Flight home. Last Cape Photos

Monday, April 16, 2018

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

This is it. This is our last day in Cape, Africa and the long trip home is about to start.

But, we still have the morning.

Cathy’s mother Hillary Clayton is staying here and we talked with her. The last time I saw here was in January 2013 when I was visited at her home in Cape Town. She has now sold that home and is relocating and staying with Cathy and Vivien for the time being.

We decided to do a podcast. We gathered around the dining room table with my phone recorder and did it! About a half an hour’s discussion.

Both have a tremendous story to tell. Cathy, as she explained her health struggle with cystic fibrosis was very interesting. It’s not the disease alone. It’s working through the meaning of life, goals, expectations, relationships not knowing how long you have to live.

Cathy did receive a full lung transplant in late October 2016. But, then she had a major setback that was almost fatal at the end of the year. She did survive and explained how when she looks back she can see the Hand of God as it purposefully prepared her for the various stages of the trial.

Podcast

She has so much to say about this subject. I feel it would be good for her to write an article to share with others her story. I am amazed as to how calm and accepting Cathy is of all that has happened. Never once is there a hint of bitterness and “why me?” She has a relationship with a living Creator who has her life and those around her in His Hands and is working through something bigger than just fixing something that is not right. She talks about this in her podcast which should be coming out quite soon.

We left shortly after doing the podcast and decided to meander a bit before getting to the airport. The weather was perfect and I got some last photos a very scenic part of the world.

It’s always hard to leave. Leaving the Botha’s is not only leaving them, but leaving Africa.

It’s two hours flight to Johannesburg. Six hours to Ghana, Eleven hours to Washington DC and one hour back to Cincinnati. 20 hours in the air.

That’s it. A great trip with lots of people we love and have developed close relationships with over the years. It was a great trip in assessing our leadership needs in all these countries. It was a great trip to visit the congregations and to speak to them.

In all the trip was 29 days. I spoke 15 times in 12 locations during this time.

We are thankful that we did not get sick and had not major problems in the travelling part of this journey. We had good Internet connectivity throughout visit except for three days in Zambia.

Lots to think about. For those who have been following this blog, thanks for reading….