the end is here

I’m so sorry it’s been so long. The last week and half has been insane, busy and amazing. I apologize for the length of this!

The end of work sites and our community development class
Our last three days at Walk in the Light were amazing. We were able to complete all of our projects. The whole place looks incredibly different. There are now two playgrounds, a sidewalk, a cleared shed, and an awesome rock climbing rock wall. All we were able to accomplish with such limited resources amazes me.

We concluded our time at Walk in the Light in a very special way. Our last day there is one I will never forget. In the morning we put finishing touches on our projects. We went out to a goodbye lunch at a local restaurant called the Crafty Duck. It was delicious and a wonderful time of fellowship. By the time we got back, all the kids had arrived. We played with them and hung out. A few of the people on our team brought a bunch of plain colored t-shirts and decorated them as jerseys for soccer teams. The kids were so excited for them and immediately organized teams and started a game. All the other kids gathered on the sidelines to cheer. It was a really fun afternoon, because our whole group, senior youth and junior youth were all gathered in the same place together having the best time.

In the evening we had our closing service. Bruce, the founder of walk in the light and one of the most giving people you will ever meet wanted to end the day with a communion service in the community. One of the long-term goals for Walk in the Light is to have a community center in Haniville (right now walk in the light is located across the street from Haniville). So we our communion service became a sort of ground breaking for the community center. We took a big wooden cross that the guys had put together and with the help of the senior youth carried it across the street. Bruce wanted the foundation for the center to be Christ. We put the cross up as the sun was setting which made the whole thing just that much cooler. After communion, we all sung songs together. It was pretty emotional as this was the last time we would see these people. I cried so many tears, but I was so happy at the same time. Walk in the Light is such an amazing ministry that is going to do amazing things for the community of Haniville.



The Safari!
Last Friday, we had our last community development class, officially ending the academic part of our semester. I’m happy to report I made out with decent grades all around. Praise the Lord!

Saturday we took off for a three-day African safari. It was incredible. We drove four hours to Imfolzi where we stayed out in the bush. Our campground was not enclosed, so we had to be extremely careful at night as not to be attacked by any wild animals. The safari was amazing. We had a total of 7 two to three hour safaris over the three-day period. Both nights we went out on night safaris, which are so neat. The guide uses a spotlight to find the animals. We got pretty lucky and saw five cheetahs one of the days and two male lions another day. We also saw buffalo, elephants, zebras, giraffes, black and white rhinos, warthogs, hyenas, impala, and nyala. It was fantastic.

Reflections

Today has been such a hard day, it being our last day here. I have already cried many tears and I’m sure I’ll cry more. I’m full of mixed emotions. I’m excited to go home and be reunited with friends and family, but I’m incredibly sad to leave this place I love and the friends I have made here. I have grown so much here. My worldview has been changed and formed. I have seen the face of AIDS and poverty. I made friends with some of the most beautiful people you will ever meet. I have fallen in love with a country and a people and I will never be the same.

I want to thank all of you who have read this and joined me in this journey. I have appreciated your thoughts, prayers, and support so much. I hope to see all of you this summer so I can share my experiences with you in person.

Pictures!

Sala Kahle!