Christmas in South Africa has been very different from that experienced last year in Saskatchewan! Instead of -25C with wind and snow we have experienced 42C with rain and a lush green landscape. On Christmas Eve day we took a hike in a game park and encountered three very curious Zebra who came over to investigate who we were in their space!
What has been consistent is the celebration of God's movement in earth's history through the incarnation of Jesus Christ. In the midst of the struggles of the region for peace and justice we do have hope for a future where wrongs are righted and all people live in dignity. On Christmas Day we joined with 7 other Mennonite Mission and MCC families for turkey, fellowship and a gift exchange. The day was cool 24C and threatened rain but the kids somehow still enjoyed the pool while the rest of us visited and ate!
It was good to be with friends even as we very much missed our family: Allison & Jason in Saskatchewan ; Melanie in Guatemala; Bruno's Mom in Ontario; Lois' Mom in Saskatchewan; as well as siblings in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario.
Earlier Lois and I had journeyed from Edengen, Gauteng (where we live) south for about 500km along the N3 (a major 4 lane highway) towards Pietermaritzburg. Enroute we stopped at a B&B craft market (Matika) and toured the Midlands Meander (a 50km arts & craft, market, resort and fishing area through the midlands above Durban). Kwa-Zulu Natal is strikingly beautiful and dramatic with the Drakensburg as backdrop to lush green rolling hills and clear mountain streams as the land falls from about 4000ft to sea level.
Thank you Bruno & Lois for keeping us up to date with pictures and commentary. Your absence here will surely be a blessing there. And, so far, this is probably a good winter to be somewhere else! Blessings, Bob Parker
ReplyDelete