there and back again.

The adventures did abound, both great and small.  I got back last week from a lovely week and some of road-tripping from Cape Town to the Eastern Cape and back with two friends.  Though there were some stressful bits, like sending one friend back early on a plane for some teaching position interviews, the time overall was amazing, both as a chance to see more of the beautiful country of South Africa, from cities to oceans to rural homesteads, and as a time to rest and reflect.  

I could try to describe all the lovely things we saw while adventuring, but I figured you'd like even more to see some pictures! (I know how excited you are, mom...)

Our last glimpse of Table Mountain and company as we headed out on our adventure Eastern Cape-ward.

Ana (left), Kate (right), and I as we set out with the Getz fully loaded.

The drive = incredible.  

The sunset on the first night was one of the best. 

Kate and I standing in the Indian Ocean (my first time ever!) at Plettenberg Bay, clearly excited.  

Chintsa Beach the next morning (I promise we weren't always at the beach...). This is where we sent Kate back to Cape Town to be a responsible (and hopefully soon to be employed!) adult.

Rondavels (traditional Xhosa homes) in the Transkei.  Just a few hours further down the highway, around the cows, sheep, and goats standing in our way, our home for the next five days was waiting.

We stayed with a lovely family in their guest rondavel.  They live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, on a hill just a short walk from the Indian Ocean in the middle of the Wild Coast.  The weather all the way up was wonderful, and we were excited to hike around, and explore in Lubanzi.  Unfortunately, the good weather didn't last, and we got to know the view from the inside of our rondavel very well.  

We did get the chance to walk down to the beach there, though, and it was deserted and beautiful.   

Our home stay family was incredibly hospitable, sharing their meals with us and allowing us to enter their lives for a short time.  I was so inspired by these women and how hard they work for their families.   

After all the rains, our view the last evening was stunning.  This was the best sunset of the trip.    

It made an already beautiful place... 

magical.  (Middle-Earth, perhaps?) 

Our final morning, we hike to Hole in the Wall, a famous natural landmark.  See the hole?  (It's very impressive in person.)  After leaving, we began the long drive home, which was also very interesting...

We saw an elephant!!...jks, we drove through Addo Elephant National Park on the way back and
saw lots of elephants and other wildlife.  

On the drive back, we took a different route through the little Karoo (semi-desert area), which is totally different from but just as beautiful as the route we took there.  Pretty much, the entirety of South Africa is beautiful.  I might be slightly biased though...

There are about a million and one other stories from our adventure there and back again.  If I were to speak the stories, the meanings, that the pictures cannot illuminate, I would fill pages and pages.  But let me give you just a few glimpses (so you can ask about the full stories when I return the rest of the way back again).

• Watching the change in landscape with every passing hour.
• Walking uphill in the rain in the early morning to sit in an ARV clinic and hear stories of courage, sickness, despair, and hope.  
• Being offered magic mushrooms and dagga (pot) multiple times in one afternoon.
• Listening by the light of a kerosene lamp with Ana about the future.
• Watching the home stay family catch and carry away a chicken, and then eating him an hour later...
• Hiking to Hole in the Wall, wet and bedraggled, and unknowingly asking the area's chief for directions along the way.
• Re-learning to sit in the silence.
• Sitting with the manager of the Grahamstown backpackers as he told us much of his life story.
• Accepting hospitality from a couple desperate to open up their home as a place of rest.
• Seeing once again the infinite beauty of God's unfolding creation, from the dung beetle to the warthog to the elephant.  
• Watching God guide our every step on the adventure.

And so He continues to guide.  Less than three weeks left, folks.  Please keep me in your prayers as transition time hits, and as I attempt to live well in every day left.  Until next time.  

Hambani kakuhle (stay well).

adventures abound, both great and small!

I feel like that should be the title to a Sufjan Stevens album.  I would attempt to come up with some creative song titles, but I have approximately five minutes to write this post.  Why, you ask?  Because adventure abound, both great and small!  The great adventure about to commence in five minutes is a week long trip to the Eastern Cape. Two friends and I are going to stay at a rural home stay for five days, which should be an incredible experience. 

So, a real update will arrive when I return.  But in the meantime, please continue to hold me in your prayers for the last month of my internship.  Four weeks left....

Much love to you all!!