Tuesday 6th March… People who bridge the gap…

Today we have visited so many marvellous people in the Delareyville area.  Here are some of the details...

The home based  care team at Kopela

We visited a home based care project in Kopela where ten volunteers; (six women and four men),  visit 359 orpahaned and vulnerable children (OVCs) in their community. (Many parents work in Gauteng and may only get home for the school holidays, though some do manage to get home once a month).The care workers come from a number of different local churches and receive no pay for their work. They may put themselves at risk because they protect the children from people who might try to exploit their vulnerability. The orphans are grieving for the loss of their parents from AIDS related illnesses but don’t feel they can speak about their pain. The grandparents they now live with are also grieving for the loss of their children. In this situation the role of the care worker might be to be a bridge to help the grandparents understand why their grieving grandchildren have become difficult to manage. The care workers also maintain a vegetable garden to supplement the children’s diet and to support the community. They now have a good source of water and have been able to fence off the garden but still need a hosepipe, a watering can and a wheel barrow.

We felt privileged to share in the hopes of this team. They really are doing a fantastic job in very difficult circumstances. We hope that they can continue to support the growing number of OVCs in their community.

Mrs Magauta Legodi at Lillian Lehetla Special School

Many of the schools in this area are ‘Full Service’ schools. These schools offer support to children with special needs. However when the needs cannot be met in the mainstream setting they can transfer to a special school. We visited a special school called Lillian Lehetla School. This is a popular school for children with special needs and so the Principal Mrs Magauta Legodi has to manage overcrowded classrooms. The school takes children from five years old to eighteen but as there is no nearby provision for adults with learning difficulties, she often keeps them until they are twenty-one. Some children travel 85km (50 miles) by bus to school each day. This means that they arrive very tired and may not get back home until after dark. An occupational therapist comes into school once a week but there is no Speech and Language Therapist, nurse or Physiotherapist. Mrs Legodi’s teaching staff include sewing, woodwork, metalwork and gardening in the curriculum but the teacher will only have one assistant in a classroom of more than 20 and so following individual educational plans is very difficult though the staff attend workshops to update their skills as often as they can. Mrs Legodi and her staff are doing a very difficult job. It is so good to see children with special needs in an educational setting. They seemed confident and happy as I was shown around the school. They have recently celebrated their 25^th anniversary at Lillian Lehetla school. I hope Mrs Legodi will be able to lead them from strength to strength for years to come.

Another school we visited was Manamolela Primary School in the village of Atamelang.  We were greeted by the Principal Mrs Sonja van Niellelle, a passionate and dedicated woman, whose love and commitment for her learners and staff oozed out of her at every turn of the conversation.  We met the reception class … 71 children in one classroom, with two teachers… all seemed calm and purposeful, despite the limited room to move.  Somehow some space was made and the reception children sang for us… with pride and confidence- with vigorous actions.  Here is  short video clip of the song. 

Grade 1 class at Manomolela with Teacher Tshalo Shuenyane

A proud and passionate Principal -
Mrs Sonja Niellelle with one of her pupils
Senosi Motlanke

We called in on the Grade 1 class, with around 32 children, who were keen to tell us (in English) about themselves.  One of the strategies which the Principal Mrs van Niellelle has put in place is to make English the language used for teaching (as opposed to the mother tongue language of Tswana).  This makes Grade 1 a difficult step (hence the smaller classes – others grades rise to 40s) but it means that the children are better placed to carry on learning and able to pass the grades and so progress through the rest of their schooling.  Mrs van Niellellee – shone with an energy and fervour which was such ad force for good.  She is being the bridge (along with her staff) to help her students to better opportunities… it was a joy to meet her.  Thank you Sonja!

Archdeacon Guma with Education Area
Manager Mr Silas Mbiphe

The education theme in our day had begun when we met Mr Silas Mbiphe who is the Area Manager for Education for Greater Delareyville.  (Archdeacon Guma is his deputy, overseeing the secondary section).  Silas is a quietly spoken man, who has a steely determination to make sure to that education for the children in the area is as good as it possibly can be.  And his resolve has produced results… the % of students passing their matriculation exams (like A levels) is excellent, rivalling many private funded school in the province… three schools produced 100% pass rate.   All this in an area where there are many rural schools, with children living on farms.  This makes getting to school hard when rural roads are wet.  Also the parents often do not have e good experience of education themselves and so may not be able to support their children with learning at home.  The energy and commitment of Silas and his colleagues like Dr Guma is impressive and makes the possibility of education being a bridge out of poverty for many children in this area.  It is a long slow job, and resources are scarce…. But the people we met have showed us what a difference individual commitment and determination to make a difference can make.

Principals United

Our final meeting of the day was with three Principals of local schools (three primary and one secondary) who are interested in forming partnerships with similar schools in the Lichfield Diocese.  It was humbling to hear them quietly own up to the real challenges which each of their schools face – as well as sharing the successes of recent times.  Common features were that each of the schools have many learners who are vulnerable children, with parents who have died or are working away in Johannesburg. This brings social problems for the children – an understatement if there ever was one! There are issues in the communities of teenage pregnancy and drug and alcohol abuse…   (sounds sadly familiar to UK ears too)…As rural schools all of them face difficulties for their students in gettging to school in wet weather, since roads my be impassable…in the face of all these issues it would be easy to be downcast, but the principals, Mr Dinoko Mphumela, Mr Mohau Marumoloa, Ms Sarah Mokakale and Ms Esther Mohulatsi – were all resolute about making the difference for the children in their care.  Our role now is to be a bridge for these schools and find willing schools in the Lichfield area who would like to partner with them.

We have been so privileged to meet many other people today and our apologies to them if we have not mentioned them or done them justice… but it has been wonderful to see so many people being “bridges” in the communities we have visited…. So many of them, talking about how they are able to do what they do because of God’s help.  Perhaps there is a message for us in the UK in this… that we should consciously seek God’s help in our endeavours, whatever field they may be in… and then we will find that God gives us “our daily bread” -  what we need for each day’s tasks. 

Lord then please give to us – and all we have met – our daily bread.

Richard & Rose

Monday 5th March 2012- White River, Mpumalanga to Delaryville, Matlosane

A big day today…  we left Mercy Air at 8.30am  and arrived at a guest house in Delaryville in Matlosane at just after 7pm.  We were glad to be met by Archdeacon Marshall Guma – who treated us to our tea at a Wimpy ( bit like a Little Chef restaurant).

A welcome from a Delaryville Sunset

Andrew and Sam have been heroic… over 10 hours in the back of the car (with a couple of stops to help us keep going) – at least Rose and I had the driving to break up the day.  690km covered- I think that’s about 430miles… something like Birmingham to Aberdeen... we wouldn't have tried this in the UK... then again, there is far less traffic here than in the UK.

We were so glad to know we were on the final stages of our journey as we neared Archdeacon Guma’s home town of Sannieshof- about 30km from our destination.  His area covers the south of the Diocese of Matlosane and we will be visiting some church members and projects tomorrow.  He is a warm and personable man, and was on excellent terms with the staff at Wimpy. He was gracious and understanding about our delayed arrival (we had naively hoped to arrive about 5pm). We are looking forward to our two days with him in this area.

We were greeted by a quite wonderful sunset, and the views around the rest of the sky were stunning too, pinks, blues and purples. Thank you Lord – for a safe journey and the views we have enjoyed.

Richard, Rose, Andrew and Sam

Rest at Mercy Air, White River... Saturday 3rd March 2012

 Sometimes, it’s not until you stop that you realise how much you need a rest.  That is a little how we have felt in the last few days.  We have really enjoyed meeting new friends in the Church and communities of Matlosane and have enjoyed wonderful hospitality – but it has been very tiring too.  So we have really appreciated the chance we have had to sleep and rest well whilst here at the Mercy Air base in White River, Mpumalanga.  We have had time to think, write and reflect on our time in Matlosane and it has been valuable to do this.  We have also had time to find out some more about the Mercy Air organisation… and we thought you might like to hear a little about it too.

Pilot -Paul Middelton with one of Mercy Air's planes

Mercy Air is a Christian Charity based in White River, which uses light aircraft and a helicopter to fly people, goods and equipment to remote places in other parts of southern Africa. (A bit like MAF Mission Aviation Fellowship, with whom they often work in partnership).  There is a small grass airstrip and a heli-pad all set in the grounds of a farm.  The farm allows the organisation to offer hospitality too – which we have been glad to make use of.  Most frequently, the users of the hospitality flats are missionaries from Mozambiuque who come for a rest, and a chance to get their cars serviced or have medical needs attended to.

Mercy Air's Helicopter

Mercy Air sometimes will take on commercial hired/chartered flights, so that they can use the income generated to fly others in need at no cost or subsidised rates -  eg medical evacuations.

Every boy's dream!  Andrew and Sam in a "Kit fox" plane
built at Mercy Air (think Meccano but very difficult)

Our friends Paul and Cathy Middleton have worked for Mercy Air for several years.  Paul is a Pilot of the planes and Cathy is a midwife and nurse trainer as well as overseeing the hospitality side of the organisation.

Rose with Paul Middleton Inside the "Kitchen" Container

We have been staying here at an interesting time for Mercy Air.  They have been planning for several years to set up a “remote base” in Chimoio in central Mozambique.  This is to allow them to refuel and have storage and a place to stay- so that they can cover more of the northern remote regions of Mozambique.  This is now nearing completion and another remote station is being planned in Marromeo, Mozambique.   Part of the ingenious plan for this second base involves using converted metal storage containers for living accommodation.  They have been converted here at Mercy Air, fitted out with kitchen, sleeping and washing facilities and will be transported to their new site in the next week.

Looking from the outside, it’s not possible to tell what is inside, but the team involved have been creative  in their work- including air conditioning for the sleep unit  (temperature are often around 35^oC).

The "Sleep" container (with all important Air Con)

The work here is steady and purposeful for most of the time- maintenance, planning, & communication but with an increase in pace when a flight has been scheduled.  Often there will be a sudden surge in activity if a flood or medical emergency demands a fast response – all of which makes the routine planning and maintenance all the more important.

It has been good to see how another part of God’s church is quietly getting on with the job he has called them to… supported by other members of the one church across the world.  If you would like to find out more about the work of Mercy Air then you may want to visit their website www.mercyair.org  or Paul and Cathy Middleton’s blog which is at

www.pcm-mercyair.blogspot.com

We will leave Mercy on Monday 5^th March for an 8 hour journey to Sannieshof in Matlosane and feel well rested for the next stage of our visit.

Richard

Wednesday 29th February 2012 – Taking it all in

We are now back in White River, staying at Mercy Air.  Our friends Paul and Cathy Middleton work here and the organisation have a flat which we have rented  for a few days, in order to catch our breath and rest.  Mercy Air fly small aircraft and a helicopter from South Africa to take people and goods to where they are needed in remote parts of southern Africa.

Our first night here was Monday 27^th and after a 7 hour drive we were glad to arrive.  The night was warm and the sky clear.  Paul took us out onto the middle of the grass airstrip and gave us a guided tour of the southern sky.  We were able to see, Venus, Mars and Jupiter with the naked eye as well as the Milky Way and other parts of the night sky which can’t be seen when there is too much light pollution from the ground.  It was truly magnificent.

The purpose of our time here at Mercy Air, as well as some rest, is to try to reflect on all that we have seen and experienced on our visits in Matlosane. So we have been trying to get into order the hurried notes that we have made; organise photos, and think about our time in Matlosane to imagine how Lichfield Diocese can play a good part in the partnership with Matlosane Diocese.  Of course this isn’t all up to us (thankfully!) but we are privileged to have seen so much and be still here to think about all this and to take it all in.

Sunday School Leaders of Matlosane

 Last weekend (Sat 25^th & Sun 26^th ) was a busy one.  Saturday involved Rose and the boys driving back

from Lichtenburg to Klerksdorp.  Meanwhile Richard went to Itsoseng with most of the other clergy in Matlosane and the Sunday School leaders from the diocese for a special service for two priests who were taking on new roles in the Diocese (Archdeacon Diplokwane and Canon Ngidi).   

Susan (Left) & two friends work hard
with cooking etc at Itsoseng

The service started at 8.30am and finished about 11am and was followed by a lovely breakfast (prepared by the ladies from St Peter’s Itsoseng).  Then there were separate meetings…for the Sunday School leaders of the diocese  there was time with Brenda Diseko (Bishop Steve’s wife) while clergy and churchwardens met together for Diocesan council.  This meeting went on until around 4.30pm and covered a wide range of topics, including stewardship and giving, youth work, choirs, issues on human sexuality, and the new diocese of Matlosane website. All of this was then followed by another meal, again cooked by the same ladies from Itsoseng.  By the time we got back to Bishop Steve’s home it was 7.30pm.

The day had been long and it highlighted to me how much more difficult it is to organise and run events for the diocese when the distances are large.  The only way to get around this seems to be to have one day to travel, and try to cover lots of things on one day.

On Sunday (8am) we attended St Peter’s Church in the centre of Klerksdorp.

A team game of catch!

This church has the most mixed congregation which we have come across, with members from various racial groups - black, white, coloured and indian all joining together for worship. To add to the mix, one of the priests (Father Methla) is from Botswana and another is a white South African (Father Jaques). Father Methla called the church congregation the United Nations.  There were hymns from a hymn book (some of which we recognised) and a warm welcome from all- which is an encouraging standard feature of every church we have been to.  At a guess I’d say that there were about 100 adults with 30 children.

Toasting the Link

Ladies who lunch!

After the service was tea and coffee, and a chance to play in the vicarage garden with the children – Andrew and Sam making friends and being glad of the fact that English was the common language for the children from various backgrounds.  Members of the church council returned at around 12 for a Braai (BBQ).  This gave a lovely chance to talk to the church members and get to know each other a bit more.  After the lovely food, one of the church wardens (Nolita) produced a bottle of sparkling wine and explained that it was to “toast the link”  (between Matlosane & Lichfield).  We all shared a small amount of the wine and duly “toasted the link.” 

It felt significant and good.

We said our goodbyes and headed to visit a retirement home in another part of Klerksdorp to deliver a gift we had been asked to pass on.  We were all tired but found that our hosts were so kind that we were able to enjoy their company and hope that we were a blessing to them.  It was encouraging to meet the retired couple who had been lifelong members of the Methodist church still keen to talk about the life of their church and how they have hopes for its future and their part in it.

Drs Luke & Varghese & their family

Rose, Andrew and Sam then went back to Bishop Steve’s home and I went on to have an evening meal with an Indian family from St Peter’s Klerksdorp.  I was overwhelmed by their kindness and their understanding and awareness of so many issues in the world.  Dr Binu Luke is a consultant in two of the local state hospitals and his wife  ( Dr Sushmitha Varghese) is a dental surgeon.  Both have oversight responsibilities outside their own practices which makes their week intensely busy.  So I felt very privileged to be invited to join them for a precious family time with their children Aishwarya (16) and Ashwin (10).

I learned so much from my time with them.  The family has its roots in Karala in the south of India.  Binu was very proud to tell me that the church in that area can trace its origins back to St Thomas, who landed there and started a church in AD52.  Suddenly the church of England and Anglican worship did not seems to have such an ancient pedigree!  Our conversation ranged freely over pretty much every topic that any of us chose to bring up.  Although I was tired when they dropped me off I was so glad to have met them and was enriched by their commitment to the Lord Jesus in all their work and play as well as their commitment to the church they attend on a Sunday.  I was especially refreshed to hear some of Aishwarya and Ashwin’s thoughts about life in South Africa from their perspective.

Now we  are still trying to let all this sink in.  South Africa defies any attempt to define it or put it in a box.  It has so many layers and complexities.  Perhaps that this the reason why people here are a little dismissive about political life.  They are glad of the democratic system, but aware that the challenges faced by South African’s are too big for any one political programme.  This is a country where people are openly asking God to be at work- so the church here has a pivotal role to play.

But then – the UK is complex and multi –layered.  It too has people who disaffected by political solutions.  There may not be such an openness to see God at work in our communities, but perhaps that means that the church in the UK has just as much a pivotal role to play (though in a different way) as in South Africa.  Maybe the issues are about confidence in the God whom we worship- and in this respect we have much to learn from our South African brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus.

Richard & Rose

Friday 24th February 2012 - Church and community in partnership for the poor

Constance, Lydia, Maria & Evelyn with Fathers Sam & Labius

Constance shows Sam some home grown peppers

We woke today in Lichtenburg in the North of Matlosane.  After a speedy journey with Archdeacon Sam Diplokwane in his “Backie” (pick up truck) we passed through the northern town of Zeerust and ended up in a rural village called Lekubu.  We knew we were getting further north when we saw road signs for Gabarone (the capital of Botswana)… were we really this far up in South Africa?

We were taken to a community care project which was started in 2002.  It is a gathering of those of good will in the community of Lekubu… with members of all the local churches involved.  The Anglican Church has a number of members involved and we were introduced to the care volunteers by the local priest for St Francis Lekubu, Father Labius Tori.

As we entered the brick building there were lots of school children finishing a cooked meal which they receive every weekday after school, before they go home.  All ages are welcomed and those who are orphaned or vulnerable in some way are given priority. 

The 22 care volunteers join together every day to cook the meal for the children, and also tend a very productive community garden (which provides food for the feeding programme with enough surplus to sell).  They undertake home based care visits to orphaned and vulnerable children and we were shown the detailed records they have in order to keep track of the children.

Father Sam outside the new metal nursery extension

We were astonished to hear that they often have 40 nursery school age children… in a very small room.  They have recently built an outdoor extension (made of corrugated metal… which is hot in summer, cold in winter, but cheap to build).

Lekubu Care Volunteers

Constance (one of the leaders) was please to show us around and tell us all that they do for the needy in their community. The ladies (20) and men (2) are very proud of what they do, but are not complacent, and do not receive any payment or financial incentive for their work. They are keen to receive help and support for all that they do, and we promised to tell others in the UK about them and the project which does so much for needy children in Lekubu.  There are more than 130 children on their records and they often help more than 150. 

We wondered whether a church or community group in Lichfield diocese would like to partner with them; a rural group reaching and serving the poor in their midst… a great example of churches working together to transform lives in their local community.  Anyone interested?

It is interesting and challenging to see a group of people who see that loving the vulnerable and needy in their community is the “normal” thing to do.  It seemed fantastic to us.  Perhaps that says more about us than it does about them?

Rose & Richard

Thursday 23rd February 2012 -All is not as it seems – appearances can be deceptive

Christine & Dirk de Beer ( & dog.. Kerry)

Whilst in Christiana (in the South West tip of the of the Diocese of Matlosane) we have been privileged to stay with Christine & Dirk de Beer.  They are retired farmers but still live on the farm where they have dwelled and worked for 50 years.  They have shown us exceptional kindness and generosity in their hospitality.

They are both longstanding members of the local English speaking congregation of St Philip and St James in Christiana.  In recent years the number of church members has dropped for a variety of reasons and one gets the impression that if Christine did not take the initiative to rally the flock for the monthly service, then there would not be a congregation at all.

At the Ash Wednesday service, which I led, there were 9 people in the congregation.  On the face of it, the church here has a limited life span… most of the congregation are retired and there are no children in the congregation (as many of the local white families send their children to boarding schools).  This is not an unfamiliar situation for many churches in the UK, and in Lichfield Diocese.  The issues of how to use the limited life, energy and resources of a church community is a real one for many congregations- both here Matlosane and in the UK

St Philip & St Peter, Christiana

But South Africa is complicated… in a nearby township is St Mary’s Anglican Church – where there is a congregation of around 200, of a range of ages.  The self supporting priest (Father Calvin) is a school teacher on weekdays and covers both St Mary’s (Setswana speaking) and St Philip & St Peter (English speaking).  The complexities of ministering to these diverse, historically separate, groups of people made my head spin at the thought of it.

We were glad to meet Father Calvin today over a cup of tea with Christine and heard of life in places that we had overlooked. 

Learners at the de Beer's Farm School (age 10)

Christine had earlier taken us to the school for local farm workers which they have operated for more than 40 years. We met Reginah (the Setswanaspeakng teacher)  and Lucia English speaking teacher.  Lucia works with the children 8am -1pm and also comes in early at 6am and says late ‘til 4pm to teach adult farm workers who missed out on school earlier in life.

Teachers Lucia nad Reginah

Father Calvin told us of a social care programme which has been started in the local township by a coming together of local churches.  It includes a feeding programme, HIV/AIDS counselling, a vulnerable children support scheme and is seeking to actively respond to the needs of the local community. Members of the small congregation at St Philip & St Peter give generous financial support this project.

It is all too easy to paint South Africa in black and white.  In reality, life here, including in the Anglican church, is more varied and colourful.  Here in Christiana I have had a lesson which I hope I will learn well – to not be deceived by appearances and to seek to find out all of the stories in a community – and to not judge.

God is at work in his church, even (perhaps especially) at the quiet edges – The Holy Spirit is not one to follow the script that we may write and our job as the church is to catch up and keep up with His work.  Certainly in South Africa there are attitudes to be changed, wrongs to be righted, and situations to be challenged and changed…  But God is already on the case… even when it may not seem like it.  All is not what it seems.  Appearances can be deceptive.

Later today we travel to a new venue – Lichtenburg some 3 hours away…. We wonder what new situations and work of the Spirit will surprise us there.

Richard

The Big Hole. Tuesday 21st February. Rose

I have always envied the job that Michael Palin has; he travels around the world, all the troublesome journey details are pre-arranged by the BBC and he meets local people who show him around their community. Well today I felt like Michael Palin. Our hosts Dirk and Christine De Beer had arranged for us to meet their friend Brian at the Big Hole in Kimberley.

Kimberley is about 100km away from where we are staying in Christiana. Brian showed us around explaining the history of the town. Apparently diamonds were first found here in 1866 and before long, more were found on land farmed by our host’s great great grandfather, Johannes de Beer. Following this discovery, fortune seekers from all over Africa, Europe, America and Australia flocked to this remote dry region, some walking the 1000km from Cape Town. The farmland of the De Beers was the focus of the digging and holes were dug all over the land. The Big Hole that now remains is reported to be the largest hole dug by hand in the world. We stood in amazed silence when we saw the size of this hole. To think of all the people whose lives were spent digging, sieving, sorting and so on in the hope that the next bucket might contain the diamond. It was in this mine that the black labourers were kept confined to their compound to prevent illicit diamond buying. This then developed into the pass system and segregation that was one of the features of the apartheid era.

Brian then took us to the Kimberley Club for lunch. It is now a four star hotel but was an exclusive club started by people like Cecil Rhodes. It still has a very colonial atmosphere.

Brian showed us the historical buildings of Kimberley some of which are still used by the De Beer diamond company.

We felt very privileged to be shown this part of South African life but it seems such a long way from the sort of people we have met so far. South Africa is such a complex nation but we are trying to listen to as many different points of view as we can so that we can begin to build up a picture of the diocese we are partnering with.

Rose