After a solo trip to Cape Town (Natalie was in a plane before me and wound up getting a FIRST class seat – aargh!), I collected the rest of our luggage and headed out the departure gate.  Natalie and Mark Gamble (leader of Aspire Youth) were waiting for me with a coffee in hand.  It was a welcome sight.   We walked out of the airport, and right there was Table Mountain….the same mountain I was standing on top of 4 years ago.  It ‘hit’ me at that moment that all the work for the past 3 years was actually becoming a reality.

The picture below is Mark driving us to our host family.  Notice anything unusual about the picture?

We are staying at the house of Sherol and Kieth, a lovely couple in South Field, the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town.  They have children:   Keegan (20), Stephanie (25) and Jade (28).  Sherol is a friend and colleague of Mark, and has extra rooms in her house, since their children are grown.  The house has a warm buzz of activity; including friends, granddaughters, and dogs.

 

I checked Facebook tonight, and saw Mark’s post: “Tomorrow AspireYouth launches its 3rd business unit; Kwelanga solar. The design of which has been done by 2incredible people, Pam and Ed from the USA. So I sit on our garden bench, the winter sun, a tree, birdsong my company, pondering how blessed is my life.”