Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Update:  We are now on the long flight from Johannesburg, South Africa.  We have settled in after our meals and have a bit under 14 hours left of our flight.  I thought this could be a great opportunity to catch up on blogging.

Previous Update: We are at the final stop of the Elephant adventure where I could not upload more pictures. I promise I have others to upload and more blogs. We will be waiting at the airport for home shortly.

(Note: we have been kept very busy so I will be catching up the blog as we wind down — more to come.)

Siloe School for the Blind and St. Francis Academy marked our Wednesday mission outreach. Team 1 had visited this special school in 2015. St. Francis Academy is where students go from pre-school through graduation.  Until grade 8, students are in the Siloe School for the Blind.  At grade 8 they go to the public school with sighted students. We experienced immense respect and dignity with these students.

To get to Siloe, our fearless leader, Rene Blessman lead the way and drove one of the two vans through a long route of African gravel roads with definite bumps.  We have come to call these affectionately “African massage” experiences. It is known that some of us have fallen asleep to the lull of the big bumps.

Polish nuns started this school.  Missionaries come to teach for 2 year periods.  We met Dominc and his wife Margaret had traveled from South Africa daughter Caroline, son Patrick.  They moved from California.  Dominic is  working on a farm and Margaret teaches  English.  We met Patrick at a music ministry with the students.  Patrick seemed to come to know the African colored skin as white.  He commented to me, “There are a lot of white students, I mean black students here.”

One group weeded the driveways in the hot sun, one group had three different sessions of music ministry: pre-school, 1^st grade, 2^nd & third graders.   Among the music activities we taught was a song we did not know – the Hokey-Pokey.  This was great joy and we got flooded with group hugs by each grade!  What joy and hope abounds in these little lives.

 

When it came to the 2^nd and 3^rd grade mixed class we also sang “Old McDonald”.  We asked for farm animals and got some like: Lions, cheetahs, tigers, chickens, dogs, cats, elephants – not the farm animals we consider in Iowa.

 

The third group composed of some of the women of our group gave 2 sessions of Days for Girls giving out over 90 kits.  Some of the young women were sighted and some were note. The team members said how rewarding it was to work with these sighted, partially sites, and blind young women.

 

We then celebrated Mass at the small Chapel at the Siloe School for the Blind .  It was a sad day for the school as earlier in the week one of the teachers died from cancer and the school was sponsoring the memorial service.  It was a very special Mass to be with the nuns and couple from our new friends from California that we met.

 

We then went to the place where baskets are weaved by blind or partially sighted individuals.  I know I speak for our team where I say we were all very humbled when we saw these individuals weaving the baskets.  Our suitcases will hold purchases for the blind workshop.

The day ended with a safari ride in two large jeeps. We saw large game animals:  zebra, giraffe, hippo, impala, wildebeest, and rare birds amongst others.  We heard the roar of a lion and spent time driving to find the lion but settled for hearing the roar.

We then had a traditional bush dinner in the middle of the safari area – with guides keeping away prey.

 

Above is a sunset from the Game Drive Safari we went on and pictures of our bush dinner in the middle of the game area

At the days end, I recounted the rides in the jeeps and two ministry vehicles and being with team mates and serving together.  We are better together indeed –with all of our diversity indeed!

Here is what Juliana, 3 year alum of the St. Francis trip has to say about this trip:

“This is the third year in a row I’ve joined the St. Francis South Africa Mission team and the main reason is because of the people.  Everyone here is so happy and joyful.  People often come up to me to say they remember me which surprises me since we usually only visit a location once in the tie that we’re here.  I just love coming back to see my friends and playing with the children. J”

Juliana leads the Days for Girls sewing chapter at St. Francis Church, West Des Moines, IA – this chapter sewed the kits for these young women.