We have survived South Africa for 2 whole weeks! That’s saying something considering I’ve been driving on the opposite side of the road for 1 whole week.
Speaking of Driving
I spent 90 min this morning (for those mathematicians out there, give me the metric of this…) at the Post Office getting a license to own a car and then registering my car that I already own… Yeah it’s weird.
While I waited patiently in line with the young lady from the dealership who graciously walked me through the process, I was able to get to hear her story. It then came to the point of the conversant where she asked me why I moved my family to South Africa.
I am beginning to love this question as it gives me an opportunity to share the vision of our church. She then began to share with me about the small church she attends and that she wishes her boyfriend would want to come with her.
This gave me the opportunity to delve into her boyfriends situation and ask why she things he and others don’t go to church.
She mentioned the typical answers, “it’s too stiff”, “the people don’t look like they enjoy themselves”, etc.
I then shared with her that her boyfriend and the thousands of others like him in Port
Elizabeth are the very reason we are here.
We are here to start a church for those who are far from God and would consider themselves irreligious.
As I shared with her that her boyfriend is why we are here, I could see the tears well up. Needless to say, that 90 min wasn’t as long as it could have been.
Hi-Tailing it to the Bank
From there I headed straight to the bank as I received notice that after 7 business days, m y non residential account had been approved and set up. I was anxious to deposit the last of my US money I had as to not risk having it stolen.
I’m learning that in South Africa, things move quite slower. Like registering my car… I was told it would take 20 min if it wasn’t busy. Forty-five minutes into our wait, the lady with me looked at me and said, “I’m glad its not busy today.” I responded, “oh… This isn’t busy?”
I was at the bank for another hour and forty minutes waiting for them to exchange my currency and then deposit it and then to give me the cash back I needed. I think I sign more papers to exchange currency than I did to buy my car!
But that hour and forty minutes allowed me to ask the ,lady exchanging my money how her volunteer training for underserved kids went over the weekend… I’ve been in this branch several times 🙂
I also asked the person at the inquires desk who his favorite bands were and I now have the six band names he wrote down for me here by my bed. I think I talked with 4 different people today as they tried to set me up. But i consider each person I talk with a divine appointment as want to build a relationship with them and give them a little of the love of Jesus.
Hola! Me Yamo es…
After the bank, I ventured to a direct beds where I ordered a new mattress for Cassie and I, while she was finishing up at a consignment store buying a washing machine and a dining table. By the way, Becky Colin is a negotiating machine!
We are going to buy most things second hand, but I won’t buy a mattress second hand… Sorry… Just can’t do it.
I was finishing the purchase when I received a text from Cassie saying they are at a Mexican restaurant one block away!
What?!?! Can this be so!?!?
Yes it was! And it was pretty good too!
Thank you Jesus… Now if I can just get my hands n some Cholula.
Big Bucks
After eating our camina… I think that is food in Spanish, we went to another second hand store called Big Bucks. This place would be a dream come true for those two guys in the history channel show, American Pickers.
Floor after floor of stuff. Brent, a gentlemen, and new friend, with us from Oceans of Mercy spoke the perfect slogan for the store… “If its not here, you don’t need it.” So true. They have everything. At least I hope so… the refrigerator I bought from them better be cool in the morning.
Things are coming together and we are getting to know the town. We will stay our first night in our new place on Friday, pending the beds are delivered on time.
If your looking for the llamas, here it is… Llamas.
I couldn’t think of another “L” word.