Global Andy

Yesterday afternoon (Sat), Robin, the boys and I piled in the ‘bucky’  (pick-up truck) and drove a few clicks (km) down the road to Roodeplaat Nature Reserve.    It’s really close to Louis & Erika’s where we are staying. 

Fun little drive without the Big 5but also only cost us about $3.  We saw wart hogs, a lot of exotic birds, zebras, spring bok, water bucks (or boks, not sure), and kudu.  At first, we thought there were only art hogs but evidence (dung) said otherwise and sure enough we saw zebra and later  on the other game. 

I figured the game had to be small since there were walking trails but its Africa so you never know.  Robin and I would have loved to walk more but the boys were having none of that.   Then I started walking to get a better few of a herd of zebra.   Jack followed, then Luke.   We most likely could have walked more but I realized I was so excited about scouting game that I had left the keys in the bucky with the door open.   Realizing it could have been a diversary tactic and another zebra was waiting to hijack the bucky and drive to Kruger, I doubled-back.  Sure enough another smaller herd was scoping the bucky out but I outsmarted them.

Robin even drove for the first time in South Africa as she drove home.  All in all a good little time… until we came home and fights broke out among Jack and Drew.  Not sure over what, maybe looked at each other.     Moral – look at game but not your brother.

What an ordeal…

Crocs donated 120 shoes for us to bring to South Africa and give out to the kids.  Orginally it was 250 but the gal we first spoke with got laid-off.  I delegated it to Jeanine who was able to get someone else to help us but the most they could get was 120. 

(This 2nd lady was only a receptionist but when she heard how the promise was made and the order lost and who they were for she took it upon herself to find some.  We could have gotten more but this was all that was in the wharehouse in Colorado.)

So the week before we left, I went to Niwot to get them.  They were nice and even let me join the compnay picnic with free burgers and cake.  Our bags were full so we divvied them out.  Most went in a bag that Cassie brought and the rest went in one of Jeanine’s bags.  Well as I have written earlier all of our groups bags were delayed in London.

Tracking down the bag we learned this last one that was cassie’s was held in customs.  The only time we had to go get it was the day she, Jeanine and 4 others left on the 8th.

So before Cassie checked-in, she and I went to British Air claims department and an Afrikaneer named Steven took us the back way through security to customs.  But Carlos (a Cuban ctizen of RSA) the customs agent, would not give us the bag because I didn’t have BEAM Africa’s tax empt status.  I called Erika who could give it over the phone but Carlos wanted to see it.  Okay he was just doing his job, I thought.  Cassie needed to leave so we couldn’t waited to see if the fax went through.  Steven said he would secure the bag and BA would make sure it was delivered to Erika’s house.  Case solved.   Or so we thought.

The weekend passed as I went to the STINT midyear and no bag was sent.  After about 4 calls to BA, I finally got ahold of Steven.  He said the fax never came through.  I asked Steven, who had my number and Erika’s, why he just didn’t call us with this information and he said he went on holiday. 

So I had to go back to the airport and could only go today.   I went back to BA claims department and they couldn’t find the decalration dentation form.   But another guy an African named Miles helped me and he just brought the form he had went had the detention number..   For 2nd time I went the back way through passport control and to the customs office.  This tiem the agent said we didn’t that proper form and very surly asked why i didn’t have it.  I explained the scenrio of last week and said perhaps Carlos had it.  That led no one as he said there was no way Carlos had it and I don’t know he had it since I left.  Miles went to find Steven while I sat and waited.  He came back.  Steven was at work but no where to be found and no one knew what he did with the form.  Perhaps it was on holiday. 

Miles and I then did what only we could do.  We went to the airport police station to fill a report that the detention slip was missing.  The police never asked why I wasn’t Cassie and were very helpful.  Slip from the principal… uh police in hand, I went a 3rd time through back way through passport control.  They know me now by name.

Miles said, “since you are giving this to help our country, they should just have given you the bag.”   I told him it was spiritual warfare and he agreed.  He is a believer and we had a good talk about the ministry we have been doing both with kids and Sekepe.

The slip from the police plus the tax empt forms from BEam did the trick.  The bag is locked in Erika’s truck I am borrowing (if not stolen as I stopped to do internet).  I think we are gonna wait and give them all out on the 29th.  That’s Jack & Drew’s 4th birthday and the day before we leave.  We are gonna celebrate all the kid’s birthdays and give them presents of Crocs.

Can’t believe that today is the halfway point for our family’s time in South Africa.  All of our team has left.  The STINT midyear is over.  And I have checked off the necessary partnership meetings for CCC - though will meet the Commmunity Director tomorrow and may still meet with other folks.

This window is about our family, meetign with people in the community and deepening our partnership and friendship with Louis and Erika of BEAM Africa.

I choose St. Lucia as a location for the midyear for the 8 STINTers because website said it was 4 hours from Jo’burg and not to mention it had hippos, crocs and the Indian Ocean.

People told us the drive was 8 hours and I thought they just don’t know.  Well 8 hours was too conservative.  The road that looked like an interstate on the map was mostly a two-lane road and often a one-lane due to construction.  Once we sat for 30 minutes waiting for our turn to drive through the construction area.  It took 10 hours.

But we made it.  And had an excellent dinner where we are stating.  The accomdations are excellent.

It’s warm here.  This am we went on a boat ride in the estuary and saw crocs and hippos.  This afternoon I dipped my toes in the Indian Ocean.  And for several hours Robin and I had a great time interacting with the STINTers.  We asked to share their highlight and then what has been the greatest challenge.  It opened up a lot of things.   Pray that we will be able to address some solutions that mostly deal with their ministry scenerios.

Tonight we have a braai (BBQ) and tommorrow a devotion followed by a game drive.  Worth the ten hours in a car with cranky kids.

On Monday Drew asked why a little boy was sitting in my lap at BEAM.  I said, “Maybe he doesn’t have a daddy to hold him and love him like you do.  Drew, can he borrow your daddy?”

Drew answered “yes, he can borrow my daddy.”

Imagine 12 disabled people livign in adject poverty startign a car wash in a poor community in South Africa.  Now think that this group includes a little person, several in wheelchairs, some on crutches, a blind man and a man born with no arms.   People whom the world might say have no hope and certainyl are not wirth investing in.    And you would think it would be crazy that they could run a car wash and make it work.

Crazy as it seems, this motley crew is who we are investing in.

A few months ago while talking with Brian Carlucci – one of our pastors – about our trip, we started talking about doing microloans.  Last summer in South Africa we had a couple lead a class on business skills but this year we wanted to provide capital to get started.

Kevin Cox who is one of my supporters and one of our elders was coming on this trip.  Kevin has been and is a successful businessman with a heart for ministry so I asked if he would teach the classes.  Kevin said (I’m paraphrasing) that when I mentioned doing the loans his heart came alive.  He wasn’t sure why God was leading him to come on this trip but teaching these classes and doing these loans was something he was excited about and could see it as a long-term ministry.

Kevin told one friend about the microloans and the guy gave me $1000 without Kevin really asking him.   I shared our vision with a couple of people just for feedback and they said they are in.  Before we left we raised over $5000 when most loans are like $150.  Seems like we had something here.

So several weeks before we left for South Africa, Kevin and I met and began talking about this ministry and trying to figure it out.  We got advice from others doing loans and read books and prayed.  It was then that we came up with the name.  You can click on the Sekepe page to read more of our vision.

This past week Kevin and his son Brian taught a group of 12 disabled people on how to start and run a business.  Last Saturday we scouted out their potential site and interviewed other car wash owners.

Earlier in the week, they asked Kevin, “Do you believe in us?”  Kevin had to pause.  In the world’s eyes there was not much to believe in.  But looking with eyes of faith and in the hope found only in Christ, Kevin answered ‘yes, I believe in you.”

This is Sekepe.

Early this morning, I drove Kevin & Brian Cox to the airport.  They flew to Zambia where they will be for the next 2 weeks.  A former co-worker of Kevin’s and her husband are missionaries in Zambia.  They work among HIV+ Women and the lowest strata of boys in Ndola.  Kevin & Brian will also (jealousy alert) get to go to Victoria Falls.

After  dropping them off at the airport in Jo’burg,  I hustled back to Pretoria facing slow traffic because of accident/construction/rush hour.  I arrived just in time for the rest of our group to load the vans and head over to Beam for one last time.  We spent a couple of hours saying good-byes.  It was a little easier for me because I could say I will see them next week.

The kids clung to us and little girls cry as we left (not accepted for the boys to cry).  It was bitter sweet.  It was sad that some will never see our team again.  But a joy that we could impact their little lives in even a short time.  God is good.

Then we drove to Jo’burg stopping by a mall for a late lunch before we checked into the guesthouse where the Dupras & McCulllough families will stay the night.   We spent a couple of hours together debriefing – talking about preparing for reverse-culture shock, sharing about our time and encouraging each other.  Then Brian Dupras and I took Cassie, Kayla, Jeanine, Kristin, Paul and Becca back to the airport.  We returned one of the vans and tried to get the crocs released from customs.  Turning in the van and checking in the six went okay.  I did lose Paul’s van for a little bit going to the airport as I made a quick turn and they went straight but fortunately I had given him good directions of where to park and we hooked up with no problems.

Getting the crocs was okay I guess though we still don’t have them.   British Air is sort of redeeming themselves a little in that Stephen at British Air baggage claim went the extra mile and took Cassie and I the back way through security to the customs office.  (It was Cassie’s bag.) But the customs officer, just doing his job, says that we needed proof that Beam was a non-profit organization in order to get them without paying a lot of taxes.  So I called Erika and she was going to fax proof.  Instead of waiting and Cassie perhaps missing her flight, British Air says they will deliver the bag of crocs to BEAM.  So hopefully I will not have to return to the airport and get it.

Brian and I hugged the six goodbye.  What a great group of folks!  What a blessing to serve with them all.  I could go on and on about these people.  We went through several little trials but they never complained.  A great group of servants. So impressed with them all especially Kayla and Cassie who soon will be just starting college.

Tomorrow am, the Dupras and McCullough’s head to Saint Lucia to lead a midyear retreat for 8 STINTers.  It will be the last WSN event I will ever lead after more than a dozen midyears/briefings/leader training venues through the years that I have had the priveledge of leading not countign all the others I helped lead or particpated in.

Once the disciples came to Jesus and asked him, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Perhaps they thought He would choose one of them.  Instead He called a little child and had him stand among them.  Not only did he pick the child as the greatest, he said that unless get over ourselves and become like little children, we will never enter the kingdom of heaven. So, whoever humbles himself like a child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus didn’t stop there.  He said that when we welcome a little child in His name welcomes Him.  But if anyone causes one of these dear precious little ones  to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge boulder hung around his neck  to be drowned in the depths of the sea.  OCH!

Jesus continued to tell the parable of the lost sheep.  The  Luke 15 account of this parable is the more common one.  This context ties it to kids.  “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.  What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.”

It’s the end of the weekend.  Tomorrow we go back to ministering to kids.  Tons of them.  I am not good at numbers.  More than a 100 maybe even more will show up unless it rains like it did today.  Half of these kids are orphaned… maybe living with a granny or an auntie.  Some are the older siblings taking care of their younger ones.  Almost all have unemployed parents.  For all the meal we help serve around 2 or 3 will be the last meal of the day and all they have had since breakfast if they had much then or not.

All are starved for love and affection.  And its a joy just to give them what they hunger for.

They are precious.  They are special.  They are invaluable. Ministering to them is ministering to Jesus.   He is serious about them.  He is not willing that any be lost like a sheep w/o a shepherd.

May I not forget that they are the Greatest and I need to be like them.

Quick update…  (typing on s mini computer with fat fi9ngers so pardon the typos.)

I got a hold of the claims dept of volunteer card and they were really helpful in locating our baggage.  I gave all the British Airlines claims numbers and she called back within an hour.  At that time they were still in Heathrow but by the next am (yesterday) they arrived in JNB.  All but about 20 of our bags arrived yesterday having visited Wimbledon, seen Buckingham Palace and speaking with a cockney accent.

The only bag we don;t have is on of donated Crocs.  It;s held up in customs.

Sickness… a virus has slowly passed through our team… Charlie (two days ago), Isaac, Robin, Paul, Kristin, Jack, Luke again, Drew, Brian Dupras (all yesterday/last night) and (tonight) Jeanine.   So those still left on the island: Kevin, Brian Cox, Kayla, Cassie, Becca, Ann (though feeling it) and me.

The Blessing… we have our clothes.  We are enjoying the time i9n the township.  The kids are a joy.  Kevin & Brian C are leading some business training with a co-op of disabled people.   Brian D is using his mad skills to solve network issues.

Most of all it is a reminder that our sufferings are light and momentary.  So we are sick… we can get medicine and rehydrate.  So some of our rooms are cold… we have a place to sleep and can buy heaters.  We have food.  We rewore our clothes for a few days but these kids wear the same clothes everyday with no other choice.

Today I met a lady named Claudia who runs a daycare in the township.  We had the opportunity to talk about the need for healing among the people of this community.  I got to prayer with her and for her that the Lord would heal his land as we humble ourselves and seek his face.

Oh Africa!  (Though most of my frustrations right now are not African caused.)   In fact most lie in a frustration with Brits and Americans.

We arrived yesterday morning.  We arrived.  Our bags remained in London.  Blame British Air.  Not only did our 21 bags not make it on the plane over 100 didn’t.  I guess a 7 hour delay enables enough time to get bags from one plane to another.

So we spent a long time at Oliver Tamba airport yesterday – filling out claims forms, eating lunch, etc.  I had a cell phone with minutes left over from last July when I was here but the battery was dead.  I ‘borrowed’ an outlet from a store just enough to call the Van Rental place that was wonderign why it took me 3 hours to call them.  I tried to explain I had no juice and was in an area without the prpoer outlet filling out forms.  Anyway got the vans and we drove to Petroia sans luggage.

I have been here two other times and the hostel we are staying in would be on the bottom end of the 3.  Sort of a diappointment to me but the group is a trooper and willing to make it a camping experience.

This morning I spent time in-between trying to solve the missing luggage issue and the fact that Luke (one day into age 7) was sick.  He woke up this am dehydrated and through up several times.After multiple calls I finally got ahold of someone in claims department but no promises of baggage just that they would call me.

Robin and Anne stayed back with Luke, Jack, Drew and Isaac.  The rest of our crew came to Beam.  I played with the kids for a little bit but have spent most of day trying to solve baggage/sick kid issue.

 Robin said Luke has his color back and is holding down liquids so that’s good.  British Air called to say they were only sending 10 bags.  When they arrived, Robin told me that it was only 4.  I tried calling them back but their number is no longer working.  Seems line is busy.

I decided to try and call the Volunteer Card over these two issues.  Since my plan covers medical assistance and lost/delayed baggage.    I finally got through but the guy I spoke with kept acting like their was no medical assistance though I was looking on-line at the printed version of my plan that says there was.  It clearly says we speak with a one of their doctors for advice and he says I can’t.  So I asked for a supervisor but she was busy and said she would call back.  My cell phone doesn’t take international calls so she will have to call Robin at the hostel.  good luck with that one.

I started to talk with the person in claims about my baggage but after being on hold so long over medical issue my cell phone died….

So I can’t call British Air or Volunteer card or my wife!

UGH!