Our team had a couple of additions this month, Wesley Presley Snipes, or, as his birth certificate might more accurately say, Wesley Parker Reed joined us from the great state of Georgia, ever heard of it? And Kyle Winston Tubb of Amory, Mississippi fame also took his talents to a South (African) Beach. Now, I know what you’re thinking… He’s not Kyle Winston Tubb V. As you much as you might expect a name like that to be locked onto for hundreds of years, such is not yet the case.
These gents were kiff (it means “cool” here in South Africa) and were keen(willing) to join us as part of a World Race Exposure trip that brings people in for a month of our journey, and without them and their manly muscles we would have been in for some extra rough times. But it wasn’t the case as 8 of us pulled up onto the roof of Durban station in our Taxibus straight from Manzini, Swaziland rather than the normal 6.
It was on this roof that we were greeted by Kerneels, Emma, and Ella Roos of Higher Ground, a ministry that conducts camps for people with disabilities. They are indeed legit. They immediately escorted us on to our first of many homes for the month, where we saw the warm face of Sushila and had the pleasure of being treated and eating like kings and queens before we headed off to the first camp.
It’s about here that I could divulge into a long multipage rant about every little thing and change that happened, but I’ll just try to break it into a few short stories of some things I’ve been “exposed” to, beyond the obvious of the World Race Exposure.
I won’t pretend that I’ m a massively changed man directly resulting from this month, at least not from where I sit.
I certainly enjoyed the Durban area. Emma and Kerneels, along with Matt and Lara Steyn from Dawn View Christian Camp were people I’d love to hang out with for life. And I got to see my awesome Glenridge friends… SUCCESS!
But on to the individual experiences…
Week 1
We were at Dawn View Christian Camp, about an hour outside of Durban, near Pietermaritzburg working a camp for young adults with visual impairments ranging from partial-sightedness to complete blindness. It was tough to pull them from their cell phones, but through our “Connect” time (musical worship and speaking on the word), bedtime talks, and a fireside chat we managed to present some truth.
Out for a little "Mike Hike"
One of the most memorable was a chat with one of the campers at fireside, where I got to share a lot of the same type of truths I’ve been speaking about in my last few blogs and the freedom to love and obey independent of other people and our circumstances. Much like “Pretend Angela” from Swaziland, I don’t know if he has let those truths set in or if he’s ran back to the past he had, but his looks of recognition, combined with his tendency to be a thinker, give me hope that he’s moved on to a freedom to be what he was called to.
Week 2
We moved about 45 minutes down the coast from Durban to Pennington Beach Resort to put on a camp for adults with acquired brain injuries. These few days were some of the most humbling and sobering experiences of this race. We were working with people who used to be just like us. Born with no clue that their lives would be brought to the place where some of them can’t do for themselves.
One of these people was Tim. Tyler and I were in charge of caring for him…completely. You can’t quite replicate the experience of having to wipe grown man’s butt for him, or of standing by and encouraging him that it’s ok and that he needn’t apologize for not being able to pee as he lays pant less on his bed. It’s sobering to have to console a grown man that you aren’t going to leave him alone, because he has a ridiculous fear of being left.
Tim, Tyler, and I hanging out on the last day of camp
What’s more sobering perhaps is that fact that at any point you or anyone you love could become like this.
These men had careers and wives. They pretty much all lost the career, and several of them lost their wives. I can’t imagine the mental and emotional pain that must ensue from that happening on top of being left incapacitated. But what’s humbling is the amount of joy that these folks had. Even if I didn’t believe in God, I’d have to still bite my tongue if I started to complain or feel bad about my lot in life.
Week 3
We went on back up to Dawn View for a few days with campers born with mental disabilities, primarily Autism and Down’s Syndrome. I specifically was in charge of Tim, Kyle, and Lloyd, even though we all chipped in across the board. This week wasn’t as tough, but full of joy one moment and emotion swings the next. The guys were great, it’s indeed humbling and gratitude inducing to see what can happen if just a little bit off chemically, and it makes you do a mental double take about the simple things in life.
Kyle on the obstacle course
The month, as a whole, was often filled with what I’ve been speaking about in my recent blogs, just obeying, even when it seemed like it wasn’t going to work.
Kerneels, our contact, is partially sighted (at last check, and is down to a very very low percentage of vision.
Kerneels and Ella on the hiking trail with me and Mike.
I felt like I should be willing to pray for him to be healed every day. And that is what I did. I was forced to ask God to forgive my unbelief, Kerneels’s unbelief, or anything that was in the way of our hearts.
We asked for sight. I desperately wanted him to be able to see his beautiful daughter, who even more gave me a preview of what being a dad could one day be. But it didn’t happen when I was there. It may happen now, but it hasn’t yet. And we’re both okay with that. From our talks, we both know that God can heal it, and even though we don’t know why He hasn’t, we understand that He has a reason, and that not having our prayers granted in life doesn’t excuse us from obedience, love, and service, nor does it for any of you.
I have gained from praying for him and him for me is a new brother, and that’s not to be scoffed at, but rather appreciated with great joy.
So would I do it all again? I think I’d be keen.
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