SOMA 2012

Ok,

this is probably super overdue... i knew i had to write about this... but never had the time to upload all these pics etc...

unlike my previous posts, i will have a lil more commentary on the pics rather then just uploading the pics.... but i'll kp the writing as min as i can =)

here it goes.... =)

One year ago, if someone told me that I’ll be going to Africa for mission works, I’d probably laugh my head off.  I mean it is kind of a cliché isn’t it? 

but i mean... how often you get these opportunity? to see the other side of africa... the side which most visitor would not be expose to... 

no... not lions, not elephants, safaris, diving, etc..... im talking bout visiting the poorest state of s.africa....

so to cut the story short... i was pretty excited about this trip... and the story continues.....

i needed to go to kl for some other reasons, so i met the group in klia.... and TADA.... this is the group that i would be with for the next 3 weeks... tbh.... i dnt really know most of them... but all that was bout to change.....

me and faith (AKA. lil bully) in klia...

michelle with the team's life.. i mean.. passport...

becca, faith, beatrice and.... errr... some random stranger?

the group in klia train to T2.

Timmie... (aka. the group's diva)... lol...

yup... and not to 'miss out' samentha....

and this is j'burg airport... yup.... def nicer than kk's airport....

our ride.

the team

yes,  they do have nicer roads than most of msia...

"damn tourist, never seen a black mama before?!@#$#^"

the "diva" 'preaching' to some singaporean pastors.

me and my xpro1... everything u see in this blog... courtesy of my xpro.... verdict.... see for yourself...

love the greenery in s.africa...brings alot of life in the city..

welcome.... to african worship...

As the conference came to an end, Ps Stella started to warn and prepare us for the environment we were about to face the following week when the actual mission starts. As we step on the bus that was supposed to bring us to our destination, we were horrified by it. A very small, old, run-downed bus with no air-con and a dozen of African women who had way too much carbs in their diet were on it. Just missing a couple of chickens on the bus and it’ll be a perfect “African bus” scene from a Hollywood movie. BUT what was, “more interesting”, was that they kept singing and singing and singing and dancing and dancing and dancing ON THE BUS, FOR 5 HOURS!

this is the bus trip to polokwane... the place which is said to be one of the if not the poorest state in s.africa... and this is also wat would be the most memorable bus journey to ALL of us... .... now THIS is what african worship truly is... and no... this is not a lucky one time occurrence that we were "lucky" enough to witness... this is how they actually worship... in church, in outreaches... and yes... in bus.... 



5 hours later
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Project in polokwane? anyone??

ok, the following pics are shot in this place located in polokwane called extension 44.

Although it sounds something you would name a prison section, it was in fact a RDP (Reconstruction and Development Program) area. Which is basically, an area outside the city the government has zoned off for constructing low cost huts for the poorer citizens

and the following photos... would need no commentary.... 

but no, not the whole of polokwane is like this... some places are like.........

this... extremely pretty place... and land costing up to  RM1-2Million/acre in the city center... this is Tawau land territory already... 

and now we talk about food.... this what they call brie.... which is what we would call bbq... and look at the size of that meat... i dont even know what meat was that...><

this is my host's son...

and yes, we did have abit of time for ourself to visit some museums....

this is....crap... like literally.... cow crap.

back to extension 44.... here is us teaching them maths.....

vacancy for missionaries, teachers, pastors... basically anyone.... for this place..... anyone?

this is our children ministry in extension 44..

us in one of their game reserve....

this is us visiting one of their schools... apparently runs the same syllabus as spa and asaa...

home schooling syllabus... pretty interesting.. 

yes, it was a tiring trip....

ivory... basically, elephant bones... internationally banned.... but gosh they are pretty...


the following pics are the slum are of polokwane... ermmmm.... i dont think i can enough words in my vocab to express what i think about this place... so once again, i'll let the pics do the talking....

this is a youth camp that we joined and help... funny story... we didnt know that we were 'running' the youth camp until like 2 days before the camp.... was pretty busy... so dont have much pics of it...

the last few days of the trip we just spent relaxing a lil and having some time to ourself... only to find that.... jburg is actually rather pretty..... (in some areas....)

another visit to a RDP area in joburg

lol.. i love this...

this is africa- we can bargain.

change the world

a overused common phrase? changing the world?

after this trip... i realise something... we CAN change the world... first of all... what is the world? a world differs from each individual according to their perspective of it... through their eye and mind.... 

isnt it true? the way you see the world is different from how another person sees it....

when you tell someone 'you are my world'... its like he/she is the only thing/one in your eye?

i know we all stay in the same world.. and theres only one world... but the world is different to everyone..no?.. some ppl thing the world is a hostile place... a place where war looms 24/7... but to some... their world is like heaven... you get the picture.

to change the world for someone... is to change how that person sees the world... his or her perspective of the world....

and yes, we can change that... when we enter someone lives... and make a different in their life... their perspective change... their view of their life change.... their 'world' change... bringing hope, grace, and love... we can change people's life... and people's 'world'.

who knows... that boy i taught maths to in africa will one day be an engineer and then the president of S.africa.... becoming the next nelson mendela... and that kid might one day... literally change the world.....

do something.

make a difference.

change the world.