East London... and/or Gonubie!!

Been a couple days since a post!  It has been tricky tracking down wifi here in South Africa.  But I have had possibly the best first three days that anyone could ask for.  I am staying with the Chin family, Jacksonville natives that have been in East London as missionaries for the past year and a half.  Ironically, my first days here are their last before they head back to the states.  So thankful for them hosting me and helping me around the city to prepare for my stay here.  

I spent the night in the Johannesburg airport Thursday night.  It was pretty miserable.  After many warnings from different friends, I decided to stay awake all night, so as to not put my bags at risk of being stolen.  I ended up making a friend that I hope to see again when I travel to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania!  By the way, Mom, you were right- it's Tan-zane-ee-uh.  Ugh.  My mother is ALWAYS right.

I have spent the weekend in a town called Gonubie, which is an incredible beach community outside of East London.  As Miss Beth Chin says, South Africa has very stark contrasts between areas of first world and third world.  I have spent my weekend in the former.  I have too many breath-taking pictures of this area to post.  Because the Chins are leaving tomorrow for the States, they have already moved out of their home here.  We are all guests in this unbelievable home that is on a point surrounded by the Indian Ocean.  Each day there are dolphins and whales in the water in front of the home.  It is quite surreal.

This morning I got to attend church with the Chins, as well as go lead a Sunday school class in a nearby township called Mzamomhle.  It is a community of extreme poverty in which they have been serving for the past year and a half.  And- you know me- if there are cute children around, I'm taking selfies!  The children were incredibly sweet, although they understood very little of what I had to say.  We exchanged drum beats and grins.

The community was built to host 1200 people but has since become a home to over 40,000.  These are some pretty standard "homes."

It has been really moving to get to be here with the Chins as they say their farewells to all of their friends in Gonubie, East London, and Mzamomhle.  I am so blessed to be here with them at this time!  And although they are leaving tomorrow, they have even made housing arrangements for me for after they have left!  The ICTM conference starts tomorrow at University of Fort Hare in downtown East London.  I will be staying with Gwen and Andy Morris- more people the Chins and I know from Jacksonville!  It is incredible to have friends to host and support me all over the world!