Reflecting On An Amazing Experience....

After such an amazing experience it is always nice to reflect on what happened. Listed here are the thoughts of the Luther College Women's Basketball Team. When you are finished reading the reflections I think you will find that there was not one person on this trip who didn't come back a different person with a new perspective. I think I can speak for the entire LCWBB team when I say thank you to the kind people of South Africa... We will never be the same!

* I was really nervous for the flight and being on foreign land. Looking back, the trip turned out to be an amazingly moving experience which I am so honored and glad that I could be a part of.

* I enjoyed so much of this trip that I don't even know where to start. The best parts of this experience has been meeting the people of South Africa.

* It was so cool to see the older children at the orphanage help out the younger ones by translating what we said if they didn't understand. I was so surprised that I could learn so much from just observing them.

* This trip was one of the most eye-opening, informative and exciting trips I have ever been on; whether we were attending church, playing ball, teaching kids how to jump stop, or singing Mariah Carey at the top of our lungs, I was able to learn something new about myself, my teammates and others around me.

* This idea of perseverance directly correlates with another lesson I learned; UNITY. This was also presented at the museums but it was most powerful for me at church. One song said words similar to "One body...One People." I looked around the room and received smiles from people I had never met before. And these were not just smiles but they were true, real, loving, and a gift from God. I have never felt so welcome to a church or community in my life, I could feel their acceptance and open arms.

* What I noticed most about the people of South Africa is how happy they are. They love life and they are so close to their family and communities. What I began to question then is, are we really that much better off than them? I don't think you can really answer this question, but it definately gives you something to think about. I was so impressed by the happiness of the people and the optimisum of people who have so little.

* I really enjoyed all the museums. While learning a lot and gaining a better understanding and perspective of the culture and history of the country. What was even more amazing was how almost all of our tour guides had lived through these experiences and shared their stories with us first hand.

* The South African people... this is what I wll always remember about the trip. They carry a spirit inside of them which is admirable to me. They make the most of what they have, and are willing to share everything they have, and never once did I hear them complain about their lifestyle, or take for granted what they have.

* Going into the clinic, I wasn't really nervous or too concerned about any of it. I was able to teach younger kids/adults something that I am passionate about and love doing and now I will shared that basketball connection with them forever. Granted, I did encounter some obstacles, such as the language barrier with the younger kids as well as varying skill levels; but their enthusiasm and willingness to learn made it so easy to invest myself into what I was doing.

* I cannot believe how open armend they were at bringing us in. (Especially given the apartheid only ended about 20 years ago) It amazes me how much they had forgiven and forgotten how whites had treated them, and didn't hold it against us. Singing and dancing with them and being able to come together under Jesus' name was so awesome. I loved that church!

* Church was a whole new experience that I really enjoyed! It put a whole new fun yet very dedicated aspect on church

* The elephant was a little scary, but well worth it!

* Working with people less fortunate than you really gives you a new perspecitve on your own life. Seeing kids playing barefoot in a park littered with glass, and a six member family confined to a four room home makes you truly appreciate your own life's blessings.

* The children of South Africa is something I will never forget. Their joy and the excitement on their faces. Let us not forget the affection and love that greeted LCWBB. It is heartbreakingly apparent that many of the children can not receive all the basic needs that I have been blessed with.

* So many times I was struck by the kindness of South Africans.

* I found myself surprised when we were at the Apartheid and District 6 Museums. I was blown away by the way the oppressed people in South Africa were able to forgive and forget all of the horrible things that were done to them. Instead of dwelling on things that could not be changed, the families wanted to move on with their lives and find happiness for themselves once again after their worlds were turned upside down.