“For a transitory enchanted moment, man must have held his breath… face to face… with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder.” F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless words undoubtedly ring true in all our hearts and minds as we have experienced beauty like never before.
Wonder. That was the emotion I was filled with today as I stood atop South Africa’s treasured Table Mountain. Elevated 3,563 feet, I could not fully process the magnitude of all I was seeing. We stared in awe at miles of ocean, mountains, and city. Higher than the clouds themselves, we looked down as they crept across neighboring peaks and hills. The local high school rugby players we saw before looked smaller than ants from our breathtaking viewpoint. Our experience was unbelievable, and I was left with a sense of childlike wonder.
Overwhelmed by the natural beauty, my mind instantly went to the one who created it all. God has the ability to create such beauty and so much more, yet he chose to love us above all. His graciousness extends farther than even our eyes could see today. His love overwhelms the overwhelming to us. And we deserved none of it. Table Mountain reminded us of his power and vastness but also his closeness to us.
The rest of our day was a joy as we were continually flooded with wonder and a desire to be curious. We received a tour of the city from our intelligent bus driver, Amok, and saw locations vital to the story of Cape Town. From a prison seven stories underground that housed Nelson Mandela, to the hospital where the first heart transplant took place, to the 17th-century Dutch gardens and Castle of Good Hope, we saw it all and can better appreciate and understand the current status of the nation.
Once again, our food was remarkable, and most agreed that the food from a multitude of cultures prepared by locals at the Old Biscuit Mill was some of the best we’ve ever tasted. Dinner at Marco’s African Place allowed us to expand our palate even more as ostrich, springbok, kudu, sheep’s head, ox tongue, goat, and fish were all ordered by our adventurous group. In spirit with F. Scott Fitzgerald, we have also been able to try Cape Town’s famous giant Gatsby sandwich, nicknamed for its glamour similar to Jay Gatsby.
In our quest to learn, we were given a guided tour of the District Six Museum by a former resident. We learned of the tragic past of the community when the apartheid government unsympathetically razed the neighborhood to the ground in hopes of creating an area close to the city reserved for only Europeans. Its former residents were left with nothing and forced to relocate to the perimeter of the city, helping to facilitate the creation of the modern township. The passion of our guide was evident, and it was clear she was eager to teach, and we were eager to learn. This historical context is essential to a better understanding of the communities and people we will serve with.
More than any other building, view, or location, we have enjoyed the people the most. We have already grown closer as a group, but our interactions with the local South Africans have been, as we discussed today, genuine. An authentic presence seems to be the common denominator when speaking with the people here. The problems the country of South Africa is facing are very complex and have no easy solution, but it is clear how God is working here. God works through us, and we are confident that the future of South Africa can be promising. The injustices of the past that plague the present can eventually be overcome.
- Wyatt
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