Over
the last few months I’ve answered a lot of questions about my move to South
Africa so I thought I’d post a few of them here since many of you have probably
been wondering about them as well.
When do you
leave?
My
tickets are booked to leave Seattle on June 10th and arrive in South
Africa on June 12th.
Are you worried
about safety?
Although
I will take basic precautions, my life is not ruled by fear because I know my
God is sovereign.
Thankfully,
although Mafikeng is a reasonably large city, it does not have the same crime
problems for which Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town are famous. Also,
I will be living in a 2nd floor flat (apartment) with surrounding
walls and a gate.
Since
it isn’t wise to walk on my own, I’ll have a car to travel to and from work and
run errands and most shop’s parking lots have “attendants” to watch over cars
and, hopefully, reduce theft.
Will you be treating exotic/wild
animals?
No. The clinic where I will be working/teaching
is a small animal clinic for cats and dogs.
There is also a farm animal side where I may help out with small
ruminants, but no lions and tigers and bears, oh my! J
Where are you going?
I
will be living in a city that is actually two towns side by side that were
combined in the 1980’s, Mafikeng and Mmabatho. Mmabatho was formerly the
capital of the Bophuthatswana, an independent state set up within South Africa
as a homeland for Tswana speaking people.
In 1994, Bophuthatswana was reintegrated into South Africa and Mmabatho
became the capital of the North-West Province.
A few years later, the capital was renamed to Mafikeng and Mmabatho
became just a suburb.
Mafikeng
was founded by the Barolong people in the early 1800’s and was the location of
the Siege of Mafikeng, during the Boer War.
The British colonel at the Siege of Mafikeng, Robert Baden-Powell, held
the town with 1,100 men against 8,000 Boer (Dutch) troops for 217 days until
finally relieved by additional British troops. Colonel Baden-Powell went on to write
Scouting for Boys and formed the
youth scouting movement that became the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts we know here
today.
Mafikeng
is located just a few miles from the border with Botswana and is on the edge of
the Kalahari Desert. As such, it is fairly dry (~21 inches of rain/year) and
the average high temperature ranges from 68-88 degrees year round.
How can I be involved?
You
can pray! Your prayers will be even more
important the first few months as I adjust to living in South Africa and
develop friendships and relationships there.
You
can keep in touch! Although I will be
living thousands of miles away, email still arrives just as quickly. Snail mail will also be greatly appreciated
once I’m settled.
You
can support me financially! Although I
have met my anticipated budget, there will doubtless be many unexpected
expenses over the next three years and current supporters who may become unable
to continue their monthly support. Also,
as I get involved, extra support can go to setting up projects in the community
or with the students.
