Tzaneen Dam
Last week Friday I took a cross country bus to Tzaneen, Limpopo province. My first visit was with my friend Lester and his wife. In previous posts I wrote about many different friends with whom I have a variety of things in common, or how very similar our personalities are. Things could not be further from the truth between Lester and I. Our personalities are quite dissimilar. We like different music, different movies, different sports, have mostly different ideals. We have one thing in common, though, and that is a love for the Gospel and strong conviction of the goodness of God. These persuasions have been strong enough to overcome our disparate personalities. So much so, that I was even honored to be Lester's best man at his wedding two years back.
During my stay in Tzaneen I also got to see Tannie J. I befriended her children while at university and they quickly adopted me into their family. With my own mother having passed away, Tannie J. have become a proxy-mom. She took it upon her to give me emotional support and even financial support during crucial times in my life. I would not have been able to finish my Master’s Degree thesis was it not for her pet talks when I felt most discouraged, and also her financial support during the last few months of the project. When I eventually passed it cum laude I knew very well that academic achievements are more often than not a group effort, rather than an individual effort. Tannie J. has been diagnosed with cancer last year. I was very thankful for the opportunity to see her now, knowing that I’ll only be able to come visit again next year this time.
2 comments:
I can think of two good women here that are also proxy moms for you. I called Mimie just after leaving taekwondo practice and she asked me about you. I said you were still in SA, yet I read your blog a while ago and you seemed to be doing fine.
I was reading Maike's page on Facebook and Bessie wrote a message on her page, asking if she has heard from you.
I understand, when you go home for a visit you want to leave Korea behind mentally and not think about Korea and work much. It took me a while to get back to the computer when I went home.
Why not send them e-mails when you can though. :)
Yes, I'm really blessed with a number of proxy-moms and I may just email those you mentioned.
To be honest, even though I'm enjoying my time in South Africa, I do miss my apartment in Korea as I do not have a "home" in South Africa and must say that I'm getting tired of living out of suitcases.
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