South African Mission Trip: "First Day on the Mission Field"

Written by Youth Pastor Scotty Jarrard;

First Day on the Mission Field


Our first day on the Mission Field was a lot like well, like a lot of first. The first day of school, the first day of a new job, and even the first date all come with this sense of unknowing, hesitation, and even fear counter acted by excitement and anticipation all wrapped up in one little bundle. I remember that one of my biggist fears was worry that the parents of these kids that we are about to work with would think, “Well here come these Americans to show us everything that we are doing wrong.” (In case you didn’t get it, Heavy Sarcasm) I really did not want these people to think that we thought that we were better than them. While in my heart, there was the excitement of just trying to make a difference in these kid’s world. (Let’s face it; everybody wants to make a difference)


As we started the drive towards Beacon Valley Baptist Church, I Started to see a different side of Cape Town, something that we are just not use to in the U.S.. Men were standing in every intersection that we passed, selling everything from fruit & vegetables to car & cellphone accessories. Without even trying, I caught myself judging these men without even thinking about it. Like a second nature act I remember saying to myself, “I wonder where they stole that stuff from.” (Don’t judge me, I’m just being honest and be honest, you probably would of thought the same thing too.) It was amazing how fast God slapped me up side the head and was quick to remind me, “You don’t know these people.”
As we got further down the road, I started to notice a whole lot more. I saw one “City Work Crew” digging a ditch that looked to be about 500 feet long, by hand, to lay a new power cable between street lights. Another “City Work Crew” was picking up trash that littered the road side as far as the eye could see. I was amazed that these work crews were working in such a way. In the U.S. we have “detainee work crews” who do these jobs or at least, that’s the way we think. Next, we came upon an intersection where what looked to be about 50 men stood waiting with water jugs and tools. About that time, a city work truck pulled up to that intersection and a city employee started handing out reflective vest. Evidently, Pastor Greg noticed me staring at the situation and proceeded to explain to me that the men who were standing at the intersection were day laborers. Every morning, these men will come out to various intersections in hopes that someone would pick them up for a day’s work. I had seen this before when I worked in Atlanta and even used some day laborers before but I have never seen this on such a large scale. Intersection after intersection, men were line up waiting and hoping for work to provide for their families. Thats when I realized that those men who were picking up trash and digging that ditch were not city workers, they were day laborers who had been picked up earlier that morning. These men wanted to work and would do whatever they had to do to make a living. 


Along the way, we noticed dog houses, picnic table, and benches that were for sale on the side of the road. When we looked a little closer, we saw two men disassembling shipping pallets. These two men were taking the wood that they salvaged from these pallets and building those dog houses, picnic tables, and benches. And guys, these were pretty nice items at that. Pastor Greg went on to explain that there was a great shortage of jobs not only in the Cape Town area but also, all of South Africa. He told us that a lot of these people were also very skilled at construction, masonry, and pretty much anything that they could do to earn an honest living. 


Don’t get me wrong, I know that we have a lot of the same situations going on here in the U.S. but, nowhere near the scale that we see in Cape Town. I also know that in Cape Town, there are a lot of people who don’t want to work just like here in the U.S. My point is simply this, before you complain about the job you have to do, the hours you have to work, or even having to go in on your scheduled days off, Thank God for the job that he has richly blessed you with cause, there is ALWAYS someone in this world who has it worse off than you do.


Part Two Coming Soon.