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.