Right now all I want to do is jump on the next plane home and help my friends in Raleigh after the devastation of yesterday’s tornado, but at the same time today was another amazing day in South Africa. These opposing mixes of emotions have taken different tolls on me a couple times since being in South Africa. The desire to just LIVE more and more in every moment here in Stellenbosch combined with the strong desire to keep still and think about the people in Raleigh had me feeling a bit crazy. The past week was beautiful. I was able to be productive, but things were calm. I got to go to a coffee shop and work and do lots of “work” that doesn’t really qualify as work, but rather little things on my to do list like catching up with people, emailing people, and reflecting.
The story, for people that don’t know about the tornado in Raleigh, NC where I go to school.
Today Chelsea (who is in my LSCE group at Lynedoch) and I went to lunch at Mrs. April’s house. She is the teacher for grade 5, which is the grade we have been working with every Monday. When I got the phone call from Mrs. April this morning I was not expecting to be invited to lunch, and once we got there I wasn’t expecting to eat my body weight in food. That is one thing Italy and South Africa have in common, when people have guests over they do NOT let them go hungry. Of course there was great conversation over the meal with her family and a few other friends, which made the afternoon so great. We got to talk with Mrs. April more about the Lynedoch community, the relationship between the school and the Sustainability Institute, the children, and her life and family. It was so great to have some quality conversation and I hope she stays true to her word and invites us to visit her family in Touwsriver. I believe that is where she said that they live. When she was speaking about all the surrounding towns today I felt that I needed to educate myself more on the surrounding areas and towns. I want to see as much of at least the Western Cape as I can before I go.
The perfect song always seems to come on when I am in one of these moods. I guess its God’s way of reminding me I am doing all I can and I AM in the right place. Maybe all I can do is pray. My hands and feet are doing God’s work in this place too, so I must remember that while I am frustrated that I can’t be back in Raleigh right now I am being used here in South Africa.
Today’s perfect song=David Lamotte, We Are Each Other’s Angels.
Well I hope I see you later
'Cause it's time for me to go
Someone just pulled over
Sure was good to know you
Go answer your calling
Go and fill somebody's cup
And if you see an angel falling
Won't you stop and help them up
'Cause we are each other's angels
And we meet when it is time
We keep each other going
And we show each other signs
Sometimes you will stumble
Sometimes you might fall down
Sometimes you will get lonely
With all these people around
You might shiver when the wind blows
And you might get blown away
You might even lose your colors
But don't you ever lose your faith
'Cause it's time for me to go
Someone just pulled over
Sure was good to know you
Go answer your calling
Go and fill somebody's cup
And if you see an angel falling
Won't you stop and help them up
'Cause we are each other's angels
And we meet when it is time
We keep each other going
And we show each other signs
Sometimes you will stumble
Sometimes you might fall down
Sometimes you will get lonely
With all these people around
You might shiver when the wind blows
And you might get blown away
You might even lose your colors
But don't you ever lose your faith
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people… -Galatians 6:10a
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