Out of Africa!

Monday, 16 August

All packed and ready to go, but there is one last engagement to attend in Uitenhage: the opening convocation for the high school at which Algie Boonzaaier teaches.  I wasn't looking forward to this.  It would make for a more rushed departure day (we had a 12:30 flight out of Port Elizabeth airport), and there had been little or no time to consider what I would say in a 10 minute "inspirational speech".

As it happened, however, I had a great time.  The learners were attentive and seemingly happy to be there. I spoke about choices (basing the talk on the passage Deuteronomy 30 where Moses passed on God's directive to the Israelites to make the choice between life and death.)  I spoke of the moments -- great and small -- in which we choose to do what's right or what is wrong, what builds up or what tears down.  We can honor and respect one another (the Protestant Christian bias was clear  when the Muslim students stood stone-faced and silent during the opening songs.  It was Ramadan.  I closed with the reading of Robert Frost's, "The Road Not Taken," and the two thumbs up, universal sign of best wishes and good feelings all around.

Then off to the mall wear the group was doing some last minute shopping.  We left by 10:45 to get to the airport.  The Germans weren't going to leave until 4:00.  However, they came with us early to say good bye.  Many of the Moravians also were there.  It was a very fond, teary farewell.  We went through security, waited for the plane at the gate, boarded and took off right on time.  And, it was over...kind of.  We had a six hour lay over in Johannesburg, long enough for a few of us to meet up with the Germans again before they flew off for Frankfurt.  The six of us Americans had a nice dinner at the airport in Johannesburg, recapping the trip.  Very nice!

The long flight to JFK from Joburg didn't seem as long to most of us.  There was a surprise for our flight home.  We stopped over in Dakar, Senegal.  Arriving there at 2:00 AM South African time, we had to stay in our seats while the plane was cleaned.  Then we had to clear out all of our luggage from the overhead compartments so that the security guards could inspect them.  That was fun!  We were off again within an hour.  I will say that we slept much better (except for Ben).   When we arrived at JFK a half hour early, around 7:00 AM, we all peered out the windows to see the approach.  It was interesting to hear the group all say how clean everything looked compared to all of the litter of the South African cities.

Ben's parents, Mark and Kate, met us at the airport.  They had kept my car at their house for the duration of our trip.  They drove my car and theirs to JFK so that they could take Ben home with them and leave me with my car to drive Alyse and Sarah back to Central New York.  Kristina flew to Buffalo later that day.  Ruby Wilson picked up Calvina.

And so, we were home.  What a trip!  An ecumenical witness that groups of young adults from three different countries, Protestant Christian denominations could work, play, worship, and travel together, learning and experiencing so much, including the call to love one another regardless of who we are or where we are on life's journey.

Thank you to the New York Conference, our local churches and associations, families and friends that supported us with prayers and monetary support for this wonderful experience. And many, many thanks to Dawn Barnes, our UCCNY Global Missionary Partner, who arranged the entire itinerary for the first two phases of our trip. She could not be there to physically host us (she, husband Jon and children Khaya and Ally are in the US doing mission interpretation), but she provided us with great guides, drivers and friends: Byron "Lucky Boy" Jonas and Nicholas "Monte" Meyers. Thanks guys, we wouldn't have made it without you!

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

Worshiping with the Moravians: A Blessed Assurance

Sunday, 15 August

Ah!  Sunday morning.  Worship at Uitenage begins at 10:30.  No one (a.k.a. me) had anything to do before hand.  We can sleep in.  Well, we did sleep in a little, till 7:30.  But then Algie Boonzaaier had a plan for our morning activities.  He thought that it would be good for the two of us to go visit several housebound persons and others that had been through recent surgery or the loss of loved ones before the service.  I was a little uncomfortable because it became clear that none of the persons we visited knew we were coming in advance, and I wondered whether their pastor knew that I was doing pastoral visitation with her flock.

Regardless, off we went at 9:15.  We made 7 stops, finding 5 people in.  I chatted a little with each and said a short prayer.  (At least a couple of them we didn't see were on their way to church!)  When we arrived at church the pastor thanked me for going to see her parishioners.  We had a nice service.  I was asked to give greetings.  The congregation also has a tradition of honoring those celebrating special days.  They sing a hymn.   The people come forward and the pastor shakes their hand and blesses them.  Well, the lay leaders wanted me to do this.  I thought better of it, however.  On my way forward I went to the pastor and asked her to accompany me.  At first she declined, but when I told her that she was the pastor (and not I) she joined me.  Algie told me afterward that several people thought that it was a nice gesture.  In reply I explained that back home it is my job to lift up the work of the pastor.

We also were to have two services in the afternoon, a Love Feast and Holy Communion.  These services were also very nice.  The women all wore linen scarves with the Moravian logo embroidered on the back.  the liturgy is liberally infused with fine hymns and the wonderful litanies for which the Moravians are known. I was asked to give another greeting with the added request to witness to the joys and challenges of the churches that I serve in New York.

It was a fine afternoon.  After taking photos of the church leadership, I readied myself for the final get together (the last supper, if you will) of our group at a restaurant down by the beach. I couldn't wait to get together again.  I missed those guys!  Call me quixotic, but I have truly valued the way in which we came together and stayed together despite the challenges of culture, nationhood, gender, race, theology and generation.  When we were at Hobbiton, Julian our trainer spoke of what it took to build up a team: the commitment to keep everyone safe and to "be there" for one another, mutual trust, and thinking of the needs of others first.  In many ways we learned these lessons, and I remain very grateful.

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

Taking the Leap

Saturday, 14 August

What a day this was, especially for 3 of our group members (and all Americans at that!).  This was to be a holiday for us.  So, some of us wanted to go shopping and to beach at Jeffries Bay (mostly the Germans).  Four of our group really wanted to go bungee jumping at Storms River.

We thought we could do both.  However, a later than hoped for start, an earlier than anticipating closing of all the shops in Jeffries Bay, and a longer than realized trip to Storms River (200 km each way) really only allowed for one event.  We started off for the farthest spot on our day's itinerary (the bungee jumping) when we realized the folly of our plans.  Given my reports of some blips in our group spirit this could have been a disaster.  However, those that wanted to go shopping really wanted to stay to support those that wanted to go bungee jumping.  So, some good came of it all.  Plus, it was exciting to see the jumping.  Please check out the Facebook Walls of  Ben Lukens, Alyse Masterson and Kristina Frenette for videos and pics of their jumps (the other two pictured are Justin a teacher in the primary school in Enon in the center, and Jonathan Van Wyk, one of our Moravian group members on the far right).

We returned to Port Elizabeth in time for a nice barbecue at the Arcadia Moravian Church.  It was cold, but inside the food was good and the fellowship warm.

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

Uitenage: Putting Some Things into Perspective

Friday, 13 August

Yes, we did note that it was going to be Friday the 13th the night before.  And, yes we did joke about it.  What we woke up to find out is that our morning activity – a tour of the Volkswagen plant in Uitenage – was cancelled due to a labor strike called for that day!  This threw our host planning team off a bit.  We rearranged some of the schedule for the morning and afternoon.  However, some tensions that had been brewing began to surface.  Low energy levels, length of the trip, and gathering exhaustion are hard to overcome sometimes.

Our hosts decided to take us to a cemetery that held the mass grave of those that died in the Uitenage Massacre of 1985.  This was a year of growing unrest and demonstrations that spread throughout the country.  The Apartheid government reacted with swift and brutal countermeasures resulting in massacres in Uitenage, in the Duncan Village informal settlement in East London and many other places.  It was chilling to have the names of those that died and especially their ages so starkly listed before our eyes.

Next stop on our revamped schedule was a school for children with special needs.  Meeting with children and spending time with them is one of the favorite activities for the members of our group (including me).  However, we were on to tight of a schedule to stay very long.  Still, some of us made some meaningful contact with the children before we had to leave.

A Moravian Church in a very poor part of the city was expecting us.  Again the leaders of the congregation greeted us warmly.  They wanted to feed us lunch with traditional African food.  Unfortunately, we were scheduled to eat lunch at the other church in Uitenage.  Some of us did eat a little at the church (except for the tripe!).  Mostly, we dealt with some issues that were going on with the group.  One girl didn't feel comfortable staying in the household to which she was assigned.  The single, elderly woman is very poor and our group member didn't want to be a burden for her.  Neither did she want to hurt her.  Several people were unhappy with the organization of this part of the trip.  Tensions were beginning to heighten.

The Moravians pray and sing for everything.  Faithful Moravians begin each day with the daily "Watch Word", a devotional with a couple of passages from scripture and a prayer.  The leaders of the church wanted to begin their welcome of us with the day's "Watch Word" and asked that I read it.  I took the opportunity to address some of the tension that I felt among our group.  I talked about all the things we had done and experienced and spoke of how love is not easy, but it is something that we are called to share in relationship with others.  I then called the group together and asked them to go off by themselves (a kind of team meeting for just the "players") so that they could say whatever they wanted.  This they did.  It seemed to ease the tension level anyway.

We went to the Uitenage Moravian Church, had a presentation from some of the leaders about the various community ministries in which the church is involved: HIV/AIDS ministries and a food pantry.  And we had lunch along with some time to rest.

In the afternoon we went to a monument commemorating those that died in the Uitenage Massacre at the spot  of the killings.  Stationed there was a survivor of the event.  He gains most of his income through greeting visitors to the monument.  He told the story of the day and showed us where the pellets are still embedded in his shin.  We were all pretty impressed by the life long impact that one event had on the individuals involved as well as for an entire nation.

The afternoon's activities ended with a visit to a nursery school run by the Moravians in Port Elizabeth. After this the group dispersed to their host homes to get changed in order to go to the Boardwalk, a tourist location down by the ocean.  Talk about a culture shift.  Walking into this mecca of shops, casinos and restaurants I thought I was in Florida.  I did buy a few things.  But mostly, I walked around with Walter and two of the leaders of the Hosting Committee, Sylvia Roussouw and Jeni Johnson.

It was a disorienting day, a fine Friday the 13th!  I was glad to go home to the Boonzaaiers in Uitenage.

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

Trip Phase Three: Port Elizabeth

Thursday, 12 August and Friday, 13 August

Our trip to South Africa neatly fell into three distinct phases: the five days in and around East London, seven days on the road in the mountains, valleys and plains between East London and Port Elizabeth, and the last five days in Port Elizabeth.  The first two phases were all about transforming a 22 strangers  from three different countries, Protestant denominations and cultures into a group that cared about each other, learned of and from one others while sharing some life changing experiences.  The Port Elizabeth phase was about strengthening the Ecumenical Partnership between the Moravian Church of South Africa and the Evangelical Church in Hessen and Nassau.

It was difficult to make the transition to this last phase.  We had been together for 12 days, we were tired, and we had already gone through a lot of changes.  So, it was hard to make yet another transition.  In addition the Moravians in our group were back home again.  Several had never been away from home before (not even to East London).  In addition our Moravian hosts were experiencing a unique group of visitors.  We were an ecumenical group of young adults (not older church folks!) and we were not only German, but also UCC's from the USA.

That said, our hosts were diligent in offering us a warm welcome and hospitality.  We greeted our host families  with whom we'd be staying for the last five days at the Ebenhaeser Church in Port Elizabeth.  This church was to become our connection point for the remainder of the trip.  We were to go home for supper with our host families and then join Moravians gathered from all of the congregations at the Bloemendal Church for an evening worship and official welcome at 7:00 that night.  So, I went with my host, Algernon Boonzaaier, to the neighboring city of Uitenhage (pronounced YOU-tin-egg) for a nice fried fish dinner.  Upon completion of the dinner we scurried off to the evening service.

It was a nice service.  We sang.  Everyone always sings not matter where one goes in South Africa, it seems. People have hymn books but seldom seem to need them.  People know the music by heart and they sing.  How refreshing...and inspiring!  Moravians are known for their brass choirs.  The Port Elizabeth Moravians are no exception to this rule.  Walter and I greeted the gathered congregation.  We introduced our delegation.  We had tea, juice and cookies afterward, had good conversation with those present and went home.


Algie's wife, Gilda, had tea and sweets awaiting our arrival.  We stayed up for a little while and chatted. Then to bed.

It was good to get to know the Boonzaaiers and their sons, Devandre and Gershwin over the course of my stay.  Devandre is a graduate student at the Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth.  He is pursuing a degree in Music Education with an emphasis in organ and choral direction.  Gershwin is about the finish high school.  He will begin his studies in the law school at Nelson Mandela University in the near future.

Blessings,


Rick Cowles

Enon: A Moravian Mission Station

Wednesday 10 August and Tuesday 11 August

Over the years that I have served as a Regional Conference Minister in the New York Conference I have often speculated with congregations about what it might mean if all of our local churches would take on the identity and calling of being a mission station.  How would that change our outlook on ministry?  How would our programs, our budgets, our worship and ministries of Christian education and nurture change?  All of these questions remain conjecture in New York.  But on these days I was happy to experience a community that began as and remains a Moravian Mission Station: Enon a village located about an hour northeast of Port Elizabeth.

The Moravian Church is a pre-Reformation Protestant Church with its roots in present day Czechoslovakia.  Moravian communities were founded in Pennsylvania (around Bethlehem), in North Carolina (Winston Salem) and across the upper mid west of the USA.  Always a small denomination, the Moravians have had an historic concern for mission, establishing churches, schools and hospitals around the world.

There are eight Moravian Churches in an around the port city of Port Elizabeth.  Each of these congregations sent a representative to be part of our delegation.  It was fitting for us to begin our experience of their life and ministry by spending parts of two days and a night in Enon.  Moravian missionaries traveled to the valley in which Enon is located to set up a mission in 1829.  They built a church and a school in 1821 and set apart a village for Moravians.  It was a purely Moravian community until the turn of the 20th century.

We were greeted warmly by the pastor and several members who gave us lunch and offered the official welcome in the sanctuary by the Moravian, Congregational and Pentecostal pastors.  We also had dinner at the church followed by a most wonderful musical presentation by various community groups and choirs.  They also invited our delegation to sing.  We sang our signature song, "Siyahamb ekukhanyen kwenkos" (We are marching in the light of God).  We had fun and the entire congregation of well over 100 joined in.  We all applauded each other afterward.

Walter Schneider, the German delegation leader, our two drivers (Byron and Monte) and I stayed at the home of Tyron and Levi Closson.  Tyron is a former principal of the village school and Levi teaches in a neighboring village.  Tyron, Byron, Monte and I stayed up talking in the Closson home when the community program ended.  We spoke about life in the village, it's history (Tyron is a lifelong resident), and broader topics of mutual interest.  As the only white person present during this conversation I asked if I would have been able to stay in that house during Apartheid.  All said, "No, I would have been put under surveillance as a potential troublemaker and they would have been arrested."  What a difference 16 years has made.

Sleep came quickly that night.  I don't think I stirred at all till the alarm went off the next morning.

On Thursday we took a walking tour of the village of Enon.  The Moravian Pastor and one of the Town Councilors led the tour past the Congregational Church, the village offices and day care center, and out to Beersheba, an outpost village of Enon.  Along the way we stopped on a hillside between the two villages used as a place for the surrounding communities to come and pray in times of drought or other kinds of trouble as well as joys.  We enjoyed visiting the school in Beersheba where the daughter of one of our group members, Pumza attends, and of which Pumza is an alumna.

After lunch we said good bye to Enon enroute to Port Elizabeth.  On our way out of the area we stopped by a citrus plant for a tour.  We arrived just at the mid-afternoon break, allowing the workers to greet us with smiles and poses for our cameras.

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

And the lion shall lie down with the lamb (but not yet in Schotia!)

Tuesday 10 August and Wednesday 11 August.

With great and almost universal anticipation (one of our group members, Donovan, doesn't like animals of any kind or than stuffed!) we went to the Addo Elephant Park and Schotia Game Reserve.  Over a 20 hour period the park rangers would take us on five excursions to see the animals, provide us with lunch, afternoon tea, a very  nice barbecue, rooms with electric blankets and breakfast.  What an experience!  It was also quite cold!  A cold front had come through the area on Sunday morning and remained through Wednesday noon.  So, the temperatures that had been in the 70's and 80's during our first week in South Africa were in the 40's and 50's at the beginning of our second week!

We began our safari in Addo.  We saw elephants galore feeding in the bush.  We also saw a buffalo (so, we could notch 2 of the big 5 off our list!).  We also saw many other animals in Addo over the 2 hours of our time there.  After lunch we entered Schotia for the remainder of our "safari experience".  There we saw heard of wildebeests, springbok, wild boars, zebras, giraffes and other prey that the pride of 7 lions, the stars of the Reserve, love to eat.  We also saw a couple of rhinos grazing in the lawn next to where we were staying.

Quite an experience, complete with being greeted with the glorious morning sun gleeming off the coating of frost.  We ended up seeing 4 of the big 5 while we were there.  We were also "treated" to the lions' "kill" of a wildebeest.  The four youngest lions of the pride had just captured the wildebeest and were voraciously getting as much as they could before their father and older brother arrived.  We were able to get within 25 yards of them.  Amazing!  (Now I'm a person that normally looks away during such scenes when watching a nature program on TV, but this was sickeningly fascinating nonetheless.  So, I watched.)  Eventually, the father did come and chased all of the others away, including the eldest son who got none of the feast.  The father was still hovered over the remains of the wildebeest the next morning when we drove by.

On a more peacefully majestic line we were happy to turn our attention to the giraffe grazing on the hillside above the killing field.  And, to cap things off, next to the pavilion where we were to eat our breakfast lay two crocodiles sunning themselves on the edge of a small pond.

Back to the ongoing reality of our trip, when breakfast was done we hopped into the conveys (vans) again and headed to the Moravian mission post in the village of Enon.  More later!

Blessings,

Rick Cowles