GUGULETHU SOUP KITCHEN AND HOT BIRTHDAY DATE WITH MY LOVER

One of the works that the Joneses have started is a weekly Soup Kitchen on Tuesday in Gugulethu which is a black residential area dating back to the 1960s.  It is Xhosa for "Our Pride."  You can read the Wikipedia article on it here.

There have been church of Christ congregations in Gugulethu dating back to the 1970s.  However, they tend to die off when the native evangelist leaves or passes away.  The Joneses are trying to re-establish the church there with the help of some of the members that still live in the area.  It is at the house of William and Margaret that they have the weekly soup kitchen.

Sandra spends about 8 hours Monday night making 390 sandwiches of ground up bologna, tomato and onions with butter.  Then she also makes about 75 liters (20 gallons) of a VERY hearty soup.  Today's was potatoes, butternut squash, beans, some noodles and peas.  They start serving about 11:45 AM and within 1 hour it is all GONE.  Last week, Irene helped while I got some lessons prepared.  Today it was "turn-about is fair play" day.  I got some pictures and videos below:

This is sister Margaret the sister at whos house is the soup kitchen

The crowd is beginning to show up.  The man with the red hat at the door is brother William - the other half of the owners of the house where the soup kitchen is done.

Here's another picture of the collecting crowd.

Every week the soup kitchen begins with a prayer and a short devotional.  I was honored to be able to give that today.  As people are given their first sandwich and cup of soup they are also given a tract about how to be saved and invited to the weekly Gugulethu bible study on Wednesday night.  They can come back one more time for a second cup of soup and a sandwich.  THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO CHARGE FOR ANY OF THIS AND ANYONE IS PERMITTED TO EAT.  Here are some videos I took today:

I know Sandra's Lord is proud of all the hard work that she puts into making this Soup Kitchen a reality as well as for all the other brothers and sisters in Christ that help her.

Tomorrow is Irene's birthday (KIDS!!!)  So, since we have bible study on Wednesday evening, Irene and I borrowed Sandra's car and went to Century City for Shopping, Movie, Dinner and Dessert.  We got Irene a silver Lion's Head Troll-bead Charm for her bracelet, then also got her a silver Elephant Pandora charm and  Three Spacer beads.  About 5 days ago, I had gotten her a silver Hippo Pandora Charm.

We also went to the Swarovski crystal store and bought a crystal Leopard for the Africa themed area of our port home being built for us at Retama Village in Mission, TX.  Here's a picture of the leopard:

We went to see "Non-Stop."  It was a pretty good thriller (though like many movies you have to park your "sense of credulity" to believe it).  Afterwards we went to Cape Town Fish Market to try their Sushi.  On Tuesdays its all at 1/2 off.  All I can say is on most nights you are paying TWICE as much for some pretty bad sushi!  Neither of us was impressed.

After dinner we headed to Mugg and Bean for a dessert.  Irene got the Lemon Meringue (or as my grandfather used to call it "Horse Slobber Pie").  I opted for the Cheesecake.  They were both good.

To close this post we'd like to say "KUDOS" to Lynnsay who had her FINAL final of her law school this afternoon and feels confident she did well.  AMEN!  Just what the world needs - another Barrister/Attorney.  

Why don't sharks eat lawyers that fall in the ocean?  

PROFESSIONAL COURTESY.

Speaking of our port home being built for us in Retama Village.  We got a picture today from Carol Kerr, the sales person for the Village.  Here's where they are on it now.  Almost all done the framing of it:

Please notice that the house is COMPLETELY SHEETED with OSB board on the outside walls.  This is the ONLY way to build a home, even if you have to use 2x6 studs in order to meet insulation code requirements.  This means MUCH stronger walls that are much less likely to be racked by high winds.  BRAVO to Esperanza Homes for building them right.