not so silent

A small indicator that tells you your home.

I was and still am very unsure whether to post this blog. I still may regret it. I have always understood myself as strong male working-class urban solder normally ready for the conflict of the day. I used to say to my congregation occasionally if you knew me when I was 21 you would not like me. In my youth I was one half of the union rep who would go and bang on the managers desk for what seemed at the time important and usually unjust reasons. I once remember going to my manager and he giving bad news, my response was to say ‘that’s not fair!’ His response - ‘Who told you life was fair?’ I say this as a short introduction to my character. I am not like John the Beloved, quiet and reflective (but that is changing).   I am more like Peter; impetuous, verbal, quick to promise, quick to react, but passionate for the cause. But there is a cost to being passionate and outspoken. The flip side for me is darkness and depression. Rejection of something you believe in your very cor

  As Erin and I walked through the park the other day, we both agreed it was an interesting time to be back in Birmingham. There is a lot of water, and therefore mud, in the boggy park, and the dead leaves crushed on the floor remind us that winter is behind us. We reflected that it is a good time to be home, because spring is about new things, with roots going deeper and colour emerging. We both felt our season with Mercy Air had come to a close and it was time to move back to Birmingham, to be close to children, grandchildren, wider family and friends.   All of whom we missed much more than we thought we would. We are living in Moseley, Birmingham, and making contact with family and friends again (as much as restrictions allow). We have no idea what happens next, but as a friend reminded me the other day, ‘God will provide’. During the transition from South Africa to Birmingham we have experienced so much of God’s providence, and the generosity and care of his people. We are li

  I want to say a big Thank You, to all the Mercy Air people, who we said goodbye to, after our 8 year association with  MA, including 3 years living on the farm.  We thank you for the beautiful photos of the staff who we have worked with, and the many generous words shared, some of which I will carry with me forever. I  have some amazing memories to take with me, especially working with the Pastors in Mozambique, and with my team on the farm. Thank you for the gift of the Baobab tree print. When we find our home here in the UK ,we will send pictures to show it to you in its pride of place.

One of the things we started in SA was to take the The Times on line whatever you politics it just keeps us informed of home. the result is I have started writing in the comments back to the articles this is one such. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/comment/covid-complacency-threatens-south-africa-mj92xzlsr It's difficult to know how to comment on this article. I think the writer was from SA but lives in the UK now, my home. There have been so many times I have wanted to write back to my people and say how bad things are here but I read the UK press and see the chaos at home. I think it's too early to tell the long term effects of Covid anywhere even here in SA. What I see is that more people will die of starvation and other diseases in SA in the next 2 years than Covid. Covid did not bring the government hospitals into the state mentioned many have been like that for a long time. If you're not SA you are often turned away from the hospital.  In the township I'm conn

What a great morning. Well let’s start before As you know on the rear of a John Deere 2140 tractor it has a shaft running through the width of the PTO. Attached to this shaft are two arms which rise up and down via the PTO allowing the trailer or slasher to be operated at the correct height. But for a good while we have had an oil leak from both seals on the said shaft, both sides of the PTO casing.  Bearing in mind it costs R750 for 20 litres of 20/40 multi use oil. Are you still with me? Great. Vusie one of my team and the main pilot of the John Deere took it into his head to take the right-hand lifting arm from the shaft. Thus forcing my hand to get it fixed!!  So today we, Vusie, Moses and meself became the dream JD team a bit like the Formula 1 pit stop team.  We realised after shifting the shaft the seal was a combination of a felt seal inserted into a grove and a plastic washer to keep the dust out, a modification. A short trip to a new local John Deere s