Day 3 - A Day of Great Contrasts
Like clockwork, a beautiful Monday morning greeted us with beautiful clear blue skies and cool temperatures; it quickly heated up as the sun inched higher into a perfect azure sky. The long morning shadows across the lawn made a magnificent backdrop to take pictures of all of the beautiful gems neatly hidden in this garden. Fleeting as the shadows would would be, the beauty they extract from the natural landscape demand our slowing down , if we want to catch their elusive beauty. It is why the morning time for quiet before God is so important to place ourselves in His presence, His orbit, and to gain His perspective. …. To observe, contemplate, and to use the occasion to glorify our Heavenly Father above.
Nieuwe Sion is simply an incredibly special place. It allows us to do just that
Breakfast conversation is excited as we discuss the first day of YL Camp ahead. But before we head back to Simon Town on the Coast, the itinerary allows for a trip into the little town of Franschhoek, where the Huguenot Memorial Museum resides.
As we pullout the first gate of the property, the bus radio turns on and the volume goes up! Before you know it the them song “Africa” is ringing through the ample sound system . Then, Alexis’ playlist gets the bus rockin! YMCA, Rock me Mama, Sweet Caroline, Country Roads, and Georgia on my Mind….. reminds all of us of back home and all the memories each song conjures up .
As we enter Franschhoek, the central road reminds us of the Main Street at Disneyland, with it beautiful Victorian era shops and stores set along a gracious roadway with ample tree-lined wide sidewalks. They are filled even at 10 AM with folks walking and shopping in the art galleries, stores and enjoying coffee or breakfast on cafe tables set out front under the array of shade trees and pergolas covered in Bougainvillea and muscadine.
The Huguenot Museum is an interesting surprise for many of our guests. A quick detour into European History - the Huguenots were French Protestants, who found themselves at the wrong end of the ire of the Roman (Catholic) church following the Reformation. Over a period of 100 years culminating in the reign of Louis XIV ( think Versailles) the State church first discriminated and then actively persecuted and eventually slaughtered the minority Protestant believers. Making up most of the middle class ( think shopkeepers and business and professionals) of France, they left in droves, and many settled first in Holland, then Germany, England, and eventually America. Their loss laid the seeds for the French revolution a century later.
In South Africa they began arriving in the late 1600’s and into the 1700’s, settling much of the area around Stellenbosch. Over time they dropped their native tongue, and began speaking Dutch and its eventual unique South African dialect, Afrikaans. But the French surnames and farm names like Calais & Languedoc, remain as a reminder of these industrious and free thinking people who wanted only to worship God and read the Bible outside the authority of a then increasingly out-of touch church in Rome. Got it?
Why is that relevant to us today? It is a reminder that the dark heart of man has changed little over the course of time since the fall in the Garden, and that only by the Spirit of God entering and cleaning out our hearts can a person ever change - as Ezekiel wrote - to remove our “heart of stone”, and give us a “heart of flesh”. For our African brothers and sisters, it was a reminder that the Europeans were persecuting, subjugating and killing their own brothers before they began enslaving the native Africans. John 3:16-17 comes to mind here.
After the museum, we headed off to Camp! Today’s trip was remarkably shorter, over 2 hours shorter than the evening before. We arrived at the campsite at 1PM, and quickly assembled to greet our guests as they walked up the long driveway to the entry into the retreat center. As the kids got off the bus they were greeted by a New Orleans - style band of similarly aged teens who played a trombone -filled march as the group of 150 +/- campers made their way up the hill. Because of the steepness of the entry Drive, the large buses had to park at the bottom of the hill and unload all the luggage. They are by the side of the main road. Several of our guys,and our trusty driver Sheldon quickly spring into action, and begin loading luggage into our van, which temporally became a luggage transporter, bringing their bags and duffels up to the top by the camp.
Lutonda and Raymond had the somewhat amazed campers join in a circle outside the main entrance to the camp facility, and got everyone quickly dancing, chanting, and singing. Afterwards, they made their way up into the interior gym/meeting hall. Some quick fun introductions, and a review of the camp rules, and then to cabins and down to lunch. While we were ostensively there to help serve, the wait staff at the camp did not require any assistance from us. I think we would have gotten in the way. Our camp sponsor, Kathy Virtue, however, seeing that drink service was being delayed as tables were lining up for the food line, jumped in the action, locating a pitcher for the fruit drink and began selling the cups of those awaiting their turn in the lunch line . A heart of service, coupled with a keen eye to identify problems and willingness to get involved and provide a plan of action and a solution, is one of Kathy‘s strongest qualities. Thanks sister!
After saying some quick goodbyes, we pile into our trusty Toyota van and begin the trip home. The thick plume of smoke so visible yesterday from the mountain fires has mostly dissipated. And the late afternoon sun glows reddish through the remaining low clouds of smoke wafting over the hills surrounding the ocean.
Tavel home takes us around one of the townships near the Cape Town airport. The metal shanties seem to stretch out for miles . It is very sobering in a land of great contrasts. Many of the kids at camp come from these townships, residue from the years of Apartheid. All these kids are made in the “Imago Dei”, the image of God. Change here is complicated, as it is in all cultures where great disparities between rich and poor exist. The country is wrestling with it. We know several things though. First, God loves the poor, and commands we take care of them. And second, He reminds the rich ( including literally all of us from the US), will be held accountable for what we do with what God entrusted to us on this earth - our time, our talents and abilities, our wealth and resources, and our influence. We are thankful for His moving in the hearts of so many of those here in South Africa (like our hosts) to address these issues, and like we have found in America, change must first begin in each human heart. To say it’s complicated, is an understatement.
Back to the trip home……. Interestingly, the road which wraps around the southern and western side of the township is Baden Powell Drive, names for Arthur Baden Powell, the founder of the Boy Scout movement in Britain ( and its colonies) and then America. Would that a national movement toward self reliance and personal initiative take place among the youth in South Africa (and the US) accompanied by a Holy Spirit -led revival of our own young people in both countries . The world would be better for it.
Dinner at Nieuwe Sion, our new adopted home is a delight for everyone. Both Willem and Nicola are here to host us, and before dinner, and several of our members am I heard that Nicola is a talented writer, and doll maker. Her books and dolls are quickly snatched up by our alert shoppers (and you know who you are…) And dinner is served just as Stha arrives back from camp. She gives us a report about the time with the kids, as well as her cab ride home with a driver from Zimbabwe who shares singing an entire playlist during their hour and a half ride. God is gracious.
Much more will happen tomorrow. At the end of a full and impactful day for all of us!
-Bob Voyles