Day 13: Port Elizabeth - Jeffrey's Bay

Total Distance Covered: 1,287 km
Distance Remaining: 723 km

We packed out our vehicles this morning and went to meet up with some local Rotarians (ADG Kevin, RFFA Rep. Marike and Karen) at Emanuel Haven, a wonderful program to assist HIV positive individuals monitor their health and CD4 count, access and take anti-retroviral (ARV) medications regularly, receive regular meals and nutritional support, and assist local children left vulnerable and at risk as a result of HIV/AIDS.

At Emanuel Haven we met a true angel. Mama Isabel is in her 70s and, despite being retired and financially supported by the government’s old age pension, continues to work everyday. She’s been a nurse for over 40 years and continues to manage the day-to-day needs of the program’s 200+ patients, providing support and love to everyone she comes in contact with. After discussing Emanuel Haven’s programming and needs and giving us a tour of their new facilities, Mama Isabel explained why she has worked to assist the poorest and those most in need most of her life and why she has now, in the later years of her life, dedicated herself to fighting AIDS and assisting those in the late stages of illness. Her words were absolutely touching.

We are, each of us, so amazingly blessed in life with opportunities and abilities and potential. And, that is the vantage point from which we must assess our purpose and our obligation to the many (most) who are less fortunate than ourselves. Our commitment to the suffering and those in need is the true measure of our character and what truly matters in the end.

It was great to spend time with her…to give us a bit of perspective as we face the last 1000km of the hike. We’ve given up a month of our lives and committed quite a bit of our own money. Our bodies are sore, we’re short of sleep and in quite a lot of physical pain. And while what we are doing is wonderful and our commitment is genuine, we should, each of us, be willing to commit much more to assist those in need. There have been many wonderful experiences and memories on this hike thus far, but for most of us, our short time with Mama Isabel was without question the most meaningful.

Once we got on the road, we made great time. The weather was cool and it was fairly cloudy, so we couldn’t have asked for better hiking conditions. Of course, we still put on the sunscreen…some of our best burns have come from overcast days!

Jeffrey’s Bay was our destination that evening. Jeffrey’s Bay is well known as “the home of the perfect wave” and is home to the first Billabong store and is the site of the annual Billabong Pro surfing competition where the worlds 44 top surfers compete. Dolphin and whale sightings are a daily occurrence in Jeffrey’s Bay, but sadly, as with the Addo Reserve elephants yesterday, we didn’t see any as we hiked in to town.

When we arrived in J. Bay, we met up with Gina, our gracious host for the evening. After much needed showers, we settled in for drinks and dinner with some of the local Rotarians and had a wonderfully relaxed evening and delicious dinner. The homemade hot chocolate sauce was especially good…Thanks Gina!