South Africa

We returned to South Africa and rented a car because many people warned us that independent budget travel was not safe. The roads were wonderful and the rates were reasonable and this turned out to be a very comfortable mode of travel for a change. We did a bit of sight seeing, visiting old friends and meeting new ones.

We began in the Drakenburg Mountains and then journeyed down to the coast of South Africa to Cape Town. We had the mountains on our right and the coast on our left. It felt like Europe or the California coast until you drove through a black township/settlement area. The reality of the economic and racial divide was glaringly obvious.

We enjoyed a couple of days of hiking, visiting Table Mountain and the Cape of Good Hope, seeing whales, seals, a penguin colony, and a walk on the beach.

We connected with Rev. Tobie, the Superintendent and Administrative Assistant to the Bishop of The United Methodist Church South Africa Provisional Annual Conference. Rev. Tobie invited Kathy to preach at the Mfeluni UMC which is currently worshiping in the community center in Mfeluni townships. We experienced dynamic worship, a great click talker interpreter, and a fabulous lunch. We wish we had more time to spend with them.

Rev. Stewart Mgobongo and Kathy at Mfeluni UMC.
Future hopeful sight of Mfeluni UMC.

We then traveled to Kgmotso a rural village where Katie, a Peace Corp Volunteer we befriended earlier is posted. She asked us to visit and share our skills with the community. Danny spoke to teachers and parents about epilepsy, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Kathy spoke to the 6 & 7th grade after school girl's club about delaying sex and their goals for the future. It was a great day.

Danny with his interpreter.



The Kgmotso Girl's Club


Kathy and our host Katie.

Where in the world are Danny and Kathy Dickriede?

We will be working in West Africa. We plan to visit former contacts in Freetown, Sierra Leone before we join the staff of the Mercy Hospital and the Child Rescue Center (CRC) in Bo for the month of September. Both of these ministries are the work of Floris UMC in the Virginia Annual Conference. A great book to read about Sierra Leone is Along Way Gone by Ishmael Beah.

Websites for the work of Floris UMC are . . . www.childrescuecenter.org www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

The Love of Christ Ministries Orphanage

More photos of the The Love of Christ Ministries Orphanage!

Check out their web site of the TLC Orphanage in South Africa, it is linked to the top left of our blog, and see for yourself the great and AMAZING work that they are doing! We loved this place!

Babies getting ready for their morning snack.

Morning snacks ready for babies.

There is a real system here!

Now I know how my mom felt with twins, I had four to keep happy!

All the babies in their pajamas ready for evening bottles and bed!

Jordan and Israel

Well, not exactly on the African continent! We stepped away from our Rosemark year and funds and went out of Africa. We met up with Murphy, our son, in Amman, Jordan where Danny's brother and nephew are working. We used their home as a base for travel to Jerusalem, Petra, Jerash, Umm Qays, and the Dead Sea. We visited the visited the holy sites of Gadara on the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 8:28-32), Bethany on the Jordan river (Matthew 3), Mt Nebo where Moses looked into the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 34).

We also spent a weekend in Jerusalem walking the hot uneven rocks and ramparts of the Old City. We walked the Via Dolorosa and the stations of the cross which led us to the Church Of the Holy Sepulchre/ Calvary. We began a walk of Holy Thursday at the Garden of Gethsemane into the Dung Gate. We visited the Western Wall, the holy site for the Jewish people with good views of the Dome of the Rock, the Muslim holy place.

We also arrange a spectacular day trip to the ruins of Petra, rightly named to be one of the New Seven Wonders of the World! A long hot day passed viewing the amazing rock carvings of the Nabataeans people from 2200 years ago.

We head back to Africa mid August, rested, relaxed, and ready for the last three months of our Rosemark year. Stay tuned for more exciting work and adventure.

Mamelodi South Africa and TLC, Tender Loving Care Orphanage

Mamelodi, South Africa

Our time with Crossroads Church from Cincinnati was another great Rosemark stop! They are partnered with Faith and Charity Mission in Mamelodi South Africa. The church ministry includes an orphanage, AIDS Hospice, and Bophalong school with grades Kindergarten through eight. We spent two weeks with 10 educators from Cincinnati learning with teachers from the school. We partnered with one another to set up classrooms, plan lessons, and team teach. It was a great week of learning and experience! My youth pastoring experience was helpful when I taught the 7th grade Life Orientation class on sex education! Danny did ward rounds and house calls with AIDS patients. He traveled to the townships and informal settlements throughout Mamelodi.

It has been cold during the South Africa winter, below freezing at night, who knew! Gloves where needed some days! Here are a few photos.

Kathy planning lessons with Nelia, the 7th grade teacher.


Morning gathering to start the school day.

TLC, Tender Loving Care Orphanage

After we left Mamelodi, we headed to a south eastern part of Johanesburg to find some travelers we had met in Zambia. Earlier, we had met three people who were on holiday from working at the TLC and they told us to come and find them when we are in South Africa, so here we are! What a wonderful place! There are over 40 babies and toddlers with 22 volunteers. We held babies, talked to mostly female volunteers from Denmark, UK, USA, Canada, Holland, Germany, and many other places. Everyone was caring for babies who have either been abandoned at birth, come from homes with parents who can't care for their baby at the moment, or who are orphaned by mothers dying in childbirth. We loved the day. Danny did some work from the "honey do list," and held, fed, and refused to change the diapers of his share of babies. The TLC has a school, preschool, toddler area, and two baby areas. Over the past 15 or so years they have rescued over 700 babies! Since 2002 they have ARV drugs available, HIV meds, which saves the lives of at least 5 of the current 40 babies. Many children are adopted out of the country. The people who own and run the orphanage adopt all of the kids that don't get adopted by other people! The owner has adopted over 17 children! Here are a few photos from our visit. We plan to go back in mid-August. We will share more at that time!

South Africa

We have had some time between mission work in a nice part of the world.  We spent some time on the Mozambique coast at Tofo with sand, surf, seafood, coral reefs, and walks and runs on the beach.  We are presently in South Africa where we enjoyed a quick safari in Kruger National Park.  We are now in the mountains in the Mpumalanga area of South Africa, where we have been hiking, visiting waterfalls, and enjoying cool temperatures.  We have been traveling to backpacker hostels where you always find interesting people and share stories of adventure and interesting places to travel.

On July 8th, we are meeting up with 10 people from Crossroads, a church in Cincinnati where Kathy's aunt and uncle worship.  The 10 people are educators who will be working with teachers here in Mamelodi, South Africa.  Kathy will work with the teachers on reading proficiency while Danny works at an AIDS Hospice center.

Doing well in Mozambique!

Mozambique

We had a great visit with the Schnabel Foundation and World Relief who are working together in Mukhotwene, Mozambique. The Schnabels are friends of ours from Massillon, Ohio who started their own foundation to do aide work in Africa and partnered with World Relief on the Village Transformation Project. They are doing incredible work in a small rural village. Together with the village they are following the World Relief HEART model, Health, Education, Agriculture, Religion, and Trade. They have a holistic approach for rural development and we were honored to be asked to be a part of their team. We met them in Maputo and spent a week in Mukhotwene. This was a great Rosemark stop. We were a part of the dedication of new water sources. This community lost 37 people last year who were attacked by crocodiles while fetching water or doing laundry at the river. The solar powered water pumps in the village were a much appreciated asset for life. We also witnessed the celebration of new goats and chicken businesses, a new tractor, and breaking ground on a new school block that will add two grade levels to the village education. We also assessed the existing health care system with plans of building and staffing a new structure. This is all the work of the Schnabel Foundation with the help of World Relief as their on the ground coordinators and contacts.

Schnable Foundation and World Relief Team

Lesa and Bob Schnable with orphaned goat business owner.
Danny and Abel, World Relief translator and patient discussing health care.

Good news! Everyone had Danny go shopping in their suitcases before they left so he has new luggage and a full wardrobe again! He has upgraded in style and his medical supplies have been replaced! We are very thankful to all who donated!

After the Schnabels left we travel north 300 miles to the Chicuque United Methodist Rural Hospital. The hospital and guest house overlook the Indian Ocean. An amazing location for UMVIM teams! We spent four days visiting with the hospital administrator and a General Board of Global Ministry missionary couples. The GBGM couple is from Brazil, Claudia and Eduardo who are just beginning work here. Eduardo is one two doctors at this 280 bed, very busy, and successful hospital. Claudia is a biologist who will begin work on Community Based Health Care at the new Center of Hope here in Chicuque. We also spent some time at the Cambini Mission Site, also a UMC facility. In Cambini the second missionary couple is from Germany, Claudia, a nurse and Thomas, a German United Methodist Pastor working at the theological seminary. We spent a day with them touring the mission site including; clinic, orphanage, vocational school, seminary, church, primary and secondary schools, and agriculture training with animals and gardens. This is a very impressive facility.

Thomas and Claudia Guenther from Germany.