A long way travelled…A long way to go?

After several days of fascinating but draining visits and meetings, I was really glad today to find that this would be a day with a slower pace.  Father Sydney was cooking a “special guest” breakfast – bacon, scrambled egg and tomato… with strong coffee - followed by condensed milk on bread! (this “pudding” was my choice, but it was available and delicious.

There is a pattern to hospitality here, give the guest the very best you can.  This is incredibly generous, especially when “giving the best you can,” can be quite costly .  Revd Sydney and his wife Trudi have welcomed me into their home with open arms and I am really grateful to them – even if my Afrikaans is only good enough to say “Bier Danke” (thank you) in a weird accent.  Fortunatley Sydney speaks good English, so my blushes are spared.

Revd Sydney took me to some of the museums in Potchefstroom which were house of some of the early Dutch settlers which had been preserved for visitors to view.  It was very much like National Trust, except that there was no suggestion that you should not touch things.  It seemed strange walking though rooms which early settlers from Europe had lived in, knowing that between their lives and mine the people in the country had been through great turmoil.

One photo showed the team of people which had undertaken the translation of the Bible into Afrikaans.  They were clearly sincere and serious about the job.  But the Bible they had translated, was used by others to justify some evil and unjust laws and actions.  It was a sobering thought, that having a Bible in our language does not mean that we will “get it right”.  Humility is called for.

Conversations with Sydney are always stimulating… we ended up talking about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was set up by the new South African government after 1994.  It’s purpose was to do as its name suggests and in the process allow forgiveness to become possible and reduce reprisals.  He told me how on the nightly news at the time, new and horrific revelations would be told- he and others would sit with tears running down their face, wondering at how humans could do such things.  “But,” he continues, “that is what is so great about being a Christian, you can forgive!”

Wayne, Rosemarie, Chenning and Megan with Father Sydney

Later in the day we are invited to visit the home of his churchwarden for tea (which turned out to be a meal, not just a drink…. Again “giving the best you can”)  Wayne is the church warden of St Michael’s Promosa, and is married to Rosemarie.  They have two children Chenning (10) and Megan (9)  Both parents work and they live but live in a nearby suburb, having moved to the area from Port Elizabeth.  Nothing unusual there… true, but Wayne is white and Rosemarie is black- not that they bother about it. And a more normal family you could not wish to meet.  They are showing a new way of possibility in  South Africa.

We talk freely about our two countries… I mention the strong sense of community life and openness in South Africa as compared to many parts of the UK…. Wayne comments, “South Africa has its problems, but we know how to love”  

Seeing this family and relaxing in the generosity of their welcome, you can’t help feeling that South Africa has come a long way already.  A police car makes a routine patrol past the house while we eat … and I am reminded that it has a long way to go too.

For us in the UK, changes in our society are more subtle and often more difficult to notice than big things like a new set of social laws and norms, as in South Africa.  But this can mean that they can “slip under the radar”.  One of the gifts of coming here, is to be able to see my own culture from a different standpoint.  From here, Britain seems a bit commercially cut throat, and high on individualism- we are more likely to think about “me and I” than “us and we”. 

Maybe I’m not thinking straight-maybe I’m remembering only the good here… (reminding myself that I had earlier seen some boys around age 10 sniffing glue by the town centre park)- Maybe I’m finding fault with both cultures…  But perhaps a helpful question to ask is, “What sort of society do we want to see in our nation?”  We will then have an idea of what we may need to do to move towards it.  For the Christian, this has to include the values of the Kingdom of God as taught and lived (& died)  by Jesus.   

We have a long way to go, but we have been shown the way.

Richard

Thursday 9th February 2012: Rural Realities- Church Challenges

After a hot day in Ikageng township yesterday, today was a little cooler and started with some pretty heavy rain, with lightning to go with it.  Today involved a visit to one of the more rural areas of this central section of the Diocese of Matlosane.  I was picked up by Edward Sithole (Dean of the Cathedral) and a female Deacon, Nontozanele.  We drove for about 45km (it took us about 40 minutes) in some impressive African rain, which didn’t seem to be a problem for Edward as he drove.  It was strange having, being already hot in the car, but needing to blow hot air on the window to clear the mist. Phew!

Father Dennis Lukaleni in St Fracis Ventersdorp

We arrived at the town of Ventersdorp, (maybe about the same size as eg. Penkridge?) and headed for the township of Tsing, which was unusually close to the town centre.  We were met by Father Dennis Lukuleni, who is a young and vibrant man – with an earnest and keen approach to all that was going on in the church as we arrived.  His shirt was spectacular, depicting an image of he scared heart of Jesus flowing life to the world.  With his style, and easy manner, he could well have been mistaken for a top DJ.

The "outstation" church building at Motlatla

After being shown around the church 

(St Francis) we headed off for a further 6Okm drive (40miles) to one of his 18 “outstations”  (These are places where there is a congregation, but no separate parish – with worship usually led by a lay minister on most Sundays- sometimes there is no building). We might call these mission churches, or church plants. We arrived at the village of Motlatla a small farming community, with a range of simple houses, widely spread out.  The church building was impressive to me… it had been built with hand made bricks made by the local people.  They must really want to worship the Lord together!  Typically 50-60 people meet there every Sunday, and Dennis will get to them once a month to lead a Holy Communion service after he has completed the service in Ventersdorp.  He asks the outstation churches to come togther in 3-4 outstations for Holy Communion.  But when he does get there, then the baptisms also have to happen, so it can be a busy time for him… at each visit.

The "outstation" building at Goedeconde

We drove some more (maybe 20 minutes) and came to another outstation, Goedeconde – this time the building was walls only, again from local hand made bricks.  Dennis said that, with God’s help they would complete the building this year.

Over lunch back in Ventersdorp we talked about the challenges that this kind of rural ministry presents- the distances are big!  But there are opportunities too. Certainly for most weeks, the people in the outstations do not rely on the priest being present- and this is healthy.  The thought crossed my mind that, with large numbers of Lichfield Diocese clergy retiring in the coming years, we may need some kind of “outstation” approach.  No doubt ministers and congregations in rural parts of the UK are already used to this kind of balancing- but it may be applied in suburban/urban settings too- this is part of what Lichfield Diocese’ “Plain Speaking” discussion is about I believe.  It would certainly be different to what many people have been used to, but the evidence from Ventersdorp and Motlatla, is that it can work well, and people can grow without an unhealthy dependence on a priest… in fact, people may discover and use the gifts that they have been given by God in a healthy way.

The lunch conversation also turned to young people and the church, and Dennis displayed his enthusiasm for reaching those who don’t yet come to the church.  I shared some of the challenges facing the church in the UK in this area, and we agreed that in both our countries, there is a cultural gap between a formal style of service and the world in which young people are immersed.  We talked about new kinds of service and giving people (young and old) more input into the services.  We also agreed that clergy expecting respect because of their “status” was unhelpful in bridging the gap.  Dennis was keen to reach out to the upcoming generation by supporting them with what they needed – assistance with job & education application… a kind of drop in health centre, in addition to the youth group of the church.

Dennis impressed me with his energy and vision- his commitment and compassion were wonderful to see.  The cost of offering himself to God’s service was real, to him and his family, but it seemed like Dennis knew it was worth it.

As I returned back to the roads of Primosa township (which I am beginning to recognise) I had plenty to think about.  With Sydney and Trudi my hosts, we watched Jacob Zuma (President of South Africa) on TV give the annual “State of the Nation Address” – 75 minutes of policy review and announcements, in a range of languages.  South Africa has 23% unemployment (down from last year) and many of the social problems that go with it and the ongoing rebalancing of equality after apartheid.

It seems that communities in South Africa need a church which is prepared to do what people like Dennis are doing- giving of self, serving and sharing in imaginative ways, offering the good news where people are,  in a language they can understand.  And then I realise it’s not just South Africa that needs a church like this!

Richard

Wednesday 8th February 2012… Cathedrals and Communities

 

St Augustine's Sarafina, Ikageng

I was met today by Revd Edward Sithole, the Dean of Matlosane Cathedral.  (Or “The Cathedral Church of the Resurrection, Ikageng” to give its full title).

He showed me the Cathedral and introduced me to some of the other staff in his team.

Ikageng is a township outside Pochefstroom, in Matlosane, and as far as anyone knows it is the only Cathedral which is situated in a township. The Dean is aware & proud of this, and we agreed that it made a good statement to the people of the township.

Dean Edward & Father Wilson

Before being shown the Cathedral itself though, I was taken to a relatively new church in the area of Sarafina within Ikageng.  This was effectively a “church plant” of the Cathedral.  The term used here is an “outstation”- a community of Christians who meet for prayer and worship in some suitable building led by members of the Anglican Church.  This had been the case in Sarafina for some years, and in 2005 the new church building was completed. Now the members of the “outstation”  have a church – St Augistine’s Sarafina.  Father Wilson is their priest and he is just settling into the role, having been there around 1 month.  There is still some work to do on the fabric of the church, but I was impressed by the mission minded approach which the cathedral staff and congregation have shown.

Ikageng Cathedral Outbuilding

Next on the buildings list, was not the Cathedral itself… but it’s out-building… a bit like a barn… but useful for Sunday School and also for the volunteer carers who meet there regularly before visiting folks in need in the community.   They have also started up a Friday night “soup kitchen” for anyone in the community in need of food.  There are plans to expand this to other days of the week too.

On the way to the Cathedral itself, we stopped in at the church office and Dean Edward showed me one of the pledge cards used by congregation members for giving.  There was a place to write how much you were pledging, but then there were sections where a giver could allocate their giving to go to either church contribution (like parish share), social responsibility (eg funding the soup kitchen) and building maintainence.  I surprised when Edward told me that he had introduced this system recently… I asked,  “Did the church contribution go down when people could choose to allocate their gift to social responsibility?”  He smiled, “No, it went up!” 

Ikageng Cathedral

I was impressed by this imaginative, risky and yet faith filled approach to handling and encouraging giving.  I can’t help wondering how it might work in the Church of England… are we up for the faith/risk element in this?

Inside Ikageng Cathedral

It seemed that I was seeing (without meeting any of its members) the evidence of a church which was seeking to be a community which was seeking to transform the community in which it was set. There is still much to do, as a conversation over lunch with Edward and his churchwarden (Peter) revealed.  Ikageng is  large community, (500,000+) in quite a small area.  But this did not seem to daunt any of the people I met.  They seem to be doing what they can... which is a good start.

Not all of these ideas and approaches can be overlaid dreictly on to our different settings in the UK.  But some of them might be a surprisingly good fit, and they are worth prayerfully thinking about.

As I pondered the day, sitting back in Promosa township, I heard sounds that I had not come across since my own childhood.  Children playing in the street, skipping, running or making music with a makeshift drum. South Africa’s problems are well noted, and they are big and real.  But community is alive and well here in the townships, despite the problems.  And the church is right here in the mix.  It doesn’t have to be a Cathedral to do all the work being done in Ikageng … any church with people committed to the Lord Jesus might do these things in its local community.  Any church can do it… But will ours be one that does?  That is a searching question!

Tuesday 7 February 2012: A South African mixture: Townships, University, Botanical Gardens & a Shopping Mall

In this land of contrasts today was a good blend of much of the variety of life in South Africa.  After a good breakfast with Revd Sydney Magobotla in Promosa, we set out for the university town of Potchefstroom- home to the University of the North West (UNW)

Part of the University of the North West, Potchefstroom

The wide boulevards and excellent sports facilities of the university itself give the town a feel like a US college.  This is the place where the Spanish Football Team stayed in during their World Cup winning visit in 2010; and it’s easy to see why. The place oozes sport, and is full of healthy, young, athletic white students.  (There are students from the black community, but not that many a present).  Sydney & I visited a science exhibition, and later the Univerity  Botanical Gardens (narrowly missing a heavy shower in the rain forest greenhouse!).  The young male receptionist at the science exhibition was keen to shake my hand as a “real English person” ( him having seen a premiership football match the night before).  I assured him I wasn’t Steve Gerrard!

We headed for the new shopping Mall and printed out photos for church members we had visited on Monday. Over lunch, we compared issues in our two countries and the churches within them.  We ended up agreeing that in both settings, church members should consider giving (a tenth of income) rather than relying on fundraising and that a pressing need was to help those who attend church move on in their faith to become committed disciples of Jesus.
Also drawing young people into a real faith was a need in both our churches.

The theory is easy: the practical is less simple to roll out!

We headed for the place which Sydney had talked about yesterday, from which he and his family had been forcibly moved.  It had been a community of self-built homes of black, coloured and Indian people- living in a mixed and supportive community.  But when a “X” was painted on the wall or door of the house, you had a week to move your furniture, before the walls were knocked in.  The new “locations” were separate for the different racial groups- and the houses smaller, regardless of the size of the family.

We pulled in to visit Ikageng, the township built for the black community… with over 500,000 residents and met his assistant priest, Joel (or Opa as he is more generally called)

I thanked Sydney for taking me round an area that is so rich and painful in memories for him.  Back at his home, over a glass of home made ginger beer [courtesy of his wife Trudi] he told me, with some emotion, about the other things that he and his family, and countless others had put up with under apartheid.  I asked a stupid but pressing question… “How did you keep going?”  He replied, “We just knew that one day we would overcome.”

Throughout the day Sydney was wearing his Diocese of Matlosane T shirt.  On the back read the words… “Live together in peace”  Somehow, this did not seem a bland strapline- but something that Father Sydney, as leader of the church was walking as an example of.

Often we say, “forgive and forget.”  But some things have been so life changing that we cannot forget, and we shouldn’t.  However, Sydney is showing me, that it is possible to forgive, even when we do not forget.  He told me of how the way in which Nelson Mandela handled his release from prison set the tone for the manner of so many in the nation. As if to say, “there is another way.”   The church here of all denominations, is in small ways and big, seeking to live out the peace which Christ offers us and played a major roll in steering a peaceful way through the changes of the 1990s.  It still has that roll to play in the reshaping of this nation in the years to come.

I heard how many of the premium high schools in Potchefstroom now have good numbers of children from the townships.  In time, they will perhaps become the university students of the future, and maybe there will be more equality in the educated sector of society here.

In the meantime, Father Sydney and the church he serves, live out the hope, peace and patience for a better future.  I admire him and those like him, for this.  They choose to live out what they believe… that it will be better one day, and that gives them enough for today. 

Lord give (them and) us today our daily bread- and help us to share what we have with those in greater need.  

Richard

Monday 6th February- A day in Promosa township, near Potchefstroom

A typical home in Promosa

Having been to South Africa several times, I perhaps should guess that surprises often turn up.  But in my visit to Promosa township with Revd Sydney Magobotla, the issues which were raised were not only the ones I expected.

Sydney has retired from his former work in a munitions factory (making explosives for the mining industry & high calibre bullets) and is a very active (unpaid) priest in Promosa where he lives; he is also the archdeacon of the Cathedral Archdeaconry (a group of parishes in the centre of the diocese).

He is an intelligent, thoughtful and gracious man and my time with him has been enthralling.  He has been patient with my questions and offered balanced views on issues which must be very painful for him to recall.

My first shock was his excellent command of Afrikaans (the language of the majority of white Afrikaaner population).  This was closely followed by a second shock, his revelation that this was the mother tongue of most of the 500,000 people who live in Promosa. 

I had (in a rather simple minded fashion) thought that Afrikaans was spoken only by a few of the non white community.  But it turns out that the coloured population (ie those not white, but with some element of mixed racial background) had been employed by the whites (under the apartheid system) as carers & nannies and for other “responsible” jobs.  As a result they had learned the Afrikaaner language, and it had become the main means of communication.  It still is.

The level of social engineering which was undertaken under apartheid is staggering.  I cannot put down all the things I have heard, but one of the most disturbing was the forced removal of whole communities of “non whites” to other (less good) locations (because the land was needed by the white community).   Might we call this ethnic cleansing?  It is probably not for me as an outsider, with one day’s information, to comment. 

Revd Sydney with Ma Sarah (at 101 years old, Promosa's oldest resident)

What is truly amazing is the even handed way which I hear Revd Sydney speak about all this.  He and his family were forcibly removed in the 1960s  and endured the regime until the 1990s, yet he is calm and sparing with the detail when he tells me about these things.  And all the people I meet in their homes greet me warmly and thank me for coming to see them.

Ma Sarah, (101 years old) is the oldest resident in Promosa.  Sydney and I greeted her and prayed with her.  Born in 1910 she has seen more than anyone of the changes in the life of her community.  And it is a real community; Revd Sydney seems to know all the people we pass and there is a sense of permanence in the hot streets, even if the houses are smaller than the residents would like.

But the evil seed of apartheid continues to bear fruit.  There remain tensions, a legacy of inequality and injustice, which can be a breeding ground for crime. Unemployment for young people after they finish school, can lead to a sense of hopelessness- leading to the temptation to turn to drugs.

The final shock of the day is an issue I had not expected- but which seemed to keep cropping up with every visit.  It is one which we talk about a lot in the UK- but more as a topic of interest rather than the life affecting reality that it is here:  Climate change.

Revd Sydney wih Jan (86) near the step which floods

It felt as though someone had scripted some of the conversations I had today- as if a “theme for the day” had been agreed.  Many people talked about how the climate has (not “will be”) changed.  Bishop Steve yesterday commented about rain continuing later into the season, so that crops do not have chance to dry out.  Jan (an 86 year old Promosa dweller) is having to fund building a canopy (out of his meagre pension) over his front door- since the rain now comes more fiercely and floods over his step.  Crops in people’s gardens in the townships no longer grow as well because of changes in rain patterns.

Sydney and I talk about this, and he explains, that if the farmers harvests are less good, the price of food rises and it is the poor who suffer first and most.

A diocese of Matlosane poster for 2012 is on his wall.  On of the sentences reads… “We won’t have a world if we continue to destroy the environment!”

This is a message from South Africa for us all.

This all sounds bad news.  And it is.  But the good news is in the way, in this community, churches of all denominations are coming together.  They take action with marches around the areas where drugs are being sold.  Meet together for 10 days of worship in the days after Pentecost.  This is not a hopeless situation.  God has not finished with us yet!

Making sense of all this bends my mind.  It is too much to take in.  Tomorrow will bring more revelations I suspect.

But I know that, whether it is the consequences of apartheid or global warming or social evils which we may be more aware of.  In all of these instances, the church has the message of hope that every community needs.  That God loves us, and that he hasn’t given up on us- he waits for us to respond to his love in Jesus.  Both in Lichfield and Matlosane… if we are serious about following the Lord Jesus… then God will use us as agents of peace, hope and change. Lord make us like this please.

Richard

Sunday 5th February- All Saints, Khuma near Stilfontein

Father Leslie with George- who picked me up

I was picked up at about 7.20am  by Pule and George, and taken to their Church- All Saints Khuma, to be met by their Priest – Father Leslie.  A tall, elegant man who is principal of a school during the week and is, like most of the ordained ministers in Matlosane, self supporting.

Khuma is a township between Klerksdorp and Potchefstroom, the two largest towns in this area of the North West Province of South Africa.  It has about 100,000 residents and many of those in work, are employed in the local gold mines.  But as a number of them have closed as gold deposits run out, Khuma now has less income and so has a number of social problems… Not that you would sense that from the worship this morning!

Father Leslie greeted me warmly, and he agreed to do all the activities in the service which involved incense- a relief to me, as I was uncertain about using incense as well as using my few shaky words of Tswana (the local language).

The congregation’s welcome to me was warm and genuine, and their worship and singing both beautiful and moving.  Once the singing started, a  group of ladies used what I will call “clapping pads” (a bit like a boxing glove in texture- but rectangular in shape) to make a deep base drum sound, which kept the rhythm for our singing.  For good measure, there was also worshipful use of a referee’s whistle and a bell!  (Hard to imagine I know, but it all works fantastically)… by this stage there were about 200 people present.

As we knelt for the confession time in the service, there was a something deeply significant for me, as a white person, confessing sins together in a church in a black township of South Africa.   I haven’t got to the bottom of this yet, but I was aware at the time of something symbolic as we joined together. 

Not long after came a collection… which required no less than three joyful  songs to complete.  Children first, then youth, then women, then men all came to the front to place their gifts on the offering plate. The there was a freewill offering, when many people, came for a second time  to give once more.  The offerings we then taken to be counted before the end of the service.

We celebrated communion together, and it was a privilege to take part in this. Much of the liturgy was in English, but the responses from the congregation were in Tswana. I was able to use enough of my hastily learned Tswana to allow people to know which section we were on (or perhaps they knew the service better than me!)  I was glad of Father Leslie, giving a discrete hand to guide me through the sections which were not in English.  All received bread and wine in communion to remember Jesus and worship him.  It was from my experience- in reverence and with real thankfulness that everyone came to receive Holy Communion

After there were notices… and the amount of the money received in the offerings earlier was announced.  It was just short of a nice round number… and the church warden, said (I think) something like, “Come on folks! Let’s see if we can make it past the round number”  Another song, and the stewards walked up the aisle with a plate for any who wanted to give again.

The extra offering was counted and the notices continued.
The round number was passed!

Maria, one of the church wardens, wtih Lukaleni

Kani with his son Lukaleni.  Kani works underground in a local gold mine

After the service, I was invited for lunch along with other members of the church and Father Leslie, to the home of a lay minister, Joe, who also lives in Khuma.  He had been leading a separate service in an “outstation” (mission church) in an extension (fresh homes recently built) of the township.  Joe’s wife (Martha) had done a wonderful spread with a range of lovely food, most of which was recognisable, all very tasty- as well as home made ginger beer!

I am on the receiving end of the gift of hospitality.

Their home was delightful, and very similar to many modern bungalows which we might see in England.  My ideas of township dwellings were being challenged.  There were some very basic homes around, but Joe & Martha’s   was a house which they had really made home.

As we ate I chatted and listened to a member of the church council, who told me of the pressures of living in a township now: fear of crime, gangs, and how Khuma was struggling as income of its residents fell due to the local mines closing. “You can no longer leave your door and window open at night,” she commented.  Similar feelings to many people in the UK perhaps, but these are on a different scale I sensed.  But, in Khuma there is also a real sense of community, which those who live in the suburbs do not seem to have in the same way- and perhaps we have lost this in our UK suburbs too.

As I was driven back after lunch by George and Pule, my mind was almost overcome by the range of experiences I had been privileged to receive.  I cannot pretend to understand the very complex nature of life in South African society in all its different settings.  But I do know that there are faithful Christians, who earnestly want to see God’s kingdom come in their lives and communities.  So the church here needs to equip and train its members to be true followers, disciples of the Lord Jesus- to be the means by which God’s kingdom may come. 

What about those of us who are privileged to know something of this situation, whether by visit or information? We are to pray for South Africa, as well as our own nation, that God will use us  and people just like us to grow his church and be co-workers with Him in building the Kingdom of God.

Richard 5.20pm Sun 5^th Feb 2012

Moving to Matlosane… Richard Westwood 4 Feb 2012

After spending about a week in Mpumalanga South Africa…  with Hands @Work in Africa and visits to Mercy Air in White River, it was time to move to Matlosane.

I travelled by “Citibug” (a mini bus coach with trailer for luggage).  This involved a 4.40am rise to get the 6am Citibug, leaving Nelspruit for Klerksdorp (about 300 miles west).  Rose, Andrew and Sam (my wife and two my children) braved the early start to see me off and will stay at Mercy Air in White River before coming to join me in 10 days time.

The journey was fascinating… and I had some wonderful conversations with my fellow travellers, most of whom were getting off at Johannesburg Airport.

I discovered a lot of new insights into the chequered history of the British in Africa, in particular the Boar war… they say that history is written by the victor.  Certainly there is much for us (Brits) to be ashamed of in our actions in years gone by.  But none of this information from my fellow travellers, (who were mostly white) was said with any malice, but with a keenness for honesty. 

I was glad to be met in Kerksdorp just after noon by Bishop Steve Diseko, the Bishop of Matlosane.  He and his family (wife Brenda, daughters Letlotlo & Nata and son Leruo) could not have made me more welcome.

We talked about many things as we travelled to pick up his children from school and his wise and thoughtful approach to life in South Africa helped me to see that there is much for me to learn about this complex and diverse nation.

We enjoyed at family barbeque (“Braii”) in the evening, after collecting meat from what seemed to me to be the largest butcher’s shop in the world… no less than 13 people behind the counter serving.  Bishop Steve, in an understated manner, said, “South African’s like their meat!” I had to agree with him, but was still in a kind of shock at the scale of things.

Needless to say the food was excellent, and I was glad of the cool drinks, as the temperature at been around 34^oC earlier in the day. 

Today (Saturday) has been spent so far, preparing a sermon for a service tomorrow….  “Nothing new there!”  as you are a Church of England Minister you might think.

True, but Bishop Steve has also asked (challenged?) me to lead some of the service in Tswana, the local language spoken by most people here.

So I have been wrestling with some Tswana phrases and pronunciation.  And I had optimistically thought that using “Hello” (Dumela) and “Goodbye” (Sala Sentle) would be a good start!  But Bishop Steve and Brenda have agreed to help me by checking my pronunciation.  I’ll let you know how it goes!  But please pray for the Church where I will be going tomorrow, (All Saints Khuma) that they will be able to worship well, whatever the minister does!

God Bless

Richard