Category: South Africa

"The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride." If I would choose a verse to describe my Outtatown journey, I would choose Ecclesiastes 7:8. I realized this on the second day of our scorching trek through the Karoo Desert, and then again the week we were working on our community development projects in Kayamandi.

The bus ride to Cape Town, for many of us, was a miserable drive that showed that the end of the ride really is better than the beginning, if that meant that we were finally done driving through what I'm sure was the hottest car ride we've ever experienced. For me it was also an amazing moment of realization. I was watching the beautiful desert go by when it finally hit me just how crazy it is that I am in South Africa. If anyone would have told me that I would be here just a few years ago I would have scoffed in their face and told them it was impossible, while in my mind wishing it were true but thinking I was unworthy of such a privilege. Looking back now, I realize that being patient and fighting through those lies that I told myself has gotten me here, and even though this isn't my end, this is already better than where I began.

"Don't forget about the real project." I can't tell you how many times I heard Johan, a long-time Outtatown partner, tell us this while we were planning our development projects in Kayamandi. The reminder to search for the real project of building relationships and finding the deeper level hit me in the heart every time. Every day that we were walking around the streets of Kayamandi, enjoying the sense of community flowing through the air, it was hard to set my foot down on my pride and tell myself to be patient. If I went according to what would make me feel good about myself, I would have gone in and just created a project that looked good, forgetting to take my time with the people. This project required us to stop, think, and be patient with finding a place where we could both build a relationship and learn from. This project had nothing to do with what would make me happy, but had everything to do with what would strengthen and empower the people in Kayamandi.

I have had the privilege to learn to anticipate that everything will be better than it already is, and to practice being patient in everything I do. I am excited to see how God will keep trying my patience by killing my pride, how God will guide me throughout my life, to see it keep growing into something better during and after Outtatown.

Sincerely,

– Carolyn Penner, Site 2 South Africa student, 2018-19

Outtatown: Grad Reflections

This Outtatown year saw us standing at the bottom of a mountain looking up at a daunting climb. For some of us that climb involved experiencing intense community for the first time. For others it took shape while talking about faith in the midst of our world’s diversity and hurt. 

For all of us that climb saw us travel to a new culture without family, and spend an entire day in silence or several dark hours in a cave. Indeed, fears and challenges defined much of our year, and while we may have more questions than ever, we have also gained wisdom and perspective.

Our year has also seen us celebrate spectacular mountaintops. Many students have uncovered or solidified their passions, whether for justice, for art, or for outdoor exploration, and these are calling us into exciting futures as we share all that we are still learning. Our mountaintops saw us learn to be vulnerable with those who walk alongside us; hopeful in witnessing each other’s victories; and strong in encouraging each other through challenges. In so many ways, having struggled and overcome—having experienced the daunting climb and the mountaintop—we have come to know that God is at work in all circumstances.

– Rachel Herold, Site 1 Guatemala Site Leader, 2018-19. An excerpt from her graduation address, appearing in Spring 2019 Blazer https://www.cmu.ca/docs/blazer/CMU_CMU_Blazer_Spring_2019.pdf

Recently our entire group spent three days in the beautiful Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa. We hiked, marvelled at God’s amazing creation, and spent the evenings camping out in a cave, playing games, and bonding more as a community. I think those three days really took us all back to our canoe trip at the beginning first semester. We recalled the constant rain and the awkwardness of entering our new community back in September. This reminder allowed us to look back and see just how far we have come as a community. It also prepared us to say goodbye, as the end of Outtatown has begun to creep up on us.

Throughout our first day of hiking, and later while we were in the cave, I found the song “Set a Fire” running through my head. In particular, the line that says, “There’s no place I’d rather be, than here in your love,” repeated itself. These lyrics continued to run through my head on the second day as we made our way up the steep slope to the top of Rhino’s Peak. I found this to be comforting as I looked out at the wonder and scenery around us.

Later that night, when we returned to our cave, we had worship and sat on the edge of our cave looking at the beautiful peaks that we had climbed just hours earlier. I remember sitting with my back against the cave wall watching as the sun set and darkness enveloped our group, with the only light coming from a few headlamps. During worship we sang “Set a Fire”. I felt my soul fill with joy especially as we sang the lyric, “There’s no place I’d rather be.”  Again, I found myself reflecting on the past six months, just how far our group has come and how different our community seems now.

The next morning I woke up early and watched as the rising sun make the mountains change colour and glow. I sat there with a few others in silence, just enjoying each other’s presence and being still before God’s creation.

I felt so at peace being with the people who have now become some of my favourite people in the world and sitting in what might be the most beautiful place I have ever been. During our time in Drakensberg God reaffirmed me and my choice to do Outtatown, as He has continued to do both semesters. I can honestly say there is no place I would rather be right now and no other people that I would rather be with.

– Amy Wiens, Site 2 South Africa student, 2018-19

Musings from Hwy 11

We were cruising down highway 11 in Northern Ontario. Cruise control was set, our puppy Pippin was curled up in the back seat, I was singing along to some tunes, when Zoe looked over at me and said, “Could it get any better for you? This is your dream.”

Spending roughly 60 hours in a car might not sound like vacation to you. That’s fair. It sounds a little odd to me as I type it out. That’s a lot of time. But the thing is, I LOVED it! It makes me feel some solidarity with Outtatown students who spend countless hours in the big, white Outtatown vans as they drive from Winnipeg to the Canadian Pacific Coast and back.

Every so often, we in the Outtatown office get the opportunity to take a vacation. I returned from mine a few days ago and still feel like I’m playing catch-up. In light of this, I’m going to gift you with a couple musings from 18 days spent road tripping to Southern Ontario and back.

It is so good and healthy to get into the wilderness. Nature has always been a place where I am able to relax and where I more naturally encounter God (pun intended). Highway 11 is pretty isolated at times. After months of busy work it was such a relief to find myself on that lone road, with only the occasional transport truck passing us. Life can get busy and complicated, but moments of relative solitude lead us to encounters and revelation. This makes me excited to think of how Outtatown students will be challenged to encounter God during a day of silence in first semester, led by Steve Klassen.

Part of our road trip included a visit to my grandma in Matheson, about 700 km north of Toronto. Grandma is now 94 and never ceases to inspire me with her vibrant, passionate faith and her incredible knowledge. How often do you get beat by a 94-year-old in Scrabble? Driving the many kilometres of highway I reflected on my grandma’s vitality and fun-loving attitude. Faith is paramount in Grandma’s life, and this inspires her to find deep joy in everyday life.

I think of Outtatown students this upcoming year who will spend time studying the Bible and exploring the beauty and brokenness of Canada and Guatemala. But they will also experience a lot of adventure and will have fun doing it! There can be a tendency to prioritize work while devaluing play and adventure, but I think of Grandma, who recognizes the goodness in both. This is something I love about Outtatown: students work and play in community, wherever they go. Formation and learning take place in both work and play, but Grandma’s words remind me that God delights in our joyful fun.

So, my prayer for each of you, and for each future Outtatown student, is that you would find space to rest, to encounter God, and that amidst the busyness of life you would have fun. Just say that Grandma told you so.

– Tim Cruickshank, Outtatown Co-Director

I don’t consider myself an adrenaline junkie or a daredevil, but I can testify that, after jumping off a bungee bridge and plunging 216m down, I crave more experiences that take courage and boldness to feel alive and face my fears.

As I watched my friends jump off this bridge one-by-one, I felt a wave of fear and hesitation. I told myself they must be crazy and that I must be as well to trust this rope and have faith that it will keep me from plummeting to the ground below. However, as more and more people shared in the amazing and unexplainable feeling of freefalling, I knew I had to experience this for myself. They called my jump number and before I knew it, I was strapped by the ankles and waddling to the edge of the platform. At that point there were no excuses and no turning back; all it took was a split second of courage to jump. I could try to explain the feeling, but it is hard to find the words for an overwhelming feeling of excitement, fear, and stillness all at the same time.

Once we had all finished our jump and hopped back on the bus, I finally had time to let the experience settle in. With a little reflection I could very quickly identify where my faith fit into all of this. Much like my faith in Christ, I oftentimes find it hard to stir up the boldness and courage to trust God fully with my life. This year, through other people’s testimonies and stories of unexplainable and radical faith, I knew these were things I had to experience for myself! Like the freefall, the indescribable feeling of God is an overwhelming feeling of excitement, fear, and stillness. God makes us feel alive if we take a leap of faith and trust he will keep us safe.

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved” – Ephesians 2:4-5

“Jumping, falling, not falling, rising, not rising, falling, not falling, rising, not rising, falling, stillness.”

– Kaitlyn Shuart, Site 2 South Africa student, 2018-19

Change

“Change is good, Donkey…..if you manage change properly” is one of the top quotes from the popular movie, Shrek. I must admit, sometimes I feel like the donkey who needs to be prodded into accepting change. I like familiarity, I like control, and sometimes I need time to catch up to progress. I sometimes think about changes that my parents’ generation has experienced. My Dad farmed with his Dad–they ploughed fields with horses and transportation was not yet motorized. You can imagine the changes and, shall we say, progress he experienced in his lifetime.

But change IS good. I remember September 2018 when 41 Outtatown students started out on what is probably the most life-changing adventure they have yet experienced. Most students come on the program not knowing who else will be with them. They know that their Site Leaders will provide leadership and will walk with them, but the rest is trekking into the unknown. “What am I doing here?” is in most students’ minds as they headed off in a very large van full of mostly strangers to a lake in Northwestern Ontario.

As Outtatown Program Assistant, I have the pleasure of reading student comments at the end of each semester. It is very rewarding and emphasizes for me why I work here. I am quite certain that the students are not the same now as when they left the CMU campus in September. They’ve been changed. Some have met Jesus in a very real way and others have strengthened their relationship with God. They’ve been stretched in ways that I’m sure they didn’t realize they would be stretched. They have matured. Families and communities that are receiving them back may see very real differences.

Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” This verse gives me such hope that the Outtatown Grads of 2018-19 will continue to change, grow, and mature in their faith as they continue longing to follow Jesus. I hope that, many years from now, these changed people can stop and take inventory and realize that change is good and that the good work that has started in their lives now has and will be carried on to completion one day.

– Joyce Friesen, Outtatown Program Assistant