Saturday pictures

Here Nancy is with Renee and David from Mowbray Pres Church who took us to the beautiful Kirstenbosh Gardens on the slopes of Table Mountain near Cape Town.

This is the front view of Mowbray Presbyterian Church, designed by a Scottish architect in about 1904. It has a pipe organ, and uses it with traditional African instruments, as well as piano, guitar, saxophone, and other instruments for a truly multicultural worship experience.

More from South Africa

We visited Robben Island, in Cape Town Harbor. It houses political prisoners as late as 1990. Nelson Mandela was jailed here. Our guide, Mr. Sparks, was a former political prisoner. (He is in blue)

Above Bonisile is in front of the MP Dube Church, immediately above are the 3 pastors of partner churches: David Smith, me, and Bonisilli.

Here Ginger is teaching pastors at JL Zwane Church.

A few thoughts from Africa

The 4 days we have spent in South Africa are overwhelming. It is a beautiful place. The Christians we have met have been wonderful. Nancy and I worshiped with our partner church at Mowbray and had powerful, very Presbyterian worship.

We have also seen Townships with poverty that is indescribable. We have seen families living in tin-roofed boxes. We have seen great hope in the eyes of school-aged children in the program at J.L. Zwane Presbyterian church.

Nancy and I went to the end of the world Monday when we visited the Cape of Good Hope, the southeast tip of the African continent. It was incredibly beautiful. We walked among penguins near Simonstown! We visited a Presbyterian daycare near Fishhoek that prepares very poor children for elementary school -- giving them a chance in life.

I am very excited about our partner churches at Mowbray and Guguletho. It is a three-way partnership, but there is more activity between the MP Dube church and Mowbray church. Praise God.

South Africa day 3

These first three pictures were from a rug factory. We were amazed at the quality of the work. This place was an oasis among the poverty and despair of the townships.

This picture captures much of South Africa. In the foreground is a slum of shacks, in the background are beautiful mountains with vineyards on the slopes. It may be hard to see on this cameraphone picture, but there is a winery in the distance. Such contrasts, such possibility, such despair -- this is Africa.

This is a view of Table Mountain. Sometimes it is covered in clouds, other times it is clear; it is always beautiful.

Scenes from South Africa

Here is the banner Northminster's youth made for the Mowbray church after we gave it to them.  Also, the Cape Town skyline.  It is hot, but everyone is very kind.   Earlier today Nancy &; i went south to see Presbyterian churches & daycare centers and The Cape of Good Hope.  The cape was unbelievable; so beautiful. 

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

More pictures from Mowbray

Mildred, pictured with Nancy, is from Clarksdale, MS. She married a South African man 25 years ago.

We worshiped with these good folks. Pictured is David, the minister of Mowbray in worship practice just before the service. Wonderful communion service in which the children participated and asked questions as part of the communion liturgy -- like passover. We met the former Moderator of the Pres and Reformed Church here who wrote that liturgy and their new Confession of Faith.

David, Renee & Walk

David, on right, is pastor of Mowbray Pres Church. His charming wife is in the middle.

Thoughts before leaving for South Africa

As Nancy and I prepare to leave for Cape Town South Africa I have many thoughts.  At this moment the thoughts are about this blog.  I'm aware it is a public blog.  Anyone in Africa, the USA or points elsewhere will have access to it. This may inhibit my candid thoughts about the trip or the folks I meet on the trip.

But I plan to post a picture a day if I can find a wi-fi location my cell phone can hit.  I hope to write every few days. 

On Sunday, March 7 I'm speaking at the evening service of the Mowbray Presbyterian Church in Cape Town.  On March 14 I am preaching the morning service of the M.P. Dube Church in Gugulethu.  During the week between we will be meeting with our partner churches and leading seminars for ministers at J.L. Zwane  

Please pray for us as we travel.  We'll post what we can on this blog and make several reports when we arrive home.

NPC's Prayer Group

This morning these fine ladies gathered at Northminster to pray for our church, our leaders, the ill, grieving, and special needs they have been made aware of.  I am grateful to them.

They meet every Tuesday at 9:30a.m., why don't you join them next week. 

Sunset

This pic was a test, to see how easily I could send a pic from my phone to this site.  I hope to be able to post a picture or two a day from South Africa.  It was easy to send the pic, we'll see how easily it will work in South Africa.  (The key will be finding wifi hotspots my phone can use.)

We leave for Cape Town in about 4 days; please pray for us.