In the Township

Notes from earlier this week........

We're up in the township today. Dian is teaching an institute class at one of our member's home, while I sit in the car nursing a bad cold and not wanting to expose others. The township is somewhat like our Indian Reservations back home in the USA. They were set up by the South African government to house the black populations during the apartide years. Today the township is made up of a variety of very basic one-room block structures and corrugated metal shacks with no plumbing or sanitary facilities. Outhouses of various shapes and structure are scattered about. They estimate the population here in the Port Alfred township is about 50,000. By contrast, the population of the Soweto township in Johannesburg is about 5 million.

It's sunny and warm today, a welcome relief from the cold and rainy weather we've had over the past couple of weeks. As I sit here in the car with the windows down enjoying a nice warm breeze, the air is filled with a cacophony of sounds. Off in the distance, a large group are singing traditional African chants or songs, probably at a wedding or funeral. Somewhere closer by, someone is actually playing a little Kenny G. The sound of children playing is everywhere.
It's a good day!

Our 20th Anniversary

Today, Dian and I celebrate our 20th anniversary. 20 years ............ Wow! How did they go by so fast? But when we took a minute to do a little reflecting, we were amazed at all that has happened in what seemed to be such a short span of time.

During the past 20 years:

We either rented or owned 8 homes (including 2vacation homes), and built 5 of them.

Welcomed 3 daughters-in-law and 2 sons-in-law into the family

Celebrated the birth of 13 grandchildren

Had 2 dogs, Buster and Libby

Owned 7 automobiles (loved driving the Mercedes, loved owning the Hondas)

Went bionic with knee replacements (Bunk) and hip replacement ( Dian)

Worked for 8 companies between the two of us without changing offices

Lost our Mom

Traveled extensively throughout the 13 western states including Alaska and Hawaii

Other favorite travels include New England, Nauvoo Il, NYC, Williamsburg VA, Branson MO, Orlando FL, Dallas/Ft Worth TX, Israel

And finally capped it off serving our Church and the wonderful people of South Africa.

Check back in 2021 for our next 20-year update.

A Walk on The Beach

One of the things we try to do each day is get out on the beach for a good walk. Its amazing how the ocean can clear the mind. There is something truly healing about the ocean. We were out for a beach walk last Saturday during an unusually high tide. We had had a good storm the day before and the ocean was still very rough, or as I put it sometimes, "very angry". I had my camera with me and caught a couple of pictures of incoming waves. The last picture was a huge wave that crested right in front of me. The good news is, "I didn't even get wet.

Winter in Port Alfred

While most of you in the north are enjoying 90 or 100 degree temperatures, we are in the middle of winter here on the southern tip of Africa. Actually though, winter here is really fairly mild.......... probably much like summer on the Oregon Coast....... Highs in the mid 60's and lows in the mid 50's. Being right on the ocean, however with the high humidity, we do get chilled easily. No one here has central heat, so everyone has small electric flood heaters, or portable propane gas heaters. A friend recently made each of us a neck wrap that you heat in the microwave. They go well first thing in the morning, but we especially love to put them in our bed a few minutes before bedtime.

We usually get a good rain storm each week. In fact, we had a record rain (6 inches in 24 hours) here two weeks ago that resulted in extensive flooding in the Port Alfred area. One side effect of the heavier rains is the development of pot holes in the roads around town. The paved roads here are in fairly poor shape. The rains tend to loosen the asphalt and pot holes develop quickly. It's been like driving through mine fields this past week. There have been many reports of flat tires and bent tire rims. The rains, however, do bless this part of the country with great beauty. Everything is so lush and green, and it seems that every day for the past couple of weeks we have seen a rainbow. Rainbows over the ocean are especially beautiful. We tell ourselves every day just how blessed we are to be here in this beautiful part of Africa.