Adventures in South Africa: March of the Buffalo

It's always a game of chance when you drive through a game park looking for animals, like we did in Addo Elephant Park in South Africa. You might be in a park full of animals but see absolutely nothing. Or you might see everything. It just depends on who's out and about that day. When there's no fences, you never know who you're going to run into on the road, either.



Rounding the corner of the dirt road, we just about ran right into the noses of a group of rather grumpy looking buffalo. From all the people I've talked to who know (and some who don't), buffalo aren't the sort of creatures you want to encounter up close and personal. They can be mean and unpredictable. Thus my worry when we saw them coming right at us only a few yards away. I think my intelligent, cool-minded advice to my friend who was driving was “Back up! Back up!”.
We scooted away around a corner and stopped, only to see them marching, purposefully and at a good pace, towards us again. We did get out of there pretty quickly, but later learned from a park official that my advice was wrong.

So here it is: If you ever encounter a group of buffalo while driving through a game reserve (or maybe anywhere else, for that matter), DON'T back up. Stop your car and sit very still while they walk around your car. They won't bash your car in. But please don't blame me if you ever have to check if your car insurance covers “damage due to mad buffalo” because you took my advice!

Adventures in South Africa: The Confused Ostrich

Apart from stories about my ministry, it's always fun to tell a few about my leisure time as well!

As many of you know, I went to South Africa for Christmas with friends. We stayed mostly in Cape Town, but we also went on a ten-day trip down the garden route and stopped at two game reserves, Addo Elephant Park and Mountain Zebra Park. It was amazing how many animals we were able to see.

We went on several game drives, both in our own vehicle and with a guide in a park vehicle. On an evening drive, we were busily looking for black rhinos and cheetahs as the sun went down. Our guide turned on two big spotlights so we could see any animals we drove by. And as we drove along, our spotlight caught an ostrich unawares, standing there, minding his own business. Surprised to be caught in a great beam of light, he fluttered about wondering which way to run to get out of the light. We were still driving and our guide kept the light on the ostrich, but poor ostrich, he was so confused on how to escape this horrible light! He began to run with our vehicle instead of away from it! Jumping and weaving back and forth like a feather duster on a yo-yo string, he got closer and closer to our truck, then realized that the thing that was making all the noise while driving down the road was also producing the light. He quickly turned away from our truck and ran out into the darkness, only to get spooked and run towards the truck again. Every time we thought we lost him, here he'd come again, weaving towards the truck in a panicked state, wondering why that light wouldn't leave him alone! He even darted in front of our truck a few times. Honestly, after a while, we were the ones trying to get away from him!



After finally losing him, we went on to see other animals, then headed back home. And on our way home, who should appear in the spotlight again but Confused Ostrich! Racing alongside us, erratically weaving around, dashing in front of our truck, and jumping from the light to the darkness and back into the light again in a totally panicked state of mind, Confused Ostrich couldn't make up his mind on how to escape the dreaded light (this happens when you don't have much of a brain to begin with!). Poor ostrich. He was probably quite wore out from the stress of it all! Although, living on a game reserve, I'm sure he's bound to get into this situation again... and again... and again. Poor Confused Ostrich!

A Time Out

This Christmas season, I am going away with friends out of the country, so unfortunately won't be blogging until next year. It sounds like a long way off, but it's just around the corner. Till then, have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

Clean Up Day

Sometimes I tear my hair out because it seems to me that little is being done to improve the childrens' hostels that I work at. Things go slow around here, I have to remind myself.

But there is some small things happening. They are big for here. The other day, we did a clean-up day at the hostels. The whole day was to be spent cleaning. When I arrived at the girls' hostel, however, this was their version of cleaning.


Braiding hair.

So I encouraged and urged and prodded till they got out the brooms and swept. Well, it was okay in the end because the girls keep their rooms very clean to begin with.

However the boys' hostel is a different case, and I heard later (I did not go there that day) that the boys did a great job and cleaned the place. Well, okay, then. It's clean for one day.

Not really, the boys' houseparent told me. Now that they cleaned the place and have brooms, they are sweeping everyday. Wow! Praise the Lord! At least they are learning to clean. And that's progress.

A Special Need

I am a missionary to children and children's workers. My office is right across the street from my house and I spend most of my time there during the day, focusing on both academic and spiritual education of the children in my neighborhood and at the children's hostels. That is my world. But sometimes I get so focused on my own little world that I forget the powerful ministry right down the street from me.



On the same street that I live and work on is a Christian eye hospital. Because it is a specialized hospital, it draws people from far and wide. Eye problems are common here. Lack of nutrition, proper medical care, hygiene, and the fact that this is a very dirty and dust ridden environment all contribute to eye injuries, diseases, and permanent damage. People come to the eye hospital hoping to save or restore their eyesight, hoping for a miracle. The eye hospital is a busy place.



But it isn't just an eye hospital. It is a mission field. Because it is a Christian hospital, the chaplain can openly visit and pray with patients, sharing the gospel freely. Many people come empty and needy, not just physically but spiritually as well. They not only discover physical healing at the hospital, but they hear about a savior, the Savior, Jesus Christ. What a wonderful hope!



The eye hospital is a beacon of hope for so many hopeless people. And there are many who come. However, there are not enough doctors at the hospital for all those patients. The small team of ophthalmologists who perform the complicated procedures are so few that they work from morning to night with little rest. One of these doctors is moving on to another job at the end of this year, leaving the hospital in great need of another ophthalmologist. Not just an ophthalmologist, but a missionary ophthalmologist who has a vision for reaching the lost through medical work. The hospital is trying to improve its facilities and procedures, and a missionary doctor is urgently needed to help them with this task.

I know I am being extremely optimistic in hoping that an ophthalmologist who is looking at going into missions (or someone who knows a person who fits this description) is reading this post. But I feel that the Lord led me to write it. If you are interested in knowing more about this, click here. But I know that many of you can pray along with me that a doctor will be provided for this position.

Amazingly, we have been waiting for a missionary ophthalmologist for the eye hospital for many years! I was reminded of this need tonight as I was helping a visiting doctor unload medical supplies donated from the U.S. I think we have become discouraged in hoping that a missionary doctor will ever come. Please pray along with me that an ophthalmologist would be led to come to this busy mission field!

Don't Close the Door!

Tonight I came home at dinner time, dog tired with no idea what to fix for dinner... as usual.
I had alot of things to do and immediately started multitasking and worrying about all the things that need to be done but aren't... as usual.
I left the screen door open even though it was getting dark... not as usual.

Then a knock came and a voice called through the screen. I was annoyed. "What a terrible time to have a visitor, right as I'm fixing dinner and trying to do a hundred other things, and it's dark and there's no electricity. Terrible timing." I get so fixated on my own agendas. And then there are God's agendas.

It was a girl, a little younger than myself, who I've only met twice. Coming by and randomly greeting at almost any hour is a big thing here, so I thought (with annoyance) that is why she came. She sat down and I asked how university was and this and that and she smiled... and her eyes filled up with tears. It's not too often I get a random guest at night who bursts into tears. With death being so prevalent here, I was sure someone had died.

But it wasn't that at all. She wanted to talk about a relationship with a guy that had gone bad. She had done all the right things, been pure and honest in her relationship with him, and he had been dishonest and undependable. And she was grieving. She is one of those rare gems will overflows with compassion for everyone, who wants to see the best in everyone. She apologized for coming so randomly and crying...

Then I began to cry, too. I needed a friend just as much as she needed one. It's hard always talking about the struggles of being single to people who are married. And we were able to share with one another. There's no big solutions, mostly laughter and tears and the encouragement to lift your head and howl for a bit, then move on! We were encouraged by one another.

In this culture it is especially difficult to be single because a woman's identity is based on her husband and children. Even the name she is called reflects that. Being single here means you don't have much identity, you are still a child, and you are hounded daily to get married. It's not easy.

And then there are friends who feel just the same as you do about being single. We lift each other up in prayer and laugh and cry and live in this strange, challenging time of life that sometimes feels like we are slogging through the mud and being pulled down by the culture we live in. And that's why God brings us together as friends- to pull each other through the mud, to keep each other from being sucked under. I'm so glad I didn't close the door tonight!

Friday Night at the Movies

There's very little entertainment to be found around here. Usually the most excited thing that happens is when a water pipe falls apart and you have to call the plumber and insist that it is URGENT! COME NOW!

So us missionaries have to make our own entertainment. We've recently come up with a solution to our lack of entertainment- Friday night at the movies. No, not at a cinema. We hang a sheet on the wall of one of the missionary family's houses and set up a projector. Our concession stand consists of homemade snacks and sometimes-cold drinks (when we have electricity to get them cold!). Our movie selection is limited, so it usually takes some effort to find something we will all enjoy. Whatever we watch, we always have a great time laughing together. But seriously, I would take our “homemade cinema” over the real thing. It's always better from scratch, eh?