Airline Debacle

This is just dumb...

5:25 am: Morgan drops me at the airport and prays for me... 

5"30 am: I walk into the airport... first of all, this is WAY TOO EARLY and the que (line) wraps around half the airport and my flight leaves at 650. Oh Crap! I start to wait in line...

6:00 am: I am still waiting in line

6:15 am: I get to the front. There is something wrong with my ticket so they send me to another desk.. with a line that is longer than the first! Luckily Jacques came by to see me off and we are talking and it is encouraging because our conversation is keeping me from freaking out!

6:30 am: We get to the front of the line and the lady realizes my mistake! I booked the ticket online for April 26th... Not March 26th! Oh man!

6:45 am: 350 Rand later, I have missed my flight and I have a standby ticket... Ok, this can't turn out too bad!

7:30 am: Jacques leaves to go to work! Thanks for chillin Jacques! Right when he leaves, an announcement comes on that says, there is a problem with flight number 408 to Joburg has been cancelled due to an aircraft failure. The flight will be delayed for 6 hours! There are at least 150 pissed off Afrikaaners (big white people speaking a dialect of dutch) trying to get to Joburg for whatever. I realize that I am SOL (as my sister would say) for getting on standby! Oh geez.. 6 hours of sitting at the Cape Town airport is going to suck!

8:00 am: I go to the counter to ask if there is any chance of getting on a flight... The ticketer tells me it is hopeless! Great!

8:15 am: By the Grace of God, the plane is fixed! Everyone is happy once again and the world can continue and I have a slight chance of actually getting on a plane to Joburg! 

8:20 am: I go to the counter... again... I ask if there is a chance... He looks up and smiles and says come back in an hour and a half! 

9:30 am: I go to the counter... Again!... He hands me a ticket! WOOHOO! 

9:40 am: I am on the plane sitting next to a great German couple (who actually stole my seat.. but I dont care cuz I made the plane!) 

11:17 am: I am in the air... relaxing... thinking about all my time spent in Cape Town. I need to throw out a thanks to all of you who have been praying and supporting me! You have no idea how much I appreciate it and need it! Thank you! It has been a wild... wild... extreme ride!

Cape Town Chronicles 1

Well before I get to the airport story, I need to write about some of the things I have been able to do while in Cape Town and some of the people I have been blessed to meet. I have been involved with a church named Church On Main which is in Newlands/Claremont area. It is a rad church that is very outgoing and is always looking to follow where the Spirit leads! It is normally a younger crowd because UCT (University of Cape Town) is right up on the mountain about a 10 minute walk away. To those of you who have gone to Rock Harbor in Newport Beach in California, it is very similar to that! I met a guy named Jacques (Jack for the layman). He is a great guy with a huge heart for people. He sort of took me under his wing one night when I went to a friends house for a braai and to watch rugby. It was a Friday night and he asked me what I was doing the next morning. I told him I had nothing going on. He asked me if I liked to run. I told him no... (haha for those of you who know me, running is the strongest part of my game. I have a very strong stamina and fast recovery system but in all honesty, running is not my favorite thing to do! But aside from this fact, I have run 2 marathons just to say I could do it!)(Actually, the first marathon I ran was quite a story. I have a friend at APU named Tex. Tex calls me up one friday night and asks me for a favor. I thought he was going to ask to borrow my truck or something like that... I asked him what it was and he said that I had to commit to it before he told me. I said sure! I am in! Why not? He then proceeded to tell me that we were running the LA marathon in 2 days! SHO!) Back to Jacques, he told me that they were running a 15k the next morning and I must come and help him run. I said sure because he is a great guy to be around and a good friend to have! We did the 15K in about an hour and 13 minutes or so... it was great fun! or Lakka Lakka as Jacques would say! About 2 weeks later, Jacques calls me up and asks me if I want to do the Cape Argus. I tell him "Sure... what is it?" He then tells me that it is a 109 Kilometer bike race and one of his friends dropped out and I can fill that spot if I want it... I thought to myself, "Why not? I have been training a lot for soccer and it can't be too bad! Most people finish in 3-4 hours. Let's do it!" So I do it... I made it about 40 K's without stopping and I just about fell off my bike and passed out! Biking fitness is much different than running fitness! The best part of the whole race was being able to go from one ocean to the other ocean and along the Garden Route which is very similar and, in my opinion, more beautiful than the Pacific Coast Highway. The worst part of the race was when I saw a sign, after 2 hours of cycling, that said 60 K's left! EISH! I finished at about 5 hours! I think I am pretty sure I sat on the couch or my bed for the next 3 days. In fact, I have never missed a training session for soccer in my life and I skipped one on purpose because I couldn't get out of bed! Then the even worse part is, I went to church and I was talking to this girl who did the Argus in 3 1/2 hours! (Oh man!) Then the story gets even better! Jacques calls me a couple weeks later again and says that I "must" come with him to do the Two Oceans Marathon! Which is an ultra marathon (56 K's.. you do the math)... Ok it was the half but still 15 MILES is still a long way to run! We finish in an hour and 40 minutes which is respectable! We tore up the first 6 miles and then ran into a wall and had to will our way through the rest! But it was a gorgeous run in amazing weather all in the shadow on the west side of Table Mountain! On a fitness level, I have officially left Cape town the most fit I think I have ever been! 

Moving on... Yesterday was a great day full of doing touristy stuff and taking pictures and getting souvenirs for friends and family. I got to explore different parts of the city that I had yet to see. I got some really cool raw African stuff. I got to say goodbye to all my friends that I have made. It was actually really hard to say goodbye because I have developed many great relationships that I will not ever forget! I know that my time here was well spent and God's people have been loved! I need to throw out an extra big thank you to Morgan and Cari (Bauer) Cathey! They blessed me so much with their hospitality and never ending grace! Thank you guys! I love you! It has been great but it is time to move on and finish what has been started... Joburg here I come!

Things I cannot wait for...

As I sit and stare out at Table Mountain, Devil's Peak, Lion's Head, and the Waterfront from Signal Hill, I cannot help but be lost in the beauty of this little city called Cape Town. Home to some of the best surf, craziest adventures, and just absolute random madness, I cannot help but think about how much I am going to miss this place. Today, I found out that I did not make the team. The coach told me that he liked me and wanted to give me a chance but I did not have enough "pro experience" and he needed players who "have been there before." I am a little disappointed in the soccer aspect of things but as far as ministry goes, there is no way in the world I would ever change this experience for anything. I have made some amazing relationships that I will never forget. Plus I know that I will go away knowing that God has worked through me with the people around me. Seeds have been planted and people have been loved. I am still here for a little less than a month and there is still stuff to be done but my time in Cape Town has drawn to a close. I am very excited about coming home and seeing friends and family! God has been amazing over here and I cannot wait to see Him work even more!

With that being said, let's start talking about the top 10 reasons "Why I cannot wait to come back to the states!"
10) A tan! Over the last year, I have not had a winter. I have gone from summer to summer now back to summer! I still have not gotten a tan and it is one of my goals to work on!
9) Better phone coverage and better plans. South Africa needs to follow the US in these first two because they will make more money than trying to cheat people. Both the internet and phone are covered by like 3 different companies which have a monopoly on all wireless transactions which in turn drives prices high.
8) Country Music! and Country concerts!
7) Driving on the right side of the road! Here they drive on the wrong side (Left) and everything is backwards! Even though it has created many funny incidents especially if I am driving!
6 ) FREE UNLIMITED WIRELESS INTERNET!!!! You have to pay for really bad internet here and it is super frustrating when emails do not send when they are supposed to or when the internet just all of a sudden goes out!
5) The Green Goblin! My 2000 Toyota Tacoma. You might call it cute because of its size but trust me, it has little man's syndrome and can run with the big dogs!
4) Free Refills and Dr. Pepper! Self explanation! (They try and make as much chump change as they can...)
3) Bigger servings at food places! And Bigger Cups! The cups here are so small and you constantly have to either go back for more or ask the waiter for more which just pisses them off because of the constant trips which just drives their own tips down!
2) Mexican Food! I love Mexican Food... Real tortillas, refried beans, carnitas, carne asada, and real salsa (even though morgan makes a mean salsa!).
1) Family! I love you Mom (and Cheri!)!

(for Cammi... despite your best efforts, you answered correctly. "V" is a Roman Numeral... And you wagered...!)

Time Closing In.. On a serious note.. Brew

Well, it is coming to that time again where life as I know it is changing. I have about 1-2 weeks left in Cape Town before I have to head back up North to Polokwane and Pretoria to finish up some unfinished business. This has been an amazing journey that is coming to a close. I have learned so much about myself and about people and about love and about God. I have had some major breakthroughs and some major disappointments. I have had some times where I wanted to pack it all up and come home. And I have had other times where I have been so in love with what I am doing, the people around me, and what God is doing through and around me, I didn't want to leave. Whether or not this mission/soccer trip has been a success or a failure, I know that God has worked through it and because of that, it will be a major success.

Since I came to Cape Town, my ministry changed or evolved in a way that is difficult to explain but I am going to try. This whole time I have been in South Africa, I have been struggling with this question: Am I a Christian that plays soccer?... Or... Am I Professional Soccer Player that is a Christian? Either way is fine because the important part is that I am a Christian and I am seeking after God and after what He wants for me. Basically, the real question that I have been praying about and asking God is, Where He wants me to be? Does He want me to be working with kids that are less fortunate, all the time and completely abandon my dream of playing at a professional level? Or does He want me to pursue being a professional and once I get signed, then I can start doing all the other stuff? My selfish side wants to never give up on my dream of playing at the highest level possible. I know that when I cannot go to a higher level, it will be time to hang the boots up. But right now, I know I can play at this level and I just need a shot. However, I am completely open to whatever God has for me. Wherever He leads, I will follow. I took a major gamble as far as ministry goes when I came down to Cape Town. I have not been able to be as involved in as many different stuff like I was in Polokwane because of the hectic training schedule. However, I will consider it completely worth it either way but especially if I make the team because I will have another full year here in South Afrika to follow what God has for me!

As far as scheduling goes right now, I get to play in a game this wednesday against, ironically, an American team. I know I have been saying that I will know for sure on whether I will make the team or not but the thing is, there is a thing called Afrika Time. This coach tells me he likes me and is impressed but he says that he needs to be 100%... Completely sure that it will be the best for his team and for me. Thus, I have been on trial for about 2 months which is a really long trial. I had a good talk with him this past week and asked him to assess what he is thinking with me. He told me that he will for sure, give me a decision on wednesday after watching and assessing me play in this game. If he decides to sign me, then I will coming back to Cape Town next year and playing a season here while being able to really get plugged into the different ministries going on here in Cape Town. Please pray for me that God's will be done... whatever it is. Thank you all for your love and support and prayers! I cannot wait to see you in a month!

To be signed.. Or not to be Signed.. That is the ?

I have been in Cape Town for almost two months. Life, Ministry, and Soccer have been unbelievable. God has been at work and it is obvious. I have not only found out a lot about myself and God, but I have grown more than I could have ever possibly imagined! So first of all, I just need to throw out a big thank you for all of you who have been praying and supporting me in ways I don't even know. Thank You! Praise God!

Alright.. getting down to the nitty and gritty. I have been on trial with this team called Ikapa Sporting for a month now. I have been playing really well and have been holding my end of the bargain as far as being able to play at this level. I continue to grow as a player in skill, technique, fitness (if it is possible), psychologically, and tactically. The African game is completely different than anything I have ever experienced in the states. Well, actually for those of you few that were able to see the APU Vs Lindsey Wilson in the finals where APU got crushed... It is very similar to that as far as the skill and the speed in concerned. However, they lack the discipline in order to play like a team. Which is a little bit disappointing but this is Afrika! The team is split demographically which is awesome! There are white guys, colored guys, and black guys. The diversity is really cool and creates quite a cool atmosphere at training because each "color" brings different aspects to the table. (I will get into that in a bit). Anyways, the guys on the team have been super supportive and so encouraging! It is awesome because I have had the opportunity to talk about God, life, and soccer, and girls with a some of them. It has been really cool! As far as soccer goes, things are either coming to a close or they are getting ready to be kicked off. They have recently let go of a couple of players and need some players to finish the season but since they cannot move up into the promotion zone, they do not want to spend any more money. The guy that got me the trial with Ikapa is representing me to the club. They are in the middle of negotiations on whether or not the club will pick me up for the rest of the year which is a little more than a month. If I get picked up, I will be able to play the last month which will include a local cup as well. So I can feel I am close thanks to God. Pray for me and that whatever is supposed to happen will happen. As far as next year is concerned depends on how I do here if I get picked up. The coach likes me but the decision is ultimately not up to him. So assuming I get picked up and do well, they will look to sign me for the whole of next year! So hopin and prayin!

The culture here in Cape Town is completely different than anywhere else in South Africa. It is honestly a "trip" half the time. Cape Town is definitely the most diverse city in the country. There are 11 national languages. Here, you have whites, blacks, and coloreds. When Cape Town was first established back in... whenever... the whites settled next to the mountain and around towards the sea with the blacks settling more north in the cape flats. The whites and blacks started makin' babies and that is where the coloreds started comin' in. They are their own culture and they are definitely the ones with the coolest accents. Anyways, pulling it all back in with the team... the whites and blacks dont always like each other however what suprised me was the blacks are the common denominator when they don't like each other. Like I have said in previous blogs, this is the most racist place I have ever been. You can learn so much about other cultures by simply listening to what they have to say. I have had the opportunity to hang out with almost all of the guys off the field and talk with them and go surfing or do flips off high dives. I can only hope and pray that God shines through me and they wonder why I am different. I can only hope and pray that I will be ready to talk to them when they ask.

The church I am going to is really cool and completely different than anything I ever went to in Polokwane. I have made some amazing relationships through this church which is awesome. If I end up coming back next year, there is a plan to start this community house where "loving your neighbor" is the main objective. It will be a house where we support people in the community, we have community meals, and just love on people around us. There is a lot more that goes into it and if you want to know more, just leave me a comment... I am super excited about it if I get to be a part of it!

Last but not least, I will end this blog with a funny little story that happened to me on Valentines Day. I didn't have a date. Grant, my friend from Ikapa, had just broken up with his girl and didnt have a date. So he and I went out to get dinner to watch soccer on tv and play backgammon because not having a date on Vday isn't that great but that's okay. We had a great talk about where he is in life and how he doesn't want to become "religious" because he needs to get some stuff out of his system. Anyways, we ran into some Brazilian folks that he had met at another point. It was a girl and a guy and we assumed that they were together. We had a really good time with them just talking and playing backgammon and getting coffee. Well at the end of the night, they needed a lift home so we gave them a ride because it was on the way. I was in the back with the Brazilian guy just finding out about his favorite soccer teams and players. When all of a sudden, the car jerks a little bit and my friend Grant yells... "NO I LOVE A WOMAN'S BODY!" Well, sitting in the back, I didn't know what that was about... until after we dropped them off... I asked and he said that the girl was asking if he was gay because he wanted to go home with Grant and I because he thought we were "together" because it was Valentines Day and we were both wearing collared shirts. At the time, it was sooooooo awkward. I mean, what do you do? We decided to do something really manly like jump in the ocean... Ha ha... Now, looking back on it, the situation was quite funny because it was only after that I realized what it might have looked like...

Peace and Love to all of you! I love you!