I am currently at the red sea with the Global Challenge expedition team for 2009.
There are 3 one year teams for 2009, North Bound, South Bound and Explore Africa. The year started with training on the 12 of January in Jeffreys Bay in the Eastern Cape, the 3 weeks where filled up with teachings, practical preparation and serving at a local school in Ithemba. At Ithemba school we painted a huge part of the outside wall's and roofs. Repaired rotten wood panels on the class rooms, painted class rooms on the inside and cleaned out toilets and with the help of a local plumber brought them to a functional state again.
From there the teams traveled to Mdumbi in the Transkei,
where more teachings and serving at two local schools took place. Then it was of to Pretoria for about a week of more teachings and visa applications etc.
Then it was time to say south Africa goodbye and fly to Egypt.
There we spent 4 or 5 days north of Cairo at a retreat in the desert, where we had the privilege to do a quite intense course covering the old testament. Then we spent Two days in Cairo, Willem and myself spending allot of time at the Two Sudanese and South African Embassy's.
We have climbed mount Sinai and had to say Good bye to north and south bound team as they head of on their journeys. For Ea it was back to the red sea where we going to spend a few more days!
I will write more about the red sea next time.
Bye!