The Daily Journal

Day 1 - Friday, October 31

When I got on the plane for the first time to South Africa, I was scared, but I loved when it took off. It felt smooth when it was going fast down the runway. But once we were half way there, my head started throbbing and I thought my brain was going to explode. But overall I loved being on a plane. When we landed in New York, I did not see the Statue of Liberty, but I wanted to. We stayed there for about five hours, maybe more. We got back on the plane before it hit the next day to go to South Africa. That was the first day. – James Johnson, Youth Ambassador

From day one, I knew this was a trip of a lifetime. Our journey started out on October 31st. We began our journey at the Charlotte Douglas airport where we started off at 4:15 in the morning. – Adenike Ohonme, Youth Ambassador 

Day 2 - Saturday, November 1

A little bit of our day was spent on the plane. When we got off we packed up the shoes. Then we went to the store to get all of things for the cottage. It was six people in one cottage. I had to sleep on the bed that was low to the floor in the front room. There are four cottages. The boys had their own and so did the girls. Tajir and I were walking around with the other chaperones in the group. Then we went back to the cottage and I took a shower and the water got cold and the water pressure got low. Then we looked at a little bit of TV. – James Johnson, Youth Ambassador 

Day 3 - Sunday, November 2

On Sunday, I was sleep when the other people in my cottage went to the beach at 5am. Then I got up and went to church. Church was great. We sang a lot of songs. The ambassadors went to Sunday School to do our play and sing. Afterwards, this little boy was break dancing. Then we left the church, got on the bus, and went to the pastor's house to eat. Then the student went to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. "We stood on the rocks and took some pictures by the ocean. We went to the market in the middle of Cape Town. I bought a little bit. I got to get something for my brothers. Then we went back to church. – James Johnson, Youth Ambassador

Day 4 - Monday, November 3

We've been in Cape Town, South Africa two full days and so far everyone has had great experiences and learned a lot already. We did our first shoe distribution at Die Duine Primary school today. 462 children received shoes today. 147 of them received Christ and 2 rededicated their lives to Christ. While it has been a long day and some have gotten sunburned already, the kids are doing a great job and everyone is working together as a team. – Tonisha Johnson, YAP Coordinator

Our first Monday in Cape Town, South Africa hit me the most because we went to a school where we attended to 400+ Students and children. And for me, it showed a great example of how to act like a team and to stay strong and pull together. God has done awesome things so far and I can’t wait to see what He has in the next week for the Youth Ambassadors of Samaritans Feet. – Adenike Ohonme, Youth Ambassador

Day 5 - Tuesday, November 4

We went to Sir Lowryess Pass Primary School.  This was the second place where we distributed shoes.  We were going to be there for two days because of the amount of children we had to give shoes to.  I started washing feet first and the children barely spoke English, which seemed to be a disadvantage for us.  The older children spoke better English than the smaller children, though.  However, we did have two translators sitting next to each one of the ambassadors.  I had a good experience distributing shoes to a school of around 900.  I noticed how friendly all of the children were and how they came back to talk to me after I washed their feet, which I loved. – Rebecca Baxter, Youth Ambassador

Day 6 - Wednesday, November 5 

It was our last day at Sir Lowryess Pass Primary School.  Fortunately, the day previously we had completed grades K-4 and only had grades 5-7 to complete.  This shoe distribution was a lot easier but was still straining, even though this was one of the most rewarding days of my life.  Once we finished the distribution and were about to leave, the principal announced that there was to be a short assembly.  The school thanked Samaritan’s Feet in a song that they wrote especially for us.  At the end of the presentation, all of the children bombarded us with hugs.  It made us all feel so happy to know that the children were really thankful for their new shoes and their renewed love for Jesus. – Morgan Ingraham, Youth Ambassador

The trip is halfway over. The adults and especially the students are definitely not ready to go home.  Many have said they would stay if they could.  While we came to South Africa to impact countless lives, our group has found that many of the people that we have come in contact with, mainly children, have touched our hearts in a way that we will never forget.  On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, we served close to 900 students at Sir Lowryress Pass Primary.  For the first time, a school prepared a program for us just to say thank you for touching their lives and teaching them more about Christ.  That is something that will stick with this group forever. Over the two-day period, 870 children received a pair of shoes; 233 children received Christ; three children rededicated their lives to Christ. – Tonisha Johnson, YAP Coordinator

Day 7 - Thursday, November 6

Today, we took a break from washing feet to go to Cypress Primary School for Samaritan’s Feet Day.  When we arrived, the principal told us about how appreciative he was for us to be there.  He explained to us about why Samaritan’s Feet Day was started, which was because of the blessed day that occurred one year ago to the date.  We helped celebrate the special day with an assembly.  The school’s spiritual dancers and hip-hop dancers performed for us.  We sang "God’s Not Dead" and performed our skit for them.  After this, it was the students' break time.  We got to know many of the children.  When we finished our delicious lunch, we split into our classes for about an hour and a half.  In the classes, questions about America were asked and answered. The class also did math problems.  Then it came time for another break.   At this moment, we danced, sang, played games with soccer balls and exchanged numbers.  I think that this led to an emotional attachment to the Cypress Primary schoolkids.  Laughs, smiles, and souls were shared.  Leaving at this point became hard for everyone.  This day will definitely be stored in my heart and in the hearts of my fellow ambassadors and the children we came to love. – Cassidy Mills, Youth Ambassador

Thank you Lord, for providing us this opportunity to serve.  Thanks to my family and friends for supporting us.  It has been a blessing beyond belief.  When you give money to organizations, you hope and pray they use it for good.  I’m seeing and taking first-hand in this organization, Samaritan’s Feet.  They make a difference to each child.  Our prayers make a difference to each child.  Seeing a child’s eye sparkle after they’ve received a pair of shoes is so fulfilling. – Darrell Mills, YAP Chaperone

Day 8 - Friday, November 7

Today we went to Cape Town University.  I thought it was really pretty.  It looks like a place where if you wanted to go to a small college, it’s a place where you could go to.  I haven’t really looked at colleges.  So this is a start for me to begin looking the possibilities that are out there. – Blair Langford, Youth Ambassador

It was a good experience to actually learn and see about the history of the school.  It was a good school.  Even though it’s across the world, it seems to be a better opportunity for college education.  It has now opened my views to college than just the few that I have been interested in. – Tajir Wharton, Youth Ambassador

After we left Cape Town University, we headed for Table Mountain.  We had to take a cable car up to the top of the mountain.  From there you could look out over the city of Cape Town and beyond.  I was scared to go to the top and I didn’t know what to do because I’m afraid of heights.  But I prayed and asked God to help keep me safe.  Once we got to the top, we ate and then went shopping.   We spent about an hour and a half there before we took the cable car back down.  We left and went to the Langa Township. We saw some of the kids and their homes.  I said to myself, "Wow…this is definitely not like home."  But I didn’t make faces or laugh.  I just played, smiled, and talked to the people.  I also gave candy and toys to the kids and watched the kids dance and sing.  I met a 14-year-old girl that had a little baby boy.  I learned from this experience that even though I have a place to stay, that the people that don’t have a home like I do, they still appreciate what they have.  They also don’t take it for granted. – Kiahna Carelock, Youth Ambassador

I was really surprised to see a 14-year-old girl with a baby, although there are 14-year-olds with children in America.  But it just seemed different.  I’m not sure why.  It seemed as though she would be struggling with so many more things, like food and money.  Most 14-year-olds in America are ashamed if they have a baby and may not take the responsibility of caring for the child. But this young South African girl didn’t seem to be ashamed and appeared to be taking full responsibility for the child as best she could.  The Lord laid it on my heart to bless her financially because I recognized that it may be hard to raise a child at that young of an age. – Tajir Wharton, Youth Ambassador

Day 9 - Saturday, November 8

We went to Cape Point.  We had a choice to either walk up to the top or take the Funicular (cable car).  I chose to take the cable car.  I was scared to be up that high.  I was scared that I was going to be attacked by a baboon.  There are usually at least two baboons that roam free around the area.   When I got to the top, it was very windy, but it was very beautiful.  I had a chance to see signs pointing to different places across the globe…each one pointing and showing me how far each place was from where I was standing.  I looked at one arrow and it showed me where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet.  I had never seen anything like that before.  I thought it was really cool to surf on.  After we left Cape Point, we went to eat.  Afterwards, we headed to Mosselbaai, which was a six-hour bus ride.  I slept all the way there.  By the time we got there, it was dark.  I realized that where we were staying was right on the beach.  I thought that this was a great opportunity to walk on the beach and watch the dolphins and whales. – Kiahna Carelock, Youth Ambassador

We visited an AIDS orphanage at Westridge Baptist Church in Mitchells Plains.  There are a few at the orphanage that are living with AIDS while the rest are now living there because their parents died from the deadly disease.  Just spending time with these children was a blessing. – Tonisha Johnson, Youth Ambassador Coordinator

Day 10 - Sunday, November 9

Today we went to Mosselbay Baptist Church to worship with Pastor Mark Bowler's brother.  We had an awesome time in worship and were blessed by spiritual praise dancers.  Pastor Mark brought forth the word and encouraged us all to "Stop Playing God."  The team as a whole was inspired by this message.  After service, we went to feed hundreds of children in a shanty town.  Then we spent time in their community and blessed them with our hugs, love, laughter, and fun before departing.  Leaving the children was difficult.  However, our prayers will forever be with each precious angel encountered in the shanty community. – Shannon Brown, Chaperone

"Shanty Town"
Poem By Oneita Williams (Chaperone)
November 7, 2008

I cannot put into words what I saw today.  My feelings and emotions, they had no words to say.  What hearts will not be touched by the wonders of this place.  How families are so created to utilize each space.  They work with what they have, while we complain we have not and spend too, too much time talking about what others have got...instead of thanking God for the blessings He has bestowed and how He paid the price for us, a debt He never owed.  So I just want to thank Him now for sharing a glimpse of what He sees each day...smiling faces, the warm embraces, from family I've never seen. But crossed my path in this special way.  Their faces will be forever sketched within my heart until I cross to the other side.  This life I must depart.

Day 11 - Monday, November 10

We headed out for the day to Brandtwagt Primary in the Mosselbaai area to do a program for more than 300 children.  While the plans were just to do a program for them, it turned into a worship service as the kids sang for us.  All of them praised and worshipped the Lord, causing tears to flow from many of our eyes.  Afterwards, we left to go do a shoe distribution at Herbertsdale Primer, which was located in a very rural area of the Western Cape.  There, about 61 pairs of shoes were given to children and 31 received the greatest gift, Christ!  After being blessed by so many children today, we left Mosselbaai on a bus bound for the Goudini area (Worcester, South Africa). – Tonisha Johnson, YAP Coordinator

Day 12 – Tuesday, November 11

Our first stop of the day was Goudini Bad Primary School, where about 100 children attend.  The school is located in a rural farming area where there are many wine vineyards.  Most of the children there walk miles upon miles to get to school while their parents work the vineyards.  It was an awesome experience as we washed the feet of the children at Goudini Bad; 88 children received Christ; 98 pairs of shoes were distributed.  As we drove down the road, we began to see the children we served walking home.  They began to wave, blow kisses and run with the bus as we waved back.  The smiles on their faces and the excitement we saw from the day was priceless.  Moving late into the afternoon, children at Lorraine Primere School stayed at school after hours as they waited for us to get there.  We prayed with everyone at the school, including the principals and teachers.  Sixty-two pairs of shoes were distributed, while 55 children received Christ. – Tonisha Johnson, YAP Coordinator

Day 13 – Wednesday, November 12

In pouring rain, we gave one last load of shoes to our partners at YWAM (Worcester, South Africa) to distribute at Voorsoog Primere before heading back to the United States.  It was a great experience.  Taking one last look at a place of such great beauty, we said not good-bye, but see you later to our partners in ministry and to those we met along the way. – Tonisha Johnson, YAP Coordinator