Did she jump or was she pushed??

Hello everyone, this is the actual evidence that I actually did the sky-dive and the sponsorship is still coming in so thank you to all who have supported me.

So get the popcorn, sit back and enjoy the movie... ha ha

It is so hard to believe we have been home just over 2 days, the temperature is 7c, it is cold and wet and the busyness of the world is crowding in on us.

We had such a wonderful time, we were very tired by the time we left but we can thank God for all we were able to do. We have made so many new friends and have experienced so many new situations it is hard to know where to start when trying to share with family and friends.

Thank you for the wonderful welcome we recieved wherever we went.

We have put some of the photographs from the conference to give everyone a flavour of what happened. We are sure that many others have different photos they can share.

Making badges on the first day of the conference

Learning to sing Allelu, Allelu

Taking part in games, lots of fun and laughter

Finding out different ways we can pray on our own or with children

Putting our destiny in his hands

Praying for those who are ill or in need

Look what I made in the craft session!

When we work together we can turn someone's vision into reality.

Praising God for all he had done throughout the conference and giving him the glory for what is to come.

Rob and Ruth

At last - some photos!

Now we are not rushing from one place to the next, I've had time to conquer the photo issue! So here are just a few of the hundreds of photos that we took during our stay. I'm sure the others will post more of the teachers at the conference. I led the daily Eucharists and did some plenary sessions; and also did a lot of background stuff. The others had much more contact with the teachers than I did.

Meeting at Manchester Airport we had no idea what was ahead of us, but we were all set and ready to go! Our cases just made the weight limits!!

Monday morning it was off to Rabbuni, the RC Conference Centre in Klerksdorp .....

...... unloading all our gear, shifting furniture and setting up our Team Room.

All too soon the teachers began to arrive, and were almost ready for them. The teachers were divided into 5 groups, designated by coloured badges, and one member of the team allocated to each group. Chris and I had badges of 5 colours, because we belonged to all groups and none.

 Tuesday afternoon, it was games and crafts. Clare and Libby took advantage of the good weather until the thunderstorm began!

Can't quite remember what Chenda was doing here, but I know she was doing it because I heard her!

The altar frontal for the final service made from cardboard cartons gleaned from the shops, string, chalk, coloured paper and bits of blue cloth.

As part of their commissioning, the teachers were all given a bag of resources at the end of the Final Eucharist.  They showed their appreciation in a typically African way - by dancing and singing.

By the end we were exhausted, but still smiling, and all vowing to come again. 

  £1,600 from the congregation at St James the Great, Clayton, for the building of the church at Matlwang being handed to the Dean.

My personal highlight of our day at Pilanesburg.

We have landed!

Hi everyone, just to let you know we landed safely, and with no delays... I was personally very impressed with that after suffering a 5 - 6 hour delay when I travelled to West Malaysia!

I'd like to say a very big thank you to every one for following our blog and posting your comments, this was very encouraging to us as a team whilst we were out there in the midst of our adventure.
Thank you also for your prayerful support, this was very much appreciated by all of us.

We have had such a wonderful time with some challenges along the way but as one Sunday School Teacher said to me as she left the conference "see you next time".  We all fully intend on returning to Matlosane!

I'm sure we will all be sharing lots of our experiences as we see you soon.

God bless.

Clare

PS: We had a close experience with a couple of elephants when visiting Pilanesburg.

Ooh, can you see the zebra, it's by the green tree!!!!

It's 6.36am on Tuesday. We have all had very interesting weekends, ranging from a wedding, accommodation in township areas, a youth Council, a 2 hour meeting all in Setswana (Chenda was rescued from that by Chris!), and Sunday School, to lounging by the pool, drink in hand (Clare and I!).

Sunday we drove to near Pilanesburg, and had supper with Fr Tom, the NSM at Koster and his family and friends. Then yesterday we went to Pilanesburg and had a very - some might say 'too' - close encounter with some elephants. Scenery was fantastic, giraffes, zebra wildebeest, antelope and birds (for Chris) a plenty. A whole new perspective on our Creator God, and the land of Africa. The day ended with a farewell Braai.

After Sunday, there are reports coming back of teachers meeting to plan future Sunday School times, using what we have taught them; of a priest who was at the training, telling her congregation that Sunday School is going to be completely different in future; and of songs we taught them being used on Sunday. It all augurs well for the future.

This has been time when not only have the Matlosane teachers grown, but so too have we. We have all been operating out of our comfort zones: we have learned more of the very different life, education, opportunities and resources available to people here. We have learned much of the joy of worship. We have supported one another through thick and thin, and come out much the stronger - both as individuals and as a team. The hospitality and generosity of everyone we have met has been overwhelming, and there are not enough words to express our gratitiude to +Steve and Brenda for all they have done for us. Also the others who have given us accommodation, in Klerksdorp - where they have hardly seen us, except as we rolled in very tired at night and left bleery eyed next morning - and in the places we stayed over the weekend. Yes, we have had some dark times, but as I said before, every single one of us would come again.

More personally, I was able to hand over almost R18,000 to the Dean at the Cathedral on Sunday from my own congregation. We have been raising money through Lent to fund the completion of the building of a church in a very poor area called Matlwang. He was almost speechless, but managed to say that he felt very humbled by what we had done - and very, very grateful, sentiments echoed by the church warden. I have photos to prove I handed the money over!! So thank you St James'.

It was trying to post photos that caused all the problems on Friday and why there was a blank 'post'. In a very un-African way, we have been dashing around all over the place and there has never been enough time to do the extras. (When we were lounging by the pool, I didn't have my computer with me!!) So photos will have to wait till we get home!

No doubt everyone will be putting up posts when we get home and I look forward to reading them. Please excuse mistakes in this blog - it's early and I have't got my glasses on!!

So now, I really am signing off from South Africa. God has been faithful; God has been gracious; thanks be to God. Alleluia!

Sunday 22nd April

(Attempted post on Friday)

It’s Thursday evening, the conference is over and we are all exhausted, but all agree we would come again, and do it all again, albeit differently!

Sorry that there was no Wednesday entry. The morning session on the cross adn Me went very well – thanks for your prayers. A session on prayer stations went well, but after that it was all downhill and by 4pm we had all hit rock bottom, and even the most experienced among us were really struggling.  We held an emergency meeting to talk about how to get ourselves to the end of the day.  Over an extended tea break, we talked freely about how we were all feeling and realised that feelings of frustration and despair threatened to overwhelm each of us. So we redesigned the next session. I stayed in the team room, cutting out shapes for the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ as a way of praying that those fruits would be evident in the team, while they went off to model a lesson. The noises issuing from the room evidenced the fact that all was going well.

That hurdle over, it was supper and then the evening session was a cultural exchange and great fun was had by all. The teachers amazed us by what they produced - drama, singing, dancing – in contrast to our country dancing –chaotic, shambolic and hilarious. 

However, our rendition of the Hokey Cokey was greatly enjoyed by all, and they all joined in. Likewise, Auld Lang Syne.  But writing up a blog was one job too many – though finding some comments did help me cope. Thank you!

Today has been a new day. This morning was all about preparation for the final Eucharist. There were lots of practical things to do, and they made a beautiful altar frontal from cardboard boxes, paper, string, chalk, pebbles and bits of cloth. Flowers were made for the altar top; songs learned this week were practised; pebbles were inscribed with a name and PowerPoint finished.

The service started half an hour late and over ran (why am I surprised?!), but what a splendid occasion it was. At the end each delegate was given a certificate and ‘goodie bag’ in which were simple resources for them to use with their groups. +Stephen then commissioned them all as Sunday School teachers, and they were sent out to ‘love and serve the Lord in the name of Christ’.

Lunch over, photos taken, van packed it was time to head for the Bishop’s House and some much needed R’nR. +Steve took us first to the local butcher’s shop – a massive place! And then it was home for a braii. We ate a lot, sat in silence, fell about laughing, played football, found some space for ‘us’ and generally wound down. It was a good evening and we were all very grateful for the opportunity to relax together.

Sunday

This is the 4h attempt to post this! on Friday the Bishop turned up early(!) and I tried to do it in a rush so as you saw somehow nothing happened! We have all been away for the weekend in differnt parishes and Rob and I were preaching this morning. I tried 2 computers where I was but one was so slow I couldn't wait for it and the other wasn't working. Now I should have been at the Bishop's hoise 5 minutes ago. But i just wanted to assure you that we are all well and texts over the weekend have assured me that every onewas OK with their new hosts.  We are off to the Pilanesburg game reserve in half an hour and back with our hosts only briefly. So this may be the last post till we get home. Thank you for your interest and prayers.  Nita.