For all that has been - thanks!

It’s Monday 26^th: the case is packed: and it’s time to come home. As always I’m loath to leave, but since Saturday morning, when I returned the car, there’s been a strong sense that my window of opportunity is now closed.

 

 

 

Thursday last week I went to Kanana for the day and met with MU, and joined in their service. The rector, the Revd Pule Lekoko and I left to do a couple of short visits. At the first the 85 year old lady insisted on giving me R6 – about 30p – to buy some sweets. It’s very humbling when that happens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the workers at the Centre



 

Then we went to see a project that helps HIV/AIDS sufferers, orphans and vulnerable young people and elderly people. It was started by Canon Rebecca Maphitikazi when she was rector, and is currently part funded by the Province. Links with the parish had deteriorated, but Fr Pule is keen to rebuild them. Then it was back to the church for lunch with the MU.

 

 

 

 

 

The rest of Thursday and Friday were taken up formatting 2 services for +Steve. The first proved especially difficult as there was no English version and I had no idea what was instruction, prayer said by one person and prayer said by everyone. I took most of the week to do! For the second there was an English version and was much simpler.

The four Archdeacons

Lesley and John arrived Thursday evening, and after a quick cool drink were whisked off south for a couple of days. They returned for the service on Sunday, which began on time at 08.00: I think they’d had to leave at 05.00!! There were special 25^th Anniversary stoles, which the  clergy had to buy, but Lesley and I were given them as a gift. The huge hall filled over the next hour until it was standing room only. As I was about to read the gospel I got a mouth full of incense and only a squawk came out instead of the greeting. I quickly recovered and was reading without a microphone, till one suddenly appeared over my shoulder and everyone was deafened!

 

 

Lesley’s sermon looked back and on into the future, echoing the words on the celebration cake: “For all that has been – thanks! To all that will be – Amen!” The singing, as always, was brilliant, and the service finished at 12noon, the shortest Family Day service ever. But we had to get out to let the army in – there had been a mix-up with the bookings.

 

 

After the service there was a very quick reunion for Fr Guma, Mpho, Pulane and myself -  they had visited St James in 2004. The majority of people then went to the local recreation ground / park, found a space and set up their barbecues. A good time was had by all – and a real celebration of the first 25 years.

So I sign off with my thanks to everyone who has read this and kept me in their prayers; to those who have written to me, helping to keep my feet in the UK: to those who have kept St James the Great, Clayton running in my absence: to + Steve and his family who have been my family here: and because the last shall be first, to “Morena wa rona, Jesu Kreste” who opened a window of opportunity and gave me the graces I needed to do his work here”.