Catching up Part 20

Friday March 1
Got up early and Leon took me to the Johannesburg bus station to go to Kuruman and the Moffat Mission.

Got to ride a double decker bus.  The amazing thing was as large as the bus was, it also pulled a small trailer with the luggage.

The seats were comfortable but it was early for being in public with a lot of people.  They had two movies, a cartoon and several evangelical messages.  The movies were PG teen movies-entertaining for the 8 hour ride.  

I arrived and my "housemates," Pillar (pronounced Peela) and Johanna, the Mission director 's wife Busi (pronounced Boosee), and the Mission manager Kennedy were there to pick me up.  They recognized me right away so I didn’t need the sign Moffat Mission they brought.  

Pillar, me and Johanna in the kitchen

Mrs. Busi Ndebele, me and Johanna

I am staying in a three bedroom, 2 bath house.  It is a duplex and the Ndebele family lives in the left side and the female students in the right side.

The master bedroom (with bath and shower) has a double bed.  The two other bedrooms have two single beds.  All have fans and mini-fridges.

The living room/dinning room has two couches, a desk, and a table with four chairs.

The kitchen has a stove and a washer.  When I leave the other four women from the House of Formation will join Pillar and Johanna.  Currently the other students are all living in the "white house which has individual rooms for the students and a common kitchen and living room.

The "White House," ala Moffat Mission 

Pillar and Johanna took me on a mini tour of the mission.  They were worried I would be tired from the trip, though I was tired only of being cooped up.  

A view of the thatching on the roof.  The walls of some buildings and the floor of the chapel have the dung/red sand finish.

Post office and post box

Telling time the old fashioned way.

A beautiful walk.

Pillar looking at the road sign that tells how far it is to the mission stations established by the missionaries who stayed at Moffat Mission.  She looks to be reminded how far from home she is (Zimbabwe).  The Moffat home is in the background.

The new bookstore building.  There is also a library, conference rooms and other buildings.  The newer buildings have a prarie/mission architectural style feel on the inside with the red sand coloring and the thatched roof to match the older buildings.

Looking down the interior Moffat Mission road past the bookstore.

Conference rooms and computer training class rooms.

The memorial arch.

Looking toward the kitchen and dining hall.

More beautiful walkways.

The old ox wagon storage shed area.

The walkway to the dining hall. kitchen, computer conference room area.

More beautiful walkways...

They had me rest for a while and then we went to chapel time. The students have chapel every weekday morning 8-9 and evening 5:45-6:15. Chapel was good with singing and praying in several languages and a homily in English about how we all need community.  I made a point of introducing myself and trying to learn the student’s names.  Later there was a time of introduction and I remembered some of the names.  They also told me which country they are from.  I will keep trying but I already apologize that it will take me a week to learn and remember them all!