I'm in South Africa!

Hello everyone!

Hope you all are doing really well. So, as most of you hopefully know, I arrived safely in South Africa last Wednesday November 16th. If any of you are not receiving my periodic important news/update emails and would like to, just send me an email to caitlin.vida@gmail.com and I’ll be happy to add you to my list.

So, on my way from Washington DC to George, SA I flew through Frankfurt Germany and was pleased to have a stay at one of the local hotels only a short bus ride away from the airport during my layover from Tuesday morning to Tuesday evening. Once I got to the hotel I could barely keep my eyes open so I got a nice nap in, took a refreshing shower and then was back off to the airport for my 11 hour flight to Cape Town. Funny fact: Did you know in most German hotels once you enter the hotel room you have to insert your card key into a slot to turn the lights on? Who knew? For a while (before I figured that out) I was pretty happy to still have daylight :).

Anyways, all my flights were quite pleasant and during the flight from Germany to Cape Town I sat next to this gentleman photographer who was traveling to Cape Town with his team to take pictures for a jewelry company. He showed me some of his work on the computer he had along with him…it was great. So we had a great time chatting which made the really long flight go by a bit quicker. Side note, I would totally recommend getting support stockings (the ones that come up to your knees and prevent DVT) the next time you have a long flight. I couldn’t believe how much of a difference they made. Let’s be honest….they look a little bit like granny nylons but let me tell you, I was so much more comfortable and didn’t need to get up and move around as much. They’re also a great conversation starter…if anyone sees them poking out of the bottom of your pants :).

Ok, enough about stockings. Once I arrived in Cape Town I had another long layover but during that time I shrink wrapped my bags (highly recommended) and then found a bench, tied up all my belongings and took another nap…I seriously couldn’t keep my eyes open. Traveling is tiring!

So finally I arrived in George SA!! My final destination. I was not stopped at passport control…praise the Lord and I was only stopped in customs because I attempted to bring an apple and a deli meat sandwich into the country-thanks Mom ;)…who knew that wouldn’t be allowed!?

Next stop…baggage claim and that’s where I saw Dean and Laurie Edwall on the other side of a glass wall, smiling and snapping pictures as I made my way over to them (I looked quite disheveled because we had to walk outside from the plane to the airport terminal in very windy conditions)…Oh well. Here I am.

We jumped in their truck…Dean in the drivers seat on the RIGHT side of the car, Laurie on the left and me in the back seat. The next stop was their house. It’s a beautiful house, they’ve been here for many years and my favorite part is their outside sitting area and back yard. Let me just say that they have some pretty strange and large birds here. They are fun to watch. Some are quite ugly and others beautiful, both wake me up in the mornings with their loud squawking. Welcome to Africa.

Well, can you believe it? All that, and more just from the time I left the airport in Washington DC to arriving at the Edwalls home approximately three days later.

So here I am now, typing at the desk in my room drinking Rooibos (African red bush) tea while Dean is working in the garage making a book case and Laurie is at her cell group (small group). When Laurie get’s home we are going to be making a run to the grocery. Should be fun.

I have been spending the majority of my time at the Options Program which Laurie heads up. Options is a crisis pregnancy center. I have taken a picture with some of the staff. They are all so inviting and loving and we have already shared so many laughs. I must say that the languages are pretty hard to pick up on…..Afrikaans and Xhosa. It’s taking me quite a while to learn everyone’s names but I’m getting there. In Xhosa, all the “Xs” are pronounced with a “C” as in Caitlin while simultaneously making a click noise with your tongue. It’s pretty challenging but I must say, both languages are beautiful!

One other thing to mention is I got to see the Indian Ocean for the first time on my way to the Options end of the year party this past Saturday. It was so beautiful. The Options staff enjoyed their time together over a South African barbeque. I got to meet a lot of the staff including counselors, prayer chain members, nurses, cardies (staff who run the card program, jewelry makers, and administrative workers. I am truly amazed at what God is doing through this ministry to reach out to teenagers, women and men and provide them with resources and information about crisis pregnancies and HIV/AIDS. I learned on Sunday at church that South Africa has the highest HIV/AIDS rate, the highest divorce rate and the highest alcohol abuse rate in all of Africa. Wow. But what I have also learned over the past few days is how the Lord is working through YFC and the Edwalls to change these statistics. Laurie and her staff spend their days counseling and educating the community about crisis pregnancies as I mentioned above, and Dean’s staff works on teaching leadership skills and HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness in local schools along with running Kidstop, a ministry for kids on the streets.

I will end with one final story. Dean and I were on our way to the local bank to set up an account for me and as we were pulling into a parking space this young child without any shoes on comes up to the car wearing a bright yellow safety vest and directing us into the parking spot. The thing is, I could clearly see that we didn’t need any help as the space was pretty easy to navigate into. Dean then went on to tell me that there are children and men who’s “job” is to “help” folks park in lots and then they will watch your car while you shop in the end expecting a small tip. Most folks don’t mind giving these parking helpers a small tip on their way out of the lot because it prevents them from begging on the streets. But this situation was different. Dean parked the car and then went up to the boy and asked him, “Why aren’t you at Kidstop today?” The boy answered, “Not today, but I’ll be there tomorrow.” Dean then said, “Ok, but you should be there today too, I’m sure the staff and kids are missing you there.”

So, do you see my point? I was amazed at the conversation that had just taken place and that the little boy knew about Kidstop. This is just one example of how much of a presence the YFC’s programs have here in George. It’s amazing.

I can’t wait to share more stories with you as they unfold. I can really see the Lord at work in this place. Please be praying that the Lord in His timing shows me exactly where He wants me to serve.

Tomorrow I’m off to the George hospital with Anne Wien where I’ll be joining in on a program she runs there which involves reaching out to new moms and training them on the basics on what there is to know about being a new mom. I can’t wait.

I am truly enjoying my time here so far BUT do miss you all tons. If I don’t have a chance to talk with you before Thanksgiving, I hope you all have a wonderful time. Eat some turkey and gravy for me :)

Lots of hugs!!