Mike and Sam

The Episcopal Church’s Young Adult Service Corps - the program that is responsible for putting me in Mthatha - has given me a number of gifts. All the ways in which I’ve been shaped and grown by my time here are the obvious ones.

But I’m also grateful for how it has opened my eyes to the work of the Episcopal Church on a national level, rather than at the individual parish or diocesan level, which is how I used to think of the church. Along with that, I’ve met a number of people from around the country who are in similar positions and dealing with similar issues as I am at this stage in my life. It’s been a great gift to interact with these people and I look forward to more of it in the years ahead, as well as the chance to meet more similar people. Young (and old) Episcopalians are cool people to hang out with.

This past week Mike Angell, a former YASC volunteer in Honduras, and his brother Sam visited Itipini as part of their vacation in South Africa. I never would have crossed paths with them without the link of the national church and their visit was a special blessing in the midst of an otherwise normal week. One thing you quickly find out about the church is just how small it is and how we all know the same people.

We tried to get a picture of Mike, Sam, me, and Sarah, a new volunteer in Itipini but finding someone in Itipini who knows how to work a camera is a challenge. Only Sarah made the cut.

But I managed a fine one of Mike and Sam.