Follow the Q9 team on their blog, February 13-22, 2008.

http://questne.blogspot.com/

The South Africa Team traveled to the city of Durban. This was the first year Quest expanded to two teams. The SA team was delayed by 48 hours due to a Valentine's Day storm that hit the East Coast.

During the team's time in South Africa Jared, son of the IMB missionaries we partnered with joined our team. He is the same age as all the Questies.

The Q8/SA team worshiped with three congregations on the first day in country. During the week we met with four different youth groups. During the days we worked at a school assisting the missionaries with establishing a new ministry in the Chatsfield Township.

Read the team's post trip thoughts.

The trip to South Africa has changed my life forever. I learned so many thing while on this trip, mainly patience. From the very beginning of the trip to the flight back, I knew that God was going to teach me to calm down and let Him do all the work. Through all the delays and lost luggage I could hear God saying, "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

I also learned to be thankful for everything God has given me. On Thursday afternoon we went to an informal settlement. The things I saw, smelled and heard will never leave me. Everytime  I am tempted to complain, children running barefoot over broken glass fills my mind and what seems unpleasant or unsatisfying suddenly doesn't seem half so bad.

The people I met and the things I saw have changed my life. I saw God daily in the eyes of little children and my friends. I wouldn't give this experience up for the world.  Bailey

This was my first experience overseas, and my first long-term trip out of the country. It was eye-opening and an amazing experience. Being able to go to an orphanage, and see informal settlements, which were houses made out of cardboard and trash was heartbreaking, and made me examine my own life. It was cool to see God's creativity in the animals, when we went to a game park and saw giraffe and zebras.

The most dramatic experience was going to Zache's Place a house of safety, an orphanage for newborns to six year old children who were abandoned or mentally, physically or sexually abused. To see beautiful creations of God without a home really touched me. To think of what I could do, and should do. I got to hold a 6-day old abandoned baby who was crying and just wanted to be held and loved. God has called us to help the least of these, because when helping and serving them, you're serving Him.  Danielle

What an experience! We did so much and learned so much. One of the things that really struck me on the very first day was the contrast of living conditions within a neighborhood. Several times we saw the tiny shacks of a squatter settlement with very nice houses within 50 feet on either side. The contrast of extreme poverty and relative wealth was absolutely eye opening. At one point in the trip we actually visited one of these informal housing settlements. Talking to and praying for the people who lived there was very revealing. Many people there needed jobs, and were really trying to get one, just couldn't because labor was so cheap and so plentiful there. Through the conditions of living, God really showed all of us how ignorant we are when we complain about something that we don't have or something that happened. Brady

This trip to South Africa was the first mission and overseas trip for me. It was an amazing bur overwhelming experience. New sights, sounds, people, and land that is totally different from my own. The very first full day in SA we went to three different kinds of Sunday service. We visited Indian, Zulu and White congregations. The message at Westville church focused on stripping off the fig leaves which became a theme or goal for the week. We hide our true selves. When we are asked for things to pray for we say nothing and I'm fine when inside we are screaming to our true selves. Our group walked through the informal settlements where families live in horrid conditions. One lady living by herself was reluctant to let us in and when we asked what she needed prayer for she said nothing. Looking around we asked again and hoped for something. This time she looked us in the eye and said she was just tested positive for HIV and could use all the prayer she could get. She also said she was scared, it hit me at that moment that if she could be comfortable sharing such a pain in her life, why can't I be comfortable sharing my pain with loved ones that I have known all my life?

The weaver bird is a bird in South Africa that lives in a nesting community. Males build a nest to attract a female. If the female likes the nest, she will mate with the bird, if she doesn't like the nest she will break it apart causing the male to have to start over. We need people in our lives to point out what we are doing wrong maybe even tear it down to make our relationship stronger with God. Like the male weaver bird who then builds a stronger nest for his mate.

This experience words could never be put into words, it is something you have to see yourself. But what I learned is comparison that I hope you can understand. Thanks. Crystal

One of the things that stuck to me was when we went to the animal park. All the landscape and animals, they were all a breathtaking experience. It is something you have to go and experience for yourself. Looking at everything and saying God this is your creation and it's amazing. When people  hear Africa they think wild and jungles but not all of Africa is like that. Over all the whole experience going over there and seeing what God can do is an amazing sight. Nasya