Oshoek

Over the weekend there was a break from home based care visits and a chance to spend more time together as a team,  This has been a great thing to do - sharing and discussing our responses to the people we have met and the challenges they face.  However, today we visited the communities around the 'town' of Oshoek - a border town between South Africa and Swaziland.

So we set out around 8am for a 3 hour driver though stunning countryside with an overnight bag to transfer to Hlumu Lodge  ( a one night stopover for us to allow us to stay near Oshoek).  The communities around Oshoek are different from those in Share which we visited - each homestead is a long walk from the next - people are spread out over a wide area.... but the need amongst this area is great.

After prayers and games with children at the feeding point our team split up to join local care volunteers to  three different areas of the community.  Each group met similar challenges... they witnessed the huge distances which the children have to walk to school - sometimes 2 hour up and down mountain paths.  They met care givers with whom the children stay (often a grandparent) ... who are themselves at the very edge of getting by - and poverty at a level which we had not previously seen - homes with no water or electricity.  The weather is cold, especially at night in this area with beautiful rolling hills, reminiscent of the Lake District in England... which makes the isolation of the homesteads seem even more bleak somehow.

As we shared stories this evening having returned to our base for the night, there was a sense of amazement and sorrow for the situations and people whom we had met... But in the midst of this unbelievably hard circumstances, the volunteer care workers are not just offering a meal after school to these children (which by itself would be good) ... as well as this they are going to visit the care givers in their homes to encourage and support them so that they can keep going in looking after the children who now stay with them.  (Usually the children will have moved to stay with this care giver care because one or both of their parents have died).  Remarkably, at the care point the children were delighted to play and be with us - their joy a defiant resistance to the pressing needs and challenges which they face daily.

We will be returning tomorrow to see more of the work which the care workers do and be with them at the care point - no doubt there will be some more games and fun with the children too. We are glad to have Audrey and Simon from Hands at Work with us, as they can translate and explain to us the situations we encounter.  Audrey's role is to oversee, train and support the care volunteers and she does a great job.

We hope to be able to tell some of the story of the care workers, children and communities of Oshoek in the coming weeks - they need all the support they can get and Hands at Work is making a real difference in the lives of the children we have met.  Hands at Work  - doing a remarkable job of supporting some remarkable people,  Hopefully more to tell tomorrow
God Bless
Richard Westwood

‘Fruit salad’ (the team name: a blend of different flavours)

About today... today was different from the other days. Gareth and myself (Kagiso) had wonderful morning of sharing. Our minds and hearts were deeply in finding how God is trying to communicate his word to us. We found out that we are not different from each other because we experience the hurt and injustice in different ways however they still call to us in the same way.

We talked more about Jesus that we know and guess what, it is the same Jesus who wants us to go out in the wilderness and do what he send us to do, that is to care for the poor and the marginalized. Most of us can be comfortable with our lives and not be grateful for what God has blessed us with. We all need a mind changing attitude, it is very important for us to know what we put in our mind.

We explore on our experience at Share, what came to our mind was, how can live in such a condition. Hope is the word that kept dominating our minds to say, whatever we find ourselves in, God will always be at the centre of our problems and make way for us. At the end we prayed together and ask God to continue to bless the Fruit Salad  that was our team and help us to be true to his word be a blessing to many both in South Africa and in the UK.

Kagiso Teme

 

While most of the team went to Kruger, Kagiso, Elisa, Father Edward and I (Rose) went to the Botanical Gardens. We have had a wonderful rest day; we were in awe at God’s creation, the trees and flowers, rivers and waterfalls.

We talked about how quickly our team has become one. Most of us met for the first time on Tuesday night but four days later we are able to cry, laugh and feel righteous anger together.

We are already thinking about what this experience might mean for us in our home communities…we have all been so challenged.

We turned a few heads in the supermarket; the fruit salad team is proving challenging! Kagiso and Gareth deciding which bread to buy; Father Edward and I ordering roast chickens and Gareth and Father Edward laughing about cucumbers. I asked Kagiso what the onlookers might be thinking, would they be critical of this black/white mix? No, he said, they would be wondering how we had all got to know each other. Through Christ, said Gareth.

 

Rose Westwood

Hope and love to children on the edge

Today was the first full day at Hands at Work for the combined team from Matlosane & Lichfield Diocese.  Our time in the community of Share in Bush Buck Ridge, in the north east of  South Africa was very special.  It is often easy to pull back from situations which we know may cause us hurt or distress - I certainly felt that mixture of emotions ... looking forward to meeting again some of the remarkable care volunteers in Share and the children they care for- but at the same time knowing that I was going to be meeting some children in very difficult circumstances, which would be upsetting.
After a long drive along dusty roads we were able to join with the care team for introductions and worship.  It is so good that part of our team comes form Matlosane - since they were able to join in and lead the singing and dancing with great enthusiasm -if we had been all from the UK I think that British reserve might have meant that the opening worship was more subdued.  In fact the care centre walls reverberated with joyful African songs and dance with a lovely mix of Tswana, Tsonga and even English too.

After this we split into small groups to accompany the care volunteers on home based care visits, which are a key element of the care for orphaned and vulnerable children which Hands at Work support.  In fact the children involved were mainly at school but the care workers faithfully visit the home that the children stay in, to make sure that care givers are both supported and accountable.  Being on a care visit feels hard - often it can feel like we are in the way... most of the conversation happens in another language - but experience shows that the care workers know that they are appreciated and valued as we walk with them and try to affirm them in the remarkable work of care that they do.

Each of the groups returned to the care point where some of the care volunteers had started to cook the meal for the children, while the children played in the grounds of the care centre as they arrived from school. 
The children seemed to be having a great time... and for the time that they are at the care point they are safe and cared for.  This little island of 'normality' is so important as their home situations are often so challenging.  All the children who receive care, receive it because they are amongst the most needy and vulnerable in the community- they may be staying with an Aunty, Grandmother or older sibling because of family break up or the death of one or both parents.

The care workers often walk back home with the children, along the dusty roads, so that the children know they are not alone even when they are at home - however hard that may be for them.

Our time today ended with a children playing on tyres (painted and made into a balance game) , skipping and a crazy game of football - in which Rocky, one of the Matlosane team members, showed himself to be a world class goal keeper.

Our journey back was long and dusty but bathed in a beautiful red sunset  - we were glad to arrive back at the Hands at Work Hub and enjoy the meal which had been prepared for us... there was then time to talk about the highs and lows of the day  before making plans for a return visit to Share tomorrow.

Hopefully we will be able to give our support and encouragement to the children and care workers in the time that we are with them.
Richard Westwood


(This post expresses the personal  viewpoints of Richard Westwood and not Hands at Work, Lichfield Diocese, Matlosane Diocese or the Link for Life Project)

A full and fulfilling day in Itsoseng… Tuesday 22 July

Rose and I travelled on Monday afternoon (21 July) to Itsoseng – a township near to the town of Lichtenburg, about 100km from our base in Klerksdorp. 

We were met by Father Sam Diphokwane on the edge of the township… we thought we knew where we were going  (but really we didn’t ) and we were glad that he found us before we knew we were lost – he spotted our car, and did a neat overtaking manoeuvre, waving at us to make sure we had spotted his rescue plan.

We shared a delicious meal with Father Sam and members of his church, St Peter’s Itsoseng  – talking about the joys and challenges facing the church in our two countries… and there were many similarities.

After a good night’s sleep in warm blankets to keep out the cold – we shared a breakfast of porridge, eggs, toast and boerworst (South African sausage) – and met with Lorretta, one of the Church Wardens at St Peter’s Itsoseng, who took us to visit two schools in the area. 

The first was Reatlagile Special School, where the Principal, Josephine Morobe, showed us around her remarkable, very special, Special School.  We met a committed group of teachers all proud of their students and their achievements and the learners were delighted to meet us and show us their work – which ranged from writing to creative artwork, table decorations, napkin rings (which were up-cycled from disused metal scissors) and some delicious cakes (which we were privileged to eat later).  We discovered that Lorretta was a mentor to Josephine in her development training - a great model for making disciples- and the success of the school showed what a difference having and older mentor can make.

 

There was a tangible sense of partnership and a genuine love for the children on the part of the teachers. We passed a room with neatly laid out cups and chairs which looked like it was set apart for some special guests… the school had been visited by a local radio station the previous day as part of the station’s contribution to Mandela Day ( where individuals and groups are challenged to do community service for 67 minutes in remembering the contribution of Nelson Mandela).  We presumed that this mini reception was for folk from the radio station… we were amazed that we were then invited in to have tea, school made cakes and ‘say a few words’ in response to our visit.  We were happy to oblige and it was not hard to praise the remarkable effort of the teachers and learners.

 

Lorretta then took us to the primary school where she used to Principal until she retired – again there were enthusiastic teachers and learners and we had plenty of opportunities to practice our greetings in Tswana – much to the amusement of the children.  The school has about 80% of it’s learners who come from homes on social benefit – and live in the poorest area within the area - Ferdvaal  (which means 'lost)  and so we were glad to be shown the school meals kitchen ( a corrugated metal shed) in which three hardworking women produce nutritionally balanced meals for all the students.  Jamie Oliver would have been impressed.  The deputy head who took us around explained that the school now had it’s own borehole as the water supply in Itsoseng can be unreliable- just one of the many challenges that the folk who live her have to face daily – when we asked we were told that there were about 500,000 people living in the township!

We returned back to Father Sam’s home for a meal with two of the team members who would travel with us to Hands at Work in Africa (Kagiso and Katlego).   There was then time to call in on Canon Father Ngidi,  a long serving priest in Lichtenburg, who was unwell  He was glad to see us and we were happy to pray for his healing and wholeness and for his wife Obertina. 

Our final call was also in Lichtenburg, to pick up another team member, Elisa, who was waiting for us at the home of the priest in her church  - Revd Elizabeth Amir.

The journey to Klerksdorp went quickly and we arrived in time for a meeting with all the Matlosane team members( Rocky and Father Edward Leboe were waiting for us when we arrived)   which included us finding out some more about each other, the placed we come from and about Hands at Work in Africa.  Bishop Steve spoke to all the team and encouraged us to journey together and come back to make a difference in our local settings. Our evening ended with a shared meal before everyone departed to their hosts for the night. 

 

An early start awaits us as we travel to White River in Mpumalanga tomorrow and we hope to visit the apartheid museum en route.  This was a very full and fulfilling day… and in it we have met some remarkable people quietly doing remarkable things in the service of God and others…and doing it for not very much material return. 

In the UK we can easily fall into the trap of assessing things by their ‘worth’ in terms of a visible outcome or financial measure.  We have seen today people and things of great value – and that value cannot have a price tag or a quantity put on it.   We have much to learn from our neighbours in South Africa.

Richard Westwood

 

 

Smells and Bells and Car Washes!

20th July 2014.

All Saints Khuma.

We arrived at All saints Khuma for the 8:30am start with our hostess Ruth. We entered to the sound of harmonised singing from the small congregation that had made it on time. We had been warned congregation numbers dropped during winter but finding only three ladys and four preists was a surprise to us. Never the less the service did start on time, with a full procession of acolytes and incense with what seemed like more priests. The style of the service followed the Anglican book of Prayer from the ANglican church here in SOuth AFrica. The church followed a familiar pattern and was recongisable altholugh in a variety of languages. As the service progressed and we drew closer to communion and the congvregation size grew and grew till we reached a point where the church was bursting at the seams. We then reached the sermon where the two of us recived our own short summary of what Father Leslie was going to preach on. His sermon was on the topic of the Holy Spirit and what it does and how it effects our lives. The sermon then continued in simulatanious seamless translation, in two African languages with variying degrees of enthusiasm and volume with much gesturing there were clear responses from the congregation at the bits they liked. We then moved on to the collection which in this paticular situation was done by groups of the church i.e Youth, women and the men were called out to the front to place their offerings on a plate which was then gathered togheter and counted for each indivudal group and then at the end of the service the totals for each group were announced wth some sense of competition. This transparency is something we were not used to in England. From the sermon onwards the style of the worship changed to a much more lively and upbeat style. We were greeted with drums and an old fire bell which gave an upbeat tempo which included faboulous dancing and beautiful harmonies. Songs began by memebers starting to sing from wherever they were in the Church normally representatives of the different guilds within the church. Then came the peace which was started by finishing one song off with us all holding hands and then praying togheter before the priest declared the peace, to which we then began moving round the church shaking peoples hands, hugging and just sharin g the warmth and fellowship within the church. This went on for some time and Gareth and I seemed to be singled out for particular hugging!

The service came to an end at 11am and all filed out where we gathered outside in the mid morning sun for tea, coffee and cake. Gareth and I made our way through more of the congregation being greeted by many as if we were family who had just been a way for a while. We were approached by members of the youth fellowship there who were selling towels embroided with the church logo on to them, they were rasising funds for the Church and its youth ministry.

After a few pictures with members of the congregation we then went off to lunch with our hostesses family who lived within the township of Khuma. They were very hosiptable with enough food to feed five thousand. We were greeted with more love and welcomed into their home as if we were part of the familly. The meal included things like Lamb, Chicken and pumpkin. We then spent time with the priest of All Saints Khuma and the church wardens and talked about the way churches do things in South Africa. This was very helpful for us and also it seemed for them as well, which was one of the reasons we came here to learn from each other.

Our first day in Matlosane- by Ruth Clay

Matlosane -day 1

After a long journey, flying over about 14 countries, we arrived safely in Johannesburg early this morning- an unlikely little group- Richard & Rose, Sam and Andrew, Gareth, Roseanne, Joe and I. Unlike the seething masses of people we found waiting at airports in Asia, this was much more orderly(!) and we quickly found our way through and out to collect our borrowed cars. Joe's highlight was being high-fived by the toilet attendant who welcomed visitors to his office!! It's mid-winter here -quite cold but with glorious sunshine. After brief stops including for a light lunch at Mugg and Bean we headed out to Klerksdorp. We talked much of the townships and way Africa was divided up under Colonial rule and then passed mile after mile of townships -sobering already to see so much material poverty. The scenery's amazing and full of contrasts from beautiful new houses with pools to - endless dry fields of gold and brown with the roadsides burned off in order to manage the land. We are guests today of Bishop Steve & Brenda Diseko & family who have made us wonderfully welcome and fed us a kind of African spaghetti bolognese and fresh out-the-oven scones and jam! Ah the joys! ( Oops yes-for those who know me well,  this won't all be about the food!!) It's amazing to be welcomed like family and then meet other friends and drink tea when they've never even met us before. Gareth and Roseanne have gone to stay elsewhere tonight and then tomorrow we part 3 ways for day 2 of our African journey. Ruth

All set for Matlosane

A team of people from Lichfield Diocese will soon be making their way to Matlosane.  
Ruth Clay and her son Joe (from Aldridge)
Rosanne Wilshire (from Lichfield)
Gareth Evans (from Wednesfield)
Rose and Richard Westwood and their sons Andrew and Sam (from Great Wyrley)

This is part of the continuing work of the 2013 Bishop of Lichfield's Lent Appeal - Growing Leaders
as the Lichfield team will join up with four emerging leaders from Matlosane Diocese  

Kagiso Teme , from Itsoseng

Katlego Mpunzi, from Zeerust

Elisa Seolwane, from Lichtenburg

Rocky Bonokwane  from Bloemhof 

they will be supported by  Rev Edward Leboe,from  Braklaagte

Together the team of 12 people will travel to Mpumalanga to stay with the local charity  Hands at Work in Africa -  at their base near White River.  From there we will visit local care volunteers as they care for orphaned and vulnerbale children in their local communities.

We hope that all of us, both from Lichfield and Matlosane, will together be challenged, blessed and encouraged by out time together and be able to make a difference in our own local communities.

Follow us on twitter @link4liferw or tweet #matlosane

Richard Westwood

Time to sign off.

It’s Monday: it’s the 31^st: and ten and a half weeks have disappeared under my feet. I’m sitting at the airport –and very thankful to be here. +Steve’s car broke down at a busy crossroads on the way here, about 18 kms from Soweto. Fortunately his nephews lived nearby and they were able to come and rescue us. One stayed with the car till the rescue people arrive and the other drove us here. Steve was just in time to catch his plane. Pray for him this week as he is sitting on a Provincial Disciplinary Panel dealing with a Bishop who has been less than honest in financial affairs.

My final weekend here has been busy, humbling and one of rejoicing for the last three months. Saturday was the swearing in and training of the church wardens and their alternates. Every parish and chapelry in the Diocese has two Wardens and one Alternate who takes over if one cannot continue in office. Some had a three hour drive to get to the Cathedral for the Eucharist that started at 09.00. Needless to say, many were late! The service finished at 11.00 and then the Wardens were sworn in: so it was 12noon before we had breakfast. The training followed, and apparently finished at 15.00, by which time it was lunch time! Some then had a three hour drive home. After breakfast, having said a few words about the Lichfield link, I left.

Concentration Camp Memorial

Speaks for itself!

I drove back to Klerksdorp and went in search of the ‘Old Cemetery’. Here there is a grave yard for the Blacks, one for the Whites; an Anglo-Boer War British Military section; a Memorial to the 39,000 – many of whom were children - who died in the British Concentration camp here; and the reburied remains of some Voortrekkers. A lot of history in one place!

Sunday dawned bright and sunny. The people of Jouberton gave me a right royal send off. At the end of the service they gave me a present – an African dress and head scarf – and the MU wanted to give me a gift and asked the congregation to join them. “We don’t have silver and gold”, said the MU Leader, “but here is a gift to buy a cold drink.” Their gift was R500 and the congregation gave another R420 - a total of about £55! Some cold drink. I felt guilty and humbled all at the same time. They have so little and I have so much – but they needed to show their gratitude and I needed to accept it. I’m going to try to off load the coins on the traders at the airport today. After the service there was lunch with the Church Council.

Back home I began work on what was going to have to be a miracle of packing. I squashed and squeezed and eventually got everything in. According to the scales here at the airport I am bringing less home than I brought out. Not possible! – but at least they say I am just under the weight limit rather than very much over it!

Vusi and Renelwe

Mpho and her niece, Renelwe

For the last 8 weeks I've been staying with Mpho and Vusi Moyakhe. They are looking after Renelwe, Mpho's brother's daughter. They gave me a home when I needed one.

 Thanks to all of you .

 

I came out 10 weeks ago knowing this was going to be different from any other visit, but not prepared for how different it would be. I’m not just coming back to the UK and home – I feel as if I am changing jobs. I have worked for the parish, doing Sunday and Ash Wednesday services, Home Communions, seeing a new priest begin his ministry, and sorting the Confirmation for 55 candidates. I have worked for the Diocese, helping Ruth format their new website, updating the Diocesan Directory, leading the Ordination Retreat and preaching at the service itself, and travelling around meeting people and encouraging them in their ministries. Not bad for a sabbatical! But I have loved the challenge and the adventure. Thank you to everyone in Lichfield and in Matlosane who have made this possible and supported me with your emails, comments, texts and prayers – and above all, thanks be to God for his protection and providential care.

Information overload!

This last week has been very interesting and very full. Friday 21^st was Human Rights Day and a public holiday here. There was a big Commemoration at Sharpeville, which was televised. A far as I could see, President Zuma used it for electioneering. It came on me unawares, so I don’t know if there was anything here in Klerksdorp.

Lady Day at Boikutso with Canon Ngidi

Monday I set off for the North Archdeaconry, and stayed the night in Lichtenberg. That evening I was able to meet up with one of those ordained a month ago – it seems like so much longer. The next morning, Lady Day, I presided at the 09.30 Eucharist at Boikhutso, a township of Lichtenburg, and then did several Home Communions. After a late lunch I drove to Itsoseng, another of Lichtenburg’s townships, and stayed the night with Archdeacon Sam. It was the first time I had stayed in a township, and the water stored in the bath made real the TV reports about water problems in the townships.  The Archdeacon would like to use the large plot of land attached to the Rectory for unemployed young people to grow vegetables, but the water shortage makes it impossible. As the Church Council gathered for supper, I took time to stand outside and listen, smell and watch the township settle down for the night. Two more of the newly ordained were there, and they too seem very happy.

Next morning we set off for Zeerust and for the first time in weeks saw mountains! We visited Fr Mmose Shoke, the incumbent of St Augustine’s, Marico, and then set off for Lekubu, where Fr Edward Leboe, one of the priests whom Lichfield funded for a year at Grahamstown Theological College, is based. I thought I’d seen rural, but wow! The entertainment for the day was the arrival of the EFF (political party) roadshow, a van traveling to remote villages to canvas votes. All work stopped as everyone went to see the entertainment for the day. The parish is slowly building a house for Leboe; meantime he is living in one room rented from a local which has only an outside water tap and an earth closet at the bottom of the garden. He does have electricity, but no transport. The Church warden, the son of a local Chief, is overseeing the work on the house.



Edward, Archdeacon Sam and Isaac
 - both Edward and Isaac are 'Lichfield'
clergy



Then it was on to Motswedi, where Isaac, a newly ordained Deacon lives, miles from anywhere, with no transport and no internet. The Archdeacon had asked his Rector to let him know what time we would be coming, but the message had not been passed on. Isaac has begun very well, but it seems his Rector has a problem with his success. We encouraged him as best we could, but he needs much prayer support. 





The rest of the day passed in a whirl as we first had a very late lunch prepared for us by an Anglican family in town whose home had been destroyed by fire last year, and then drove on to Mafikeng to drop Leboe off at the bus station. This is the town where Lord Baden-Powell conceived the idea of a Scouting movement. I came away wishing I could have told my mother I had been there and seen the Scout and Guide HQ there. We completed the almost 250k drive on good roads and dirt tracks by 17.30; and after a quick look at Itoseng church, and to a wonderful African sunset, I set off for home. My Taize CD was playing a track which says “In the darkness, there is no darkness with you, O Lord”, which gave me the confidence to drive home. Driving in the dark here is a very different proposition from doing it at home, and many women will not drive once it is dark. Even many men will not drive long distances and if they do then they do not stop for anything, even red traffic lights. So I set off at a speed much faster than anything I’d driven before, - when I told +Steve the speeds I’ve been driving, he reminded me that it is kilometres on the speed dial here and not miles! I was on a save petrol kick! – and determined not to stop. Needless to say, I arrived home safely.

Collection time

My drive through the darkness was necessary as I had to be at the Cathedral at 09.00 the next morning to join the MU celebration for Lady Day, which is always held on a Thursday. There were not very many there when the service started but by the end the Cathedral was full, everyone attired in the MU uniform of black and white. There was lunch after the service, and then a business meeting, interspersed with musical items – ie singing, singing and more singing! I left after the service in order to have lunch, postponed from Monday, with Fr Jacques Pieterse, the one white priest in the diocese. He is coming to Lichfield on a clergy exchange, either later this year, or next. It was good to talk to him and get a white perspective on a variety of issues.

Today, Friday 28^th, I managed at last to get to Klerksdorp museum. It is just down the road from the Diocesan Office, free to enter - despite what the noticeboard outside says – and an interesting way to spend an hour. From there I went to the Office, and managed at long last to finish the update to the Diocesan directory – though I fear it will be out of date as soon as it is printed, as Dr Guma is due to move on April 1^st, fortunately within the Diocese, due to reorganisation within the education Department.

 

There has been so much to take in this week I've almost got mental indigestion: what is above is just a taste of all there had been. The latest piece of info I am refusing to take on board: the TV news tonight says that Lufthansa pilots are due to strike from April 1^st-3^rd, but the Lufthansa site says 2^nd-4^th. I leave here on March 31^st, but arrive in Germany in the early hours of the 1^st. I don’t think this is an April Fool, so I could be stranded in Germany!!! We shall see! Let’s hope the TV is the wrong one.

 

Take your pick on what to pray for: there's plenty of it.

It's the first day of Autumn!



Just to prove I was there

The young people of Vrisgewacht

Sunday dawned dry and sunny, and so Dr Guma and I set out for the township of Vrisgewacht, which I have nicknamed the ‘Amarula’ (an African liqueur like Baileys) church, because in one of the hymns they kept repeating a phrase that sounded like that, though afterwards we were unable to identify exactly what it was. He explained to me that any visitor was a visitor to the community, and everyone would turn out to greet them, which explains the people I saw peering through the door and then going away – some to the Methodist church next door. At the back of the church were two piles of sand, waiting to be mixed with something to clad the walls. There were a few chairs and some benches, but not everyone had somewhere to sit.  At least there was a solid floor and a watertight roof. There was a good number of children there, and Guma explained that following the training in 2012, the teachers changed what they were doing and now children from other churches, and none, come because they love what is done. Before the Dismissal I got the congregation to pray for the congregation at St James’, Clayton, who would have just been gathering for the 10.00 service. As Guma pointed out to them, it makes real the ‘one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church’, at least I think that’s what he said - it was in Setswana!

After lunch I was off to the south of the Diocese. I thought I was going to stay with Canon Rebecca Maphitikazi in Bloemhof, and see some of what she does. But when I phoned to say I was on my way, she told me to go to Christiana, where I would be taken to my hosts. It felt like a modern version of Genesis 12, the OT reading for that day! I ended up on the other side of the Vaal River, in the Free State, with Christine and Dirk de Beer. They remembered fondly the visit of the Westwoods two years ago (see Richard’s blog entry – March 2012). There are very few, if any, blacks in the town of Christiana and the white congregation is very small and has no young people. Christine seems to be the leader of the congregation, with a passion for God and for his Church. I learned all about the potato harvest – next time you eat a McCain’s potato, it might just have come from here! – and saw more bok and giraffe on their son’s game reserve. My visit was more rest time for me, but also an insight into what it means to be a white Anglican here.

Lunch time  - 14.45

Back in Klerksdorp, I was up early on Wednesday to go with the Bishop to the clergy contact day. This is a quarterly meeting for the clergy, rather like a Deanery Chapter, except that it’s for the whole Diocese. It begins with Eucharist and, on this occasion, in place of the sermon, there was a ‘half hour’ (75 minutes actually) presentation from the Stewardship Programme Director which was very interesting. With his help some parishes have paid off huge arrears and are now paying in advance. The five year plan, which began in 2012, is working towards parishes paying their annual assessment (Share) by the end of August, and then having got used to raising that amount of money each month, using the same sum of money in the other months for a parish project. So, last year, St Michael’s Promosa had paid their Assessment by October and used the money in November and December to put a sound system into the church. They are now on course to pay by the end of September this year.

+Steve has declared that the Diocesan theme for this year is to be Raising the Spiritual Bar – and this must begin with the clergy. (It says much that when I asked one senior priest what he was doing in his parish to promote the theme, he said that he was waiting for the Bishop to tell him what to do.) So after breakfast we had a two hour talk on Spirituality. I don’t think anyone in England would have recognised much of what was said to be the history of the Church of England. I was just very glad that I wasn’t asked to comment – I’m not sure my tact would have stretched far enough! The last 20 minutes of the talk were much better, but I was told that the speaker doesn’t actually do what he was advocating. I wonder how our understanding of spirituality would seem to them.

Today, Thursday, St Cuthbert’s Day, has been hot and sunny, and restful. The weatherman said that this is the first day of autumn here, and announcers have been warning that soon European countries will put clocks forward. Time flies when you are having fun. Please pray for a new priest for Jouberton; for the clergy to deepen their own relationship with God, and so be enabled to lead their congregations into the fullness of life we are promised.

Some real 'me' time

My four days at Bona Bona were all I’d hoped for, and then some. My accommodation was in the honeymoon suite (!), which meant I had a 4 poster bed, a huge bath and a double shower and a TV. The roof was the traditional thatch, and you could smell it in the room. There were notices warning against snakes and monkeys. One night I was watching Andy Murray playing tennis in America, to the accompaniment of lions roaring in the enclosures outside. Surreal!! I felt as if I was living in Leopard’s Den on the TV – ‘Out of Africa’ on ITV I think.

The weather was not particularly good, but I could sit under cover and watch the storm rolling in, listen to the thunder, and later see the rainbow trying to form. But there were dry periods and I could see bok coming to the waterhole. On the early morning game drive we didn’t see much, but just as we were returning home we come across some giraffe. There was time to rejoice in the little things of nature – the brilliant green dung beetle, the bright red and orange bird outside my room, the bird battering a caterpillar to death before eating it. All in all it was a time to reconnect to the creation and the Creator, and enjoy being in the great outdoors. I also had an enforced fast from my phone as I forgot to top up the airtime before I left Klerksdorp, and the nearest place to Bona Bona was 35 km away!

 

I drove to Delareyville on Friday, and am getting a much clearer feel for the rural nature of the Diocese. As the NW Province number plate shows the main crops here are mielies (sweet corn) and cornflowers (for oil). The latter are in full bloom at the moment and a wonderful sight, especially on a sunny day. I spent a bit of time with Dr Marshall Guma, who is known by nearly everyone in the town it seems, though he doesn’t actually live here. He took me to the Education Office and introduced me to a lot of his colleagues, among whom were the social worker who supports the teachers in their work, and the nutritionist in charge of overseeing the feeding programme in the schools.

Saturday afternoon I met with the clergy of the team here – or those who turned up! – and looked at team building. We talked about praying for the parish and for each other, and what they found good and difficult about being in the team here. It was a shame that three of the team didn’t come – lack of commitment was one of the things mentioned! – because those who did come were open and it was a helpful exercise. Those of you who came out to do the Sunday School Training in 2012 will recognise the exercise!!

Plans for Sunday are on hold till we see what the weather is tomorrow. One of the priests who wasn’t there today was stranded at home because of the muddy conditions caused by the rain.

 

The internet reception here is very slow, so photos wilAl have to wait till I get back to Klerksdorp.

 

Another week gone!

This, in some ways, has been a much quieter week – and in others not! The noisiest part of the week was Thursday night’s thunderstorm. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything like it – the lunch time storm left me feeling very light headed, and the evening one had the windows rattling in their frames. I think it must be a cloud burst sometimes, as the very heavy rain lasts for 10-15 minutes, and then it either eases off or stops all together. Today, however, has definitely been wet – in most of the places I have been! It was like driving through fog – you couldn’t even see the road surface at times. The problem with such rain is that there is no drainage system, so the roads become ponds or rivers, and in some places, like the townships where there are no properly surfaced roads, very muddy. Even on the better roads there are many potholes and you can’t measure the depth because each downpour makes them even deeper.

Wednesday was Ash Wednesday and we had a 6pm service at Jouberton. I checked last year’s numbers and there seem to have been about 80 communicants. This year there were around 140, including +Steve and his family. That’s the second time he’s turned up unannounced, just to be there. I’d decided to do it a bit differently from what the book lays down – trust the Bishop to turn up!! It seemed to go OK though. And then he waited to escort me onto the main road. He seems to think that it is safe to drive in the townships these days, but as I said to him, “There speaks a black man to a white woman!” I do wonder if I am over-reacting, but others have told me to be very careful: so I’m operating a ‘better safe than sorry’ policy.

Thursday evening gave me another insight into life here. At 6pm all the power suddenly ceased, and an investigation of the fuse box showed that we were ‘Load sharing’ – ie we had no power so that others could have some! It didn’t come on again till 10pm, so we went to bed with no evening meal, no cup of coffee, no lights, etc, etc, etc. Mpho, my host, said that the local authority owes the power company so much money that they do what they like, when they like, and with no warning.

Saturday, it was the Diocesan Council, a quarterly meeting for clergy and churchwardens. (Diocesan Synod takes place at 3 yearly intervals, and is residential.) We started with a Eucharist at 09.00, followed by breakfast. The meeting proper began at 11.00, and included such riveting things as End of Year accounts and clergy salaries. I felt somewhat uncomfortable at the latter. The South African miners are currently striking for a pay rise to R12,000 per month. The clergy get less than that – and when there are just over R17 to the £, that is not a lot! There was also much grateful mention of Lichfield Diocese and what it has given by way of financial support

Elizabeth and Maisie

Meeting over I drove to Lichtenburg through the torrential rain. I stayed with an 84 year old lady called Maisie, whose parents came here from Glasgow and Dundee after the Boer War in search of work. Her children now live in Australia, the UK and Jo’burg. She has recently been diagnosed with leukemia. In order for her to keep her hospital appointments her daughter has to drive here from Jo’burg, then drive to Pretoria via Jo’burg – and then do the journey in reverse to get them both home. As I signed her Visitors Book I noticed that Philip Swan also stayed with her in 2011!

The Church at Lichtenburg



The church at Lichtenburg



Today, Sunday, I preached at the Eucharist, to a small but faithful congregation; did a funeral visit with Elizabeth and then had lunch with her family. She was one of the first group of three women ordained in the Diocese and is self supporting. She ministers in Lichtenburg, but lives in the township outside the town, and uses the local taxis (minibuses) or depends on lifts to get round. At 68 that’s no mean feat!

Tomorrow I’m off on my travels for a week or so. First it’s a local game resort – Bona Bona (see it’s website) – for 4 nights, and then visiting two parts of the Diocese I’ve not really seen before. The first is Delareyville, where Marshall Guma, who stayed in Clayton 10 years ago, is the Incumbent and Archdeacon, and then into the deep south, Bloemhof. What internet access will be like in these places I have no idea – so don’t be surprised / alarmed if you don’t hear from me for a couple of weeks.

May your Lent go well!

 

 

The weekend just gone - with pictures.

In the midst of the euphoria of getting the Confirmation complete, I forgot to mention that the Bishop was in the parish for the whole weekend. He visits every one of the 25 parishes once a year for a whole weekend, beginning on Friday and finishing on Sunday with Confirmations. In the far flung parts of the Diocese that entails being away from home, but Jouberton is just up the road from home.

 

So on Friday afternoon he visited five families in the parish, in different areas and in different styles of housing. The original plan was to take him only to better off families, but I insisted that it should be a mixture. He is Bishop to everyone, and spent a number of years as priest in a township, so knows all too well the conditions people live in. The Churchwarden accompanied him on those visits, as the elderly people speak only Setswana, and  don't know my way around a very complex area.

 

A blind lady arriving in her traditional
 Bedi costume, a short dress over a
long skirt

The stirring implement is a long spoon,
they also use a long fork -
it is hard work!

On Saturday, the elderly were brought to church for 'short' service and lunch. Not as many as we'd hoped for turned up, and one 95 year old was already there when I turned up at 10.15 for the 11.30 service. Lunch was already being cooked in the traditional way, and the ground raked to get rid of the rubbish and make the area tidy. The 'short' service lasted just over an hour and included a 10 minute sermon.

 

By 14.00 everyone had gone, but the Confirmation Candidates were due to be there for the final preparation session.  +Steve wanted to talk to them, and he kept going for over an hour while they turned up in dribs and drabs. After he'd gone we had our Penitential Service - in place of individual confessions - and just as we finished the last 5 arrived at 15.45. I let everyone else go and then told the 5 that they had missed the Bishop's talk, and the Service, and without being at the latter they could not be confirmed (a Diocesan requirement).  Having talked about responsibility and priorities, I did the Service again. I talked about forgiveness and putting things behind us  - and then told them they would be Confirmed. The smiles and look of relief on their faces was a joy!

 

Then of course it was Sunday and the Confirmation - see previous blog. I've been trying to post a video here of the collection being taken, so far with no success. I'll try to put it on the right hand side of the page near Clare doing her flying act! It's a bit hazy - but that is all the incense! 

All done and dusted!

It’s Sunday evening, and I’ve just seen Man City win the League Cup – well the bits for which I could keep my eyes open! This morning we had the Confirmation service for 53 people. I typed name cards for each of them - it was the only way to ensure that my list corresponded with those who came and that I had the names spelt correctly. When you’re dealing with names like Thabiso Johannes Gadinabokao or Tebogo Obed Gaselalelwe life is not easy! And, of course, they all had to be written into the register. We began on time at 08.00, but I was still holding 3 candidates name cards. In the end all was well – and they were actually all present. Everything went according to plan, and when we finally processed out of the church at 12.30 +Steve’s comment to me was that it had been a short service!! Apparently no-one had expected it to finish before 13.00, but I had applied a little unAfrican organisation to the way the candidates went forward, which was what saved most of the time. It took almost half an hour for the Bishop to bless the children at the end of the service. They don’t come to the altar with their parents or Sunday School teachers – they all come afterwards. I had thought that after the confirmation the numbers would be halved – not a bit of it. I think they must have all made a special effort to be there today. There were just as many as last week, and +Steve gave them all a time-consuming episcopal blessing. In the meantime the congregation were singing their hearts – and lungs – out. It was deafening. If I was staying here longer, the blessings would have to change, but as I only have four more Sundays in Matlosane and for two of those I will be away from Jouberton, it seems a little late to do anything now. Let the new priest sort it out when he arrives. Today’s was a joyous service of dedication – but, as the church warden said, we shall see how many are there next Sunday.

Afterwards there was lunch for the Bishop and Church Council – and me. But I was also invited to the lunch given by my host’s family, because one of them had been confirmed. It reminded me of the Christmass episode of the Vicar of Dibley, where she accepted 3 invitations to lunch. I went to both, eating mainly at the first, but unable to say No to pudding and custard at the second.

As to the rest of the week, it has mainly been taken up with the preparations and admin for today. Friday I spent time working with Ruth on the Diocesan website, which will one day see the light of day, we’re just not sure which day!

Yesterday it was St David’s Day and I didn’t have time to make welsh cakes, and I had no daffodil to wear. It felt very odd. It was also the Community of St Chad Festival Service – and having been heavily involved in the last two, I sent Philip a ‘Greeting’ for everyone, which I hoped he’d read out at the service. Modern methods of communication make our world so small – but it has taken 4 weeks for a birthday card I sent by Air Mail to England to arrive. Given that there are daily flights direct to the UK, you wonder where the hold-up is.

This week brings Ash Wednesday and Lent. That means being in Jouberton after dark on Wednesday, and I’m a little wary of that. Even in the day light it’s not safe for a white woman to be driving around alone - I happily drive to the church, but after that I always have at least one man with me. So I think that it will have to be convoy to the main road after the service on Wednesday.

Life is now beginning to slow down a bit, and I’m hoping to have time to do some of the reading I wanted to do, a bit of reflecting on all I have been doing, and be a bit of a tourist. We shall see!

2 new Deacons and 12 new Priests later ...

The retreat ended well, and the ordinands enjoyed the amount of time that they have had to think and ponder over the pictures of the gospel stories that I printed out for them. Some of them had never seen Jesus depicted as an African before and they really appreciated that. The half hour interview that I had with each of them, when they were able to talk about hurts and fears as well as joys and sorrows, were very valuable. Some are facing huge problems. One deacon-to-be, a single man, .is going to be living miles away from his Rector, in an area where he knows nobody. We talked for a while about how he is going to get support, in an area where internet access is difficult.

After supper on the last night we had a Penitential Service – a form of Confession. I led them through a self examination – the sense of sin here is poor. A senior priest told me a couple of weeks ago that he didn’t think that teenage Confirmation candidates had any sins to confess! They seem to think that sins must be big things – and were surprised that ‘small things’ are just as much sin as murder and theft! After they said the words of the Confession together I went to each in turn and pronounced the absolution signing them on the forehead with the cross. It was very moving, and a couple ended up in tears.  We then broke the silence, and spent over an hour just chatting to each other. It was a brilliant way to end the week. 

 Elias - Jouberton's Deacon -
taking the Oaths on Friday,
witnessed by the Dean.

Friday morning it was off to the Cathedral in Potch for the rehearsal and the Swearing of Oaths, a mere 4 hour exercise! Then for me a dash back to Jouberton to talk to the Confirmation candidates, before returning to Potch for the night. I went to bed tired, and not a little concerned that I still didn’t have a sermon for the Ordination. I was awake at 04.30, but to no avail. With the service beginning at 12 noon, I was beginning to be a little concerned – if not panicky! At 09.30, I remembered that some time ago a child asked me if being a priest is the best way to be a Christian. By 09.45 the sermon was written – thanks be to God!!!

New Deacons, Isaac and Magda

During the service I sat next to Fr Jacques Pieterse, the only white priest in the Diocese, who is at St Mary’s, Potch. Next year the number will be doubled when his Deacon is priested. +Steve does nothing quickly; add that to the difficulty of stopping Africans singing, large numbers of family coming forward to help vest each new Deacon/Priest – and then get back to their places – and it is not surprising that the service finished four and a half hours after it had begun!! It was a wonderful occasion – they were all mine in a very special way. Near the end of the service, one of them made a speech of thanks, and I was presented with a card, a wooden heart and a gift of money. On the heart were the words: “Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only a few will leave footprints … (we) love your footprints”. Paper hanky to the fore! After the service all the new priests were giving blessings and I think I managed to get to all of them. I had to remind one that he didn’t have to use the Grace any more, he could do blessings!

Sunday morning it was back to Jouberton and Elias’ first Eucharist. He did much better than I dared hope, and the two big mistakes were my fault, not his. One was a language problem: the other a lack of concentration. I had to baptise 5 people ready for the confirmation next Sunday, and I forgot to bless the water. As I always say “God can cope: it’s only us who can’t! The queue of people waiting for his blessing after the service was endless. He must have been shattered last night.

So today – Monday – I’ve had a restful day, before I throw myself into the final preparations for the Confirmation of 50+ candidates next Sunday!! But more of that at a later date.

For now, thank you for all your prayers for all of us, and especially for me. They were answered in abundance - grace was poured out like the rain that has come down today! Pray now that the newly ordained may be faithful ministers of Christ, and be given grace to withstand the temptations that they will face. Pray too for those to be confirmed this Sunday, that they may live their lives with “a passion for Jesus” that echoes David Beckham’s passion for football.

Retreat - Monday - Thursday (delayed because of lack of internet access)

Tuesday night:

We are 30 hours in and all is going well. All 14 ordinands turned up, and all 14 are still here! The theme of the retreat is ‘The Eucharistic People of God’ – people who are taken, blessed, broken and given (in service). On the whole I think they are understanding what I am saying. However, having just been talking about priesthood as not being primarily about status, I asked one ordinand what he was looking forward to most about being a priest. “Having people say ‘Hello Father’ as I walk down the street” was the reply. I guess you can’t win them all! Of those I have spoken to so far, I am impressed with their desire to pray and to serve God wherever he wants them to be.

At the lunchtime Eucharist today we were joined by an RC priest from a Religious Order. He is part of the governing body in Rome and is visiting members of the Order in South Africa and Madagascar. He not only participated fully in an Anglican Eucharist, but one presided over by a woman!! He howled with laughter when I pointed it out to him. He is keen to come to the Ordination on Saturday to see how we do it.

Rabbuni is the coolest (in temperature) place I have been in since I arrived in South Africa and sleeping here is much easier. You can hear the night sounds of Africa tonight, and the sound of the trains on their way to Cape Town, or Jo’burg. Wonderful.

I have just been out to see what the noises at the end of the corridor were – it was three of the men making sure that I was locked in and safe for the night! Actually, this morning I was so well locked in I couldn’t get out and had to be rescued. When the Director did her final rounds last night she automatically let the Yale go, and turned the other key, forgetting I was inside. So this morning I had to rattle the glass doors as someone passed in order to get them to get the key. It gave added meaning to Ps.81:7, from this morning’s psalm, and gave me a homily for the Eucharist!

(Thursday morning:)

 I’ve been trying to get an internet signal with no success. I’ll try walking around the garden later to see if I can find one. All is still going well. Since we were here two years ago for the Sunday School Training, a barn in the garden has been turned in to a lovely chapel, but there is nothing to absorb sound so everything bounces back off stone walls and the tin roof. Our first service there became a bit of a shouting match – but it gave me an opportunity to talk about what it means to Preside in an act of worship, and the need to be aware of other people if we are truly to worship together.

 

The food here has been excellent – if a little eccentric to British taste. Breakfast today for instance was cereals (OK), and minced beef, scramble egg and fresh tomato!

Yesterday we had a cracker of a thunderstorm – not much rain, but lots of noise. They obviously found it unsettling, so we marched around the chapel singing, ‘We are marching in the love of God’ and dancing. I made up verses relevant to the talk I was about to give and there were smiles on their faces. I am playing CDs during our silent meals and for supper chose the Missa Luba– if you don’t know it, try to get a copy: I got mine in ‘Wax Lyrical(?) in one of those racks with relaxing music. By the next session they had all settled down again and were ready to face the final 24hours.

Talking of which, I must go and get the next talk ready ……. 

A typical Sunday lunch with a retired clergy couple - not!

I thought I was going to a traditional Sunday lunch with a retired priest and his wife. Fr Horace McBride and Lorraine retired from full-time ministry in Christ the King Diocese (part of the city of Jo’burg but not Jo’burg Diocese) to Stilfontein some five years ago. I found what I thought was their home only to see a rank of motorbikes lined up outside. So I decided to go ask for directions, only to hear, “Lorraine, Nita’s arrived”! I had walked into the annual Blessing of the Bikes.

When younger and fitter, Horace had been a biker himself, and he is now Chaplain to the bikers of Gauteng (the area around Jo-burg) Province. For the last three years they have come to Stilfontein near the start of the year and Horace and Lorraine have opened their house to them. Each biker pays R100 towards the cost. Their ladies go free. Today there must have been about 20 of them, but altogether there are around 100. After a good braai, alcohol and tobacco were left in the eating area and we all trouped out for the Blessing of the Bikes and Bikers. One was given an extra blessing, that he might “return next year to cook the braai”!

At 4.45, with everything packed away and the area cleared up, it was time to ‘Saddle up’. There was a lot of revving of engines so that local residents could come out to see the bikes leave, and a little bit of a show for them. All too soon, they had gone – but not before I was given an invitation to next year’s event, and told they would expect me to be riding a ‘Harley’.

It was a noisy affair, with volume levels rising as the alcohol levels in the bottle fell. But everyone was very welcoming, very polite and very friendly.

So yes, your typical Sunday lunch with a retired clergy couple  -  not!

Now it’s full steam ahead for the ordination. The Diocesan Chapter decided to ordain all the candidates, so there are now 12 to be priested. It all seems very last minute to me: O for some organisation – or would that just be too English!