Across the Transkei to Candu

We headed out for a long drive leaving the coast for the inland area called the Transkei. This area is heavily populated with Africans living in shacks made of tin and concrete blocks. We wanted to make it there before it was dark, but didn't set out until about 2:30 pm. Our drive was into the mountain regions and very beautiful! This area is very big into sheep, goat and cattle farms and that is the main existence of the people. A lot of the area reminded us of the Texas hill country -it was experiencing a severe water shortage, so it was very dry. They would take the gutters from their houses and drain them into the rain tanks. I imagine had they not needed the water, there would be no gutters, but it was of necessity for them.

There were goats, sheep and cattle on the road, along with people walking after dark, so it made it very difficult to drive. We arrived and were greeted by Templeton and his son. He stood on the side of the road and held a sign so we could find the village which was a ways off the road. We were exhausted and settled straight into bed. The next morning we awoke to see a small village in a dry and parched land. This was the view from the building where we were staying.

We heard a great commotion and saw these boys rounding the bend on their donkeys going to get water at the watering hole. The one facing backwards was getting tremendous pleasure from popping the donkey on its rear. Notice the water buckets on their sides. He was so entertaining! The community is in a severe draught, and the drinking water from the rain tanks are running severely low. They do all of their washing down at the local river and watering hole which was extremely low. We felt blessed to have electricity for most of the weekend.

Cameron spent the day with the help of Templeton’s son and his friend putting in new piping for the water tanks and doing other various repairs. I held a Bible study with the ladies on having faith in difficult times. Templeton translated for us and we had some great discussion. These ladies live in difficult circumstances as some of them are widowed, some are wed to husbands that wander, and some want to be married, but cannot find suitable, honorable men. It’s very difficult to relate to a situation like this from a western perspective. In my reality, I can simply travel to make my circumstances better and interact with new people. For these women, they rarely leave the village except to purchase food, so it’s a very closed situation with limited circumstances. If it doesn’t rain, they don’t have water to drink and their animals suffer as well. I realized after the time spent together, that I was not sent here to teach them, but they to teach me. Their endurance in desperate struggles, their ability to support one another when they have no one else, and especially their thirst for the comforting word of God was humbling and awe inspiring.