Reflections

I have been doing a lot of thinking about what I will say in my sermon on Sunday. It is very difficult to try to crystallize everything that happened on our trip into a 20-minute sermon. There are so many things that will have to go unsaid, at least for the moment. I'm sure there will be other things that will come to my mind in upcoming months, conversations or memories of things we experienced, that will take on new meaning. I think I will spend the rest of my life sorting through what this trip has taught me and how it will impact my life. But for now, there are a few more things I want to say here on this blog.

I didn't get a chance to tell you much about our hosts at Sunny Cove Manor, the Bed and Breakfast where we stayed. First of all, I must confess that, although this was a trip with a ministry focus, we lived like kings and queens in our accommodations. Sunny Cove is located near Fish Hoek, a beautiful bay south of downtown Cape Town. Here is the view out of our bedroom window.

And here is what Sunny Cove looks like from the street.

And here is the bright and sunny room where we feasted on homemade granola, scones, eggs, sausage, and a variety of fruit and juices every morning.

So, yes, we went to Cape Town to visit the townships and ministries and AIDS hospitals, but we lived in comfort while we were there. The best thing about Sunny Cove, however, is the hosts, Peter and Solvieg Kjeseth. While we were there, they received a copy of a new book called "No Easy Victories" about Americans who helped in the struggle for freedom in Africa. The Kjeseths are featured in the book for the work they did on behalf of Namibia. The forward to the book is written by Nelson Mandela. You can read about them here. They were incredible hosts with incredible stories to tell.

I feel like this blog has turned into a commercial for Cape Town and for Sunny Cove Manor. Truthfully, you would be hard pressed to find a lovelier vacation spot. But for me, the joy of this trip was found in the people we met, and the stories we heard from people in the townships and doing ministry. If you do go to Cape Town for a vacation, be sure to find some time to see the non-tourist side and meet some of the most fascinating people. If God will provide a way, I would love to lead a group on this same kind of trip one day.