The Regional Gathering was held at a place called The Grail
Center, located in the small town of Kleinmond; 2 hours drive from the airport.
The shuttle dropped us off at our guesthouses and after a full day of travel, we
got some much-needed sleep.
The town of Kleinmond is a nice area just to walk around and
even do some hiking. On my first day I climbed up the “The Three Sisters” trail
with Clayton Ellington and Robert Turk. It was a great hike but we only walked
for about 2 hours because it started to rain. There were some great views on
the mountain. I also got a chance to walk around the town and along the coast
line. The community of Kleinmond is mostly made up of retired couples that have
small homes with picket fences.
The following day we started to explore the area and visited
the beach as we waited for more people to arrive. I had not realized the number
of Presbyterian mission co-workers that are living in Africa; it was great to
meet everyone, and to hear where they were all coming from. The experience of
having all these missionaries in one place and having the opportunity to hear
about their lives and work was truly eye opening. Before going to the Regional
Gathering, I knew that there were lots of missionaries that were helping people
in different countries, but as I met them and put a face to their profession, I
began to realize how much the church is doing, and the way that they are
empowering local people to help themselves; it’s really inspirational stuff.
While many of the things on the agenda did not directly
pertain to the YAVs, by being included in the Gathering, there were a lot of
things that we learned. One of the great things about being part of this
retreat was that the World Mission office was presenting the new strategic
direction to the mission co-workers. I really enjoyed hearing about the new
direction that this office is moving in and while my time in Africa is
beginning to draw to a close, it was nice to feel like the YAVs are part of it
as well.
Another thing that I really like was hearing the different
stories that people would share. It is always great to hear stories from people
who travel and many of these people are coming from different parts of the
continent. Some of the stories were hilarious while others were about the hard
ships that the local people and friends are going through. What interested me
the most was the time of sharing where people would explain the difficulties
and challenges they face in their work and in their lives… I think these experiences
gave me a new perspective on the challenges that we face. As a YAV in a new
country and a different culture, there are always challenges you will face. I
guess it is nice to know that I was not the only one that has struggled with
adapting to a different culture and even mission co-workers, who have been
living in their different countries for years, also struggle with things too.
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