One last Hoorah

Well to my loyal readers, I have to apologize.  I have let you guys down.  We got so busy during the weeks that I never took the time to sit down and type out my weeks.  I think that I left you hanging at getting to Wellington.  Well just to let you know we hada great retreat there.  It was a good preperation time for the training that came.  After Wellington we headed to Stellenbosch where we have been the rest of the time.  We worked in the township doing kids games and plastering a room of a house.  It was good work.  However, that is not the only thing we have done.  We also did ISLT level 1 and 2.  Since I did that last year I took on more of a facilitator role.  It was nice getting to be on the other side of the training this year and being able to refresh what I learned last year.  The majority of the traing came from the first two weeks after we got back from Wellington.  We also had a really tough day during that time also.  It was actuallyone of the most challenging days I think that I have ever been through.  After that we started to do half as much training sessions and more outreaches into the community.  During those weeks we also got to go see some of the sights.  The first thing we did was to hike Lion's Head during the evening and then hike down under the moonlight.  It was another great experience.  I hiked at the back of the group and was able to talk with George and Casper on the way down.  It was really nice and I'm glad did it.  The other thing we did was to go to Cape Point.  That was definitely the highlight of my sight seeing time.  Getting to sit on the edge of the cliff and dangle my feet over the water was very refreshing.  Then we got to go down to the water and get in the ocean.  That was very refreshing even though the water was about 40 degrees.  However, like last year the highlight of my trip came from this past week.  This past week four of us loaded up and drove to Bloemfontein to do a rugby outreach at the U13 Cravenweek.  We left Friday afternoon after being told that we were supposed to leave earlier that morning.  So after driving about five hours we stopped in Bueafort West and stayed the night at a primary school.  The next morning we got up and drove the rest of the way to Bloem.  We pulled up at around two in the afternoon and then started our training for the week.  We ate dinner and then headed back to the hostel to get some much needed sleep.  The next morning we got up and headed to the main pavilian to meet our teams.  There were only six chaperones this year as the remaining ten teams were bringing their own.  The team that I was given was from Zimbabwe.  They had only had four practices before they came and had never played a game together.  So they went back to the hostel to get changed and we all went for a training sesson.  After practice we went for lunch and then hung out at the hostile for a while.  At 5:00 that night we had dinner and then went to church.  I wish I could say that I enjoyed the service; however, half of it was in Afrikaans and so I had no earthly idea what they were talking about.  Of course neither did my guys so we were all lost.  After the service I went with the manager to a meeting and then we headed back to the hostel to go to bed.  The next morning I wasup at 6:00 so that I could wake my guys up at 6:30.  Once everybody was ready we headed to breakfast at 7:00.  After breakfast theguys went back and got ready for the game.  Our first one of the tournament was at 10:50 that morning and so we left at around 8:30 to go warm up for the game.  At the practice field we were met with a a bit of a surprise.  The professional Cheetahs, the Free State rugby team, was on a field near ours warming up for practice.  It was really cool and so we stoped and watched them for a couple of minutes.  However, we had to get back to work and so the guys got ready for the game.  We then headed over to the field and they changed out of their warm up tops into their game kits.  About five minutesbefore the game started the coach asked me to lead an opening prayer for the guys.  I was really excited and gladdly accepted the responsability.  After that we went and started.  They guys played hard but unfortunately lost.  After that game we headed over to the main field for the opening cerimonies.  They started out ok.  They had parachutists jump into the stadium; however, after that it kind of went down hill from there.  Most of the ceremonies were in Afrikaans and so like church the night before, we had no earthly idea wasbeing said.  After the opening ceremonies we went back to the hostel for lunch.  At 3:00 the coaches got the guys to do a film analysis of the previous game and then wewent out for training.  Their practice lasted until about 5:30 and then the coaches headed to their function.  We went to dinner and then headed to the entertainment that had been arranged for the players.  We when we got there it was a concert by an Afrikaans band.  Though they played some American songs, they were not very good.  So after the first two songs the captain came to me and asked if we could go. I told him that if that is what the team wanted to do, we would leave.  Well needless to say we didn't stick around for too much longer.  So we headed back to the hostel and just chilled for the rest of the night.  The next day we got up for breakfast and got ready for the game.  Today it was at 1:20 in the afternoon and so they had the morning to rest and get ready for the game.  At 12:00 we headed to the practice field to warm up.  They were playing on the A feild and so it was going to be one of the main fixtures of the day.  The opponent was Namibia and so before the game both teams had their national anthems played.  Well again the guys played their hearts out and again they lost.  After the game the coaches gave the guys the rest of the afternoon off and so we jushung out for the rest of the evening.  The coaches went to their function and so again I had the guys that night.  We just chilled and I got to talk to them all evening.  It was actually really cool, and I hada great time.  I sent them to bed and got ready to do the same.  The next day was our off day.  However, we still got up for breakfast at 7:00.  After that theguys had a mandatory film session at 8:00 where they watched the previous day's game.  That last around an hour and a half.  After the film session the guys had practice for two hours.  Once we were done with practice they guys changed quickly and then we headed to the mall for lunch.  The coaches paid for all the meals which wasreally awesome.  After lunch the guys had about three hours to shop and do anything else they wanted to at the mall.  I ended up following a group of them around for the afternoon.  We then headed back to the hostel so the guys could change for a quick practice session.  At 6:00 one of the coaches and myself headed to pick up pizzas for dinner.  The players were supposed to have a function at 7:00; however, the coaches decided that they weren't going to make them go to that so we went and saw a movie instead.  There wasn't much showing so we decided to go see Madagascar 3D.  It was definitely not the best movie I have seen; however, it wasn't the worst either.  After the movie we headed back to the hostel and sent them to bed.  The next morning startedlike all the others except there was a little more urgency in the air.  The game was to start at 9:30 and so we headed to the field at 8:30.  The cool thing was that they were having all the games played at the Free State Stadium.  So this is where the professional level rugby players have games.  It was a really cool experience.  We got to the stadium and the guys went into one of the locker rooms to get changed.  One of the coaches and I walked outside to go check the field conditions.  It was a mild -1.5 degrees C and half of the field was still covered in frost.  It was cold.  The guys headed onto the field to warm up.  There feet were freezing they were blue within five minutes.  Oh I forgot to mention, the players play without shoes on at this level.  It has something to do with the guys getting mad and cleating other players.  Anyway they were cold.  They were also the team who had to warm up in the shaded/frozen part of the field.  The other team, the Free State Cheetahs, were on the sunny side.  The game was close for thefirst half of play and then it broke open the second half.  We got beat pretty bad.  However, even though we were losing all of the other teams were chearing for us to win.  It was a really cool thing.  After the game we stayed and watched the rest of the teams play.  It was a long day and most of the guys were tired of being at the field.  The coaches gave the guys the night off and so we just hung around and chilled.  It was actually pretty cool.  The guys opened up quite a bit and so it was very encouraging to hear about what was going on in their lives.  I sent them to bed at around 9:30 so they could wake up early and pack to leave.  At 6:00 I woke the guys up and we headedto breakfast.  After breakfast I helped them pack and get thier stuff to the vans so that they could leave after the game.  Their game started at 10:00 and so they headed to the field at around 8:45.  This morning they were playing the Pumas, which coincientally was the team I had last year.  Again they got beat pretty bad.  This time we also had two players that hadto leave the game due to concusions.  After the game I went with the guys to another hostel and they showered and got ready for the trip home.  Once they were done we said our goodbyes and they were on the road.  I went over the feild and watched the rest of the rugby matches.  That evening the chaperons went to dinner and then stayed at one of the hostels.  In the morning we got up at 5:00 so that we could get on the road quickly.  Well 30km outside of Bloem there wasa wreck and we had to sit for two and half hours wating for it to be cleaned up.  after that we had no more problems and got back tot he island at around 7:00.  Like I said, this was a recomformation of what I am called to do.  I found so much joy in serving the guys that I know I am meant to do this permanently.  It was also such a blessing to have such a great group of guys.  I am so glad that I was able to make some new friends, and now I have an excuse to make a trip to Zimbabwe.  The rest of the trip has been very laid back.  The interns had a test overall of the material that they learned.  Since I did it last yearI just had to sit and watch.  We also hiked Table Mountain the other day.  It was really nice to get to spend that last bit of time hanging out with each other.  Most of the people left yesterday and so the island wasvery quiet for the first time in six weeks.  Trevor and I fly out in a couple of hours and so we will be making our way back to the states.  I am so glad that I came again this year.  At first I was unsure of what my purpose would be and I didn't know if I would have an enjoyable experience.  However, God moved this year and I am so glad that I came.  I can't wait until next year to see what God will be doing in my life in South Africa.