ECSW Companion Relationship with ELCSA-Western Diocese
  • Welcome
  • 2016 Visit from S.A. Guests
  • "Before the Visit" Orientation Videos
  • "During the Visit" Orientation Videos
  • Accompaniment
    • What is it?
    • Accompaniment Blog
  • Revisit 2013 trip to S.A.
    • Summary of 2013 Trip to the Western Diocese
    • 2013 Trip Details >
      • 2013 Q & A
      • 2013 Brochure
      • Bulletin inserts or Newsletter explanations
  • Three essential steps
    • Letter of Invitation
    • Application >
      • Expectations
    • Orientation >
      • Blog on preparing
      • Books & Videos
      • Brian Konkol on Accompaniment >
        • Articles by Brian Konkol
        • Brian Konkol on YouTube
      • Barbara Berry Bailey
      • ELCA Companion Synod Handbook >
        • #1 Introduction
        • #2 First Cross-cultural Session
        • #3 Second Cross-cultural Session
        • #4 The Western Diocese
        • #5 Final Details
      • Specific Details
  • What we do in S.A.
    • Our Guides in the Western Diocese >
      • Why Guides?
      • Bishop Ditlhale
      • Rev. Morwaeng Motswasele
      • Dr. Phil in South Africa >
        • Blogs by Dr. Phil >
          • Prisoners of Hope
          • Southern Africa Church Leaders Gather
          • We are all missionaries
    • Orientation in South Africa >
      • Lakeview Lodge
    • One South African parish's plan for their visitors
  • Background to our companion relationship in Southern Africa
    • History of ECSW & Western Diocese >
      • Western Diocese in South Africa >
        • History of Western Diocese
        • Crossways Camps and the Western Diocese
        • 2010 WRV Conference & Madikwe Circuit
        • Maps >
          • Map of Western Diocese
      • How we got to 2013 >
        • 2010 Ziemer Sabbatical
        • 2005 visit from SA
    • Conference-Circuit >
      • Covenant, Goals & Guidelines
    • Our Synod's Companion Task Force >
      • 2012 Synod Resolution
  • ELCA Companion Synod Program
    • Rev. Barbara Berry-Bailey
  • Companion Synod matches
    • East Central Synod of WI with Western Diocese
    • ELCA Synods matched with ELCSA Dioceses >
      • Carribean Synod with ELCSA Eastern Diocese
      • Metro Chicago Synod with ELCSA Central Diocese
      • Montana Synod with ELCSA Cape Orange Diocese
      • Northeast Ohio Synod with ELCSA Northern Diocese
      • Southwest Minnesota Synod with ELCSA Southeastern Diocese
    • other companion relationships >
      • Greater Milwaukee Synod >
        • companion relationship with Tanzania
        • companion relationship with El Salvador
      • Great Lakes Synod with Tanzania
      • Northwest Synod of Wisconsin >
        • companion relationship with Malawi, in southern Africa
        • companion relationship with Brazil
      • LaCrosse Synod >
        • companion relationship with Peru
        • companion relationship with Ethiopia
      • South Central Synod of WI with India
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA) website
  • Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa (LUCSA) website
  • The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) website
  • Photo Gallery
    • Pictures of 2013 Synod Trip >
      • Pictures of earlier trips - come and see!
above is the 2013 group of forty-one who visited every circuit in the Western Diocese
Dr. Philip Knutson & Pastor Morwaeng Motswasele are sitting in the front

Pictures of 2013 Synod Trip

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Hi, I'm Brent Kelley. I'm one of the people who'll be uploading photos and videos from the trip to South Africa. Wow, it's coming fast!

below is a small taste of some of our experiences:

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June 11, 2013, Tomahawk WI
After months of planing and fund raising we could not wait to start this adventure to South Africa. My name is Jackie Leonhard. My Husband Bob, Son Aaron and Daughter Abby are all going on this trip. I  will be posting photos and video clips when possible on the trip.

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Traveling

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Those above were from morning devotionals at the Detroit airport. Here's a couple taken in flight.

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The first group arrives

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The first batch of travelers arrived safely in Johannesburg late in the evening on June 19. Loooong travels, folks. But certainly worth it. The second batch of travelers should be arriving from London any time now. (posted 11:00am, June 20th.)

The whole gang

The whole group assembled, with Rev. Morwaeng Motswasele and Dr. Phil Knutson, at Lakeview Lodge in Johannesburg:
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Nyetse congregation sending off their visitors

Debriefing at the Madikwe Circuit

The first couple days at Lakeview Lodge

Here are some photos from our time in Johannesburg at the beginning of the trip. We spent two days of orientation at the Lakeview Lodge which is also the location of the offices for ELCSA, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa and for LUCSA, Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa. Part of our orientation included a trip to the Apartheid Museum. - Brent

Leaving Johannesburg for the Western Diocese Centre

The group left Johannesburg for the Western Diocese Centre at Rustenburg. From there, we dispersed to our various villages. Here are some photos of the landscape between Johannesburg and Rustenburg and our welcome  as well as our welcomes at Rustenburg and Lekubu.

from the Diocese Centre to our matched Circuit and Parish

At the Diocese Centre Bishop Ditlhale commissioned us as members of the Western Diocese and sent us off to live and experience the church in Southern Africa. Each of us had received letters of invitation from our companion parish welcoming us and clarifying mutual goals for our visit. All six Conferences in the East Central Synod of Wisconsin were represented in our group of forty-one travelers and we visited all seven Circuits in the Western Diocese:
  • three from Appleton Conference visited Kopano & Thabang Parishes in the Tlhabane Circuit
  • one from Green Bay Conference visited Maboloka Parish (and other parishes) in the Odi Circuit
  • two from Oshkosh Conference visited Wolmaransstad & Naauwpoort Parishes in Borwa I & II Circuits
  • one from Shawano Conference visited many of the parishes in the Moretele Circuit
  • two from Tomorrow River Conference visited Melorane & Saron Parishes in the Kgeteleng Circuit
  • thirty-two from Wisconsin River Valley Conference visited Dinokana, Ikageleng, Immanuel, Lekubu, Mahanaim, and Rietpan parishes and congregations.

Madikwe Circuit's welcome and debriefing

The largest group visited the Madikwe Circuit (32 of the 41). These came in response to the sixty-five from the Madikwe Circuit who visited the Wisconsin River Valley Conference in 2012 - yes sixty-five!
The two videos below are from the welcome on June 22 and the farewell and debriefing on July 8.
Pastor Mark Ziemer, ECSW Liaison to the Western Diocese, responding to the welcome
Debriefing on July 8 - Wisconsin River Valley Conference and Madikwe Circuit.

Lekubu Parish

22 of the 41 travelers were from Grace Lutheran, Tomahawk visiting Lekubu Parish. This was in response to Bishop Ditlhale's personal visit and invitation to Grace in 2005, hosting four visitors in 2006, Lekubu's visits in 2007 and 2012, and Lekubu providing a nine-week sabbatical in 2010 for Grace's pastor.
Send off from Nyetse
Similar to many parishes, Lekubu Parish is made up of three congregations in the villages of Lekubu, Mosweu, and Nytese.

Sunday, June 23, 2013 at Lekubu:

Monday, June 24, 2013 at Lekubu:

Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at Lekubu:

Wednesday, June 26, 2013, Lekubu and Zeerust:

Thursday, June 27, 2013, Mosweu:

Friday, June 28, 2013, Mosweu & nearby cities:

Saturday, June 29, 2013, Lekubu and Welcome at Nyetse:

Sunday, June 30, 2013, Farewell at Lekubu & Welcome at Nyetse:

Monday, July 1, 2013, Nyetse:

Tuesday, July 2, 2013, Nyetse:

July 3-5, 2013: Safari & Debriefing at Madikwe Game Reserve:

Friday, July 5, 2013, Nyetse:

Saturday, July 6, 2013, Nyetse: