though bread is subsidized, and housing is usually in the form of a shack sharing a tiny plot of land with housing for many others.


Is it morally permissible for us as Christians to pay someone who works for us at a rate that forces them to choose which of these needs they will forego, even if we have the ability to pay them more?

Christ said:

"Do to others as you would have them do to you." _{Luke 6:31}


The obvious question this raises is "If we were in their shoes, is this how we would be treated?"

If so, what essentials would we do without?


On a purely pragmatic level, it should be clear that failing to pay a wage that allows the employed to meet these needs means that they must either be met in some other way (likely through some form of governmental support) or go unmet. The first is at best inefficient. The second will be intolerable unless we are willing and able to close our ears to the plight of the poor.


“Those who shut their ears to the cry of the poor, will also cry out and not be answered.” _{Proverbs 21:13}

Relief, development and short term missions

These are just some things I've been thinking about lately. This past week, there were 5 people here from around Africa and America. Curt Peterson, our former pastor at Montecito Covenent was here as Director of World Missions for the denomination. Then 1 man from Congo, Mossai Sanguma, a couple from Cameroon, Cindy and Peter Ekstrand and Roy Danforth from Central African Republic. Peter, Cindy and Roy are Americans who have been working in Africa for almost 30 years. There purpose for meeting here was to discuss the future of missions in all of Africa. With the combined experience and understanding of these people including what Dennis and Susan are doing here, I am excited about the future of missions in Africa. I must say, I feel privileged to have met these people. Kalon and I were not part of their meetings, but we did have devotions with them and shared some meals. I learned so much from their insights, their understanding of scripture. To hear from an African how they hear the scripture was amazing to me. I won't forget hearing from these people. Curt of course is a dear friend and it was very special to have a visitor from home, someone who knows us well. I am very thankful for that. Meeting missionaries who have been here for almost 30 years, seen and experienced so much, raised their children here, it's amazing! What dedication and passion they have for a people and place. Although, it doesn't all together surprise me. The people of Philippi that we are in relationship with are easy to love!!

Cindy, Pete, Roy and Dennis
We're standing around a fire looking at our menus

Hearing about issues in Congo and these other places also points out to me how diverse this continent is. Here in South Africa, we don't have the issues of violence, no roads, no basic facilities that others face. We have the under the surface issues left from Apartheid, racism, feelings of inferiority, poverty, aids. But we are all working toward the same end. Helping people help themselves. Development, not just relief.

Linda, Roots (he owns the restaurant) and Sanguma, trying to see his menu!
This restaurant, also called roots, is in Kayamandi, a township outside Stellenbosch.
Does everyone understand what a township is? It's a the nice term for slum.

Most of you know that I have a brother-in-law who is a 2 star general serving in Iraq this year. I recently received a link to a blog about him from a sister. Ok, so be aware, I'm biased, he's my brother-in-law that I've known since I was like 16, I think he's pretty special. But, when I read this, I was SO STOKED! Elephants in Academia: A blogger round table with General Hunzeker He's doing development! He's trying to get to know these people, help them help themselves. I thought, hey! He knows how to help people, don't just do it for them, help them learn to do it for themselves, they are very capable. Now, I'm not going to get on any bandwagon about Iraq. That is entirely too controversial. I am looking at this simply from the personal perspective of an American and a missionary. How do we as Americans, as people who have much and know much, help others in the world? How do we help them see their own resources? How do we share our knowledge that maybe they don't have? This is development, it takes time, it takes being in relationship, it takes building trust. I feel strongly that it's what we need to be about. Relationship, understanding where another is coming from, not just forcing our own thoughts and agenda on another. That's a learning area for me!

The vines are gone

Here is a field where there were once grape vines. They were about 30 years old and not great anymore. Besides, Bridges of Hope is not planning on being vintners. We thought it tempting, but not the plan for this place. So, now they are all gone and we have a big clean slate as it were. Ready for playing fields, a house, a place for horses, an ATV track (Dennis' idea) a garden and chickens! (our idea!!) So, while Dennis and Susan and family have been on vacation, what did we do....... Well, lots, actually. We painted the dining room, lounge, put together the library (it's going to be great for children!) the gift shop (helps with sustainability) and.... planted the garden and got chickens!

Kalon, Travis and Linda work in the garden.
Notice the hat Travis is wearing, it's Gracie's! He fit in so well!!

The chickens arrive! That's Cali, the Wadley's dog. She just wants to be friends!!

In their new coop we lovingly prepared for them.

2007 - A very good year

I started this blog some time ago and thought I should continue it!

Today we begin to learn about Wines! Dieter, the man who owns the vineyard where we rent our cottage, has been very kind to try to inform us about this process. I'll attach some photos for those of us who are visual learners. I am excited to see this process from plant to bottle. First the fruit on the vine:

Beautiful! Is this a Merlot grape or a Shiraz?

Pretty amazing to think that these will become wine. So first they get picked, obviously! And there are LOTS of them.

This is only part of the vineyard!

In the cold room

This is like the cotton gin of grapes. It separates the grapes from the stems

Is this Lucas learning about wine?

Dieter shows us how the color is coming out after only 24 hours of cold soaking.

So after they are picked they are brought to the cold room where they are run through a wine press. The grapes are separated from the stems and dropped into one of these big concrete tubs. There they have a cold soak for a couple of weeks before the fermenting continues.

So there is the beginning!! The wine bottles were delivered last week, pallets of them! Stacked right outside our bedroom window. I'm sorry I didn't get a picture. They have already been moved to the cold room, so I think the bottling has begun!

I just thought it would be good to share with you some of the other important things we are learning as missionaries. Hey, when you live in a vineyard..... We try to go wine tasting on the weekend, usually Sunday afternoons. I am trying to have a more discerning palate. It's going to take some more work, but I'm beginning to be able to distinguish some of the different flavors. It's really quite fascinating. One weekend, we watched the wine steward take the cork off a bottle of champagne using a samurai sword. It's called "Sabrage" and it was very impressive!! Hey, this is important stuff!!

When in Africa...

This is Millie. She was at our facilitators retreat in January and also at our CHE Training of Trainers retreat in March. She carried her baby on her back like this, as most women here do, while she was at the retreats. When she first walked in at the facilitators retreat, I didn't even realize the baby was on her back! She was just sound asleep and Millie walked in and sat down like anyone. Only later did I notice that she was sitting a little differently. Then of course when I looked closely and noticed the cloth tied around her, I realized.
This past Monday as Linda and I were driving out of Philippi, I saw the most adorable sight. A little girl, probably 3, had her teddy bear tied on her back like the mama's do! Oh my goodness, I wish I could have taken a picture, but of course, not in Philippi. So, when I came home, I told Gracie about it. The house keeper at the farm, Rachael, taught us how to tie the baby on Gracie's back! It is so practical and easy. WAY better on the back than using a front pack. They do this from very new born up to about 4 years old, I've been told. Many use a towel or a thin blanket. This is one of Lucas' baby blankets. It worked very well. Much less expensive than a Baby Bjorn!! I'm seeing a trend here. Any mum's with small one's out there? Give this a try. They make it look very easy. Even when the baby is very young, they just swing them on their back, put the legs around mum's sides, piggy back style, then tie the blanket around. Let me know. I think we could give Baby Bjorn a run for their money!! The practical things we can learn from each other.