June 2018 - Baptisms and Travels

Only two months have passed since I wrote my last prayer letter, but I’ve received my visa renewal for another three years, baptized four students, traveled through four countries, visited seven of nine provinces in SA, driven 5,700 miles, and packed/repacked my luggage countless time. Life has been a bit busy!

Connie, Boitumelo, Pumla, Tafadzwa, and Thato after their baptisms

My parents and a family friend visited during the month of April and we traveled around South Africa and several surrounding countries. It was such a blessing to show them around Mafikeng, introduce them to some of the students I disciple, and wow them with the beauty of this incredible country. My parents also learned the reality of the phrase TIA (This is Africa…) – things just aren’t the way they are back home. Plans must be flexible and we must be as well.

My parents experienced water outages at my house, requests for bribes, tourist destinations that open whenever they want regardless of posted open hours, flat tires, and roads that have more potholes than they do asphalt. But they also met wonderful people, a business willing to change our tire even though they were closed, and caring staff at the hospital where my Mom had two surgeries after falling and breaking her arm.

My parents on the right and out family friend, Lois, on the left

 One of the highlights of our travels was visiting Victoria Fall in Zimbabwe. We were there during the high water season so the spray from the falls rises up to 2,000 feet into the air. As you walk along the ridge opposite the falls the mist is so thick you can’t see the falls themselves and the spray falls back down as a deluge. Despite having waterproof ponchos we were soaked!

Now that my parents have flown back home, I’m settling into the routines of life here once again. The last group of students for the term is on rotation in the clinic and in a few weeks they will be starting exams. In early June I’ll be organizing their practical exams in the clinic where they demonstrate the skills and practical knowledge they have gained. I will have 10-15 minutes with each of 70+ students over 2 days to assess their competence in animal handling, vaccine choice and administration, fecal parasite exams, dispensing of medications, etc. It is always grueling, but fulfilling as well when I see students flourishing.

Our Acts 1:8 witnessing group is finished for the term, but the Monday night student Bible studies and Sunday night church at my house will continue through exams.

I’m also planning and preparing for a small, short-term veterinary mission group that will be arriving in July. Please be praying for that team, that they will be able to get to know the students and encourage them as well as grow spiritually themselves during their time here in Mafikeng.

Please also pray for me as I begin planning my furlough back to the US this winter. I’ll be back for three months and will hopefully do quite a bit of traveling to meet with my supporters, speak at CVM events and conferences, get some continuing education taken care of, visit churches, etc. The organizing and the busy schedule will be a challenge.

Till next time….