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Kristen, if you read this…this corny picture is for you! I found the Mugg and Bean!

Today (Friday) started off with a run…yes, I got to run and we’re in a pretty good spot to keep that up- good sidewalk. I’m not to confidant to run on roads with out sidewalks today cause I’m not too sure which direction cars are coming. They drive on the opposite side of the street- and I’d hate to get run over ☹ Anyway, I ran up a little hill and turned around to run back, and the view from there was absolutely beautiful to me…mountains with houses built up on the side and low lying clouds covering the tops of the mountains!! I got about as excited as you can get when you’re completely out of breath and feeling completely out of shape!! How exciting that that will be my view for the next 5 months! That was a great moment of realization of the beauty of this place, and the beauty of God’s creation that He made for us to enjoy…not just to enjoy, but to move us to glorify and worship the Maker. There is obviously beauty all around us no matter where we are and I hope that I never take it for granted again, but see it as the gift that it is.

So let me tell you about what we’ve found to be our second home (after 24 hours of being here). The mall!! We live across the street from it and have found it to have pretty much what we’ve needed so far. Dinner last night at the mall was Kentucky Fried Chicken (no biscuits here…a little disappointing). This morning we have had to leave our apt. cause they have sprayed for bugs. So to the mall we go…ate breakfast and a restaurant not too different from Starbucks, browsed through a home store not too different from Pier One, browsed through a bookstore not too different than Barnes and Noble. And now I’m sitting in an internet café, where today they are running a special…1 hour of internet use for 15 rand (that’s just over $2). What a bargain!!

Why do I share with you all these monotonous details? Well, if you know me, you know that I usually share way more details than necessary. But the main reason is because I want you to get a taste of what life is like in Cape Town. My goal is to share with you these things so that God will plant in you a passion and desire to pray for the people of Cape Town. I want my excitement for this place to jump through the internet to you ☺ If you read this and pray for me- that’s wonderful and I really appreciate that so much… But if by the time I leave here, you have not prayed for the people here or developed an interest in or a heart for them- I will feel a little bit like I’ve failed. I will leave here, but God won’t. So, the point is to pray, not just for me, but for the people of this city!! His work will continue forever in this place, long after I leave. So, in a nutshell, that’s my goal!!

Another side note…I will be living and working in 2 different settings- so very soon, I’ll be telling you more about the “hard” situations and experiences that are happening in this city. Those stories will be a lot different than coming to the mall, using the internet café and browsing through bookstores. But though I know I’ll encounter hard things, I know that I’ll encounter MUCH MORE hope!! I can’t wait!

I can’t believe how long this is- and how many times I said “so.” I’ll try to work on that!