Monday (29/5/17)
Today I had the opportunity to
visit the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg. Over the years, I have read much on
the history of South Africa, including parts of Mandela’s book, Long Walk To Freedom (regrettably,
I haven’t managed it cover-to-cover) – however, the time I spent in the museum
gave me greater depth and insight into South Africa’s sad history. I spent a
significant amount of time in the temporary Mandela exhibition – a very moving
and humbling experience – walking in the metaphorical shoes of a man who gave
sacrificially for a nation he loved. As a black African, it felt important to
acknowledge all that happened during the apartheid era to fellow black Africans
who were subjected to much human indignity and humiliation (and, sadly, this is
not just a South African problem, but very much a human problem, where we fail
to see the ‘other’ in ourselves). Talking about this visit with other black
South Africans was deeply illuminating too – where black men and women my age
(40s) spoke of experiencing first-hand the realities of an institutionalised
system of segregation. One lady spoke of going to a ‘black only’ pool while
their white counterparts threw frogs into the water as they swam. And, when the
whites started pouring acid in the pool, they stopped swimming in the pool. May
we continue to pray for all nations broken by a legacy of hatred and
division!
Tuesday (30/5/17)
In the late morning, after a
rather hurried pack, I travelled to Coligny with Kgowe, the curate of St
Andrews (Lichtenberg) - Revd Isaac Rapakeng, and warden of St Michael’s and All
Angels (Coligny). The latter was our driver from Klerksdorp to Coligny and then
Lichtenberg.
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Kgowe, Revd
Isaac, Lebogang (third from left), and Letlhogonolo (second from right)
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At our first stop in Thabelogang (Coligny), after greeting the
priest-in-charge, we went to have a conversation with some of the youth at a
community centre that Kgowe engages with. The youth coordinator described the
work of the centre; encouraging young people to develop and hone skills that
will enable them to progress with further studies and/or other vocational work.
After that, we popped across the road to talk with a group of elderly women and
two men at the Fountain of Hope outreach. This is a project that supports
victims of rape, abuse, and other violence. They offer general counselling and
referrals to social workers. Established in 2009, this outreach works alongside
in excess of eighty girls and women over a period of six months. Later that
morning, I met the two youth – Lebogang and Letlhogonolo (no longer Thato) –
who will be travelling to White River with me on Sunday, 4th June. They put a lovely
lunch spread for us. And, after a quick stop at Kgowe’s residence, where I met
his sister, we travelled to Lichtenberg. There we visited St Barnabas and the
Chapel of the Transfiguration (in Blydeville) where Revd Elizabeth Amir is the
priest in charge. The Chapel of the Transfiguration is situated in a ‘coloured’
community township. A fledgling church community struggling with funding to
maintain the property, especially in light of the spate of thefts. On the other
hand, St Barnabas Church is a beautiful small church situated in a leafy
churchyard. Previously an Afrikaans church, it now has mainly a congregation of
blacks; its last two white members in their eighties and nineties. While in the
past, Revd Elizabeth would have conducted services in Afrikaans, now due to the
change in congregation and the fact that they have a Zimbabwean family in their
midst, all her services here are now conducted in English. Meeting Revd
Elizabeth was inspiring – her passion and commitment to the communities she
serves was simply humbling. I still find it such a strange reality where the
currency in this place is that of skin colour… where we are constantly speaking
about people and communities on the basis of colour categories.
Well, I’ve been asked to preach
at tomorrow’s evening service at St Andrews… Yikes! Talk about thrown in the
deep end in an unfamiliar context… I need to get praying and prepping. I’ll let
you know how I get on.
Wednesday (31/5/17)
Day started with breakfast at
8:30 am. Then, myself, Revd Isaac and Kgowe headed to two outreaches in Revd
Isaac’s parish in Boikhutso. First we visited SANTA (South African National TB
Association), where I had the opportunity to have a good long chat with the
Provincial Coordinator. The focus of this community outreach is raising
awareness of TB through education and training programmes, interfacing with the
public through various events. The project is holistic in approach engaging in:
house visits, community mobilisation, provision of nutritional supplements,
food gardens (although issues with theft has stalled this element), soup
kitchens, clothing banks, schools work, TB screening and referrals. Although
struggling financially (as they are not funded by the government), this remains
a most important outreach in these communities – especially in the fight
against what is coined the ‘terrible twins’; namely, HIV/AIDS and TB. We then
went next door, to the Hospice, Boikhutso Health Care Centre. Here, for 800
Rands a month, patients who are ill with TB, diabetes, hypertension, HIV/AIDS
and stroke are in long-term care. Many are here for years and for the most
part, they have very little interactive activity during the day. Though on
occasion, a lady comes to teach the patients basic language skills. They are
bathed and clothed and fed, then they sit and sit and sit, until night falls.
Because the Provincial Coordinator had come across with us, she too expressed
concern that the residents at the hospice were being offered very little
activity during the day – and, in response, she said she would look into
delivering wellbeing and exercise classes for the residents (since, this is
something that is well within SANTA’s remit). Please pray for the projects of
SANTA and Boikhutso Health Care Centre. There is much need, but very little
funding and resources are scarce or non-existent.
We then made some pastoral
visits in the parish. And, it was an incredible privilege to go with Revd Isaac
and a Lay Minister to give extended home communion to an elderly, blind lady.
To hear the very familiar liturgy in Setswana was so humbling. The one thing
that struck me as we moved from home to home, was the diversity in peoples and
languages within a single parish; from speaking to a household in Setswana, to
visiting an elderly man who only spoke Afrikaans. It’s incredible how time
flies with full days. After a couple of other stops, a brief visit to the Canon
and making time to enjoy the expansive landscape – taking photos with cows and
a horseman – it was soon time for me to ready myself for the evening service.
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St Andrews
Church, Boikhutso
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A
special service that had been put on to welcome me and hear me preach. I spoke
on John 17:11-19 and focused on the theme of ‘Don’t forget who you are... Don’t
forget your identity in Christ!’ And, so, I had my first experience of my
sermon being translated from English to Setswana. Kgowe did brilliantly in translating
(his first gig too, Lol!). God truly carried us, and the sermon was well
received by the congregation gathered at St Andrews. What a new experience to
be preaching in the African context. And, thankfully, my nerves held and God
took over. It was such a joyful and Christ-filled occasion… at times the
singing seemed to reverberate to heaven and back again. What a blessing!
Tomorrow… I’m off to Itsoseng
for my final stint in Matlosane diocese… I wonder what awaits me there J
