The Azusa Pacific Blog » South Africa

The South African Experience

Jon Wallace — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 02:56:39 +0000

It's early morning here at the APU South African campus in Pietermaritzburg. I'm sitting in the main lodge that serves as the dinner hall. The lodge sits high on the property overlooking a lush green valley.

God’s Love in Langa

Renna Nightingale — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:53:41 +0000

Today included a visit to a township called Langa. It was named for the chief, Langa Libalele. Although it is mostly a Xhosa township, “Langa Libalele” means the same in Xhosa as it does in Zulu. Translated, it the township’s name means “the sun, it is hot.” I was so excited to know the true name of the township! All my hardcore Zulu studying this semester definitely paid off.

I was super surprised at the level of development in Langa. It seems to have evolved into a tourist attraction. Our tour guide commented that the residents like it when tourists come. I assume that is because tourists generate revenue and excitement in the township.

Homesick For a Place I’ve Never Been

Renna Nightingale — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:53:16 +0000

Wisdom from my dear friend, Francesca: “Listen up to what God has to say. He tends to be the loudest when we’re the loneliest.”

The South Africa semester has recently journeyed from Pietermaritzburg to the beautiful Cape Town. We have about two weeks left in Africa.

I’ve been feeling lonely recently. And when I feel lonely in a foreign country, such as South Africa, I often feel the need to talk to my best friend, who happens to be my mother. It’s been weeks since I last spoke with her.

The internet here is not exactly reliable… therefore, I haven’t even been able to email my mom and let her know how she can pray for me, which is somewhat discouraging, and rather frustrating.

Mosaic

Renna Nightingale — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:59:34 +0000

I spent a huge part of my day working with mosaics at my service site, Ethembeni.

Tonight in D group, I realized something. We are mosaics.

We start out as a glass figure of some sort, carved by our own agendas, issues, and limited understanding.

Then a time comes when the Lord decides to break us. He smashes apart all of our pre-conceived notions, our misconceptions, and the identity given to us by the world.

But it is here that the Lord takes the pieces that are worthwhile and molds, shapes, and places them to create something new, and something more beautiful. The work now reflects the craftsman and is much more beautiful than before.

The Day has Arrived!

Renna Nightingale — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 23:07:43 +0000

Today, ladies and gentleman, was the day we have all been waiting for.

For today, my faithful friends, was a glorious day.

It was the day… that shan’t be forgotten.

T’was the day…

When service sites began!!! Haaaaaalelujah! Halelujah!

AH! The day of expectation!!!!

Actually, I had prided myself on not having any expectations for the service sites. “I am going in with a clean slate! I am a white board ready to be drawn on! A blank canvas ready to be colored!”

Today when my expectations were totally, utterly, and completely demolished, I realized that indeed, I did have expectations.

Alpha!

Renna Nightingale — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:59:20 +0000

And now…

I am super excited to announce…

I am going to be an ALPHA LEADER! Hurrah!!!

I can’t wait for God’s awesome plans! This is so great!

I feel like God is truly going to use me and grow me. I am incandescently happy! If there are any freshman out there… Maybe I’ll get to be your leader for the fall 2011 semester!

Alpha is an amazing program that gives incoming students a family right as they enter APU. This program is definitely something to be excited about!

I realized that this life I’m living, the one where I go to APU, was an Ambassador, found amazing friends, am studying abroad in SOUTH AFRICA, am growing and learning every day, and am now an alpha leader, has nothing to do with the life that I had planned for myself.

Falling in Love with South Africa

Renna Nightingale — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:49:23 +0000

Hello lovely readers !

I am still loving life here in South Africa! The Lord has truly given me a heart for this place and these people. I can already tell it is going to be amazingly difficult to leave.

Because this semester is service and travel-based, our classes are condensed into a much shorter time frame. We began classes the last week of January, midterms were last week, this is dead week, and next week is finals! I can hardly believe it!

Unfortunately for me, I am taking isiZulu, an African “click” language, and class extends until the end of March. This is because I am taking a full two semesters of isiZulu, instead of the traditional one! Classes are quite intense, but I love being able to speak isiZulu with the people! Most of the time, South Africans don’t expect Americans to speak isiZulu. I love surprising them by greeting them with their first language!

A Very Big Adventure!

Renna Nightingale — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 20:24:24 +0000

South Africa. The land of brokenness, the land of miracles. The land of natural beauty beyond compare, the land with the people who are hurting. The land where time slows down, the land where “love your neighbor” reigns. The land where God’s voice becomes louder than a whisper.

As the locals say, “This is Africa.”

This is where I currently am! I am blessed to be the only freshman among a team of 55 students studying abroad in South Africa. Even though I am a freshman, I have been completely welcomed into the group, as is often the way with Azusa Pacific University community.

Journey On

Lindsay Cooper — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 18:08:44 +0000

I don’t know if you have ever felt this way, but lately a feeling of restlessness has been creeping into me. This last semester, for me, felt like four incredible months of rejoicing–I could not get enough of Jesus and what He was doing in my life. Still, I could not help but feel as though this rejoicing was partnered with an inescapable sensation of preparation for something bigger and for something new that was to come in my life.

Often, I got impatient in my restlessness because I wanted all my desires to be fulfilled and I wanted to begin running down the path God has for me. In Romans 8, though, Paul talks about the patience that is involved in the Christian walk, in seeking God’s guidance, and in the journey of redemption.