South Africa!

Recently, our family traveled to South Africa! We were there for two weeks. The first week we explored the West Cape (Cape Town). The second week we had a retreat in the Draknesberg Mountains. 

Views out of airplane windows are always breath taking! 

The house we stayed at in Cape Town was right on the beach! Waking up and falling asleep to waves! 

The first day we went in Simon's Town and saw African Penguins! (yes there are penguins in Africa)

They are so cute! You could watch them all day! 

Our favorite spot was called Boulder Beach. We could get up close and even swim with the penguins! 

Local restaurant 

The second day, we visited a Dutch farm. 

We loved the animals! 

After the farm we attempted to visit a light house. 

The fog had other plans...

The third day, we hiked down the mountain to a beach. We had it all to ourselves. 

Everything was so beautiful! 

Starfish

The next day we went into Cape of Good Hope National Park. We hiked to Cape Point - the lowest point in Africa! Then went to the Cape of Good Hope. The mountains were impressive and the water below was so beautiful. 

Walking to Cape Point

The light house in the distance marks Cape Point. However, due to weather conditions, hiking to the light house was unsafe the day we were there. 

Lydia and I decided to make a rock snow man. His hair definetly made him stand out. 

Cape of Good Hope 

(can you find our rock snow man)

It was so strange to see African wildlife, such as Ostriches, roaming free with mountains on one side and the ocean on the other.

We swam in a tidal pool...it was so cold! On our way out we noticed this huge bone, which we concluded was from a whale, and seal bones scattered around it. 

Speaking of seals, we took a boat ride to Seal Island, home to 74,000 seals! 

(We decided not to do that again, since some of us got sick on the boat!)

Table Mountain National Park

We walked to the highest point on Table Mountain. It was a long, hot walk. We were all thankful for water and slushies afterwards.

Above the clouds! 

All tired out

The last morning we went back to Boulder Beach (with the penguins). We found a couple of star fish! 

Swimming! 

On to the next part of our trip...Drakensberg!

Cape Town was beautiful! It was so nice to have a relaxing vacation, see a new part of the world, get American food, see animals... We spent countless hours exploring tide pools in front of our house and walking in the mountains. God's creation is beautiful! Time and time again, we commented on God's majesty and might as seen in the mountains and the ocean. Yet He is a gentle God in the way He cares for the animals. God is a detailed creator. He is personal and knows your every need. In the midst of the beautiful mountains, were smalled areas of metal shacks where the refugees and poor lived. It was so hard to comprehend this. God is a God of beauty and life. Yet everywhere there are people in need. I concluded that no organization could do enough to help; the need is simply too great. However, the power of the Gospel is worth far more than any physical relief. This life is temporary, but God's gift of life will last forever. The Gospel is the best gift anyone could receive. How blessed I am to have this gift! And what a mission we are called to in sharing the Gospel!