We're Home!

After 34 hours of traveling we have finally arrived back in Downingtown. It was a very bittersweet two days of travel. We all were missing home and our families dearly, but none of us wanted to leave behind everything in South Africa.
On Wednesday we had our fun day before heading home. We went to the Mosaic Community Center and were surprised with the HOOP being there along with the crane and a forklift to put it place. We all got to see the container placed and helped organize all of the supplies that were packed in it. To our surprise everything looked exactly the way we had packed it even after being checked upon arriving in Port Elizabeth.
After watching the shipping container we had the afternoon at Spier, which is a winery that was absolutely gorgeous. All of us did a Segway Tour of the winery. It was all off roading and was a ton of fun. Only one person fell out of the entire group. The group also split into two, one group did a wine and chocolate tasting and the other group did an Eagle encounter. Everyone had an amazing time with each other.
Thursday we started our trip back to the states :( We spent the morning going to the community center to see the progress that Julie, Tony and Joe had made on Wednesday while we were all at Spier. We also went to the building site to see how far the local workers had gotten with the rest of the houses and were pleased to see them putting the final touches of the roof on. We ended our trip in Paarl by going to Mark's kitchen to see what happens behind the scenes of a portion of Valley of Abundance. It was incredible to see the culinary skills that Mark teaches all of the kids who works with him. Mark has some great dreams that he wants to accomplish over the next couple of years and hearing his vision was amazing. After all of our stops we went headed to Cape Town to catch our plane to Johannesburg and then catch our flight back to JFK.
We so appreciate all of your prayers for us throughout this journey. It has been eye opening and life changing for us. We would love to share all of our own personal experiences with each and everyone of you, so if you see us please ask :)

The greeting we received upon arriving

Dick at Eagle Encounter

The group at the community center after it was put in place

Nielen (right) and his twin Brad (left)

Half of the group on the Segway tour at Spier

The whole group with some of the local workers on our last day at the building site

Sorry for the Delay!

The past three days have been a whirlwind of activities and business. We just finished our last day on the work site and starting to finish the walls with plaster and laid the cross beams for the roof. On Sunday we spent the morning at a church in Mbekweni with Pastor Eugene. He has an incredible church with a congregation who are all on fire for Jesus. His message was very touching and quite a few of us had the opportunity to join in dancing up front with a group of locals, which was a ton of fun and very emotional. We then split into three different groups. One group hikes Table Mountain, one took the cable car up Table Mountain and one group went snorkeling with seals in Hout Bay. I was in the group that went snorkeling, which was one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had. On our way out to the island on the skipper we got to stop to see Humpback Whales feeding. We also got to see them breach before we headed to see the seals. The seals were compared to dogs, they are curious and just want to bump into you, smell you and nibble at you. While we were snorkeling I had a seal come and nibble on my fingers before shooting off into the bay. The other three who were with me also had amazing experiences, and the intern who brought us, Lars, was a trooper through the whole thing. After snorkeling we went into Cape Town for some shopping and dinner. We were the last group to arrive, but ran into a few other members of our team when we were heading to dinner. We finally headed back to the guest house after Cape Town.

Monday we spent the day at the work site. We started the roof and started plastering walls in the houses. By lunch time quite a few of us were expert plasterers. In the afternoon a few people were given the opportunity to visit the after school program at the Mosaic Community Center. We played with the kids and helped with some of their school reviews. I got the help children with past, present and future tenses. The interns do an incredible job with all of these kids. They love on them, help them and teach them. I’ve never seen so many smiling faces in one room. All of the Hopewell people that went to the after school program seemed to be in their element with all of these kids. We had dinner at the guest house after a very long and hot day. We ended the night with a group devotion.

Today we went back to the work site for our last day at the houses. We had a very long, hard and hot day. All of the support beams have been placed, but we did not have the metal sheets to finish the roof. We also almost finished plastering the first house. All of the locals were on deck helping us with everything. It was amazing to watch all of the locals work hand in hand with all of our crew. In the afternoon we had a group go back to the community center to help with the after school program. We got to play with all of the Mosaic kids for a few hours. By the end of the day all of the support beams were done, all of the rooms were cleaned and all of the rooms were either plastered or ready to be plastered. We ended the day at Diemersfontein, which is a local wine estate. It was an incredible meal with all of the Hopewell crew, Meyer, Karen, Lars, Anne and Rebekkah. Everyone enjoyed all of  the time together and we have now returned back to the guest house. Everyone has turned in for bed and is trying to get some rest before our busy day tomorrow. 

A message from Julie

Not sure exactly how to put this day, this feeling, this experience into words but Shannon said I can write whatever I want so here goes. HOLY SMOKES! This is just unreal. Today was another day filled with joy beyond measure. We had a good workday. Joe suggested we have lunch at the job site with the local guys we’ve been working with. The Ma’s delivered our lunch to us and we ate as a full team, which seems like exactly what we’ve become, Hopewell, Johannas, Power, Samkele, Sallie, Desmond and on and on, a team.  The bricks are finished and the roof boards are on top of the houses and ready. We shared a meal and laughs and conversation and it feels like we’ve trusted each other longer than a couple of days. We were down a few players but hopefully everyone will be 100% by morning.  We left the site early today and got to visit Franschoek.  It’s a beautiful town, Dick and Vicki compared it to Palm Springs. Lots of shops, art galleries, boutiques, and a great place for dinner.   I think it’s  funny that I’ve had pizza twice so far in South Africa, no chicken feet, but pizza twice.  

One of the strangest things to me is the contrast.  It seems like we are experiencing  the most heartbreaking and the most breathtaking of South Africa simultaneously. It’s  bazaar and exciting and a lot to process but every second has been enjoyable and filled with lessons. Yesterday’s devotional was teachability and the enormity of what there is to learn here is magnificent.

If anyone talks to Pastor Steve this week, please tell him how much I’m thinking of him and thanking him from almost 8,000 miles away. I learned a lot (during my first 15 hours of the journey with Jen) about how Hopewell’s relationship with South Africa began.  There is a raging fire here, spreading like wild and we are so blessed and so fortunate to be caught up in it. The passion Steve felt when he first experienced those barefooted South African children all those years ago, and later the trust he had in Jen Lisowski to become a foot soldier here on behalf of Hopewell is incredible. Ask a lot of questions if you don’t know the whole story because it’s awesome! This chain reaction takes all of us, from Downingtown to Paarl and everywhere in between, on this journey with God. We are pretty blessed right?!?!? 

Julie Pook

Julie hard at work filling in holes before we plaster

Pizza from dinner in Franschhoek

Brian playing with Savanna, the guest house puppy

Swap Shop Day!

Today was our fifth day at the building site laying bricks. We have had the joy this week of working side by side with some incredible men of the community. As Lynne said during our devotions tonight, at first both sides were a little standoffish towards each other, but now everyone knows each other by name and can laugh and joke around with each other. It has made a tremendous difference in getting tasks accomplished and getting as far as we have on the house.

After lunch we were given the opportunity to go the Swap Shop at the community center. We initially were only planning on being there for a half hour, but that turned into almost two hours. It was amazing how much of a difference these kids could make in their own community by cleaning up trash. The way the swap shop works is that the children will go out and collect recycles and trash, bring it to the community center, have it weighed and then they are given points that they can trade in the swap shop. The swap shop carries food, toiletries, toys and occasionally clothing that the children can get. Each child is also given a piece of bread and fruit as they walk in the gate.

My heart was so filled with joy as we walked into the community center this afternoon. We were told ahead of time that this would be the most likely time to see some kids we saw last year at Planjties. I was not expecting to see any of the kids, but was secretly hoping to see two of the little girls who stole my heart last August. Low and behold, after standing in the center for a few minutes, a not so little girl anymore, Mishka, came flying into my arms. I don’t think I have ever been so overwhelmed with joy, I did not stop smiling the entire afternoon. I often do not think our work makes that much of a difference in the grand scheme of things, but I have slowly learned that the most important part of these trips is relationships that we build and leave behind wherever we go. I never in a million years thought Mishka would remember a crazy American from over a year ago, but she came running yelling “Shannon!!”.

There is no doubt in my mind that the relationships we’re making with the men, women and children in Paarl Valley will slowly make a difference. We have incredible examples leading us through all of the work we are doing here. I cannot even express how much praise Nielen, Stefani, Corneal, Andre, Annika, and all of the other Ma’s of Wellington and volunteers at the community center deserve. I am forever grateful and thankful that God put a heart of service in those people and put on their hearts the desire to help change the community around them.

Swap Shop container at the community center

Bread and fruit each child received as they entered the community center

Shannon and Mishka this year (left) and last August (right)

Tony teaching the group how to plaster the brick walls on the inside

Julie and Amy throwing bricks up to Christopher and Power

Trash and recycles collected for weighing and trading at the swap shop

Jen laying bricks almost as high as she can reach

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving, family and friends!  Though we miss being home for this special day, we have been blessed beyond measure with the events of our day here in SA.  As I type this, it’s 8:00 P.M. and we are gathered at Tony’s and Cammy’s beautiful SA home, having enjoyed a meal together, and, no…there is no turkey in SA!  Our day began at the worksite, where the brickwork is going very well.  Walls are going up at an amazing speed and some of us are beginning to feel PRETTY confident in our bricklaying skills!  That said, there are others of us who are happy to haul brick and pretty much content to do the work of the laborer, each job an important part of the whole.  At mid-morning, some folks boarded the van to go to Ma’s of Wellington, at a location in Planjties, close to the place where Hopewell worked last year.  This group has moved into a most amazing space, created out of containers, that provides Christian education, food, comfort and the love of Jesus to children of the community.  There was not a dry eye in the house as the children sang to us and shared the love of Jesus.  They and we all are waiting with bated breath for the HOOP container to be delivered to that same space, hopefully on Friday.  That container will provide the kitchen for which the Ma’s have been praying for nine years!  They are beyond grateful for the support of Hopewell Church and have loved us long before we even arrived in SA.  Thank you, Hopewell, for your love and support that spans the globe, in the name of Jesus Christ.  After lunch, we showered and headed to Doolhof, one of the most stunning places on the face of this earth(in my humble opinion).  It was there that we walked a Chartres-style Labyrinth.  We were on the top of the mountain, looking out over stunning mountain ranges, gorgeous fields of grapevines and grains, trees in full bloom and fields of deep rich greens(it’s Spring here..), simply taking in the outrageous beauty of God’s nature.  Though we are tired and achy to the bone, there is  peace and contentment  in our hearts

  We continue to covet your prayers as we move forward on this journey.  There are no words to truly describe the beauty and movement of God in this place.  Truly, He is the God of this City.

Blessings to you, in HIM,

Pastor Vicki

The Walls Are Almost Finished!

Today we had day three of the work week! We have made tremendous progress with the outside walls. Everyone had a job today and kept busy until the end. Luckily the weather held up and we only had a few drizzles during the workday. A few people broke off to go help with the after school program at the community center today. Everyone was beat by the end of the day, but not too tired to join in singing You're the God of This City before we left the site.
The Ma's of Wellington have joined us for dinner tonight and everyone is gathered together laughing and chatting. They prepared another fantastic meal for lunch today and joined us singing Sanctuary before we departed to get back to work.
We finally have enough internet to upload a few pictures of the work we have done today, if you care to see more you can check out Mosaic US Facebook page.

A Message from Grandma Annie

Today was a great day to connect with the people of South Africa.  Our driver, Sully was sharing about his family and how he loves working with the visitors.  He said there are times when he gets home late but he loves to tell his family about the great people he drives.  I told him how his driving us meant to us.  He said hearing that meant so much to him.

We had lunch with the Ma’s  a great  group of local ladies making a difference in Wellington.  They all said they felt called by God to serve the children of the area. They sang for us and welcomed us so warmly.

~Annie

 We had another productive workday today at the houses. We managed to complete a fairly decent amount of the outside walls. We had the opportunity to work alongside some of the locals and do hours worth of brick laying with them. All of the men were so welcoming and so willing to teach us how to do a better job or how to be more efficient.

We had another delicious meal tonight and had the chance to sit down as a group to do a devotional before everyone headed off to bed.