It has been ages since yours truly has posted a blog – this
is Ann writing - so I thought I would jump in now as I can. Most of you know we have arrived
safely in Cape Town and have had our hands full in making and keeping
appointments. Today is Saturday
and we’re getting a day to regroup, exercise, and rest a bit. Then this evening we head into the
Khayelitsha township for a choir festival.
Yesterday, we made it to Sunny Cove to have tea with Peter
and Solveig Kjeseth, but telling the whole story of that visit is worthy of
another blog, which might get done tomorrow. So going even further back I wish to focus this entry on our
first full day in Cape Town, Thursday, July 4.
To best put this day in context, I need to introduce you to
Mark and Wendy Astrup, from Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (near Durban). On Monday, July 1, the Astrups came to visit and do
some digging in the Luther College Archives with my friend, Rachel Vagts,
Luther College Archivist. Rachel
had tipped me off that these good folks were coming to campus to do research on
Mark’s father (Hjalmar Astrup) and grandfather (Johannes Astrup) who attended
Luther College years ago. These gentlemen both came to Luther some
80 and 120 years ago from the Norwegian Lutheran Mission in what was once known as Zululand.
I had such a nice time with Mark and Wendy chatting about
their lives living in the game parks and the many ways in which they know
Luther College. And to be sure, they were just a little
amazed when I said that I was flying to Cape Town the very next day, and the
many reasons why. They expressed
sincere and kind interest in trying to make connections with us when the course
Choral Singing in Namibia and South
Africa comes to Cape Town in January 2014.
Scroll ahead four days to Thursday, July 4, when Gregory,
Ethan, and I are visiting The Evangelical Lutheran Church on Strand Street in
downtown Cape Town. Founded in 1780, this church is heralded
as the oldest continuously operating church building on the African
continent. Originally a working
barn gifted to the newly arriving Lutherans, it was later ornamented, and
remains an exquisite facility, beautifully maintained.
At the door we met Ingrid who remembered us from 2010. We got reacquainted and had a great
visit. The January concert date was
set and it appears Luther College singers will be welcomed once again with open
arms.
During our visit we stopped in the vestry to check on some
things and I took a quick look around at the many historical bibles under glass
and the photos of pastors past.
Imagine my shock and surprise when I saw the portrait of a young man
named Johannes Astrup, pastor from 1902-1905.
I said, “this pastor is from a Luther College family, I know
it!” Ingrid very kindly insisted
otherwise, as she probably does with all crazy tourists who wander in the front
door. And even though it was July
4, a few quick emails back and forth with my favorite Luther College
archivist, proved me right.
Rachel confirmed that Johannes Astrup graduated from Luther College in
1893. He was absolutely the pastor in this photo and who served this Evangelical Lutheran
Church. And since the printed
history of the church is really light on the details of Pastor Astrup’s tenure
– which reads: a Norwegian, served as
assistant minister – it seems we will be able to boost their archives as well when
we return in January!
So we’re about Empowering Learners. Generally we always talk about our
charitable work of empowering the learners we know well in the north of Namibia. But I wish to close with a timely commentary from this Lutheran church’s current newsletter.
The Chinese say: If you are planning for
a year, sow rice. If you are
planning for a decade, plant trees.
If you are planning for a lifetime, educate people.
Luther College, Empowering Learners, and the Astrups
would surely agree.
Stay tuned friends!
Empowering Learners.
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