Wednesday 11 May 2016

Catch up - poor internet connections


An evening of contrasts

I am now in Zeerust, or more correctly Marico, in the north of the Diocese, near mountains, and the internet signal is weak. Before I left Lichtenburg this morning we had 5 minutes of rain – not nearly enough, but at least a promise of what might come. The journey was straight forward and after lunch I sat in the warm sunshine and chatted with the Revd Clifford Letlonkane, whom I first met on his ordination retreat in 2014. Marico is like a township, but is actually for farmers who have come to live in the town. The houses are similar to those in the townships, as is the way of life.

About 5 we set off to pay a visit to a family whose 40 year old son died on Friday. As we arrived I realised that I had visited this hoe in 2014 with Archdeacon Sam and been treated to a lovely lunch. Some of them remembered me, but I only remembered the house. We walked through the family home to the parent’s bedroom, where the base of the bed had been removed and the mattress was on the floor. Tucked up in bed were two women, the mother and her sister. Had the mother’s mother still been alive it would have been her duty to stay with her daughter in the bed. The mother is allowed up – and out - for dealing with the bank and funeral directors, but otherwise she stays put till the day of the funeral. The same applies if it’s a husband that has died. She is supported by the women of the family, from church and friends. If it’s a wife, the husband is expected to stay around the house with other men. Each evening a different group turns up about 6pm - tonight it was the Lay Ministers - to ‘say’ Evening Prayer. I write ‘say’ because the psalm was sung and there were many powerful choruses interspersed in the service. There was a sermon, and an add-on – both of which were ‘forcefully proclaimed’ to those of us in the bedroom. Of course it was all in Setswana, but I understood Ps 23 and Romans 8, the Apostles Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and the Grace, so I just mentally tagged along. When it was over there were refreshments for everyone. Fr Clifford told me that he found the restraint shown by the white community at such times hard to understand. “You would hardly think there was funeral taking place,” was his comment.

Back at the Rectory, we got out of the car and I was hit by the serenity of the place. It was cool; there was a smell of wood smoke in the air; the cicadas were chirping; a newish crescent moon shone and we could see myriads of stars in the sky. I could have stood for a very long time just drinking it all in. Magical – and in the truest sense of the word, awesome.

Tomorrow we begin our tour of the area. I can’t wait to get started!

 

Internet access failed last night so tomorrow is now today, and we have had a good day. We visited a possible venue for the clergy retreat later this year, and I realised that I had been there before for a Family Day – only this time we saw wildebeest, zebra and bok as we drove around. I was surprised to see that much of the rock seemed to be slate – but mostly red and brown in colour. There were moments of stillness when you could hear the wind in the trees, birds singing, insects humming and very little else.

Then it was off to the township of Lehurutshe, to see the chapelry church (an outstation / daughter church of a parish) which is under-going renovation, visit some sick parishioners – a 16 year old with asthma, who is on constant oxygen and needs a lung transplant, a 13 year old with brain damage, and a middle aged man badly injured in a car accident some months ago. Eventually we were entertained to lunch in the home of an MU member. If I thought the water shortage was bad in Lichtenburg, it was even worse here. They have water for one day, and then there is no water for 3 days – and the four day cycle just repeats! They assured me that you do get used to it. Here in Zeerust there is no problem and we have a constant water supply - so far!

Now I’ll try to post this before the evening sets in and too many people try to get access!

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