1982 - LONDON
1982 - LONDON
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1982 - LONDON
An NEA special, this time for London, airfare and hotel for one week for $600 per person. We were on our way!
We quickly learned the “Underground” and used it extensively, plus walked many miles. London is a big city! It covers 600 square miles! We also rode the big double-decker buses. Traffic on the left side of the road was hard to get used to, even as pedestrians. We tried to look both ways twice, hold hands, and then run!
On our first day, we took the Underground to the Westminster stop, walked up the steps, and there was the famous tower of Big Ben! It was a breathtaking sight! We were impressed with Westminster Abbey, with its Gothic arches, side chapels, and enormous central nave. As the Lord’s Prayer was played on the big organ, all the visitors joined in singing. Very impressive.
St. Paul’s Cathedral
St. Paul’s Cathedral was destroyed in the fire of 1666, rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren, and then suffered two direct bomb hits in WW II. Do you remember the picture of its white dome standing tall above the burning ruins of the city? It is famous for many weddings, including the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
We got to Buckingham Palace an hour early for the changing of the guard. And then had a hard time holding our spot at the fence against latecomers. But the ceremony was worth it, much clicking of heels, marching, saluting, and some of the guards were standing only 6 ft. from us at stiff attention.
We found John Wesley’s chapel and toured his home and the graveyard where he is buried. Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum had lifelike statues; you had to look twice to see who was wax or just a tourist. They were not displayed behind glass but right out in the room, leaning on a railing, sitting in a chair; it was almost eerie. The big attraction was the Royal Wedding with Princess Diana in an exact replica of her wedding gown and all the other “royals.”
We went to two musicals, The Sound of Music, with Petula Clark (we got her autograph at the stage exit after the show), and we loved the rollicking performance of The Pirates of Penzance. That was one of the highlights of our week in London.
The other highlight was a train trip to Windsor Castle. The castle dominates the town with its great stone walls enclosing the turrets, towers, and gates. The ornate, cavernous rooms have gilded ceilings, carvings, paintings, and knights in real armor. But what we remember most was our return trip to London. We had to change trains at a small station.
As we waited on the station platform, we were startled to hear a loud whistle, immediately followed by a roaring train that hurtled through the station at over 100 mph. In two seconds, it was gone, leaving us tourists flattened against the brick wall of the station!
1984 - INTRODUCTION TO SOUTH AFRICA
… with Keith & Betty Ivers
1984 - INTRODUCTION TO SOUTH AFRICA
… with Keith & Betty Ivers
Because of our involvement and leadership in the ministry of Marriage Encounter, we were invited to come to South Africa and start a ministry there for the Evangelical community. It took a year of planning, but finally, we were ready for this new adventure.
Our good friends, Al and Mary Fox, visited us for 3 days just before we left on this major trip. They helped with the last-minute packing. We had suitcases, boxes, and bags all labeled and inventoried in my journal. We found out later that Mary stayed up late that night and wrote the first page in my journal. She also found ways to smuggle notes in our luggage; we kept finding them throughout our trip. (She managed to surprise us on many trips by having someone traveling with us plant footsteps in our room.)
At JFK, we met Keith and Betty Ivers, who would team with us for the Marriage Encounter meetings, and we sat together for our all-night flight to Amsterdam. We loaded our luggage on four sets of wheels and trundled over the cobblestones to our hotel. A shower, fresh clothes, and we were off to see the city.
AMSTERDAM
In 1984, there was no big line to tour the Anne Frank house. We just walked in and probably paid a small admission fee. Now you must get a reservation months in advance or stand in a very long line to get tickets. It was actually a warehouse with an office in the area facing the street. (3 big windows) Mr. Frank’s business of wholesaling spices was carried on throughout the time of their imprisonment. They converted some of the area at the back of the warehouse on the 2nd and 3rd floors into living spaces.
We went up the steep stairs behind the bookcase, imagined the 3 families living in the small rooms for months, and looked out the attic window that was Anne’s only glimpse of freedom. Someone betrayed them, and policemen stormed the building, swung open the bookcase hiding the stairs, and arrested all those in hiding. Anne’s diary was left behind, rescued, and kept safely by one of the office workers. It was published after the war and became an all-time best seller, translated into 70 languages. Her familiar face was even put on a postage stamp. We enjoyed a canal boat ride past the beautiful, historic buildings and out to the harbor. And then we had time for a hurried visit to the Rembrandt Museum to see “Night Watch.”
We were ready for a good night’s sleep followed by a real Dutch breakfast: a variety of breads, meat and cheese, boiled eggs, and coffee. We took the train to Haarlem, a quiet, charming city and the home of Corrie ten Boom.
The old clock shop was just a short distance from the station, but it was closed because it was Monday. We bought pastries in the bakery right across the street, then sat on a bench and ate our lunch. The scene was so peaceful, but in my mind I could see the Nazi police herding the ten Boom family out through that front door and onto a wagon. The Grodt Markt square was just a few steps away, and we found the great St. Bavo church that Corrie wrote about; we went inside and listened to the organ music.
We boarded our KLM flight at midnight for the long trip to S. Africa. After a “snack” the cabin was quiet for a few hours, and we tried to sleep. Then it was time for a full-course breakfast, and we landed in Nairobi. When we took off again, we had a beautiful view of Mt. Kilimanjaro rising head and shoulders above the clouds. Time for another meal, and we really weren't hungry. We thought of the starving Africans far below us and wished we could share our food.
SOUTH AFRICA - The Arrival
The Guyers and Smidderks met us at the Johannesburg airport, and we had tea with them between flights, on to Durban, where we were met by Beth Beckelhymer, who was to be our good guide and friend. She had made reservations for us in Umkomaas, just south of Durban, at a quaint, charming old hotel. Our room had a view of the Indian Ocean! We had a relaxing evening in front of a blazing fireplace in the lounge. It was “winter” weather, but only in the 50’s, certainly not bitterly cold. (We had been told to bring our long underwear.) We had a delicious meal, served in a formal dining room, with appetizers, main courses, and dessert. And the next morning we had omelets, scones, and guava juice. All this (room and 2 meals) for $17/person. We found prices in S. Africa to be a real bargain.
Rural Transkei
We drove south along the lovely Indian Ocean and then turned inland, where driving was quite a challenge. Horses, cows, and people freely roamed across the road. The terrain was mountainous with narrow roads, steep drop-offs, and no guardrails. The hillsides were dotted with rondavels (round, thatched-roof huts). Everything was dusty and dry with many women walking barefoot, babies on their backs, and often a huge load on their heads; 10 ft. long bundles of thatch or 50-pound jugs of water.
We visited Fairview School (which used to be a mission station) and were intrigued by the classrooms. 500 students, grades 1-8, with only 11 teachers. One grade 3 room had 85 children and 1 teacher. We listened to little first graders reciting a reading lesson in unison. They were clustered around a blackboard, each vying for the chance to hold the pointer and lead the reading.
Over more miles of steep, narrow roads, we arrived at the Greenville hospital. A beautiful setting, high in the mountains, with a cluster of buildings and a modern hospital with 200 patients. It was built by Free Methodist pioneer missionaries but is now government-owned and operated. We have 2 F.M. doctors there; the rest are all Africans who have been trained to carry on the work. Dr. Lowell Rice, who started this hospital, graduated from Greenville College, which explains the name of the hospital.
Ruth Brauteseth, doing graduate case studies in international nutrition, was planning to visit several villages and gather data on babies. She said about 80% of the mothers are an average of 18 years of age, have 2 or 3 children, and have lost one child.
Our tour through the hospital was most impressive: little children in the sick ward were all sitting on the floor, drinking their morning porridge from cups or bowls. A baby with an IV taped to his head was quietly crying in a crib. In the maternity ward, the babies were all wrapped tightly and sleeping on their mothers’ beds. One mother was softly crying, her baby had died in the night. Many pregnant women were sitting on the floor in the hall, patiently waiting day after day. They live too far out in the bush to get to the hospital in time, so they just stay. Each week, they get to make one baby garment - the only baby clothes they will have. I got to hold a newborn; his little bottom was bare, and he was wearing a new kimono.
TB is prevalent, and many children are hospitalized with it. We watched little children climb on a table, bare their little behinds, and quietly get their daily shot. We stopped in at the chapel where the nurses were gathered for the morning service, love to hear their singing.
MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER
Lincoln Haven was a perfect setting for Marriage Encounter. South Africa was enforcing apartheid, not allowing the mixture of races, but Lincoln Haven, a Methodist retreat center, was one of the exceptions that permitted it. Located high in the hills, we looked out over valleys and 3,000 ft. hills green with sugar cane. The rooms were very nice and centrally located. Instead of having a snack table, we were served formal tea every morning and afternoon. The meals were delicious and served by courses: appetizer, salad, fish, main course, and dessert. Coffee was made with all milk; it was really good. We got acquainted with some new foods like “mealie meal” for breakfast, apricot chicken, and leftovers called bubbles and squeaks. We were impressed with the outlay of 10 pieces of silverware at our place setting. We weren’t sure how to use them all. When the server took away an empty plate after one of the courses and picked up a clean piece of silverware, we knew we had goofed!
Several of our missionary couples attended the Marriage Encounter: there were 19 couples, a mixture of Black, White, and Indian, and we had no problems whatsoever. They all just blended. They were the most attentive, responsive, and disciplined group we have ever seen. They just hung on every word, had no trouble understanding us, and proved how true it is that feelings are universal.
Since our clergy couple was unable to make the trip, we, along with Keith and Betty, were “the team.” With God’s help and many prayers from back home, we made it through the weekend covering all the service couple responsibilities and the clergy role. It was a VERY busy weekend!
Imagine the service Saturday night with candlelight reflecting off Black, brown, and white faces. Tears on many cheeks as one after another of the couples shared how this had been such a meaningful time for them. One of the pastors had shared, “I didn’t know my wife had feelings, but today I learned that she has.”
The closing communion service on Sunday afternoon was very moving. The weekend was a glorious success! We thank the Lord for such a beautiful response; it was truly His weekend. We had 100 prayer letters from friends back home that we gave to the couples. They were very impressed and thankful. There were also many letters for us. The letters indicated the prayer support given to this venture.
The offering more than covered expenses! Phil Capp, president of the seminary and the one who instigated this whole venture, said, “Absolutely 100% successful. Perfect transfer of concepts. Best cross-cultural response I have ever seen.” We all agreed that the weekend exceeded our expectations. And we found footsteps from the Foxes. They traveled with us vicariously.
Five couples stayed for 3 days of team training right at Lincoln Haven. (We had brought donated funds from home to cover the cost.) A slow-paced but solid time of laying groundwork. There were some real dynamic leaders getting involved in the program; very specific goals for the next year have been made; dates have been set for two Marriage Encounters next summer. And they want us to come back! We are sure that Marriage Encounter is going to have an impact on the evangelical community of South Africa.
SCENIC SOUTH AFRICA
After the Marriage Encounter was over, our friend Beth picked up the 4 of us for a sightseeing tour of South Africa. She had made plans and reservations for us, and what a delightful time we had. We traveled in a kombi (van); both Al and Keith became adept at driving on the left.
We drove up into the Drakensberg mountains for an overnight stay in the Royal Natal Park. We stayed in a beautiful 3-bedroom cabin with a fireplace for the cool evening. Our picture windows gave a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains. We slept with our drapes open so we could see the sun hit the peaks early in the morning.
The very reasonable price of the cabin included the services of a cook. We gave our groceries and menu to him, and he did all the cooking and cleaning. The next day was sparkling clear with a flawless blue sky (as are most days in S. Africa), and we went for a 4-hour hike in the mountains. Higher and higher we climbed; up steep, rocky paths, through dense woods and sunny meadows. We ate lunch on a flat rock with a panoramic scene spread before us.
We spent some time in the historic city of Pietermaritzburg (where Gandhi was thrown off the train). The city has Victorian-style architecture with monuments to the Voortrekkers. The Evangelical Bible Seminary is located there, and we stayed with Phil and Carmena Capp, who were the founders of the seminary.
Beth had made plans to take us to Kruger National Park with reservations on the way at “Zululand Safari Lodge.” But she forgot to ask the price! It was a very posh private game reserve. Well, we were there, so we just lived it up along with the millionaire game hunters. We stayed in a luxurious rondavel (thatched-roof hut) in a jungle setting and enjoyed the finest cuisine! It was fun and only one night
Our drive into one of the homelands the next day was a startling contrast. South Africa has set aside large areas of land designated as homelands for different tribes. They live there together, apart from the whites. This is part of the apartheid system.
We had seen pictures of the little African churches with the metal roof and cow dung floor, and how they are jammed with people on Sundays. Well, we saw one of the churches – in fact, we saw several of them. And marveled at how the pastors minister so effectively to so many with such limited facilities
We drove north through desolate country, near the border of Swaziland, and through areas badly damaged by floods (no rain for 2 years, then 40 inches in 2 days, last January). Bridges were destroyed, and we were detoured down to the riverbed where we crossed on temporary pontoon bridges. It was a tense driving day as something was wrong with the kombi, and we barely crept up the mountain roads. Not a good place to break down!
KRUGER GAME RESERVE
What an adventure! We saw hundreds of wild animals (from the safety of our kombi). Our cameras were clicking madly as we saw herds of zebras, giraffes ambling across the road, elephants noisily tearing limbs from trees, and hundreds of beautiful impala. They posed so nicely just yards away. One elephant stalked toward us, he was 15 ft. away, snorting and ears flapping, when we quickly moved on!
We stopped at one place, and little vervets (monkeys) scrambled all over the kombi, peering in the windows and trying to reach inside. We saw baboons, hippos (caught one with his mouth wide open), stately kudus with curved horns, tiny gemsbok (Bambi-like), storks, buffalo, and one faraway lion. We stayed overnight in a rest camp where all people are locked in at night to protect them from the animals.
THE GOLD MINE ADVENTURE
Our missionary friends had arranged for a tour of a gold mine, an opportunity rarely available. We were tagged onto a tour for a group of mining students from Cambridge University in England, not the usual tourist show. First, we went to the changing rooms where we took off our own clothes and put on coveralls, rubber boots, and a helmet with a light.
We were squeezed into a cage elevator and dropped half a mile into the mine. It was hot, humid, and dripping with water. The guide explained the locked boxes for explosives and the little train cars that carry the rock and dirt. Then he led us up a slope where we had to scramble on our hands and knees – the ceiling was about 3 feet high, and up to the face where the miners were working. We scrunched along. They had warned people not to take the trip if they had claustrophobia! I kept telling myself, “You are not claustrophobic. We’ll soon be back to fresh air- just hang in there.” Then we came to where 2 miners were ready to drill holes. Hold your ears! They turned on this enormous air drill and bored one meter into the rock. DEAFENING! Then we were sliding on our backsides, down the slope, grabbing at the wooden supports as we slid by, through the rocks and mud and water. We were soaked and filthy, steamed and dripping. What an adventure! Finally, back to upright walking again, then up to the fresh air. It really gave us a feel for the work of a miner!
We took hot showers and were glad for our own clean clothes to put on. Then we had a tour of the gold processing plant and learned it takes one ton of rock to produce 6 grams of gold. We saw the molten ore poured out of the furnace and then had a chance to lift and hold a gold brick weighing 60 pounds (and worth $340,000.) An armed guard was watching us.
As the climax to the mine tour, we were taken to a dining room beautifully set with china, linen, and silver and served a formal multi-course meal. The main course was delicious grilled fish, so big it extended over the edge of the plate.
5,000 men work in that mine, and they are all from neighboring countries (Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, etc.). They come on a 48-week contract and live in a barracks compound. Several of our missionaries work directly with these men, holding services in the compound. We attended a service with over 100 miners. We were each asked to give greetings, which were translated twice. Afterward, all the men filed by to shake our hands. A beautiful, touching experience.
Our time in South Africa was coming to an end, and then Al came down with the flu. There was a lot of it around; several of our friends had just recovered after spending a week or two in bed. The Dr. prescribed medicine and told Al he really should stay in bed for a week. He stayed in bed all the next day, but the next morning we left for Victoria Falls. He rested as much as possible and recovered quite quickly.
VICTORIA FALLS
Our very first view was spectacular! A huge rainbow spanned the falls from the river to the sky! The water thunders 300 ft. into a gorge, sending up a great cloud of spray.
We walked along the trail on the top of the gorge, and every few feet, there was a new view of the falls. The constant spray creates a rainforest, which adds to the challenge of the walk. You get very wet unless you are wearing rain gear. But it is very warm and quite an exciting walk.
1984 - EUROPE ADVENTURES
FAMOUS SIGHTS IN GERMANY
We added this trip onto our South Africa trip, so it was a long 6 weeks of travel. Our overnight flight was in a crowded DC-8 with stops in Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), Khartoum (Sudan), Vienna (Austria), and finally, 15 hours and 4 meals later, Amsterdam. We rented a car and started our tour of Europe.
COLOGNE
Cologne is known for the towering spires of its Gothic cathedral and stained-glass windows. We spent some time admiring the beautiful cathedral and slaking our thirst at McDonald's across the street.
FAMOUS SIGHTS IN GERMANY
Yes, it’s true, they drive very fast. We were going 80 mph, and those Mercedes came up in the fast lane and passed us like we were sitting still. It was a little unnerving!
RHINE RIVER
We stayed in the picturesque village of St. Goar, right on the Rhine. A classic castle towered over the town, and we drove the corkscrew road up to it and ate our supper on a terrace overlooking the river. We spent the next day on a delightful 3-hour cruise down the river (upstream as all rivers in Europe flow north) to Rüdesheim.
RUDESHEIM
We rode in a cable car, swinging over the grape vineyards covering the hillside. We roamed around the old village with its quaint, narrow streets and beautiful view of the river traffic. Then we cruised back to our starting point, seeing centuries-old castles at every turn of the river. We drove to one of the castles the next day, climbed the steep trail up to it, and then explored every room.
We climbed to the very top turret, what a view of the river! There were 400-year-old grape vines, the same age as the castle.
Breakfasts were included with our rooms, and we loved those great hard rolls with lots of butter and jam, often eggs, cold cuts, cheese, and cream cheese. Always coffee, hot milk, and hot chocolate. We would eat a big breakfast, then fix sandwiches for lunch (with permission). We often bought fruit, yogurt, or ice cream to add to the lunch. We averaged about $20-25 a night for a room (for two). With the American dollar strong, we found everything very reasonable.
HEIDLEBURG
We walked the “Philosopher’s Way” trail high above the city, through the famous university, and looked across at the old castle on the opposite mountain. Truly a beautiful, historic city.
DACHAU
It was a bright, sunny day, but the atmosphere was chilling and somber as we entered the former death camp. We watched a pilgrimage of Jews place a wreath at the base of the memorial, a grotesque caricature of skeletons on a barbed wire fence. It was a very moving scene.
We went through the museum where the documentary pictures were enlarged life-size, and through the big open courtyard used for
roll calls, the barracks, the “shower” room, and
the crematoriums. It was a very sobering experience.
NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE
What a contrast, as the very same day, we toured this magnificent castle built by mad King Ludwig. The towering white spires were so beautiful against a perfect blue sky. We could scarcely take in all the ornate splendor of each room, marble, gold, tapestries, carvings, mosaics, and paintings; it was a study in excess.
OBERAMMERGAU PASSION PLAY
Oberammergau was truly one of the highlights of our whole trip. This charming village in the Bavarian Alps is the setting for the world-famous Passion Play.
This year was a special performance marking the 350th anniversary of the vow made to God. If he would spare their village from the Black Plague, they would forever be grateful and put on this Passion Play every 10 years, every day all summer long.
We were delighted to find that our rooms (part of the ticket package) were in a beautiful old Bavarian guest house, complete with a painting on the front of the building. From our windows, we could see the village church about a block away and the mountains. And at 6 a.m., the bells started ringing!
We loved it. We did a lot of shopping in the shops filled with local wood carvings and even bought a darling Bavarian dress for our little granddaughter.
The Passion Playhouse holds 5,200, and we were in the 3rd row! No cameras, no tape recorders allowed, so we just relaxed and followed the play word-for-word in our English text. The performance was very moving and dynamic.
We felt we were a real part of the drama. The cast (all residents of the village) was excellent, the choir flawless, and the still-life tableaux scenes brought Old Testament scenes into a New Testament context.
The audience was sitting under a roof, but the choir and actors were in the open air, and when it rained, they got drenched. The choir never missed a note but kept singing with the rain running off their chins. Later at lunch, we recognized our waiter as one of the choir members.
Thunderstorms rumbled, and we thought we might have live thunder for the crucifixion scene! It was a fascinating 5 ½ hours with a triumphant climax, the resurrection and ascension. They received a standing ovation!
SWITZERLAND
We spent a day in Appenzell, the dairying country with rolling green hills, little chalets, and lots of brown cows. We hiked up through the farmers’ fields, listened to the cows clanging their big bells as they grazed, enjoyed the church bell chiming the quarter hours, ate Wiener schnitzel and applesaft. We stayed in a quaint guest house with big, puffy comforters on the bed.
We turned in our rental car and started an 8-day train pass, the best way to travel in Switzerland. We went through the high mountain passes, on cogs part of the time, to the village of Andermatt. Great hiking trails and even some blue sky. We went on a long hike wearing our newly purchased knickers.
SWITZERLAND
At the foot of the Matterhorn is one of our favorite places. We stayed in a very old hotel, a big corner room with a balcony overlooking the narrow main street, flower boxes in every window, and even a view of the Matterhorn (or at least the space in the cloudy sky where it was supposed to be.) The village church was framed in one of our windows. We bought treasures in the unique little shops, ate raclette (melted cheese), and tried to be good sports about the rain. Just before we went to bed, we looked out the window, the clouds had lifted, and there was the Matterhorn in the fading light! The next day, we hiked way up the mountain trails, got a few fleeting glimpses of the Matterhorn, and had breathtaking views in all other directions.
On the train again for the beautiful trip from Zermatt to Interlaken. Getting on and off the trains with all our luggage was getting harder as we kept adding purchases.
We had one whole day of rain in Interlaken, so we spent a lot of time in our favorite wood carver’s shop. And in the laundromat. We packed up a box and shipped it home to lighten our load. We took a train ride up into the mountains and enjoyed the beautiful scenery even though it was cloudy.
L’Abri
We had contacted the lady where we stayed before, and she was expecting us. She was so delighted to see us again. She served us tea and a fresh peach pie. With her French and our English, we played charades and communicated very well. We should have had movies! We told her about the animals we saw in Africa, the places we had been in Switzerland, and showed her pictures of our new granddaughter. She said, “Elle est belle.” We had our big old room overlooking Schaeffer’s chalet (now empty and for sale) and the beautiful mountains (hidden in the clouds).
On Sunday morning, our landlady made an early morning trip to the bakery and dairy to bring back fresh, crusty bread and milk, still warm for our breakfast. Then we hiked the 1½ miles down the mountain to L’Abri and the morning chapel service.
Dr. Schaeffer’s son-in-law, Udo Middleman, gave the message. We were invited to dinner at Bellevue, the main L’Abri chalet. A big table full of 24 included several visitors. Interesting conversations as we listened to the students tell why they came to L’Abri. They came from Norway, Australia, Sweden, South Africa, Germany, the U.S.A. and Switzerland. The table talk was all very serious and philosophical.
Lake Geneva
Our train pass was also good on lake steamers, so we spent a relaxing afternoon on Lake Geneva, going from Montreux to Lausanne and then across the lake to France and back. It was a beautiful, hot, sunny day, and we just enjoyed the slow pace. Ate our lunch on the open deck while cruising along.
PARIS
We took the TGV express train from Switzerland to Paris, what a treat! We flew along at over 100 mph, and it was very smooth and quiet. We trundled our luggage (thank goodness for wheels) to the Metro ticket gate. I pushed my suitcase through ahead of me, and the doors closed on me! Help! Betty sacrificed her ticket to open the jaws and save me. An agent came along and rescued us.
We stayed right in the heart of the Latin Quarter on the Left Bank in an el cheapo hotel. (Would you believe $20/night with a private bath?) It was a convenient location, not far from Notre Dame, and a really lively place at night. Right below our windows, we had sidewalk cafes, strolling violinists, and a juggler on a unicycle.
The narrow street was filled with people (no cars), and it didn’t quiet down until midnight. Paris really comes alive at night, and you soon get into the same schedule.
This was our 2nd visit to Paris, so we let Keith and Betty go their own way while we searched for new places to visit. We went to the exquisite St. Chapelle with its famous stained-glass windows, the Invalides with Napoleon’s Tomb, and to the top of Montparnasse (the tallest building in Paris).
Ofcourse, we also made quick visits to Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower. We got to see the fountains at night, worth several pictures, along with the Arc de Triomphe.
Al was almost robbed twice on the Metro. Indian women and their children were really working the crowds. One lady boarded the Metro right behind us, brazenly opened her blouse, and started breastfeeding her baby as a distraction, while her young son checked his pockets. They went right down the aisle and got off at the next stop. We also saw some of them get nabbed by the police.
We strolled along the Seine River, walked across several of the bridges, and admired the many flowers that make Paris so beautiful.
We took the train out to Fontainebleau, a lovely old chateau, and famous for its music conservatory. We followed the sounds of beautiful music and found a string quartet practicing in a small auditorium.
We started our homeward journey in Paris, flew to Amsterdam, where we picked up the luggage we had stored there, and then flew back to JFK in New York.
It was a long 4-hour drive home where we were greeted by a welcome sign in our driveway, fresh fruit, milk, and blueberry pie in the kitchen. A very lonely cat ran to meet us and purred until his throat nearly burst.
1986 – RETURN TO SOUTH AFRICA
All Around the Cape
Our friends in South Africa wanted us to return to further develop the Marriage Encounter ministry we had started 2 years before. We had just retired, and this time we would be able to explore more of that beautiful country. This was during the era of apartheid, and our family and friends were worried about our safety. But we encountered no problems at all - we just stayed out of the townships where all the violence was taking place.
The first Marriage Encounter that year was held at CYARA, a beautiful retreat center in the foothills of the mountains near Johannesburg. It was a very picturesque setting with flowers and jacaranda trees in full bloom. Again, it was a mix of white. Colored, Indian, and blacks. They weren’t used to socializing with another race but were pleased with how congenial everyone was. “South Africa should do the same - this is the way our whole country should be.” Some had come reluctantly but were so glad they did.
After the morning session on Sunday, we fixed trays for the men to take to their wives. A vase of fresh flowers, scones, tea, and surprise personal letters. The letters were from our friends in the States who had been praying for them. The couples were very touched by these prayer letters. We announced that we were planning to have a Team Training weekend right here at CYARA, the last weekend of the month, and 6 couples said they would plan to attend. We were overwhelmed with such a response. A touching, triumphant conclusion to God’s weekend.
KRUGER PARK
We had some free time on our own, and we spent 3 whole days in Kruger Park, one of our favorite places! Located in the NE corner of S. Africa, it is 220 miles long and 40 miles wide, all fenced to keep the animals safe (although poaching has become a big problem). There are 21 fenced rest camps scattered throughout the park that provide economical places to stay. You have to be inside a rest camp by 6 p.m. because they close the gates and reopen in the morning.
We stayed in two-person rondavels with a bed, a bath, and a small kitchen. We spent all day driving slowly on the unpaved roads, often along the river, suddenly seeing giraffes stretching to eat the tops of trees and a stately kudu with its 4 ft. spiral horns gazing at us. We saw too many impalas to count - they became sort of “ho-hum, more impalas.” Blue wildebeest close to the road, wart hogs 20 ft. away, who just ignored us. They rooted with their big snouts and knelt on their front knees to eat. Then, 30 ft. away, we saw an elephant stripping bark from a tree. On the other side of the road, an impala was drinking in the stream, perfectly reflected. Baboons running with babies on their backs or under their bellies, zebras who just stared at us. We shot lots of video!
Then we saw a lion, right beside the road! Slowly, we drove up to him. He was 5 ft. from my open car window, eyeball to eyeball! I slowly raised the video camera and caught him blinking his eyes. I picked up the Minolta, slowly focused on his face - then click! One of our winning shots.
In the evenings, we would walk to the gift shop to browse and buy before dinner. It was announced by the beating of drums in the courtyard. A sample menu: oxtail soup, baked fish with cheese sauce, minced beef (hamburger) over rice, pork roast, applesauce, vegetables with thin crisp toast, and caramel crème. Crackers and cheese, tea and coffee on the veranda overlooking the Sabie River.
We have returned to Kruger Park several times, and in subsequent stories, you will see many more pictures of the animals. We had 2 weeks before the next Marriage Encounter, and we decided to drive all the way around the Cape of South Africa. We had a rental car, good maps, and reservations had been made for us to stay at various locations.
BLYDE RIVER CANYON
We started at BLYDE RIVER CANYON, part of the Drakensberg mountains that go through the middle of S. Africa. The famous “Three Rondavels” are rock formations that resemble the rondavels that people live in.
The vervet monkeys were very friendly, too friendly. They hopped on our table as we were eating, and we had to chase them away. I sneaked up real close to a mother and her baby to capture a favorite photo.
CAVERN BERG
Our first adventure was to Cavern Resort up in the Drakensberg Mountains. It is a family resort, carved out of the mountainside with terraces and thatched buildings. We joined a group hike for Cannibal Caverns. We had a very strenuous hike up the canyon, higher and higher. Finally reached our goal - the Bushman Paintings on the rocks. The guide built a fire, heated water from a spring, and we had proper tea and biscuits!
ORIBI GORGE
Dirt road, deep drop-offs, beautiful scenery. The Oribi Gorge Hotel was an old-fashioned, quaint, charming country inn.
A profusion of flowers: azaleas, bougainvillea, and amaryllis. The trees around our cottage were full of chattering weaver finches, busily building their upside-down nests. With all the birds, it sounded like the Tiki room in Disney World.
We had an exquisite 5-course meal, served by a barefoot Zulu girl. We talked with Mrs. Jeffries, the owner. She and her husband came here 40 years ago, bought the farm, and started the hotel business. He died just 3 months ago.
She showed us pictures, and we noticed she had a missing finger. Only later did we connect all the facts: we had been told about the tragedy at Oribi Gorge hotel - a burglar had killed the owner and injured his wife when he tried to get a ring off her finger.
TRANSKEI
Transkei is a Black homeland, a very dirt-poor country. We drove right through the middle of it, and the only unfortunate incident was of my own making. We stopped at a little store to buy ice cream.
As I waited at the counter to pay, the lady ahead of me, with a little girl, was buying one loaf of bread, paying for it with many small coins, and laboriously counting them out. Patiently waiting, I just stood there, the rich American, buying two Magnum ice cream bars, watching this scenario play out.
Too late, I realized how easily I could have paid for her bread and given the ice cream bars to her and her little girl. Maybe they had never had ice cream. I’m sure they would have been thrilled, and I would have felt happy for them. Why wasn’t I thinking? That regrettable scene has come to my mind many times since.
Later, we saw a young boy, wearing a man’s jacket and happily playing with a handmade toy. This time, we gave him some coins, and he gave us a big smile.
ADDO ELEPHANT PARK
This is a relatively small park. At the main gate, we were told that most of the elephants were at the #9 watering hole, so we drove slowly down the dirt road, and there they were, the elephants! Dozens of them, all marching to the water hole. Some drinking, others coming and going, lots of photo ops.
Then we saw a dung beetle, pushing a huge ball of dung. If you think your work is drudgery, think of the dung beetle!
TSITSIKAMMA
Driving the beautiful Garden Route on the south coast, we stayed one night at Tsitsikamma. Our cottage had a balcony looking out on the ocean with stunning views of the crashing, pounding surf. The 10 ft. waves exploded on the rocks. We had never seen such surf. We found a spot with the biggest rocks and biggest waves, and with one of us ready with the camera, the other said: “one, two, three, take it!” We captured a great picture. We still don’t know which one actually took the picture.
CAPE TOWN
We took the cable car to the top of the famous Table Mountain for a panoramic view of the city, the mountains, and the ocean. We returned to our car and found the trunk (boot) lid ajar. Oh no, we’ve been robbed! But nothing was taken - we had just neglected to close the lid and lock it! We drove up “Lion’s Rump” for a classic view of the city and Table Mountain, with a small “apron” of clouds on it. We drove south to Cape Point, another place that claims to be where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet. It was extremely windy and hard to walk. Baboons were running all over. One jumped on our car, sat on the hood, and stared at us through the windshield. We had a hard time shooing him off.
AUGRABIES FALLS
Driving north from Cape Town, we could look back and see Table Mountain for 50 miles. Then into the dry, desolate desert. We would go miles before seeing another car. Huge weaver bird nests hanging from telephone poles were the only things of interest. Then Augrabies Falls National Park, an oasis with green grass and trees.
We hiked through sand and big rocks to the Falls. It was very hot with terrible little bugs in swarms, buzzing around our heads. Every time we would take a step, little Lizards would run off in all directions. The falls were quite impressive, but not our favorite memory.
KIMBERLY
It is known for diamonds and the Big Hole. When diamonds were discovered there in 1871, men started digging to find them, and the hole became the largest hand-dug excavation in the world. It is 700 ft. deep, and the 22 million tons of earth removed yielded 66,000 pounds of diamonds. It is no longer operational but is an impressive tourist attraction.
GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL PARK
We arrived at sunset as the sandstone mountains were turning golden yellow, orange, and then red. Our luxury room ($21) had a balcony with a wonderful view of the mountains. We had come full circle in our drive around South Africa. We started and ended in the Drakensberg Mountains. We can see why it is called “A World in One Country.”
MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER—LINCOLN HAVEN
We returned to this lovely facility, where we had the first Marriage Encounter 2 years ago. This weekend was full of 18 couples, plus the team. It was a challenge to keep it all rolling smoothly. At one point, huge bi-winged insects batted around the room. They start as insects, hatch, have one flight, land, shed their wings, and crawl. That was a bit of a distraction as they tended to land on clothing.
As Saturday progressed, the couples were getting into the spirit of sharing with each other. We believe a few miracles took place on that weekend. The candlelight Cana service Saturday night was beautiful. Several couples voluntarily shared what the weekend had meant to them. Sunday morning, we fixed trays with fresh flowers, hot tea, and scones, and prayer letters for the men to take to their wives. The letters were a surprise, written by our friends back home who said they had been praying for them all weekend.
We had 12 letters to read from our friends back home, and we found footsteps outside our door. Al and Mary Fox had managed to find a way to surprise us. The closing service had a surprise for us. We had shared rather candidly and tearfully our concerns in our family. They had us sit in the middle of the circle, several put their hands on our heads, and they prayed for us. It was a very moving experience.
Warm goodbyes and hugs as the couples left. After putting away all the supplies and debriefing the weekend, we relaxed in the lounge with our friends who were planning to stay overnight. We laughed, told jokes, and swatted the flying ants. When one landed inside Anne’s dress, it brought on hilarious laughter. By the end of the evening, the floor was thick with them, and they crunched underfoot. We walked through the thick carpet of insects to our rooms and to bed. The next morning, they were all cleaned up.
TEAM TRAINING – CYARA
Just one week later, we were back at CYARA to meet with the couples who wanted to carry on this program of Marriage Encounter. They all related how much the weekend had impacted their lives, and they had a strong desire to share this experience with others. We were very touched by the dedication of the couples.
The training session consisted of walking through the progression of the weekend, the rationale for each presentation, and then an opportunity for each couple to write a brief presentation and have it critiqued by the group. It went very well, and we felt confident that they could carry on without us. They wanted us to come back, but we assured them they really could do it. The next weekend, these couples all came to a farewell “braai” (barbecue) for us. They all talked about how the Marriage Encounter was affecting their daily lives.
A special cake was decorated with a globe, palm tree, flag, and tiny animals. “From RSA to USA, Go Nicely, Al and Emily.” That was special!
1987 - RETURN TO HAWAII
A few years later, in 1987, we went to Hawaii again, just by ourselves. We added some new experiences to our previous trip. This time we went to the island of Kauai. We walked through a rainforest that has the heaviest rainfall in the world - 471 inches per year. We drove to Waimea Canyon and up to a lookout at 4,000 ft.
We flew to Maui and enjoyed the old whaling capital of Lahaina. It is famous for the enormous banyan tree that covers several acres.
A single tree was planted in front of the courthouse in 1873. Banyan trees grow wide, not tall, and they put down shoots. So the Lahaina tree grew until it was like an umbrella. It covered an entire city block and was 60 ft. tall.
We were so impressed as we strolled under the tree and relaxed on one of many park benches. And then the devastating fire of 2023, when the whole town of Lahaina was virtually destroyed. Our first thought when we heard it was concern for the banyan tree. Fortunately, its thick bark helped protect it, and today it is showing new signs of growth and green leaves, and is 80% recovered. We drove the winding coastal road again just for fun. It really is a spectacular drive.
And then we moved on to the Big Island of Hawaii. The big adventure here is to drive to the top of Haleakala to see the sunrise. We left our hotel at 3:35 a.m. and arrived at the Haleakala rim at 5:20. The elevation is 10,000 ft. And cold! (40 degrees) and dark. That’s 10,000 ft. from the ground surface. Counting from its base on the ocean floor, the elevation is 29,704 ft., making it higher than Mt. Everest at 29,029 ft.
Quite a crowd was waiting for the sunrise, including bicyclists ready to coast the 38-mile downhill. We waited and waited, finally, at 6:30, the sky turned rosy, and at 7:02, the sun peeked over the horizon. We hiked down a trail, but clouds moved in, and the view was gone. The trail was deceptive; it was easy going down, but a 1,000 ft. climb back up. Then it started to rain, so we gave up on the weather and drove back down in the rain. We passed the bicyclists in their rain gear.
So that checked off Haleakala, and we moved on to Oahu. Our hotel was right on the beach, so we spent 2 hours in the warm sun and watched the sunset. We had a special dinner of teriyaki steak, mahi mahi fish, and macadamia nut pie. We also discovered afternoon treats of Hawaiian Special chocolate-covered macadamia nuts in vanilla ice cream in a waffle cone. Delicious! We visited a macadamia nut farm and thought we would buy some of those delicious nuts. They were cheaper at Walmart.
We went on a small motorboat ride that was so much fun and gave a great view of Waikiki. We also saw dolphins jumping out of the water. We signed up for a Hawaiian luau at the Outrigger Hotel. Tables were set up on the beach. The meal was only so-so, but the entertainment was great. Lots of music, pretty hula girls, and handsome young men.
We rented a car and drove to the Polynesian Culture Center. This was the highlight of the week, first-class entertainment. We had a boat ride on the canal and saw demonstrations of Polynesian culture. Fire making, dancing, and climbing barefoot up a coconut tree. Each village represented a different island. “Legend of the Long Canoes” featured boatloads of natives singing and dancing. The Samoan closing ceremony has more singing and audience participation. Then we were loaded into boats and poled past all the other island groups, singing their farewell to us.
All this was followed by a buffet dinner. It was a beautiful spread of food! We finished just in time for the 7:30 main show, “This Is Polynesia.” Our seats were in the 5th row for this spectacular show with lively music, volcanoes, waterfalls, fire dance, hula, and beautiful costumes. Excellent! What a great finale!
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