How about a little picture review?

AIYAYAYAYAI (insert African high pitch noise) it is hard to believe that we have already been here almost 8 months and are HALF WAY through our first term here!  What a ride these last months in South Africa have been.  

How bout a having a little highlights and pictures review?

After a long journey to get here (4 flights)... 

I was prepared for long travel with lots of games and toys...

We arrived to South Africa both exhausted and excited to let the adventure begin --->

The first month was mostly spent settling in, as we had to start from scratch to settle our new "home" (we only brought clothes and kraft dinner along). 
   

We first had to get a car:

 

We stopped a few times 4 cool photos of our new homeland while car shopping!

Can you believe we found a French town???

Proud new owner of our car :)

And then we had to find a NEW APARTMENT to rent as our first place was temporary (this was the most hectic part!).  Hallelujah we found a great place.

Our apartment is on the far right

We are really suffering from the view we get too... ;)

I resorted to some creative clothes drying methods... 

We also had to get furniture, dishes and everything else.  This was a crazy thing to do in a city we had never been in before, on roads we didn’t know, and with people we couldn’t have conversations on the phone with, because we just couldn’t understand their accent!  It was a good way to explore the country though.

In parking lot while shopping for a mattress, not bad huh?

We were also facing culture shock and wrestling with many things, especially in this "shopping phase" of our time here.  Seeing our wealth versus the poverty of the people we came here to help was so hard.   

I’m happy to say we are now feeling settled, a different kind of settled than we had in Canada, but that’s ok, eh?

I found some hockey fabric for Raph's bed and grandma sent a Thomas the train pillow case!!!

Our second month was spent learning all about Hope Africa Collective, their ministries and also Xhosa culture. 

We enjoyed having some of the staff over, getting to know them and their culture. 

Mike also acted as a student in the Life Skill 3-week class and learned so much from that.

Of course this isn’t a “one time thing” and we continue to be student of the people here.  Their culture is so rich and vast; I doubt we will ever completely grasp the difference between the ways we live and the way they live.

We also had a visitor, and got to do a few tourist things with her!  

Pet a monkey anyone??

Simon's Town harbor, 15 minutes away :)

In our third month, Mike began seminar preparation and teaching for a new partnership with the local Bishop.  This partnership has since grown so much.  

  Terry (the director) & Mike have done 11 sessions and are planning to do more in the next year.  

That’s also when I became more involved with the local mom’s groups, inviting them to our home for brunch and doing various group activities (like going to the park, beach, ...)

We also settled on what church we would be attending and joined a small group that meets weekly in our community. 

The people from Joshua Generation Church are wonderful, and the view doesn't hurt either

Our new small group

In our fourth month, Mike started a Jesus discovery class, as a follow-up to students doing a Bible-overview class.  This was a optional class during lunch hour.  He learned a lot about the culture during those classes, the rituals the men go through (I’ll spare you the details), ...  

I our fifth month we hosted someone in our home for 3 weeks, again using that opportunity to be learning so much more about the Xhosa people.  

Our kids are obsessed with their new friend Mawande

Our kids really enjoy when we have people over, and regularly growl and attack our friends.   

I don't think our friends mind much...  Our kids are THAT cute.

That’s also when I started getting sick, so Mike had to miss a lot of work to take care of the boys and I while I got better (and was in the hospital).  None the less, we got to experience the African prayers over our house and the pouring of the oil (on me) a few times. 

Raph getting a wheelchair ride with mom

During our sixth month, Mike began working on new curriculum for Faith Discovery group that will start in February.  It will be a one week class the student will take during their 9 weeks with us at Hope Africa.

Mike and his co-workers are really excited about the outline for this course...

Our seventh month  was the most random by far.  We witnessed a "random" baptism from our window!!!

Found a tree for $2.50 at the second hand shop.

Hope you had a Merry Christmas!

And we started to prepare for the most-warmest-Christmas-time-ever.  Our brains refused to accept the fact that Christmas came and went.  We tried so hard.  That alone requires it's own blog post, so stay tune to hear how this Canadian family celebrated Christmas and New Year.  

Until then;
Cheers