First Impressions

Chris writes:         Everyone very hospitable and welcoming. It’s humbling to feel how much hope and expectation there is about the visit. Compared to Tanzania and Zambia, there is no sense of the racial difference and any feelings of black inferiority. Such a vast continent with miles and miles of roads.        Chenda continues:  good, good company! Pray God will enable us to live up to expectations and encourage people for him.

Ruth writes:     What an amazing welcome, what an amazing country of contrasts in countryside and town. Wonderful weather and unbelievable food.         Rob adds:  Incredible, amazed, awestruck by the country as a whole, by the welcome of the people. I’ve waited 40 years for this adventure. Love the food. The experience so has set my emotions a flood.

Clare says:     We have been welcomes so greatly with a wonderful sense of hospitality. Trying to get used to new faces and overcome my shyness. Tried chicken livers yesterday which were lovely!!      Libby writes:  What an amazing place and what amazing people – we’ve had such a warm welcome. We have been to Tsogong (Resurrection) Cathedral today and finalised our planning for the conference – can’t wait to get started now. Have eaten some delicious food – I love pap (maize meal)  Mmm!!

Nita writes:   As this is not my first visit, I can’t claim to be giving first impressions – but I can echo what the others have said about our welcome. At passport control into South Africa we had to give the reason for our visit. We all ticked “visiting family and friends”, I on the basis of experience, and everyone else on the basis that people would be by the end of our visit. Today has made that a reality already!  We were all very tired when we arrived in Klerksdorp yesterday, but a good night’s sleep was had by all, and hopefully after a second of the same we shall be fully restored. Today the Bishop had a meeting in the cathedral for clergy and wardens so that the latter could be sworn into office and we were asked to go in for a few minutes to be introduced to everyone. +Stephen made it very clear how grateful he is to Lichfield Diocese for all the help we have given in making this conference possible.

After our planning meeting we went into Potchefstroom (Potch for short) to do some shopping for next week and some general retail therapy.

Tomorrow (Sunday), I am presiding and preaching at St Peter’s, Klerksdorp where my host is warden, and everyone else is going to church with their hosts. I think they will all be town churches, but I know they will find it a wonderful experience. I’m just hoping they will survive the incense!!

The conference begins on Monday. Brenda, whose husband is +Stephen, whose vision and dream this conference is, is unable to be with us during the week because of work commitments. She is bitterly disappointed,  but will be with us in the evenings, and we shall try to keep her up to date on what we have done. It will be a day when great wisdom will be needed as we try to make real contact with one another across language and cultural barriers.