by Cammy Brantzeg
Monday, November 18th was our last day in South Africa. Our team stopped by the Mosaic house to take pictures with the workers, Mosaic staff and Mosaic mothers before we started our reflection time. As you can see the roof is on but windows and doors still need to be added. The inside of the house still needs to be finished but a lot was accomplished in a little over a week.
After saying goodbye to everyone, our team headed to the Andrew Murray Center for Spirituality to spend a little time reflecting about our time spent in South Africa and affirming each other. Meyer and Louise shared some of the history of the center and who Andrew Murray was with the group before taking our team to the donkey bush to pray for us.
Our group then had 20-30 minutes to quietly reflect before heading to the chapel for a short 15 minute service. I headed to the labyrinth to walk a portion of it before our time was up.
The chapel is the white building in the distance.
You can see a cross made out of plants when looking out through the wall of windows in the Chapel.
The services was about the spiritual discipline of viso divina.
Visio divina invites us to encounter the divine through images. A prayerful consideration of and interaction with a photograph, an icon, a piece of art, or other visual representation allows the viewers to experience the divine in a unique and powerful way.
The service was peaceful/calm and I enjoyed the simplicity of it.
I didn't take any pictures after the service. Our team shared a simple meal before heading to a room with a long oval table for the 10 members of our team to sit around. At this time we reflected on our trip and tried to come up with a 2-3 sentence summary of our trip.
When we return back to the US the majority of the people who ask us how our trip was want a quick summary. They don't have time for the 1-2 hour detailed story so we help our team members come up with the words to share about their trip.
My summary for this trip was...
It was amazing! God's plan continues to surprise and humble me.
I know from the many mission trips that I have led that God brings each team together to do something amazing. I never know what will happen but every trip is different and unique but beautiful in its own way and this trip was special just like all of my other mission trips.
We also give the group time to write a letter to themselves. I will give them these letters or remind them to read the letter if they kept it in their binder 3 to 6 months after their return.
When you are in South Africa with a team, you are in a protected bubble. Your life in the US is so very far away. You experience many highs and lows and the team is there to support you through it all. Your team members become like family to you. You think you will be able to stay in that mental space but I know when everyone returns to their life in the US that feeling will slowly fade away. The letter is a way to remember your trip and how it made you feel.
The last part of our time together we go around the table affirming each other. We take turns focusing on each team member and saying what we saw in each one of them on this trip. Many people have a hard time seeing their gifts so this is a nice time to tell people the beauty we see in them. It is also interesting because so many people go on these mission trips and discover new gifts and talents that they never knew they had.
I love the last day of our trips. We are constantly busy so it is nice to pause for a moment, to reflect, to remember special moments and to remember how we felt before we leave.
It was amazing! God's plan continues to surprise and humble me.
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