South Africa Trip Journal excerpts

Below are some excerpts from my trip journal when I traveled to South Africa this summer. I was thrilled with the development of ministry in sport I experienced with our friends and the emergence of sports chaplaincy in that nation. I hope these notes are an encouragement to you.

Trip Journal

South Africa – 28 June – 6 July, 2014

28 June - 7:00 am I drove the three hours from Carbondale to BNA (Nashville, TN) airport. It was an easy and quick check in and security.  I waited at the gate and had some frozen yogurt for lunch. At 1:22 pm we flew United Airlines to IAD airport in Washington D. C. I changed concourses and boarded a South African Airways Airbus 340 jet. We left at 6:00 pm EDT.

29 June - We arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa on time, went quickly through immigration, and then hunted down my checked bags. Upon their arrival I hurried through customs and rechecked my bag. Mt flight was to board in ten minutes so I ran up two escalators and down one very long ticketing hall to security. Once through that I ran to my gate and waited for them to start boarding.

I boarded the plane for the two hour flight to Cape Town. I deplaned, claimed my bags, and met Hein Reyneke for the car ride to his home. We made the 35 minute drive to Stellenbosch and I settled into my room for the week. I was in bed shortly after 10:00.

30 June - I was awakened by my alarm at 6:30 this morning. It was 45 degrees as I showered with the window open. I slept very well as I like cool air for sleeping. Hein made some Starbucks Coffee and we had a good talk. I met his sons, Jaiden and Joshua, as they got up and going. Quinn Evans of FCA in North Carolina came to the house and we each drove to the SCAS (Sport for Christ Action South Africa) camp outside of town. I drove the red VW Jetta with the steering wheel on the right side of the car, driving on the left side of the highway. That was quite an adjustment after 42 years of driving on the other side.

I did an hour plus of camps training, we took a break, and then I did 20 minutes of training on the FCA Camp theme, "All In." Quinn Evans and Ashley Steenkamp prepared the interns to run two camps for the next week by outlining schedules, roles, and expectations as they will divide themselves into teams for each camp.

After that we had lunch and good conversation followed by more camps preparations. At 3:00, Hein and I returned to his house and we had some good discussion with Elzette (Hein’s wife) about Coaches ministry and Missouri Valley Conference Swimming. She swam one year at the University of Evansville.

We walked to Jon Yip's home for his daughter's birthday party.  As Jon and Hein grilled steaks, ribs, chicken, and sausage, we talked a lot about sports chaplaincy and how that's developing around the world.

After dinner I drove back to the SCAS Camp so I could share my testimony with the interns. My testimonial talk's theme was: "The purposes of God in your life are vastly greater than your perceived capacity to fulfill them." (Proverbs 16:3, 16:9, 20:24, 1 Thessalonians 5:24)

1 July - I was up at 6:30 and we left at 7:30 for breakfast with six people of the Stellenbosch Sports Coalition at a local bistro. We talked about sports chaplaincy for two and a half hours. After that group broke up, Casper Steenkamp (IMPACT leader) and I talked for another two hours. He and I then went to the island and I composed two talks for the FCA camps.

At 3:00 Hein and I returned to his house for a while and then went to Somerset West so he could speak to the campers. There are about 70 kids there and it seems things have started well. I listened as Garrett (IMPACT intern) rehearsed his testimony talk with me and I offered encouragement and a couple of suggestions. He delivered his testimony and Hein did his talk at 7:00 pm.

We returned to Hein's home, watched the Argentina vs. Switzerland World Cup game, and I tried to stay up to see the USA vs. Belgium game, but went to bed. I valued energy on Wednesday over football late Tuesday.

2 July - I was awake before 6:00 today and rose early to start the day. I read and prepared for my talk this morning. Just before 9:00 I drove to Somerset West and Urban Voice Church to deliver a "God is all in" talk at the camp. I was early and hung around greeting the interns and informally chatting with several. I did my talk from Genesis 1:24-28 and it seemed to go quite well. Afterward I drove back to Hein's home for a 12:30 meeting with Daniel Thomae of Traing4changeS. He picked me up and we had lunch with his wife, Kendra, and coaches Sylvester and XJ. I had a hamburger with cheese, bacon, and guacamole. We had a great discussion about 3D Coaching, InSideOut Coaching, and character coaching.

After our meeting, Daniel dropped me at a coffee shop where I met Hein for coffee and a chat. We then walked around the downtown district and I bought a few things after he changed dollars into Rand for me. We returned to his house, relaxed and then had a nice dinner as prepared by Elzette. Pea and ham soup, spaghetti with a meat sauce, a mixed vegetable salad, and ciabatta bread.

After dinner, Hein, Josh, and I went out to the SCAS island for Hein's talk at the camp. We returned at 8:00 and chilled until bedtime.

3 July - I was awakened by my alarm at 6:15 after a sound night's sleep. I did my normal morning routine of reading in the Proverbs and Acts, posting a verse from each on Twitter, posting links to both sport devotion sites, and a note from "Heart Fuel Soul Food" as well.

A few men came by Hein's home to chat and for some Bible study. Daniel, Sylvester, Benny (a distance running coach) and I discussed Psalm 90:12-17 and John 12:7-8. Soon after that, Hein, Josh and I went to the island. I did some correspondence and read until Quinn picked me up for coffee at a little cafe' down the road. We had a great talk in the cool, afternoon sunshine.

We returned to the island and then at 4:00 we returned to Hein's home and I rested in preparation for tonight's talk and tomorrow's 5 hour presentation.

After a dinner of barbecue beef ribs, butternut squash soup, and salad, I drove to the island and delivered the "I am All In" talk to the campers. I called them to commit their whole lives to Christ Jesus.

4 July - Awake at 4:30. At 7:30, we went to the island and I made final preparations for my afternoon presentation for fifty people from 1:00 to 5:00. I delivered the presentation of sports chaplain training including the McCown Sport in Ministry map and Transforming Lives in Sport high points. Bruce Nadin (sport chaplain from the UK), Johnny (former South African professional footballer), Benny (distance running coach), and others contributed well to the discussion. We wrapped the evening up with a dinner for the IMPACT host families during a driving rainstorm.

We drove back to Hein's house and we watched the end of the France vs. Germany World Cup match, then I went to bed around 9:00.

5 July – I was awake before 5:00, up at 6:15 to shower and prepare for the day. At 8:00 Hein, the boys and I drove to meet Elzette for breakfast at Food Lovers Market.

We did some souvenir shopping at a big flea market, then drove to the Strand (beach) to buy soccer and rugby jerseys. We toured Gordon's Bay by car and saw a whale in the turbulent sea. We were then off to the airport. It was easy going through check in and security. I bought gifts for granddaughters Addie and Elise, and my niece, Jennifer Glover. I then waited at gate C12.

The flight was okay to Johannesburg, but the changing gates, security, passport control, more security at the gate, and then two more levels of security inside the gate was annoying. Then we sat on the plane for two hours past our scheduled departure time.

While sitting there, I walked through various scenarios, should I miss my connecting flight to Nashville. I don't like any of them, but it's my best way to manage my frustration with the circumstances. I know what to do and can deal with the worst case scenario. This resulted in a little relaxation of my mind. Once we were 90 minutes late for departure, my window to transfer in DC was gone and I knew I would surely have to rebook. I hope I can at least get a flight to Nashville some time on Sunday. Baseball chapel with the Miners looks unlikely for Sunday.

We finally made our way to the runway and took off exactly two hours late. We arrived in Dakar, letting some passengers off and others on, and then we took off for DC.

6 July - On the flight to DC I slept some and watched some movies in the less than comfortable seat. I took a couple of walks about the cabin to stretch my legs and considered my options regarding rebooking my flight to Nashville and the Miners chapel. We landed at 8:15, about the time my connecting flight was to take off.

The line at USA immigration was very long and they had only 1 agent to check all US citizens. As I made the front of the line, 2 more stations opened. Baggage claim and customs were easy, and I then checked in for my new flight to Nashville. A 4:55 departure with a 5:45 arrival was my only option. No chance for Baseball chapel today.

I glided through security and took the tram to the A gates, then to A4. There is a Five Guys and Fries by our gate and that improves my attitude a good deal. I sent text messages to the Southern Illinois Miners players on my Proverbs list and explained that I could not get there in time for chapel. I bought and started reading a new book in my Nook – Emotional Intelligence 2.0.

The flight to Nashville was uneventful and upon arrival I gathered my bag and met the parking shuttle for the short drive to the parking lot. I picked up my car, paid for the parking, and made the three hour drive back to Carbondale. I arrived home at 10:00 pm.

In summary, this was a very productive trip for the reasons I will detail below:

·        I was able to serve and support FCA’s IMPACT internship program in South Africa. To encourage Quinn Evans’ efforts in this work is very significant as I believe she will be among FCA’s leaders in International ministry for years or even decades.

·        I had more than a dozen one-on-one conversations with IMPACT interns across the six days I was with them. We discussed a number of issues ranging from ministry in Kazakhstan to life calling, and career paths.

·        I was able to further existing ministry partnerships with SCAS, Kingdom DNA, training4changeS, and other sports ministries in South Africa. They have strong interest in FCA Coaches ministry, especially 3D Coaching.

·        I was able to fan the flame of movement at work in South Africa toward sports chaplaincy training and development.

·        I was able to invest in relationships with people like Hein and Elzette Reyneke, Casper and Ashley Steenkamp, Daniel and Kendra Thomae, and John and Wanyi Yip.

·        I invested a number of books (3D Coaching, Free to Compete, Transforming Lives in Sport) in the ministries of our friends in South Africa.