Service Learning in South Africa

After 18 hours on a South African Airways jet to New York and a quick hop down to Washington, D.C., the group waits for the final flight home.

I spoke with Mark McEntire just a few minutes ago and the group is safe and sound in Washington, D.C. They should be leaving in a little more than an hour and they will be home in Nashville around 5:45 p.m. Mark says it has been a great trip. Over the last two days they had lots of fun seeing rhinos, elephants, and very large mature male lion up close and personal during their game drives in Pilanesburg. The pictures will be great.

They are all ready to be home, though. After three weeks of traveling and working hard, they will be glad to see home again.

Thank you all for your prayers and support! This is the third year we have taken this trip. We have sent over 56 students and 7 faculty during the last three years. I want to thank the parents who support their children's desire to learn in a unique way. I know it comes at great sacrifice and tremendous display of trust. Students from previous trips have called this trip a life-changing experience. I hope it was just such an important adventure for this year's participants. I'm sure it will be wonderful to sit down and talk with them about all their experiences.

They'll be home soon . . . .

Sincerely,

Darrell Gwaltney
Dean, School of Religion
Belmont University

Posted by Bernard Turner at 02:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well the day is finally here for us to begin our journey back to Nashville. Megan Waddell is our last student blogger for our trip.

“Today was our last experience in Southern Africa. At 5:45 a.m., we bundled up and met for our game drive at 6:00 a.m. Once the sun rose and warmed us up a little, we were lucky enough to see lots of impalas, a hyena, some warthogs, and, yes, a lion. For those keeping count, we saw three of the Big Five in South Africa. The hours spent driving and looking for game provided the perfect opportunity for a safari sunrise and a final look at the beautiful landscape of South Africa. “

“After the game drive, we returned to our rooms and packed up to drive to the airport. Halfway there, we stopped at a market for one last shopping spree in order to buy our final souvenirs. We finally had ample time to browse at countless vendors and eat at various restaurants. Some got some good old American food, while others, myself included, indulged in some much-anticipated Chinese cuisine. After everyone had spent the rest of their Rand or Pula, we headed off for the final stretch of our drive to the Johannesburg Airport.”

“Now we are currently sitting in the airport waiting to board our 18 hour flight. My guess is that lots of homework will be worked on and sleeping caught up on. Our trip to South Africa has been amazing, but we are anxious to get home.”

Thanks Megan and thanks to all of you for praying for us and we look forward to see our loved ones and friends tomorrow.

Until next time.

Bernard Turner

Posted by Bernard Turner at 06:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is our last day in Botswana and what a day it was. Cammie Rogers provides insight into this final day before we begin our journey back to Johannesburg with one stop tomorrow for a little adventure before we board our South African Airways flight on Friday evening (afternoon Nashville time).

“As we drove this morning to our various work sites nearing the end of nearly three weeks in South Africa and Botswana, I think we all realized there are many things that we have become accustomed to that until this experience were completely foreign to us. For example, simple things such as driving on the opposite side of the road, and seeing goats and sheep walk aimlessly beside moving cars have now become a somewhat expected sight. I have learned that the term “Just now” can actually mean twenty minutes later, and the idea of being in a hurry has now become a waste of energy. I have come to expect gorgeous, slow sunsets and blankets of starry skies.”

“Yet when I arrive at the Kamegolo Orphans and began playing with the children I realized that there are many more things I have observed in my stay here that continue to strike me day after day; like the fact that anytime I put my hands by my side they will be grabbed and fought over by 4 or 5 children who are starving for attention, or the sight of runny noses that may stay unwiped all day long because there is not enough Kleenex nor loving adults to meet the need. The fact that the one-room concrete houses that we passed on the way to Kamogelo Orphans would be considered luxurious compared to many of the shanties that these children live in. As we say goodbye again to some wonderful children, I know my fellow students and the faculty members will not only remember these children but continue to pray for them. “

“Our day ended at the Botswana Yacht Club, which surprisingly had no yachts… but was a beautiful lakefront view where we grilled out and enjoyed each other’s company. It’s crazy to me that I hardly knew any of these people before I came here and now we are all like one big family! (Corny but very true!) It has truly been a blessing to share such an incredible experience with this amazing group of people!”

Cammie is correct in saying that the entire group has jelled and we will miss each other once we get back to Nashville. However, we have memories of all kinds including the nearly 400 pictures I took to remember this wonderful experience.

Until next time.

Bernard Turner

Posted by Bernard Turner at 09:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

June 2 and our time is winding down fast. However, we do still have a few more student writers and today Kelsey Freeman will share her thoughts.

“God’s grace is like the stars in the night’s sky. They are eternal, uncountable, and seen everywhere. There is not one person on this whole earth who cannot have access to the sky at some point—not one person who cannot see the abundance of light that shines so bright from so far. The stars actually blanket all nations and all communities. They reach every place no matter what happens. They get bigger, brighter, and warmer the closer you get. We have seen the abundance of God’s grace every day since we have been in South Africa and Botswana.”

“We have seen God’s grace work abundantly with not only the primary three organizations we serving as previously mentioned in the daily blogs but also the other organizations we have visited. The Women’s Shelter Project is one of them. The organization long to protect, counsel, train and provide shelter to women and children who are sexually, physically, and mentally abused and in need of support and compassion. They take in all who are hurting and never turn away them away because these persons have no other place to go. If that is not the love of Jesus—I don’t know what is. We were excited to hear that nobody is turned away in their hour of need. Personally, I would love to come back and work with this organization.”

“After lunch, our religion class met. Dr. McEntire spoke of the gospel in a refreshing and unique way. He talked about the fact that grace came long before the cross. I loved his views on what happened in Genesis 3, and how since then, we have lived in a dog eats dog world. We strive on fighting for what we want no matter what the cost. It is so important to look at the cross as not just a death for life situation, for that would only lead to a world where killing is a payment for what you need or want. Jesus showed grace as accessible to all. There is no end to the endless ocean of grace that He gives. Not one human being is shunned from his mercies.”

Wow! Kelsey notes the importance of grace and it is because of this grace that we are who we are, where we are, and where we want to be. I can only say Amen!

Until next time,

Bernard Turner

Posted by Bernard Turner at 09:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

You have likely noticed that we are not posting pictures for the Botswana side of the trip. The team has found it difficult to upload their pictures so we are only able to provide the text of their experiences.

Thanks for reading . . .

Dr. Darrell Gwaltney
Dean, School of Religion

Posted by Bernard Turner at 07:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

It is the first day of June and we are just a few days away from our return trip home. Thanks to all of you that have and continue to pray for us. Natalie McDonald is today’s student blogger.

“Today was another day in Botswana full of new experiences and lasting memories. Our group split into three teams like we did last Friday. My team of seven (six students and a faculty member) returned to work with the Kamogelo Orphans. Working with these adorable children has its rewarding and challenging moments. We have all had to draw back to our childhood experiences in order to teach the children new games and songs from America.”

“My experience is working with children and knowing way too many children’s songs and games finally came in handy when we were put on the spot to teach! Partnering with another student, we worked with the five-year-old class who were quite a handful! Today, one of the little boys in our classroom was having trouble staying awake because he was not feeling well. Somehow I managed to multi-task as I rocked him to sleep in my arms and continued to help teach with my student partner. We sang every song imaginable, played numerous games, worked on their ABC’s, colors, and counting, and read stories. Even though working with these children for three straight hours can be draining, seeing the appreciation on the teacher’s faces and hearing the children laugh to a game of duck-duck-goose makes every minute worthwhile. “

Natalie and the other team members at Kamogelo Orphans are learning, serving, and allowing the teachers a much needed rest. We appreciate this organization for allowing us to play a small role in the wonderful work they do. By the way, the other two teams continue to build a fence around a garden and finish gardening at their respective organizations, a continuation of last week’s service.

Until next time,

Bernard Turner

Posted by Bernard Turner at 07:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

As we enter our final week of serving and learning, we continue to hear the student perspective. Charlie Toney provides his perspective in today’s blog.

“After two weeks, today allowed the group the most time for us to relax and reflect on our experiences thus far in South Africa and Botswana. After a short worship service/bible study at a local church in Gaborone, Botswana, the afternoon was spent unwinding and considering our encounters over the last two weeks.”

“As a result of being spilt in smaller groups and sharing different service experiences, one theme seems to ring true for all of us here, “We are blessed by the people we meet along the way.” Through new friendships amongst our group, stories from the people doing amazing work here, and the children we have all come to love, the overall blessing of this experience is created through our own independent collections of perspectives, stories, and pictures.”

“‘There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men’ (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).”

Charlie has provided a thoughtful perspective and ended it with a wonderful Bible verse that sums up our trip thus far. In fact, the message during the church service was “Faith in Action” and how applicable it was considering this serving and learning trip.

Until next time,

Bernard Turner

Posted by Bernard Turner at 06:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)