My old stomping grounds, or Village life

After a much needed day of recuperation we set out for Queenstown, where I had spent most of my time as a missionary in South Africa. In my opinion, if you want to see Africa in South Africa, the Eastern Cape epitomizes the stereotypes. Overall South Africa is a very beautiful country, but the rugged and rural beauty that has somehow remained undefiled, maintains the mystical beauty that is only found in Africa. The eastern cape is the poorest region in South Africa and one of the poorest regions in all of Africa.

A cow on a a highway, with a speed limit of 120km/hr (72mph). Typical of this region, there are cows, goats, and people meandering about the road, as if unaware that cars even pass through this part of the world. Our horn was well used on this trip.

People here live in small villages, several of them pepper the landscape beside the highway. Electricity  and central heating can be unheard of. It is winter time now and it gets quite cold here, women walk to forested areas, often miles from their villages and collect wood for fuel and warmth. They bundle up the loose wood in great cords and walk them back on their heads to their homes. 

Periodically on our drive, the highway would enter a small town, where we would dodge pedestrians and watch the bustle of these throbbing oasis's. People from all the nearby villages come in droves to stock up on the necessities of life. Few villages in South Africa are self sustaining and the people require these towns to provide their foodstuffs, clothing, and other necessities.    

Typical Xhosa family. Xhosa women do not typically have the luxury of strollers or time to coddle their children. From birth a child will be strapped to a mothers back whilst she goes about her daily doings. Children often seem to walk earlier and be pretty independent because of this. 

Xhosa girls carry great loads on their heads often over pretty big distances. 

We made it to church in a village that I served in outside of Queenstown and found one of my very good friends there. I am quickly learning that my Xhosa speaking skills are dwindling, everybody is pretty encouraging though.

Typical village setting in the mountainous inland eastern cape. Families live in the round houses and generally keep a small garden. These people live a simple life and don't have much.