By: Faye Schuur
Murray County News Staffwriter
Andy Busman, Chandler along with Bob and Bonnie Ossefoort of Woodstock, traveled with seven others to South Africa as delegates of the Shetek Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. (ELCA) Conference. Twelve years ago, the Shetek-Ondini Partnership started when members of the Shetek ELCA Conference worked with the Ondini Circuit to teach them to utilize the farmland that had been forgotten about over the years. In South Africa, because of Apartheid, farming was not considered a respectable trade. However with 60% unemployment rate, the people of the Ondini Circuit need to utilize the farmland that is available to them.
On August 2, the three Murray County residents traveled for 36 hours (20 1/2 hours in flight) along with 7 other members of the Shetek Conference. A beautiful sunrise over the Indian Ocean greeted them their first morning in Durban. They were able to walk the beach before touring the area, including stopping at the Nelson Mandela Memorial. The Memorial is located at his capture site, and consists of 50 thirty foot high steel plates that were laser-cut. If a visitor stands at the right angle, they would be able to see Mandela’s face.
While traveling, the group was chauffeured in two vans. Riding in the vans took some getting used to, since they drive on the opposite side of the road, and also that the driver was on the opposite side of the vehicle. Also, if someone was trying to pass on a two lane road, and a vehicle was coming, the two vehicles would drive on the edge of the road to allow the person to pass between them.
The group stayed at the “compound-like” Kwazamohkuhle Diaconic Centre. Local ladies came in to cook meals for the group. “The food was pretty good, the meat was chicken, chicken and more chicken” Bonnie Ossefoort remarked.
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