finally getting back to normalness.

As I have been slowly working my way through the 1,200 pictures I have...I am realizing that I'll pay the price of just snapping pictures where I could, rather than spending time choosing and shooting.

It wasn't worth my time to do that, but now that I'm back--I'm dissapointed that most of the pictures are blurry, or just don't caputre the full magnitude of what I wa trying to. But maybe that's the weakness, or trick of pictures in general.

So, keeping in mind that though a pictures says a thousand words, only the seeing-in-person captures the full emotion and impressiveness of the landscape and country. You will get a small glimpse, but it won't be as powerful until you've seen it.

Leaving South Africa was really hard for me. I wasn't ready to go and felt as though I hadn't done enough. I had dealt with the unknown there, and wasn't ready for another unfamiliar place, language, and people. But I was worried for no reason.

Malawi was definitely the most eye-opening, worldview roadening part of the trip. It was a beautiful country with the most gracious people. God taught me a lot there--but, i think, more about myself than about the country's economics or social environment.

THis was my first view of the country, mere meters from the airport exit.

The mountains of Lake Malawi are in the distance.

First full day in Malawi. Becca, myself, and Katie.

We spent the morning getting introduced to CHREAM and it's mission in Malawi. Then we spent the afternoon touring members of CHREAM's business--including one really great african cafe.

Here we are all dressed up in our chitenje's from Jen and Katie's host mom, Villie Chibonga.

Some more gorgeous landscape/sky.

Also on our first day, we visited the local church, Capital City Baptist. They gave a us a tour of some of the church's community development ministries. One was a villlage creation, with agricultural plots and plans made especially for families that adopted orphans. (which is a much more common practice than the orphanage institution)

Some of the kids in the village. Market in Old Town. (nerve wracking, very dirty)

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Most know--I have a weak spot for a pretty sky. I was not dissapointed in Malawi. see below

Sign of God's promise (a pretty regular one)

Malawi'a post-storm sky. WOWness

Uh, so that's day 1/2 and 1 in Malawi.
I have to write my interim paper and go to work and class tomorrow. I promise not to be too long in posting again.

Home safe!

All:

I landed in Chicago aroun 3:30pm yesterday, and arrived back 'home' to Trinity after 5pm.

Stayed awake until about 9pm, went to bed, and now here I am--wide awake at 1:30am.

Much unpacking and organizing to do...in addition to a million errands and getting ready for school stuff. So it will likely be this weekend that the blog will get fully trip-updated.

Here is a picture to hold you over.

Not even close to everything. On Dial-up

I am here in Malawi. Finally, and all too soon. Internet is hard to come by here, so I am trying to type this post (pictures and all) into MWord and then post it to my blog by syncing the two. I'm not sure how it will work

To the left is Chalet 4A in the Manyane camp in Pilanesberg Game Reserve. The room was nice, a bedroom, kitchenette and bathroom, with a gorgeous view of the green hills to the west, and a prairie to the north. Jen and I stayed in the game reserve on our first night in South Africa.

The bed was AMAZING. And it was the last hot shower I would have for a loooong time.

This picture is representative of the first 3 days in South Africa. Driving in the rain.

It started raining when we arrived late on Wednesday night, and didn't stop until Saturday afternoon. We (at least most of us) weren't prepared for 60 degree wet weather.
I ended up borrowing Mrs. T's jeans one day. All my tanktops are still clean. Brrr.

But the rain made for BEAUtiful green landscapes.

One of my favorite animals sighted: a mommy warthog and her two baby Pumba's (Lion King, anyone?) Also, some giraffe.

January 10^th, we start touring MES, Metropolitan Evangelical Services. They are a huge community development organization with many, many branches. Among them: Aids clinic, homeless shelter, job creation projects, job training for men and women, preschool/daycare, etc.

The city of Johannesburg was heart breaking. As beautiful as the country is and the reserve, the city was as close to poverty and despair I have ever seen. Mes was a breath of fresh air in a desperate, dirty, crime-infested city. As disturbing as the things are that we saw that day, I feel in love with the mission and the people we met over those three days. Especially our tour guide, a native (350 years) white South African reformed pastor, who became like a grandfather to me. Also, Michael and Nicodemus from the Mes organization were very funny passionate guys that we loved spending time with.

A glimpse of one of many decrepit apartment buildings in Jo-burg. Many of these buildings get 'hijacked'. That is, taken over by Jo-burg gangsters. These people kick the owners out of their buildings illegally by force. However, because it is a civil suit and takes months in the courts, the gangsters make millions of rand (about 7Rand per US$1) from renting out rooms to many, many people for high prices before they are removed and start the same process over.

Here is an example of a repossessed hijacked building that Mes is renovating for their use.

All the building here have electric fences, security gates, barred windows and barbed wire. It was quite nerve-wracking at first, but I got used to it.

From "The Top of Africa"—Africa's equivalent of the Sear's tower…their tallest building; where I snapped my best sky photo so far, I think. The first time we saw the sun on the whole trip (Friday).

Spent Saturday in Soweto, which stands for South Western Townships. The city is much prettier and the people are happier. Everything was lively. It was very much like the African version our suburbs. We spent some time at the market, tried some exotic fruits that I can't pronounce and bought some trinkets. Spent most of our time learning about Nicodemus' church and it's outreach there. It isdecribed as reformed pentacostal. J

Girls on the side of the road in the poorer neighborhoods of Soweto. All the kids are so excited to see us and wave. Some see us white people and ask for money.

Barred fences in Soweto.

The Trinity group, with Nicodemus, minus half of Jen at the Church's daycare center

The other side of South Africa

I’m writing this from my and Jen’s tiny room in the Mes-Aksie care center and health clinic. We are staying in rooms usually reserved for the ‘clientele’ of the center, and things are pretty primitive. No hot water, no sink faucet, cot-like beds. Very little electrical outlet access [and no one here has the right adapter].

Most of the things we saw today are hard to describe. MES stands for Metropolitan Evangelical Services and it is a ministry similar to Lawndale in the Chicago community but on a much huger, more severe scale. Today, in about 9 hours we saw homeless shelters, job creation projects, battered women’s shelter, job training for young men and women, aids clinic, old folks home, preschool and more.

One of my favorite moments today was talking with three girls in the young women’s job training center about the US. They were enthralled with everything we said about the US and squealed excitedly about everything…we left with plans for them to visit someday. Kindred spirits…some really beautiful people. They are so full of hope and life and love for the Lord. I have been really impressed. Unfortunately, I don’t have as many pictures of today because we had no outlets, so I couldn’t charge my camera, and it only lasted til noon. Fortunately, the others took many pictures and we’ll all share.

The city of Johannesburg is unbelievably diverse. We went from expensive homes and gorgeous landscapes to the inner city--literally the poorest communities I have ever seen. Everything is on lockdown, with barbed wire, security fences and barred windows. No one goes out past sunset, which is about 8pm here. The entire city shuts down, shops closed, etc.
So many different, unusual experiences. I am making a list of words that they use here that are used differently in the US.

I’ve journaled at least a page or two every day in a notebook. SO many more stories, funny moments with the group, especially the entire group driving around in one very small, old, decrepit van. I passed the 500 picture mark today. Spending some of tonight deleting pictures off the chip for tomorrow.

Pictures are hard to upload here because internet isn’t fast. I’m going to run downstairs and hook up a second to post this up. There is no place to plug in electric downstairs, and right now I am using the community adapter we bought today (one for 13 of us) so I’ll have to give it up soon.

Here is one from yesterday again, I haven't uploaded today's yet. I have better pictures (of the Louvre and Eiffel too!), but I’m saving them for home…when they’re easier to view.

See elephants?

Don’t know if we’ll have another chance to get online, maybe tomorrow night, but not likely in Malawi (where we’ll be Sunday-Saturday.) We leave for home on the next Sunday evening and won’t come home until Tuesday (3 flights!).

Flight delay in your favor, spend 24 hours in Paris!

THis has got to be quick because connection is slow and we are supposed to have group bonding time via scrabble right now.

Day 1.

Arrived at O'Hare at 3:30pm. Boarded plane late because of Tornado signs and the security alert going to code orange.

Because of weather, we waited another 2 hours to fly (so 2 hours of sitting on an unmoving plane. reeeeally exciting). 7 hours flight. I coudln't sleep and realized that the malaria medicine made me sick. Not a fun plane flight.

Day 2.

Finally got into Paris at 10:30am their time (3:30am at home). Very quickly realized we missed our flight. After standing in line for an hour or so, we finally got arrangements for the next flight out....at 11am THE NEXT morning.

The Louvre

Bad news: NO luggage. for 24 hours. (and mom, I know you're going to kill me, but I forgot clothes)

What else was there to do but explore Paris...but first. Pres Timmermans really impressed us all with his ability to negotiate. We left the airport several hours later, but with vouchers for a free lunch, dinner, hotel room, and breakfast the next morning. We dropped off bags at a hotal near the airport...(rinky dink operation) and boarded the train for Paris.

Need I say? The Eiffel

It was breaktaking...I'll have to write more later. The short version. The eight of us Trinity students ran 7+ miles in about 1.5 hours and saw the Louvre, NotreDame, and a million other sites...in the dark. Paris was beautiful. We met back up with TImmermans to see the Eiffel Tower. It was breaktaking. Then we RODE UP!.

Day 3.

Got back on the plane and flew ALL day. I slept about 4 hours on the plane...the longest of the trip so far. This flight was more bearable. Got there at 9:30, and thank good ness our luggage arrived. Mr Smuts was there to greet us and was really great. WE traded US$ for SA Rand. (it's about R7 to $1)

Arrived at the Game Reserve past 2am. Finally got to sleep around 3:30am with a 7:30am wake up for our Safari. It was raining and about 55 degrees. The weather hasn't changed since.

The safari was incredible..and it is so beautiful out here. I want to post more about the safari and the people and the language, and the history. It's amazing.

We are in the Mes-Aksie inner city mission in Johannesburg now. TOmorrow and Saturday we'll work here. If i get internet tomorrow I'll catch up from there. but I probably won't have access again after saturday.

Not nervous, no

I hardly slept last night. I'm blaming it on the sinus bug that I just can't get away from.
But it was probably more out of excited/nervous anticipation.

This will be short. I still need to pack up a lot of things to drop off in my dorm room before I leave with the group for O'Hare.

I'm pretty proud of how light I packed. My big suitcase was only about 3/4 full with all my clothes for 16 days. (including shoes, jacket, even umbrella!) I fit all the 'goods' from Chris and Sara(&Kate!) in my big suitcase. My carry-on has my toiletries..and a LOT of medicines and vitamins, etc. (don't worry, nothing over 3 oz.) I have my laptop in another bag as my 'purse' carry-on.
Pretty good for going for over two weeks to Africa, don't you think? It's less to worry about anyway.
I got a combination lock for my suitcase for after we get off the plane (to use in hotels, etc)

And for all of you with concerns about safety and theft. I have my money split into 3 different places. I'm buying a money belt at walgreens on my way out. I have one bag to carry around, (NOT backpack..so i can hold it in front of me) and I plan on never being alone, and most certainly never at night.

I plan on 'journaling' on my laptop when I can, and then when I get an internet connection, I'll post something short on here with a picture or two. You'll all get the full version when I'm back.

If you think of it, pray for my sanity between the hours of 5:30pm today-1:30pm tomorrow. THat's when I'll be in going stir crazy in the airplane.

Tsalani Bwino!
Tionana!

(That's Chichewe for: "Stay Well! Goodbye!")

*miss you