Charlene Morrow cmorrow2001@aol.com

On February 10, 2009, at 6:20 a.m., I left for Denver to meet up with Buck and Arlene Weimer. Buck had brought six cases of hardback Urantia Books without covers (more easily accepted worldwide), some Jesus, A New Revelation books, and handouts to take on our trip to South Africa. At 10:38 a.m. we left for Washington DC and at 5:40 p.m. on February 11 our plane left for Johannesburg, a nearly 15-hour flight.

We were picked up at the airport in Johannesburg – Jo’burg – by Tanja de Wet and Marthe Muller who loaded our six large bags, three carry-ons and ourselves into their two cars. They were like Mansion World Companions greeting us and making us feel right at home. Marthe had come over from Pretoria, the capital where she lives and works, just for this purpose.

They took us directly to High View Gardens Centre for Transformation, a retreat center found by Marthe. It was like the Garden of Eden with an amazing chef named Sally. Most of the buildings had thatch roofs and were decorated like English cottages.

We all went to Chinatown for a delicious shared meal of many dishes and got acquainted. Buck and Arlene had met them on a previous visit three years ago and Buck had stayed in contact since then. We then settled into our rooms and tried to get over jet lag.

On Thursday, February 12, we made arrangements at the retreat center for meals and rooms for workshop participants, checked out the meeting room and determined what supplies should be purchased. In the afternoon we went to a nearby flea market where I bought a cane which was carved with an African person’s head and was supposedly made of ebony – which, of course, it wasn’t for 120 Rand ($12.00). (I carried it through every airport on the way home, leaving it at Denver security by mistake, which made me have to go back through security again in order to retrieve it. I wasn’t giving it up at this point.) Arlene bought several placemats for gifts. Buck only needed an electricity adapter. We returned to High View Garden and enjoyed Sally’s healthful meal. The retreat center has it own garden with fresh vegetables.

After breakfast on Friday, February 13, Tanja returned and brought boxes of brochures, etc. for the meeting the next day. She stayed that night at High View. We loaded into her car to drive to a mall for lunch and found an office supply which had all the materials we needed for the workshop.

Tanja took us on a tour of the city. We stopped at the Apartheid Museum where we learned more about the peaceful transition to freedom for all citizens of South Africa with the help of Nelson Mandela, who had been imprisoned for 27 years. His work of freeing the blacks and others so that all could vote was featured. Tanja then showed us the area where illegal immigrants from Mozambique live in squalor in a shanty town, on land given by the government. The children waved and called hello to us as we travelled through.

We returned to the retreat center to enjoy another delicious meal prepared by Sally. We visited and were busy setting up the meeting room with a Urantia Book and folder for each participant. The workshop was to begin at 10:00 a.m. with fourteen eventually in attendance.

On Sunday, February 15, we met from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. There were many questions and a great deal of interest. Buck gave an overview of Parts I, II, and II. Arlene and I discussed Part IV. I gave a short prepared talk. People stayed to visit. Several stayed for dinner and more conversation throughout the evening. Those in attendance were: Tanja, Marthe, Constance, Luke, Katherine, Andre, Paula, Murray, Ankh, Mathado, Lehana, Sello, Eben, Chiabon, Buck, Arlene, and Charlene. We are told there are approximately 80 Urantia Book readers in the area.

Monday, February 16, we left after lunch for Krugersdorp Game Reserve. Monkeys ran from trees near our cottage in the evening and scurried towards the woods outside the lodge area.

Tuesday, February 17, Tanja arrived around 11:00 and took us to a small drive-through reserve called Lion and Rhino Park. We saw cheetahs lying beside the road. They had white lion cubs which we could pet, young tigers, meerkats in cages, and several other types of animals.

That afternoon we went on a safari at Krugersdorp. We saw wildebeests, gemsbok, waterbuck, eland, antelope, zebra, rhinoceros, giraffe, and Cape buffalo. Lions walked around our open Landrover. We saw all animals in the area except elephants which they didn’t have in this park. Our guide, Joppie, brought three, three month old lion males to the lodge so that we could feed them with bottles. They were so cute, like large house cats.

Wednesday, February 18, we flew from Jo’burg to Cape Town and were met at the airport by Peter Minnaar. He took us and our five large bags, etc. to our hotel, Ashanti, which we learned was more of a youth hostel. We stayed in one room with no closets and shared a bath. There were no amenities.

We went out to dinner that night with Peter and his wife, Thereschen (Trish). I was feeling like I had food poisoning probably from some sausage I had for breakfast at the Reserve. I went along anyway and was glad to get acquainted with them. They are a delightful and charming couple.

Thursday, February 19, 2009, we moved across the street to the Lady Hamilton Hotel which was much nicer and had a dining room. We were on the forth floor and with no elevator, but it wasn’t a bad walkup. It was a suite with two bedrooms and a shared bath. We had gotten used to sharing a bath and that was no problem. They had a nice dining room with a terrace overlooking the swimming pool and offered a free buffet breakfast. They also had access to internet so we could check in at home.

Later in the morning, Peter picked us up and drove us to the wharf where we had breakfast and bought our tickets for the ferry to Robben Island, where Mandela was held for 18 years before being transferred to other prisons, serving a total of 27 years in prison. There was much history explained and displayed about those who were held during the apartheid. Mandela was released in 1990 and elected President of South Africa in 1994.

That evening we met with Urantia Book readers at an interfaith hall which had just been restored after being destroyed by a fire. Those in attendance were: Peter and Trish Minnaar, Peter Fredericks, Ivan Sedras, Rev. John Oliver, Carol Watts, Buck, Arlene, and Charlene. We shared the last of the Urantia Books and other materials. The Fellowship had a book booth at the Parliament, so there are probably many readers in the area.

Friday, February 20, we walked and shopped in the area around the hotel. It was a lively community much like places I’ve seen in Dallas where young people live and congregate. We left our hotel at 1:15 for a van tour with a total of eleven plus the driver. We travelled until 7:00 and went all down the west coast to the Cape of Good Hope. We returned along the east coast. The beaches were beautiful and the National Park at the Cape was left in a natural state, just as it was when Europeans came in the 1600s.

That evening Peter picked us up and took us to their house for dinner. Their contemporary home had a beautiful patio with a pool and overlooked the ocean. They prepared grilled lamb chops. We had a wonderful chat with Peter, Trish, and her brother, Gid(deon), who dropped by to leave her some papers. They gave each of us a book on Cape Town which I had them sign as a remembrance of a wonderful visit with them.

On Saturday, February 21, 2009, we went to the airport only to discover that our flight had been cancelled. We got a room at a nearby hotel and settled in for the night. It was the first good shower I had had since leaving home. We rested and returned to the airport for an 18 hours flight to Washington, D.C., stopping over in Dakar, Senegal for three hours. My flight had been cancelled since I was a no show the day before, but luckily they booked me on a later flight. I was on standby and got on the second flight out at 4:50 pm which got me home 30 hours after leaving Jo’burg.

There were strong leaders in both cities who we hope will continue the work. The trip was worth every effort, 24 hour travel to Johannesburg and 30 hour trip back to Oklahoma City. We made strong connections and met beautiful new members of our Urantia family on the other side of our wondrous world.

Buck Weimer weimer1@hotmail.com

Preparation: After agreeing upon the twin pillars of building a community of readers and advancing the Revelation, three of us [myself, Arlene Weimer and Charlene Morrow] began the logistical effort of making the mission to South Africa a reality. In late 2008 we began contacting known readers, preparing presentations, buying airline tickets, and seeking venues for a weekend conference in Johannesburg. And, near the end of this period, we made additional contacts with 2 readers from Cape Town and agreed to a one-night gathering of readers there.

We accumulated six cases of hardback Uversa press books, two Dutch translated books from the Foundation, six JANRs, and fifteen UB DVDs; plus a sundry of booklets, posters, flyers, coupons, and CDs. (Of special importance was the CD produced by the UB Society of Greater New York, thank you Emilio Coppola). Altogether, it was well over two hundred pounds of goodies carried to South Africa; dividing them proportionally between the two cities.

Meeting at the Denver International Airport on the morning of February 10th, Charlene, Arlene and I juggled the heavy books between our six pieces of luggage to stay under the weight allowed, but still had to pay a hefty fee for one extra piece of baggage.

On the long overnight flight from Washington DC to Johannesburg there is a lot of time to think and read. I was reminded of several instructions by Jesus for teachers and believers on the Decapolis Tour (Paper 159:3: Always respect the personality of man…Make your appeals directly to the divine spirit that dwells within the minds of men…It is the purpose of this gospel to restore self-respect in those who have lost it and to restrain it in those who have it…Faith is to religion what sails are to a ship…you are simply teaching friendship with God.

Johannesburg: We arrived late in the afternoon of February 11th and were greeted by the dynamic duo of Marthe Muller and Tanja de Wet (Tanja, previously known as Simone Cox, has now returned to her birth name). In two cars they whisked us away with the stuffed luggage on the 30-minute drive to the High View Gardens, the site of our weekend conference. High View Gardens is a true garden with exotic trees and flowers everywhere, quiet and serene, yet able to accommodate over thirty guests and cater to small/medium size conferences: www.highviewgardens.co.za. It is in a gated community called, ironically, “Urania Village”.

After a day of resting, Tanja drove us around Johannesburg and we purchased some last-minute supplies for the conference, while we worked with Marthe rounding off the agenda. The conference room was a perfect size for us, and the High View Gardens provided an “angel” who helped us to get the Powerpoint projector to “read” Tanja’s laptop computer and our disks. The High View Gardens – Centre for Transformation – is operated by a wonderful international organization called “Emissaries of Divine Light” – perhaps you’ve heard of them. Marthe is a member of this organization, and hence our easy access.

The conference (“Adventures in Service”) began late – we were on South African time – with a prayer and gradually built to a powerful momentum. Each attendee was given a book and a folder with numerous handouts. Charlene had made some sharp-looking buttons in Oklahoma from the Emilio Coppola CD “One God – One People” on it with www.UrantiaBook.org on the bottom; and we had circle pins for everyone.

We began with an overview of the Book; I took the first three parts and Charlene and Arlene did the Life and Teachings of Jesus. As we progressed through the day it largely became a question-and-answer format, with most of the questions being sharp, well-stated, and penetrating – and we loved it! What we believe became an excellent approach for first-day participation was to begin with our Father’s mandate to become perfect on the first page of the text, then to review a few of the topics in the Table of Contents, Part by Part, and ask questions. Readers were encouraged to go through the entire contents and highlight topics of interest. We ended with the living truth of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man as the way to achieve His mandate in this life. Much discussion ensued and carried on through the Fellowship-sponsored dinner and on into the night. Everyone truly enjoyed the food and personalized touch of Ma Sally, the chief cook at the High View Gardens.

The second day began with a prayer and a continuation of the questions-and-answers format. Many of these questions became centered on “How do we start and maintain study group meetings?” The three of us gave a personal history with study group experiences, and shared the prime ingredient of the necessary importance of consistency -- with two or three committed persons having the meeting regardless of how many people show up. They were encouraged to advertise the meetings in the public service sector of their news media, and were especially delighted with the thought of becoming involved in a study group activity like library book placement or prison ministry. Tanja, especially, is famous for traveling around South Africa in her blue van to various types of books fairs and presenting the Urantia Book.

The second day concluded with an actual study group experience -- reading and discussing the text, and a prayer. In all, fourteen people participated and seemed to greatly enjoy the overall experience -- a review of the Table of Contents with questions and answers, and the time involved in a study group.

We identified four potential study group leaders (Marthe Muller, Tanja de Wet, Eben Muller (no relation to Marthe), and Connie Jooste; all of whom were given extra books and secondary materials. Connie especially was grateful for the new books because the only book she had was a paperback in tatters. The gratitude extended to us and the Fellowship is impossible to describe in the written word but will be remembered in their personal histories, I’m sure, forever.

With hearts full of inspiration and fondness, we left the High View Gardens on February 15th. Marthe Muller donated the equivalent of $25 to the Fellowship, and another new reader, Andre Bezuidenhout, helped arrange transportation to our next stop – a two-day excursion to the Ngonyama Lodge in the Krugersdorp Game Preserve just east of Johannesburg.

Cape Town: Our time at the Krugersdorp Game Preserve was a welcomed reversion; relaxing in nature, going on a “game drive” to see lots of large animals, and trying to keep the monkeys out of our living room. We had the most spiritual discussion with the young driver (Garreth Trent) of the van taking us to the airport for our flight to Cape Town – awesome.

We arrived in Cape Town late afternoon on February 18th, and were picked up by the awaiting Peter Minnaar, a reader whom we had met when we were there three years ago. Peter proved to be seraphim-like in his desire to be of service and to make our stay in Cape Town memorable. He drove us to our hotel (which was only a hostel-type place, so we arranged for a real hotel for the following two nights), and was at our “beck and call” in his dark blue Audi sedan without asking. We invited him and his lovely wife Thereschen (Trish for short) to dinner that night and it seemed to cement our relationships and, we believe, inspired Trish to further investigate the Urantia Book.

Our one-night gathering (“An Introduction to the Urantia Book”) was held in Erin Hall at 7:30 on the night of February 19th hosted by the Rev. John Oliver.

Erin Hall has an interesting history. As part of the Anglican Church complex, it had recently experienced a fire and was currently in the final stages of restoration. Of special interest to us, and other Fellowship readers, was in the center of our seated circle of readers as we began our prayer Rev. Oliver placed eight partially burned hardback, first edition Uversa Press copies of the Urantia Book, burned as a result of the fire. For the most part, the books were unusable, so we all thought it quite appropriate that we came bearing twelve sparkling new hardback books. (A resurrection of sorts?)

Though only six local people attended, their questions were wide-ranging and intense, from the origins of the book to the split between the Fellowship and Foundation. All, however, agreed on the revelatory nature of the text, and of the need and importance for a growing community of readers in Cape Town.

Of the six, the Rev. Oliver, Peter Minnaar, Peter Fredericks, and Ivan Sedras agreed to hold regular study group meetings at Erin Hall and to embark on a library placement project. We were ecstatic! Peter Fredericks was especially thankful for the books – having contacted the Fellowship by email in 2006 about obtaining one.
(Keep in mind, Paula Thompson, Marvin Gawryn, and others represented the Urantia Book at the Parliament of the Worlds Religions in Cape Town in 1999. Many seeds were sown.)

For reversion, Peter Minnaar took us to the top of a mountain one night to view the Southern Cross (star system), helped in arranging transportation to Robben Island to see the cell where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison for anti-apartheid activity, and walk around the Cape of Good Hope – to the end of the earth, the African Continent. All of which helped prepare us for the long journey home.

Conclusion and An Appeal: Despite having twice heard the four words that will send a chill down the spine of any seasoned traveler (“Your flight was cancelled!”), the overall outreach mission and the experiences gained was a huge success. And, the three of us agreed, it even exceeded expectations. Our twin goals of building a community of readers and furthering the revelation were easily met and the long-term relationships established are incalculable. South Africa will soon be recognized as cornerstone or foundation of the Fifth Epochal Revelation for all of Africa.

An Appeal: We loved South Africa and the South African people. The difficulty is when you have to leave! We go into their mist, cause a stir, and leave – creating a vacuum. And, although improving, we had the same problem in Latin America. All can agree it is necessary for local and regional readers to form their own structural dynamics; and eventually their own self-supporting finances. But remember how lonely Adam and Eve felt shortly after their arrival on Urantia? It was because: “Silent were the familiar broadcasts, and absent were all the circuits of extraplanetary communications.” 74:3,1.

We suspect the readers we’ve encountered in South Africa may have similar feelings.

After an international tour/mission, we on the International Committee cannot possibly maintain the necessary level of communications needed to help these emerging pockets of individuals or group of readers in different parts of the world feel connected to the Fellowship in fellowship. In short, we need help!

Charlene Morrow has agreed to coordinate a volunteer corps of readers in the United States and Canada who wish to connect, by email, snail mail, text, or telephone, with a reader (or readers) in Latin America, Africa, or Asia. Or, if a study group would like to connect with a study group in these same areas, that too would be a wonderful service. Please consider volunteering.

Finally, on the return flight, I was thinking: wouldn’t it create a more dynamic group of leadership if every General Councilor and especially every Executive Committee member be involved in an extended outreach mission/tour to a country far, far away in a culture very, very different than our own?

Always respect the personality of man…Make your appeals directly to the divine spirit that dwells within the minds of men…It is the purpose of this gospel to restore self-respect in those who have lost it and to restrain it in those who have it…Faith is to religion what sails are to a ship…you are simply teaching friendship with God.