These are just a few of the images that I took during my first
excursion to downtown Joburg...
Monday, January 04, 2010
Downtown Joburg
These are just a few of the images that I took during my first
excursion to downtown Joburg...
Friday, January 01, 2010
2010...
It's a new year. A new place. A new beginning. There will be new experiences and new stories to tell. The one thing that isn't new... is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God's love is enduring and everlasting. I am so blessed to know Him. May this new year bring many opportunities to teach others about God's love. May all of my projects, my travels, and my very life bring glory to Christ. That's why I am here. That's why I do what I do. Guide me, Father, as I journey into this new year.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Christmas in Jo'burg
It's my first Christmas morning in South Africa, and I'll be heading to church in just a few minutes.
It's still not quite real... that I'm actually here. It's a bright, beautiful morning with a cool breeze. (The sun is out - completely - by 5am... which I'm still getting used to.) The breeze feels wonderful through the open windows and doors.
Happy birthday, Jesus! today is your day... as are all the others. I love you. And I thank you for being here and bringing me here. Thank you for not making me feel overwhelmingly lonely today. I still miss being with my family, but I've received emails from several of them. In fact, one of my sisters has sent several... updating me about the activities, events, and all the kids. She's even posted photos on FaceBook. It makes me still feel connected somehow. Thank you, God, for my loving family. Please be with them today, and help them focus on you.
I'm going to cry if I don't stop writing now...
It's still not quite real... that I'm actually here. It's a bright, beautiful morning with a cool breeze. (The sun is out - completely - by 5am... which I'm still getting used to.) The breeze feels wonderful through the open windows and doors.
Happy birthday, Jesus! today is your day... as are all the others. I love you. And I thank you for being here and bringing me here. Thank you for not making me feel overwhelmingly lonely today. I still miss being with my family, but I've received emails from several of them. In fact, one of my sisters has sent several... updating me about the activities, events, and all the kids. She's even posted photos on FaceBook. It makes me still feel connected somehow. Thank you, God, for my loving family. Please be with them today, and help them focus on you.
I'm going to cry if I don't stop writing now...
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
South Africa... First Impressions
Wow! Today is my first day in Johannesburg, South Africa. I arrived last night, and I'm currently staying in one of the guest rooms. I think this small room will be my home for the next several weeks - until they find a place for me to live.
First impressions? I'm not really sure yet. It was a beautiful evening last night with a cool breeze. I slept with the windows open and the fan on to allow for a cooler room (since there's no air - or heat - in the room).
Last night I was wide awake, so I decided to "decorate" a bit in this "new home" - albeit temporary - of mine. I put up some pictures of all five of my nieces and nephew... along with some Christmas cards, a note from Mom, and an ornament from some dear friends. Someone here very kindly bought me a small beaded Christmas tree (about 12" tall). Placed under the tree is one of my nephew's toy cars - which somehow appeared in one of my suitcases. :-D I also have a finger painting "blob art picture from one of my nieces and nephew. It's in a really cool frame - which I have sitting on the table. My most treasured gift that I have displayed was given to me by my sister. Growing up, the four of us kids always hung four little mice ornaments (in walnut shells) on our Christmas tree. There are three girls and one boy - obviously to match our genders. All four of us loved those ornaments, and my sister took possession of them a few years ago. This Christmas... she knew that I would be alone in South Africa, and she surprised me by gifting me with the mice. Knowing how much my sister treasured them makes them even more meaningful to me. Right now the four mice are "artfully" hanging on the small Christmas tree.
Christmas is obviously going to be different this year. It isn't my first Christmas away from family... actually it's my 3rd. As much as I would like to be with family for Christmas... honestly, a part of me is glad to be here in Jo'burg. Being away from all the lights and shopping and gifts and decorations and glitter... is somehow simpler. It reminds me what Christmas is really about. It's kind-of nice.
But I'm definitely going to miss family. And I hate that I'm going to miss playing with all the kids. They're such a joy to be around!
God... I wonder what you have in store for me here. Please let me be a blessing to others. Help me be the woman that you created me to be. Teach me your ways, Lord. Help me teach others about your love. I want to learn and grow and become closer to you than I ever have before.
First impressions? I'm not really sure yet. It was a beautiful evening last night with a cool breeze. I slept with the windows open and the fan on to allow for a cooler room (since there's no air - or heat - in the room).
Last night I was wide awake, so I decided to "decorate" a bit in this "new home" - albeit temporary - of mine. I put up some pictures of all five of my nieces and nephew... along with some Christmas cards, a note from Mom, and an ornament from some dear friends. Someone here very kindly bought me a small beaded Christmas tree (about 12" tall). Placed under the tree is one of my nephew's toy cars - which somehow appeared in one of my suitcases. :-D I also have a finger painting "blob art picture from one of my nieces and nephew. It's in a really cool frame - which I have sitting on the table. My most treasured gift that I have displayed was given to me by my sister. Growing up, the four of us kids always hung four little mice ornaments (in walnut shells) on our Christmas tree. There are three girls and one boy - obviously to match our genders. All four of us loved those ornaments, and my sister took possession of them a few years ago. This Christmas... she knew that I would be alone in South Africa, and she surprised me by gifting me with the mice. Knowing how much my sister treasured them makes them even more meaningful to me. Right now the four mice are "artfully" hanging on the small Christmas tree.
Christmas is obviously going to be different this year. It isn't my first Christmas away from family... actually it's my 3rd. As much as I would like to be with family for Christmas... honestly, a part of me is glad to be here in Jo'burg. Being away from all the lights and shopping and gifts and decorations and glitter... is somehow simpler. It reminds me what Christmas is really about. It's kind-of nice.
But I'm definitely going to miss family. And I hate that I'm going to miss playing with all the kids. They're such a joy to be around!
God... I wonder what you have in store for me here. Please let me be a blessing to others. Help me be the woman that you created me to be. Teach me your ways, Lord. Help me teach others about your love. I want to learn and grow and become closer to you than I ever have before.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Just arrived
I've arrived in Jo'burg... and I've decided (once again) to get back to blogging. It's been far too long, and I really need to keep it updated. So... here's to new beginnings... and new commitments... :-)
But for now... I'm going to bed. It's been a long few days with long flights and little rest. More tomorrow...
But for now... I'm going to bed. It's been a long few days with long flights and little rest. More tomorrow...
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
A Fresh Start
Okay... so it's been an extremely LONG time since I've updated this site. Well, all that is about to change. I'm finally going to start blogging again about my travels. I have a lot of catching up to do, so please hang in there - if you haven't already given up on me! :-)
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Sonrise Revealed
The pale moon was hovering over the city behind me as the crimson sun slowly rose ahead of me. As the glorious sun peaked over the distant mountains, I joined the multitude of voices lifting praises to the Father above. It was early on Easter morning in Stuttgart, Germany, where believers in Christ assembled at the top of (what the Americans call) “Rubble Hill.”
Birkenkopf is most often called “Monte Scherbelino” by the Germans – which is literally translated as “Mount Shards.” Birkenkopf is the highest elevation of the surrounding hills of Stuttgart and has special meaning to those who live in the valley below. During the Second World War, most of Stuttgart was destroyed, and the remaining debris (almost 53 million cubic feet) from the 53 air strikes was accumulated and deposited on top of Birkenkopf – significantly increasing its height. Now Monte Scherbelino stands as a memorial for the victims and as a warning to the living.
But as I stood with others at the foot of the 10-meter-high (32.8 feet) cross overlooking the city below… my thoughts were far from the near-by rubble displaying some of the prominent façade pieces of destroyed WWII homes and buildings. Rather my eyes were drawn to the scarlet sun on the horizon and the metallic surfaces in the fog-covered valley below as they reflected the sun’s light through the surrounding darkness. I couldn’t rid my mind of a staggering question: “Would the city of Stuttgart ever glow from the reflection of the Son’s light through the Christian believers living among the population?”
I couldn’t escape the metaphors. Easter morning is one of the prominent moments when Christians reflect on the blood of Jesus Christ as He died on a crucifix and His ensuing resurrection on the third day. He died for people – for every one of us, because His love for us is beyond comparison. And here I was . . . standing at the foot of a cross, on a mountain of rubble, “seeing” the darkness in the valley below. As I watched the rising of the blood-red sun . . . my mind pictured the blood-stained Son rising from His grave. As the dense fog dissipated above the houses . . . I imagined the hazy confusion of Jesus’ followers as they began to understand His prophecies. The light began to shine through the darkness enveloping Stuttgart . . . just as the acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as the Son of God began to spread across the earth. And as the reflections of the sun began to glitter across the valley’s mirrored surfaces . . . my thoughts turned inward as well as outward.
Am I . . . are you . . . mirroring Christ’s love? Is His reflection shining through our lives? How many hundreds and thousands of people were sleeping in Stuttgart – unknowing that a celebration of Love and Redemption was occurring just above them on a memorable hill overlooking their city? How many people didn’t know, because we didn’t tell them? Our mission is clear . . . to tell the world about Jesus Christ . . . every tribe and every nation. The risen Son should be revealed through our lives!
One young child touched my heart after our Easter Sonrise Worship came to a close. She climbed some of the rubble surrounding us where she could look into the distance. She paused for a moment as she turned in a circle . . . seeing the horizon in every direction. And then she loudly proclaimed, “Look! I can see the whole world!” And as she spoke, images flooded through my mind . . . of the faces of people around the world that have never heard about Jesus Christ. God does see the whole world, and He loves and longs for every soul to know and believe in Him.
Birkenkopf is most often called “Monte Scherbelino” by the Germans – which is literally translated as “Mount Shards.” Birkenkopf is the highest elevation of the surrounding hills of Stuttgart and has special meaning to those who live in the valley below. During the Second World War, most of Stuttgart was destroyed, and the remaining debris (almost 53 million cubic feet) from the 53 air strikes was accumulated and deposited on top of Birkenkopf – significantly increasing its height. Now Monte Scherbelino stands as a memorial for the victims and as a warning to the living.
But as I stood with others at the foot of the 10-meter-high (32.8 feet) cross overlooking the city below… my thoughts were far from the near-by rubble displaying some of the prominent façade pieces of destroyed WWII homes and buildings. Rather my eyes were drawn to the scarlet sun on the horizon and the metallic surfaces in the fog-covered valley below as they reflected the sun’s light through the surrounding darkness. I couldn’t rid my mind of a staggering question: “Would the city of Stuttgart ever glow from the reflection of the Son’s light through the Christian believers living among the population?”
I couldn’t escape the metaphors. Easter morning is one of the prominent moments when Christians reflect on the blood of Jesus Christ as He died on a crucifix and His ensuing resurrection on the third day. He died for people – for every one of us, because His love for us is beyond comparison. And here I was . . . standing at the foot of a cross, on a mountain of rubble, “seeing” the darkness in the valley below. As I watched the rising of the blood-red sun . . . my mind pictured the blood-stained Son rising from His grave. As the dense fog dissipated above the houses . . . I imagined the hazy confusion of Jesus’ followers as they began to understand His prophecies. The light began to shine through the darkness enveloping Stuttgart . . . just as the acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as the Son of God began to spread across the earth. And as the reflections of the sun began to glitter across the valley’s mirrored surfaces . . . my thoughts turned inward as well as outward.
Am I . . . are you . . . mirroring Christ’s love? Is His reflection shining through our lives? How many hundreds and thousands of people were sleeping in Stuttgart – unknowing that a celebration of Love and Redemption was occurring just above them on a memorable hill overlooking their city? How many people didn’t know, because we didn’t tell them? Our mission is clear . . . to tell the world about Jesus Christ . . . every tribe and every nation. The risen Son should be revealed through our lives!
One young child touched my heart after our Easter Sonrise Worship came to a close. She climbed some of the rubble surrounding us where she could look into the distance. She paused for a moment as she turned in a circle . . . seeing the horizon in every direction. And then she loudly proclaimed, “Look! I can see the whole world!” And as she spoke, images flooded through my mind . . . of the faces of people around the world that have never heard about Jesus Christ. God does see the whole world, and He loves and longs for every soul to know and believe in Him.
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