SWC 2010 Wrap-Up 1!

The beginning of the end of the world-cup posts. Restricted Internet access over the past 3 weeks has made it almost impossible to post any new posts. But, here we go, mainly with pics and some comments ...

The pictures below were all take the night before the final match between Spain and Holland, at Soccer City. There was a full dress rehearsal to practice how things needed to go down for the main event the following night. I had just finished my work for the day and so was on hand to capture some of the interesting details that you might have missed on  T.V.

The closing ceremony light-show, from just outside the stadium.

'The Trophy', there's no way of telling whether this was the real deal or not. There was security guarding it though ...

The goal posts in a top-secret location, before being erected for the final.

The organizers predicted a Spanish win. The following night proved that their predictions were correct!

Our pleasure ...

My dirty shoe on the 'holy ground' before the final!

The radiant Emirates girls practicing handing over the medals ... how hard can it be!

Me in the foyer of the highly impressive International Broadcast Centre near Soccer City

An interesting insight on how the matches made it into your home, all the way from deepest darkest Africa

Looking back at something we have looked forward to for so long can do one of two things: It can either leave you with a bad taste in your mouth or it can leave you with a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. I can truthfully say that SWC 2010 South Africa has left me and many other people I have been working with,with the latter of the two scenarios.

To put an operation of this magnitude in to words doesn't do it justice, but  I hope the pictures I have been posting have given you an idea of how much went on behind the scenes in order to make what you saw on T.V, a reality.

Keep a look out for the final SWC 2010 posts, along with more thoughts and photos ....

Jo´burg venues and more ...

 My sojourn in Nelspruit came to an end on Saturday and it was immediately off to Ellis Park for me, to help the team there, with the bump-out after their final match. We were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of that match; the quarter finals between Spain and Paraguay. Well done Spain, now to put the Germans to the sword!

Ellis Park proved quite eventful, with people being arrested for ´stealing´food, that they were given, and our forklift getting stuck on the field. The driver, in his wisdom, decided to summon another forklift to try and tow him out, only to cause more damage to the hallowed Ellis Park field (better known for Joel Stransky´s heroics in 1995)! When the rocket scientists eventually decided to tell someone about the scenario (3 hours later), there was enough damage to the pitch to resemble a small excavation sight (a slight exaggeration, but you get the point!) The towing company eventually arrived to retrieve the stuck forklift, up a 50 degree slope ...  with the help of twenty guys pushing ..! 

I started at Soccer City today. The build-up to the final here is well underway; they are practising the opening ceremony and bringing in loads of fire-works already! More photos from Soccer City to follow in the next few days.

On another dimension: God is still proving Himself faithful day in and day out. It doesn´t take a stuck-forklift driver to realise that it´s no use hiding from Him, as He has the best in mind for all of us, all of the time! So why hide and feel guilty about things that we sometimes can´t help ...? Rest in His faithfulness, rest in His provision and rest in his grace and while you rest, start living!