I was busy working on the CSALT Newsletter and blog article last week for an update of the first part of our internship.
Check out the website for the sweet video of orientation!! 

Happy 3rd Anniversary Andy and Sarah… Love Bella Dog

 2 Weeks ago, we had a great opportunity to travel to Paarl (just outside of Capetown) to serve with Christian Skaters. So cool to be a part of an event that Element, Vans and Truth Soul Armor support. The leaders there were expecting 4 skaters to come to the competition and 25 entered in the comp amongst several spectators and other casual skaters. Andy had a perfect opportunity to share his testimony and I have always firmly believed that his testimony will bring freedom to many brothers in Christ. If you are interested in hearing his full testimony, please click the link to check it out: www.andycapmeadow.wordpress.com.

As for me, I’ve just been hearing God’s whispers and encouragement of His never ending characteristics in every circumstance.  He’s constantly reminding me that He is my protector. South Africa has an element of risk with the divided politics. This is actually the most unique country I’ve ever been to. I’m living in a great house, I drink clean water every day, I am able to go to a filled grocery store and have a perfect Americano in any cafe of my choice. Oh, plus… there is world class waves. This is South Africa.

A starving African man walks up to our front lawn and digs through the garbage for anything he can find, coloured men wait on the sides of roads for someone to pick them up to provide them work and only 1 block away there are broken down shacks in the township made of metal sheets or anything for that matter. This is South Africa.

Both are accurate, both are real. I’m being honest when I say I feel deception. If my perspective of South Africa was only the beautiful beaches and cafes, it would be a lie. If I believed only in the poverty and preventable disease, that would also be a lie. These are the scars of a Nations past. A beautiful Nation.

I am only going to breathe hope. I’m seeing the generations perspectives changing rapidly for a better future of unity. You can understand why there is a passion in Rehgert to build relationships using recreation with Aleph. It has been such a privilege to work with Aleph and be a part of building relationships with all the joyful girls. Last week, we brought them back to another intern Emma’s house to her swimming pool, and just taught them how to swim. It is amazing how scared they are of water, yet so keen to get in and surf. We feel it necessary to teach them the basics of swimming first!  You can’t run before you can walk.

 Click picture to view the Aleph website for more info

On a funny note… Andy took me to an amazing rock house in the middle of nowhere off a farm for our 3rd anniversary. It was so relaxing and peaceful until the night time. This is the conversation I had with my mother just the other day…

“mom, I almost cried. There was no electricity and it was pitch black. I heard a loud munching noise and woke Andy up. We only had these gasoline lanterns that we had to light with matches… and it wouldn’t light, so we didn’t know what the sound was. Finally we got it lite, and the room lite up.. THIS MASSIVE spider, the size of my palm was hanging from the roof. It was eating something and it kept dropping from the roof and pulling itself up on its “rope” aka web.” I counted 6 monsters hanging from the roof above our bed scurrying along, dropping and then pulling themselves up all the time. You know the spider is big when the sound of it eating wakes u up thinking it was a rat!!

Beautiful location

Minus Mr.Crawly

If I think of what characteristic God is revealing to me of himself, He is my protector. I think about it. I’m in South Africa. I have to be aware of the culture and take caution in things I would normally do peacefully in Canada like walking down the street. I’m surfing in an ocean that holds powerful, magnificent creatures. God is my rock.

Psalm 121  I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.