Unassigned, April 2015 (not a typo)

Well.  It's been a long, long, long, long, long, long time.  Anyways, I've been off sick for a couple days, but was going through our pictures, we are so behind on editing and deleting them, I'm working on last year still. Ahem.  So I thought I would take you back to last year, April.  That's right, April 2015.  We went and stayed the weekend with some in our congregation out in a rural area.  We stayed in a little game farm. That means they have animals, no predators.  Although, cheetahs, leopards and other small cats can exist all over, they are actually pesky to farmers, like wolves, coyotes and bobcats can be to farmers & ranchers back home. So there could have potentially been a leopard, but probably not.  Our main reason to go there however, was to go preaching in a seldom worked area.  Most congregations here in Jo'Berg go out for "unassigned" during one weekend during a few months each year. We arrived on a Friday night.  It's all about the Braai:

It's taken seriously folks!

Here are some pictures of our little territory we went to:

Most homes are kept neat and tidy, no matter how simple.  The dirt yard is swept and clean.

Just like at home, you meet cows in the rurals. Bethuel was making sure they steered clear. :)

And we meet dogs.

And sometimes it's only the children you find at home.

And one must stop for lunch!

After he's got his energy back, Matt has to tease the kids!

Meanwhile back at the ranch:

These are bushpigs!  We have only seen these 2 in our whole time here in SA.

It's also all about the fire.  Uncle Keith kept a careful watch, and we all tried a potjiekos stew.  (Thats what is in the little pot there.)  The pot will stay warm in the coals, and you can have a hot meal the next day too!

And in the evening, after dark, some of us piled into an old Land Rover for a night safari drive:

We only broke down 3 times. Serious.  Some didn't think we would make it out, but the faithful Rover always got started again. I was totally confident and not worried at all.

But really, it is all about the people:

Watchtower study at our Bush Camp

And of course, the people we came out to meet.

I actually have a bunch  more pictures of the weekend. (Gasp, shock.) But tried to pick just a "few" highlights.  That is rural, seldom worked territory an hour and half from Bethel.

Til next time!

Love, Us

Jacarandas

One outing I had really wanted to embark on since we came here was to visit Pretoria when the Jacarandas bloom.  We came during the 2014 season, but as we were brand new here, and had no car, we planned that we would go next season. After waiting a year, the time arrived.  Spring!  After some research as to the spots to check out we enlisted some friends to go with us and off we went.  Our first stop was to see the white Jacarandas.

I had been a little worried that we would not find them, but we rounded another corner and there they were. A whole street lined with them.  We got out and walked up and down the street. Matt found himself fascinated looking at the properties.  As evidenced by the pictures he took.

 Apparently this is quite interesting.  Well.  I took the camera back and we proceeded on our way.

We drove down to the government buildings areas in Pretoria next and I was quite happy to find the streets lined with Jacarandas, just like the internet promised!

It's a really gorgeous area.  We came across a sidewalk library.

Someone had dropped off a box of books along the street and then others had spread them along.  Just another one of those random things.  

We went down to the gardens in front of the parliament buildings. 

  

Lovely gardens, and amazing views of the city.

Just us.

Can you see Mandela in tbe background?  He was a popular photo spot with wedding parties.   

Back towards the cars is this famous view.  You would not believe how hard it was to get a good picture without tourists.

The view I dreamed of.

Mainly, we just had to wait for them to leave.  Worth it though!  In the meantime, we kept ourselves busy looking for "Jac Pods."

Matt didn't mind putting in a little extra effort. 

By the time we left, I was jumping for joy! :)