the cape town journey continues...

Oh, but these are powerful days, indeed. We continue to experience the complex contradictions of this amazaing place that South Africa is - the incredible extremes of poverty and wealth, beauty and challenge - something that remains strikingly similar to the contradictions of our very own south end of Seattle in many ways. It has been so powerful for us to be here together with the Cathcarts, as we are able to talk deeply about things here, as well as about things at home. This trip is such a gift and blessing to begin with, and being joined by our dear friends - being able to share the experience, has made it all the more wonderful.

We are also quite overwhelmed with the hospitality of our hosts - Pastor Alphonso Schilder, his wife, Crystal and their daughters - Meagan and Micaela. They have welcomed us into their home, their family and their life, which has taken our experience here to a level we couldn't have expected.

Some of the highlights (as if EVERYTHING is not a highlight...)

A few days ago we joined the rehab program men from Pastor Alfonso's church as they serve soup in one of the informal settlement areas of Mitchell's Plain. Three times a week they take their soup cart (a trailer that hooks to a vehicle - quite cool!) into the community - providing for many what amounts to their main (or only) meal for the day. It is wonderful to watch this group work, and a blessing to be able to share in that with them.

Wednesday, Ernie and I joined and shared with the men in the program at their morning devotions - such a incredible testimony to God's redemptive power. These are all men who have chosen to leave the street life of drugs and gangs, and to hear their stories is overwhelming. These are men who are so humble and so committed in their faith, as they have come back from the edge of death - literally. It is such a privilege for us to be able to spend time with them, and bear witness to their work - personal work, as well as their work in their community, as they now give their lives away to build that community up.

We've also had a chance to experience the incredible physical beauty of Cape Town - traveling up Table Mountain, and touring to the Cape of Good Hope. Pictures cannot do justice to the stunning physical beauty, but we'll try.

We have explored markets here as well, enjoying the entrepreneurial creativity of the people. The Khayelitsha Craft Market (Khayelitsha is a mostly black township of about 1 million) is a small market organized by a neighborhood church to create an opportunity for local artisans to have a venue to sell their creations. We also visited Green Market Square in downtown Cape Town, and I'm pleased to say that Matt found a screaming deal on a djembe (drum), so he won't have to look for big blue water jugs the next time he wants to lead folks in some singing.

Saturday we head for Johannesburg and Soweto. There we'll be moving even more deeply into the history of the struggle, and we look forward to continuing to see the powerful commitment of so many as they undertake redemptive work in this amazing country.