What's not in the pictures

Okay, this is interesting. Apartheid was just abolished here about 12 years ago, so it’s as if we have stepped backwards into some of our own country’s history as we experience the still-new integration of races. Terms like “blacks, whites and coloreds” don’t refer to the laundry, but to the faces that make up this Cape. There is still great separation, primarily due to wealth or lack thereof, but in general that has separated the blacks from the whites.

Violence and thievery don’t abound per se, but it’s certainly more common than our sheltered lives are used to. People only pause at stop signs or red lights after dark due to the high number of car jackings. Lock your doors at all times and don’t leave valuables visible in the car.

As we’re driving along in this picturesque place, we pass “Townships”, where MILLIONS of people live in shacks constructed of whatever could be found – mostly tin. Aids is raging, and they say one infected person in a Township is expected to transfer the disease to 200 people within a township because of the lack of hygiene and monogamy. Wow. On Thursday afternoon we plan to visit a Children’s Hospice with our hosts, Peter and Maven, who volunteer there every week. Most of the children have aids, some have worse, but this home provides love for them.

These aren’t things you process right away, but they’re the part we don’t have pictures for you to see, but want you to know nonetheless.

Truth be Told

We sure are learning a lot as we continue through this journey. Spending 24 hours a day together is sure to bring lessons, right? Well, they’re comin’!! Some funny, some very hard. All good. Today, truth be told, was a hard day as we faced elements of life and marriage. It’s almost as if the Father is graduating us into a new level of depth and intimacy, which we’re excited for, but that means more of the rough edges are being smoothed.

The Cape

We’re here, we’re here! And it’s ‘perty! Oh my goodness, all the rumors of the Cape of South Africa’s beauty are TRUE. The ocean waters are vibrant and rich with varied shades of blue. But then as you turn around you are surrounded on each side by cliffs and mountains that again make your jaw drop.

We’re here to celebrate the wedding of Jonathan Knepper and Simone Du Plessis. We’re staying in Somerset West, which is where Simone grew up, and it’s lovely – as I type the word “lovely”, I can hear Simone’s mother, Estelle, saying it with her wonderful South African accent. Estelle has been the essence of hospitality – we have honestly and truly already learned so much from her as she has joyfully cared for all of us here.

And Simone … well, “lovely” would fall short. It has been so much fun getting to known the girl who won Jono’s heart and will become his wife this Saturday. She is full of life and smiles, with the same grace that her mother shows to a house-full of obnoxious Americans .

First time to the Continent

We’re sitting on the Tarmac in Johannesburg, South Africa, it’s raining with thunder and lightning and the weather has caused our flight to be delayed. We flew the nine hours from Israel to here with little difficulty. It’s hard to comprehend how we have actually been gone from home for a month.

My head seems to full of thoughts and information. I definitely need to blog every other day or I get overwhelmed by all that we see and are a part of…

Israel is amazing. If you have the opportunity to go you should. It is a beautiful country full of history, tradition, and beauty. In some ways it is hard to leave it. But I am excited to see the African continent for the first time.

Climbin’ & Floatin’

Climbin’ Masada and Floatin’ in the Dead Sea.

Masada is a mountain-top fortress and palace of yore. The only way up/down in those times (which of course is how WE went up/down) is what’s called the “Snake Path”. Not because there are snakes on it, but because it is like a long, windy, switchback-ey snake itself. Oh, and it goes straight up. Herod built Masada as one of his strongest defenses, and it withstood the test – but not to protect Herod. It was the last stand of the Jewish forces against Rome. It fell to Rome in 73 A.D., three years after the Temple fell in Jerusalem. Outlines of the original Roman camps surrounding it for a months-long siege are still visible to this day – the best preserved ones around. They are phenomenal. And once on the hilltop, there is time to reflect on the 900 or so people that took their own lives the night before Rome succeeded in their siege, because they chose death over slavery.



The Dead Sea is just below Masada, so naturally a relaxing float would follow the climb. We decided it feels like sitting in a vat of baby oil – and as you might guess, it’s hard to decide whether that’s a good or bad thing as you float around. But it’s quite a fascinating experience no matter how many times you’ve done it before. It is absolutely impossible to not float, because your body has more water in it than the “sea”. We also found some of the mineral mud and the pictures are available for your entertainment.



We leave Israel tomorrow night, and can only be grateful for our time here. Not just in seeing parts of this amazing Land, but also exulting in the time with Wendy and her mom. We’ve had such fun sharing life through work and play – and pastries!