Suburban Safari

Think of camels and Cape Town isn’t the first place that comes to mind. It’s not exactly the Sahara Desert. But in the South Peninsula, where I live, there’s a little shopping and dining complex called Imhoff Farm Village that’s home to three camels. For months I’ve passed by them nearly every day and always thought it would be fun to ride one. A few weeks ago I finally did so. My mount’s name was “Lightning,” a wry reference to his leisurely pace.

Non-traditional Thanksgiving

Yesterday was a Thanksgiving I’ll never forget. First, my American friends and I celebrated the feast with our South African colleagues at Living Hope. Since they are unfamiliar with the tradition, we began the festivities with a play telling the story of the pilgrims’ first harvest celebration. Then we enjoyed the Thanksgiving staples of turkey and dressing, along with some uniquely South African creations such as breyani, a curried chicken dish with rice and lentils. With no NFL football to watch on TV afterward, we settled for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. It was my also friend Danielle’s birthday, so to top it all off, we celebrated by going to dinner at a new Mexican restaurant in Cape Town.

The Doctor Is In

In Cape Town, a prevailing southeast wind blows in spring and early summer. It originates way down in the Southern ocean and arrives at the Cape Peninsula at gale force strength. It’s known locally as the Cape Doctor because of its ability to purge the area of smog and otherwise foul air. That’s the good part. The down side is it’s extremely disruptive to everyday life. Walking becomes a struggle to stay upright. Dust and rubbish and sometimes even bigger objects get blown around. The noise is constant, even indoors. I can’t fully convey it here – it has to be experienced to be believed – but the photos below give an idea of its effect on sea and sky.

Fox

Last year I wrote about Totsi, a dog that hangs around during our afternoon kids programs at Red Hill. He’s a sweet dog. Fox, on the other hand, is possibly one of the most obnoxious canines to ever live.

“Foxy,” as the kids call her, lives next door to the Living Hope shelter and is naturally drawn to the excitement of children running around, laughing and playing. Some of the younger ones are terrified of her – she’s a pit bull mix – but thankfully she’s never shown any sign of aggression. She’s just a nuisance, always getting in the way, trying to steal food, wrestling with other dogs who wander by. Sometimes it’s all I can do not to kick her, but at the end of the day I try to live by the Golden Rule. Do unto others as  you would have them do unto you – even those who slobber on you.

Pictured below: Fox after a day of “helping” the LowCountry team with a painting project; and in a rare restful moment.  

 

Cape Creepy-Crawly

A handful of venomous snake species are common to the Western Cape of South Africa. When I lived here in 2008 I saw one of them, an ornery sort called the puff adder. (Click here to read that account.) I had really wanted to add a Cape cobra to my list of wildlife sightings. Last Wednesday I got my wish.

Like most people, I find snakes creepy, but I’m also sort of fascinated by them. The Cape cobra is perhaps not as well-known as certain other snakes, but it’s said to be one of the deadliest of the African cobras. I was with the LCC team on a sightseeing tour at the Cape of Good Hope, the most southwesterly point in Africa, when our driver spotted it crossing the road ahead of us. We stopped and got out for a better look. Not too close, of course – we gave it plenty of space to continue on its merry way through the dunes – but close enough to appreciate that this dangerous creature was at home in its natural habitat and we were merely visitors.a

Face Time

It’s never a bad idea to remind kids of the importance of personal hygiene. On Wednesday we gave a short presentation on proper dental care and bathing. The day ended with some one-on-one time washing the kids’ faces.

Hands-On Ministry

The LCC ladies again had a great time of ministry in Red Hill this week. After focusing on discipleship and leadership last week, they began a three-day workshop on Monday to help the local women with sewing and jewelry making skills. One project was to make children’s dresses out of pillowcases. Lumka Malima, a Red Hill resident and Living Hope life skills educator, said afterward, “I never thought about taking such an ordinary thing and using it to make a beautiful dress.” Phillis Canda, a Living Hope support group facilitator, added: “The ladies are always coming to me and saying, ‘We want to sew.’ Now I can tell them, ‘Now you know how. You can do it.’”

The workshop was intended to lay a foundation for economic empowerment. With basic vocational skills, combined with instruction on how to market their products, they will have greater potential for income generation. This approach fits with Living Hope’s mission as a holistic ministry, addressing the spiritual, emotional, and physical/economic needs of its clients. Here are a few more scenes from the workshop on Wednesday, the final day of LCC’s visit to Red Hill: