Cape Town My Brew

Let's put it this way... Cape Town is the most beautiful city I have ever been to. Everything about it is beautiful ranging from the scenery to the sports to the houses and even the people (Don't get me started on the girls.. I am on a mission trip! ;-). I am going to talk about a couple of things in this one but I want to focus on what I am doing because I haven't written in a while and also I want to focus on the people of South Africa because they are without a doubt some of the most giving, chill, and happy people As A Whole I have ever been around. However, I don't want to make it too long so I will write that one tomorrow or something.. So let's get started...

I got to Cape Town about a week ago last night. I am staying with a guy named Morgan Cathey. If you do not know who he is, he was my college goalie for three years at APU. He is a guy that everyone needs to know because of his personality and his never ending smile. (Seriously, I think it is permanently imprinted on his face). But also because he is an incredible man of God and is absolutely on fire for God. He has an awesome wife, Cari, who is currently helping teach English in South Korea. Morgan is the second string goalie for Ajax Cape Town which currently sits on top of the PSL Standings. 

Personally, I have 3 reasons for being down here in Cape Town. 1) There is an Ambassadors Conference, 2) Currently in Polokwane, there are no teams to play with so I figured I would try and get a trial with Morgan's team. However, since they have already filled up all of their foreign slots, this isn't possible. That means I am on Plan B which is any team in Cape Town I would be allowed to go on trial with... Saying that.. Be praying for me because as far as I know,(TIA = This Is Africa) I start on Monday... and finally 3) Get a needed vacation to recharge and find myself again. 

So far, I have had many adventures some of which include hiking up in between Devil's Peak and Table Mountain, going to my first cricket match while getting really badly sun burned in the world's only "never ending game" (we were there for 8 and a half hours!), getting slammed in the ice cold water while body surfing in Camps Bay, going to a bible camp in Strandfontein which emphasized soccer and God, had several Braai's, and met some new amazing people. 

The hike was unbelievable because of the way Cape Town is set up. I am staying in Newlands which is directly on the north side of Cape Town. With the mountains serving as a barrier, I was standing looking on both sides of the city (where I am staying and downtown) and also the ocean in the background along with Robben Island (where Mandela was held). Being up on top of the mountain really makes you think... Who am I... What can I really do... (Which then my next thought was "be Peter, and step out of the boat..")

Currently, I am at Noordhoek Bay with all the South African Leaders in AIS. It is an awesome time of refocusing, planning, and fellowship. We have a ton of free time which we spend playing guitar, swimming in the ocean, hiking, and playing soccer. In fact, we had an inter office (Cape Town vs Pretoria {I was on Pretoria}) and the Pretoria office won even with giving the Cape Town office a handicap of 2. It was played on the beach and it was a great time! Moving on, similar to a soccer ball, it is amazing how a guitar can be used as a tool for spreadin' the love. We (I think I am one of 6 Americans out of 30, other are from England, South Africa, and New Zealand) were hanging out on the patio when we noticed a couple that had just got married walking back from the beach. Chris Lockwood and I were thinking the same thing... Let's go serenade them! So we grabbed the guitar and got to sing "Sea Breeze" to the newlyweds... It was another "dana moment!" 

All in all, my time in Cape Town has been awesome and I have met some incredible people of all races and denominations. I always think it is awesome when people ask what I am doing here and why I would ever come to South Africa from the US because it just allows me to let God talk through me and let Him work... We are in His-story!

A day in reverse... My Brew

So considering that Africa is upside down and topsy turvy, I am going to do a blog inside out from night to day. So if you are an analytical thinker (like my sister), then you should probably go down the the bottom of this blog and read it going up but if you dare, I am working backwards just to mix things up a little bit.. because I am trying to trip you out... (Thanks Regina!)

Enjoy!

In closing, I want to add this little note about a soccer ball. It is amazing the opportunities that happen because of this little ball that you kick. God opens up doors that you never thought possible and opens your eyes up to the possibilities of Spreadin' the Love. The only way that the game of soccer means anything is if you make it eternal. It is a thrill knowing that God will use my passion for His Glory! It is an honor, and much of the thanks goes to you for all your support and prayer, to be able to do something that I love.

The trip back from the falls was a little bit less on the excitement part because we literally spent ourselves in the sun and in the water. We tried to stop for the "best pancakes in South Africa" but they were closed so we settled for some ice cream. While driving back, we almost stopped for some t-bone steaks but the bulls walking across the street were bigger than the car we were in so we decided against it! We got back and decided that we wanted to watch a movie altogether but needed some rest before we did. I took one step in my house and collapsed on my raft slash bed slash blowup couch. 2 hours later, we went over and watched the movie Phenomenon with John Travolta. Good flick except everyone fell asleep from an absolutely amazing adventuresome day. Later this week, we are planning on going to see lions and I am kind of wondering what will happen when we do that!

After the crazy fall, we headed up to the Braai. The Braai was a blast because we got to talk to several different people about what we are doing. I got to talk to Marco to an extent and found out that we have very similar passions. He studied in Cape Town and has a degree in Accounting/Finance. His passion is soccer and wants to use it to get places. He has a passion for God as well so I am going to try and get him into contact with AIS and let him get going. He is very driven and smart and has been a big encouragement to me (and a good friend to me and the girls!) It has been a blessing being around him and getting to know him.

Then the craziest thing I have ever personally witnessed happened. That Afrikaans man went up even farther. I followed and was trying to figure out what he was doing. He was trying to tell me that he needed to go about 10 feet across slime covered slide rock and as he was telling me, he lost his footing. Now imagine being another 20 yards higher than the 40 we were originally sliding at (so we are at 60 yards from the pool). He started sliding and there was no stopping. All we could do was watch and pray that he doesn't die. He started going down, sometimes on the wet rock but mostly on the dry slick rock. He hit a ramp and sailed about 3 feet from where Jo was, barely missing her, in the air. He landed in the pool but his momentum carried him through the pool and over another 4 foot ramp and an additional 15 yards. In the end, he landed in a pool on his back. His daughter was sitting next to me, unflinching, while I am freaking out thinking this guy is dead or has a broken back at the very least! As we were looking on, he kind of "came to," checked his limbs then yelled out "WOO" pumping his arms in the air. In total, his momentum carried him 75 yards and all together caught about 10 feet worth of air! The fact that this guy is still alive is proof that God exists!

On the road, we were traveling in two different cars and the one that we weren't in, got pulled over for being dumb. We didn't know how to get to where we were going, we just had a good idea of where it is. So that turned into an adventure all by itself. We finally got there and got out of the car and heard the rush of water. Then we saw the danger signs. A mischievous smile began to slowly creep up on my face. We saw an absolutely gorgeous, breath taking water fall. It was about 300 feet tall and hit many jagged rock on the way down. Then it slowly but surely ran down farther into a pool. But on the way down, it was a natural slide. We wasted no time getting to the slide (which we were told multiple times that people have died on... but that didn't stop us!) Right as we were getting ready an Afrikaans man jumped onto the slide and sailed down about 40-50 yards into the pool of cool water. We were all sliding within 10 minutes. It was great fun! (Side note- Gina and Jo jumped into a little pool and as they were swimming, a little skinny bright green tree snake popped up out of the water and wanted to have some fun himself! He slid on his belly down one of the slides while clearing the pool with many loud screams!) (extra side note- that snake is ridiculously venomous! Lookout!)

Ok, as I was saying, today started way too early... at 2 am.. but I already mentioned that in a semi confused slash exhausted state. Still, the morning came quick at 5 and 5:15 when my retarded alarms kept going off. Then the call came at 6:30. Marco came and picked us up for the adventure of a lifetime. After he picked us up, he went to pick up another one of his friends that was probably still sleeping (or smokin' a bowl.. sorry she was bit on the loopy side.. she really wasn't smoking.. but we don't really know) when we got there. So we waited in her house for a while... an hour and a half. As we were waiting, Jo being the perceptive person she is, noticed the goose running around in the house. So what do you do when a goose is running around a house... go pick it up! We took a couple of pics with it (which I will get up asap.. i am not lying about any of this) and put it down which was very good that we did at that time because it took 4 steps and took a giant... you know... on the carpet. The smell cleared the house in 5 minutes and we were on our way.

One more disclaimer... today was way random... and included everything except lions running in the streets... but there were some bulls running in the streets.. and goats. And a poisonous snake in the water! Speeding tickets! Another Braai! Sunburns! Beautiful scenery! Oh... and a guy almost dying (seriously.. keep reading).

Today started way too early... However, before I explain the day, I have to go back to two days ago. Gina and Jo came up to Polokwane to visit me because I was a lonesome puppy. Well, the first thing we did when they got here was go out and train (because unlike me, they have actually been signed! YAY FOR THEM!) While we were out training, a group of white people came out and started playing soccer. (Shocking). Well, considering everything that I am doing here and my purpose, I casually started up a conversation and found out they love soccer and are currently training with the team I used to train with. Gina and Jo talked to the girls for a while then we got a bit of a game going. Eventually they invited to the movies that night and we saw Balls of Fury (It cost 15 Rand {2 Dollars} and it was a brand new movie that just came out!... Oh wait...). We all really enjoyed each others company and really wanted to continue this new found relationship. Personally, it was great for me because I met two brothers, Marco and Dino, that love soccer and live right next to me and are solid christians! So Awesome!

Middle of the Night...

Quick story...

I just got done watching a movie on my laptop and I am going to bed. I am almost asleep when I hear a big "BANG!!!" It was really loud, very similar to a gunshot. My first reaction was "wow, that sucks" (whatever it was) and to go back to bed. Then I got up and went outside to investigate. I walked to my neighbors who had their lights on and were in their kitchen. He was giggling like a little school girl. I knocked on the window and was trying to figure out what happened...

Apparently, his neighbor made him really mad so he decided that it was a good idea, as revenge, to light an M80 firecracker, in a bottle, on their front yard. The moral of the story is 2 things: 1) This proves, some people are crazy and 2) you just don't want to piss off certain people... especially if they are your neighbors. Oh and one more thing, Africa is crazy. Kinda Funny... but messed up!

The good thing about this whole thing is that he invited me over for a Braai (apparently, i was wrong on how to spell it!) on monday. Anyways, much love from South Africa. Hope everyone is good. Merry Late Christmas and Early Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas My Brew!

Well, it has been a while since I last got on and wrote. In all honesty, not much has happened in the last couple of weeks yet a ton has happened.. the "not much part is basically because the main ministry stuff that we have been doing has been shut down for the holidays. we are basically doing whatever ministry comes our way along with the church... and "the ton" has happened in the past couple of days. God works in crazy ways and I will never understand it but one thing is for certain, God has a sense of humor to everything he does! I cannot help but sit back and laugh about what is happening. It isn't a haha laughing matter. It is more of a haha, what is going on matter! So without much further ado...

I was nominated to be youth pastor at the church that I am helping out at. I was going to nominate myself but Sam beat me to the punch. Well, anyways, the first thing on the agenda was to set up a christmas pageant and also help set up a "Bri" (meaning the first part of Brian, {Bri} my mom didn't know how to say it so if you don't know how to say it, there ya go!) for the entire church. Well, it happened randomly that my mom, in a package, sent a christmas package that included one of the family traditions that we have had since I can remember. It was a book called "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever." Basically, it is a play about a play but these kids in the play are the worst kids in the history of the world. They can't get anything right, they continually fight with each other and everyone around them. However, when the play comes around, they make everything the best it could possibly be. Well in comparison with the play, the kids that I was working with, weren't the worst kids in the history of the world but did basically all have some form of ADD. They did their best but we, like the book, never got through one of the rehearsals, we didn't have a script, and yet they pulled through and made the pageant unbelievable. I was sitting in the back row of the church/school auditorium praying that they would remember everything and that it wouldn't be too bad. It was unreal! It was incredible! I was amazed at how well they did. It is a very funny script and they had the audience laughing from the first line. It was awesome to sit back and watch, enjoy, and realize the true purpose of christmas. God pulls through in the craziest situations.

As for the "Bri," it was awesome! We were able to cook a ton of meat including chicken, beef, fish, and "boerevoors" (a circular sausage). I was able to teach them how to play baseball/softball. It was quite hilarious when they would swing wildly over their head, miss easy catches, or run to third base instead of... well you know. Then on top of that, the fellowship was incredible. These people are so family oriented and love being around each other. They definitely know how to cook.. I should probably be paying more attention to that! Well, what I didn't know what that the place where we were having the "Bri" is right next to a game reserve. We got to go on a mini-safari and I was able to see a HUGE Rhino, four giraffes, springboks (the rugby national team mascot... like a mini impala), impala, bigger deer that i don't know the name, and also about 8 ostriches! It was incredible to see them in their actual natural habitat! I was about 30 yards away from the giraffes and about 25 yards away from a rhino with a horn that was about 3 feet long! WOW!

Next on the agenda, soccer. As far as soccer goes, nothing that we thought could happen, will happen. Things have been pretty tough on the soccer side of things. We train really well and are playing as well as we can play without a team to actually play with. Every seeming opportunity has been been opened only to be shut. It is very frustrating and what makes it worse is the timing of everything. The window to get signed is slowly but surely coming to a close. There is only about a month left. With that being said along with the addition of it being christmas time and a new year right around the corner, Brandon decided it was best to go home. He has been incredible. God has used him in ways that only God will know. But, in my opinion, we made a great team and I must apologize for my inability to keep the place cleaner and I must thank him for his patience with me. So Brandon, Thank you for coming with me and being an awesome roommate. You have helped to make this a memory that I will never forget!

What's next? Well, Morgan Cathey, My college goalie, is currently playing for a team down in Cape Town called Ajax Cape Town. He said that he would be able to get a trial with the team and stay with him during the time that I will be there. Please be praying for me as I go on this final soccer adventure! I would really like to play but only if it is in God's Will. If not, I have many opportunities here in Polokwane that I will be able to follow up on. Such as many opportunities in coaching and teaching the schools in Polokwane.

Please be praying for me that God show me where He wants me to go!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years! I love and miss you all! Hope that you dive deep in the Love that God gives!

South African Culture... Part 2.. My Brew

And I will praise YOU in this storm! I will lift my hands, for YOU are who YOU are, no matter where i am. And every tear i have cried, YOU hold in YOUR hand. YOU never left my side. And though my heart is torn. I will praise YOU in this storm.

For the most part, we have been spending our time with the blacks because our contact is black, the church is black, and the teams we play with are black. I do not say that because I am racist... In fact, I feel like I get along better with the blacks here than I do with the whites. Mostly because the whites wonder why we are here and sometimes make it difficult for our ministry because of their lack of love for people of a different skin color. However, our ministry is not just out to the blacks. It is also to the whites. Our main goal is to spread the love of Christ to whoever will listen. We can do nothing but only be open to let God work through us. We are powerless to force people to listen to us. All we can do it hope and pray that people listen and that seeds are planted. And the crazier thing is... I feel so much better and I feel so much more alive by not trying and not worrying about what I can do and just giving it up. Our main goal here is just to let God shine His light through us and to plant seeds. Hopefully good ones... I will consider myself lucky and blessed if we get to see the seeds grow...

With that being said, we had a great night last night when we had a bri with our neighbors. It was such a blessing on many different levels. We had an opportunity to get a different view of the culture in South Africa while hopefully shining our light. We have been hearing things that blacks like/dislike about the government and culture but we haven't had much chance to hear about it from whites. It was very interesting to hear and actually surprised us a bit. We had some amazing Bri'd meat and got to watch Beowulf on dvd! (which isn't out yet.. Gotta love bootlegs!)

Back to the culture (the main point of this blog). We talked about things like the differences between the US and South Africa. They asked us what we expected when we got here. The truth to that answer is... We didn't know what to expect. We didn't know if there would be Lions roaming the streets or Rhinos having a beer at the local pub. We didn't know if there would be any infrastructure at all.. much less cars or communication at all. We didn't know if the roads would be gravel/dirt or paved (and the answer to that is yes). Obviously, we assumed that cities like Joburg and Cape Town and Durban would have these things but considering we were going to Polokwane, (a place that I did not know existed until I got here), it was all a big fat question mark. We were trying to describe the similarities and the biggest similarities to the US is the huge array of different people. South Africa is the USA of Africa. There are people of every nation here and the people from all over come to South Africa because it is an easy place to get into and there are opportunities all over the place. Businesses are starting to boom. Entrepreneurs are free to pursue many different things with little interference from the Government. Another similarity is the infrastructure. There are roads going all over the place from city to city, the communication system is similar, electricity, and transportation with buses and taxis.

However, the US is by far, well ahead of South Africa on almost everything. With the exception of the major cities, everything here in South Africa is behind the times and almost medieval. Yet, it is well ahead of the rest of Africa! South Africa has come a long, long way, but still has a long, long way to go! The biggest difference between the US and South Africa that I can see is the quality of life. In the US, everything is right there, you can get it anytime you want due to mass consumerism and all the business terms that go along with that. In Africa, because of unknown reasons there are shortages due (probably to some kind of scandal or the government) to unknown reasons. I have heard some blacks say they liked the way things were before the apartheid ended which absolutely blew my mind. Things here can be very corrupt and harsh yet it is a free country that is pursuing democracy...? Interesting...

We got to talk to our neighbors about the apartheid which was really cool. Daniel, the bartender/seriously bad potty mouth/biggest and only Lion fan (Rugby- they are like the KC Royals.. nobody likes them.), grew up during the time when everything changed in 1994. He said that it was really hard because it was a release of power from the whites. He said that there was a lot of hate and racism. There is obviously still much animosity going on however from my own experience, love breaks down that barrier instantly just by a simple "hello" or "how's it!" Brandon makes fun of me because whenever we walk anywhere, I am always saying hello to everyone who even acts like they look at me. It isn't because I am scared but because God has shown me that we are all His children and that everyone deserves a chance, then another, then another... I never quite understood what the big deal about Martin Luther King Jr. was until I got here. He said, "I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant." What is important is that people realize the subtleties that are going on here. That everything is not always what it seems. It is important that people do what they can to make a difference in the world. Half the time, I feel like I am not doing anything here. I think to myself, "what can I possibly do?" Then I have to continually remind myself that South Africa has a lot of work to do but the good thing is that God is here... in HUGE ways which means that there is hope, a light at the end of the tunnel.
The important thing is never to give up and keep pressin' on!

There is something that is downright scary about the fight in the man that does not fight back.

Happy Holidays to everyone back in the states! (Merry Christmas is coming next week!)