Four Weeks from Today.....

I've been a bit preoccupied with a few other things that are happening before I go to South Africa - trying to get things in order to close on a house (today!) with/for Jesse and Abigail (my brother and sister-in-law); moving; hanging out with my cousins while my uncle and aunt are in Ukraine adopting two orphan children; trying to get ready for the busy holiday season at work.... you know, everyday stuff. In the meantime, plans have also been moving forward for the South Africa trip and I've received some more information that I thought I'd share.

(The logo for our team/trip to the left above was designed by our Divisional Music and Multimedia Director, Erik Dabis)

Though we won't have a finalized itinerary until mid-October, I do know a bit more about what our team can expect while in Cape Town. Most of our time will be spent in townships (according to Wikipedia, townships in South Africa usually refer to (often underdeveloped) urban living areas that were reserved for non-whites under Apartheid) and will include taking part in home visits, prayer walks, feeding programs, youth outreach (sports, music), etc. We will also be going to two nursery schools and a home for abused women among other places, and there may also be minor building repair work (painting, etc.) that is needed. In all, I believe we anticipate visits to at least 11 of the Army's programs in the Cape Town area during our 14 days there.

Oh, and I don't think I mentioned this before, but the 'team' I've been referencing is comprised of twelve officers (ordained ministers), soldiers (Salvationists/members of Salvation Army Churches) and administrative staff from around the Intermountain Division of The Salvation Army. Our Division covers the states of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and two thirds of Montana. For those of you unfamiliar with The Salvation Army, the organization serves a dual purpose as both a church and a social services organization. It has a long, international history of providing holistic services to meet basic human needs without discrimination.

Our host in the West Cape Division summed up our purpose well in a recent email when he said, "We will invite you to come along side the people, to listen to them, to understand their threats and hopes and, together with them, to address their situation with God's grace."

So, there is a lot to look forward to as we continue to prepare over the next month. As a team, we set a goal to raise $30,000 to cover the costs of this endeavor and we are just over half way there. If you would like to contribute, you may do so online at our secure site here, or for information about mailing a check, see here. Thanks for the comments, notes and emails expressing support and excitement for the work we are setting out to do as well!

I'll be updating periodically over the next month and hope to be able to post updates with pictures from South Africa as well, so check back here from time to time!

A little more info....

Just a quick post to answer some questions:

When are we going?
I just learned the final dates the other day - we'll leave Denver Wednesday, October 28 in the evening and return on Friday, November 13. The original plan was to go in August, but due to some logistical conflicts, we had to postpone.

I'd like to support you financially but would rather mail a check than donate online, where do I send it?
Checks can be made out and sent to:
The Salvation Army
1370 Pennsylvania St.
Denver, CO 80203

Please indicate that it is in support of the South Africa Missions Team and send it to my attention.

Many thanks to those who have donated and sent messages! I'm not so great at updating my email address book, so feel free to pass this on to anyone you think might be interested that I might have missed.

More to come soon....

Six Weeks to Africa...

It has been just over four years since I bought a one-way ticket to Hawaii and boarded a plane with my two suitcases, one carry-on and one very large 'purse'. Planning to find work as a massage therapist in paradise, I signed up with a temp agency for office work until I could get the proper licensing. For my first temp assignment, I was sent to The Salvation Army as an Accounts Receivable Clerk. I envisioned counting money in the back of a thrift store, but I was way off. Since then, I have learned that the worldwide organization does so much more than thrift stores and ringing bells to collect donations in red kettles at Christmastime.

As much as I value the opportunities I have been given working for an organization that does so many things to improve the lives of so many people, I don't often get to see those great things first-hand. I spend most of my time in front of a computer and often find I need to remind myself of why I do what I do.

When an email popped up announcing a Missions Trip to South Africa, I realized that this would be the perfect opportunity to participate on a more tangible level in what many in The Salvation Army do every day. The fact that we will be in Cape Town, South Africa is the icing on the cake for me since I love to travel to new places. I have been fortunate to have had multiple opportunities to participate in service trips/projects in various parts of the States in the past and have always found them to be rewarding experiences that taught me new things and allowed me to meet and share with people that I would not otherwise encounter. I am honored to be a member of this team.

I will share more later about what we will be doing in Cape Town as I get more information and more details are solidified. In the meantime, if you'd like to make a donation to help make this trip happen, please do so here:
https://secure.salvationarmy.org/donations.nsf/donate?openform&projectid=USW_IM-SA_Missions
Any amount is greatly appreciated! Regardless, please pray that preparations for the trip continue smoothly as we get closer to the departure date.

Thank you!