We are now past the halfway point of our stay here having been here more than 6-weeks. On Saturday Lydia took me to the La Motte winery for a wonderful lunch. This winery is owned and operated by the wealthiest family in the Cape area and recently opened a restaurant on the premises. In the evening we were invited over to the Pederson’s (principal of the academy) for a fish braai. On Sunday we went to Mountain View Church and enjoyed a wonderful time worshiping in English this time.
The tractor has been hard at work mowing down the high grass and hauling some familiar girls around the grounds. We started work on building the stand for our braai and fixing up the tractor barn.
Some of the boys are interested in pursuing a career in engineering and were very interested in how thing are designed, so Phil spent some time showing them how it is done using parametric design tools. They each got a chance to create a part on the computer.
The driveways, parking lots and perimeter path are now finished and the dust problem is much better. We got several of the bicycles fixed with the money we received from selling the pears. The kids love riding them around the new perimeter path. We are having a great time interacting with the kids, teaching the interested ones a fun lesson or two and mentoring them in a way they perhaps never got at “home”.
Dennis and Susan Wadley, the founders of Bridges of Hope arrived here for a short visit on Tuesday and have had a very full schedule while they are here. We have enjoyed a few meals together with them and always love hearing what God is doing here in South Africa.
This week at home, our son Mark got an opportunity to shake president Obama's hand as he visited Intel’s wafer fabrication facility in Hillsboro, Oregon. We were able to watch Obama’s address to the audience live while we are here in South Africa. Amazing!
Some relevant and interesting links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42DnTTBiHfY&feature=player_embedded#at=60
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/02/19/weekly-address-winning-future-intel
http://www.olsonduncan.com/bridgesofhope/
It has been fun to see all your hard work live and on video this week! Thanks Phil and Lydia for all the love and sweat equity you have poured into this place.
ReplyDeleteWe are blessed to have you!
Dennis
Your lives continue to inspire and bless me as I read about your son, your time in Africa, and all your world travels. I am richly blessed to call you friends. Love you guys! Carrie
ReplyDeleteBy the way....lunch at the winery is right up my alley!
ReplyDeleteIt's always fun to see God give a "proud moment" in someone's life as they serve Him. Seeing Mark must have been one of those for you guys!
ReplyDeleteOnce again 'grandma' Doris Spier
It has been fun following your blog, sounds like you are having a fun time.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing all the different things that you are involved in over there. May God continue to bless and keep you while you serve him.
ReplyDeleteJim