some pictures from cape town

A Christmas message from South Africa

welcome to Cape Town

Yesterday my friends and I drove the 7 hour journey to Cape Town from Plett. Driving was fairly smooth. We passed through many sites from wine country to beaches to mountains. Please notice the photo from behind the Volkswagen van with the little boy sleeping in the back window....only in Africa. The second photo down is from the bay in Simonstown where we are staying in Cape Town. This is the view out of my top window every morning! how amazing is that?!

Cape Town temps are in the mid 70's and its just a great place to relax after some intense outreach from the past two weeks. Riley and I ate at this great cafe today in Fish Hoek called Cafe on Main. I had the egg benedict roayale which just added some salmon to it....it was to die for.

I hope all of you are enjoying family and friends for Christmas. It has been a great joy to be with my friends here in Cape Town. We have shared lots of laughs and great food already with more great times to come...talk to yall soon

-TAE

end of Plett

Today was our final full day in Plettenberg Bay. Over the past few days we have had some great ministry on the beach. A few nights ago night we joined a few hundred other people from town on the beach to sing Christmas carols....it was just awesome. Tomorrow some friends and I will leave for Cape Town to stay with some friends of mine from my Vail days. I will be reuniting with some great fellowship from that 2006-2007 ski season.

Today we ventured up the road to Keurbooms Beach where they had some pretty amazing rocks and natural arches. The waves were amazing and the water was soooo cool but refreshing. Here are some pictures from our time there today.

I hope yall are enjoying the snow today and happy birthday to my great friend Jonathan Edward Small!

pictures will be coming soon from Christmas and all the fun in Cape Town. Prayers are welcomed as we continue to travel around this beautiful country and enjoy our holiday break...May the Spirit prepare our hearts for soaking in His presence this holiday season and preparing us for the year of ministry to come. See yall soon -TAE

update from plett

Hey yall. Plett is beautiful. Its amazing how the mountians run right to the sea here in South Africa.

As far as ministry goes we are in full swing and impacting many people everyday here. Last week was basically beach week for the seniors of South Africa's high school's and many, like America, go to the beach to celebrate and party. With our basic schedule of getting to the beach around 10am and running pick up soccer tournaments and volleyball clinics in the morning followed by a big formal volleyball tournament in the afternoon the days are filled with opportunity to talk to the lost about what a relationship with God is like.

Today I gave my testimony in front about 50 people in our afternoon tournament. We usually have someone introduce AIA and then give a short testimony of how God has impacted their life. I shared briefly that we dont have to work at getting to heaven and that God aims to give us the desires of our heart through a personal relationship with Him. I furthered explained that even though I went through a tough divorce in my family God has helped me to live the greatest life and guarantees me eternal life forever through His word...Our great God has declared us righteous when we accept his Son Jesus.

here are some pics from our last few days including ultimate frisbee and lunch on my birthday! here also is a pic of one of my great new friends i have met here named Jono. He had a bit of a volleyball collision on our second day on the beach and has the eye to prove it. it was great to celebrate my birthday here in SUMMER here but i miss my family and friends from home and I miss the snow!!! keep in real at home yall.

some photos from the drive and here in Plett

day 1 from from plettenberg bay

so my internet here in plett is suuuper slow. so pictures will be coming when i can get some fast internet.

Day 1 here went well. We outreached to hundreds of high school and college students on the beach through volleyball. I dont think I have ever played that much vb in one day. The sun was out and shining and my calfs got mad sunburn! Praise the Lord for After sun aloe.

We will hit the beach running tomorrow with kids outreach in the morning followed by the adult tournament and testimony in the afternoon...someone shares there testimony before we begin playing. Tomorrow I will be speaking before the testimony on the background of AIA. Not too much of a talk that is but its important because we want people to check out more on the website and ask more about what we do as a ministry.

yall take care! goodnight from africa

the road to plett

So we have arrived safely after a 15 hour road trip to the southwest. We are staying at a methodist church and we are very hungry and about to chow down on some african dish. pictures from the journey will be up soon!


thanks for all your prayers! - TAE

off to Plettenberg Bay

Tomorrow morning at 4am local time myself and 20 others begin a 14-hour road trip to Plenntenberg Bay for a 2 week mission with Athletes in Action. We will be doing beach outreach through sport tournaments and clinics at this holiday destination for the next 2 weeks. I ask you for your prayers as we embark on this journey that God will accomplish His will through our teammates and that we will not stand in the way of that.

I hope all of you northern hemisphere people are having a great cold winter with snow and good times. I miss the weather there because its just not the same here with temps near 85 in December!

Pictures from Plett will be coming soon. Here is a picture of one of the Dirks' kids Cor. They are the family I have been staying with for the last month and after the holiday i will be leaving them...so sad but its time to move on and make more of South Africa my home(shoot..I even got an air mattress today for anyone who wants to come visit!).


I will leave you all with a great quote from one of my favorite leaders in the church....

'“The living God, who revealed himself both at Mount Sinai and on the Cross, is the only Lord who, if you find him, can truly fulfill you, and, if you fail him, can truly forgive you.”

- Timothy Keller

All I Need

so this music video doesnt have much to do about africa but it is a pretty powerful video. It shows an average day of two kids and rolls the clips simultaneously to make its point...incredible. The music is great too.. 'All I Need" - by Radiohead

An African Thanksgiving

This past Sunday many people connected with AIA here in Johannesburg came together to celebrate the American Thanksgiving. It was great to envision myself back home through food and fellowship. We cooked most of your usual dishes from mashed potatoes to turkey to even an African version of pumpkin pie that was made by a Bulgarian! I even made a dish....and people liked it! haha. IT was an Apple and Cranberry casserole...yes just take a second and imagine the goodness seeping out of that dish. it was yummy. Thank you to my Momma for the recipe!

Speaking of different nationalities represented we have people here from: America, South Africa, Canada, Bulgaria, and Zimbabwe.

One of the things I am most thankful for is that the body of Christ doesnt change wherever I go in the world. You have great people who are pursuing Jesus with their lives over here too and to share in a great meal with these new friends was just awesome.