Sabbatical Travel

1/31/2008
Thanks God for a restful night after a long day and half of travel.

It was way to early to start the day at 5:48, but I would not be alone. The faculty traveled to Durban to be a part of the meetings with the Religion and Theology Department of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The departments have merged recently with Religion at Durban and Theology at Pietermaritzburg. So without adapters for my power cords computer use was not high on the agenda, so reading took first place.

I remember reading about Clinebell, but I think I was raised on Stone and Stone. So one hundred pages of Howard Clinebell filled the morning until I realized that I was tired and took a late morning nap. A little after noon I met up with Philip Knutson and Brian and Kristen Kankel. Phil is the program assistant for Southern Africa. Child of missionaries who were based in KwaZulu Natal province, this is a lot like home for him. He was also a missionary in the Orange Free State. This was his chance to get to know me and my “vast” experience of 5 short visits. At least I have some historical perspective.

Brian and Kristen brought me greetings from Miriam Schmidt, one of my advisees. She did an internship in Guyana where they had been missionaries. They just arrived on Sunday to start a new program of hosting young adults on short term mission stays in southern Africa. They were in the midst of setting up their household in Pietermaritzburg. So a bit of shopping was on everyone’s mind, theirs was a bit more heavy duty than mine.

We shared supper with a long term resident Solve Otte(?) The grandchild and child of missionaries, she is a permanent resident in KwaZulu Natal. A retired hospital lab technician she is working with AIDS victims in a nearby township to make some sustainable crafts. Beautiful free trade carry bags are the products she helps them with in dying and marketing. Most are sold through church groups and congregations. [Pictures later.]

Day is done gone the sun….