Skip to main content

Retreat





One of the events on my life back in the UK was to go on a regular retreat and I am aware that those people are holding me in their daily prayers. Retreat is something I have just been able to make part of my life here in South Africa. Not knowing where to go was a bit of a challenge for me. I asked  Cecil, the local Methodist minister, and he gave me some contacts to explore. I made arrangements for a two night stay (I did not want too long, as they might be a bit too religious.)

Never Alone 
My journey was to take me to Belfast. Not the Irish original one, but the one about 144 km away halfway between us and Johannesburg, through some lovely countryside. The town takes its name from Irishman Richard Charles O’Reilly and his farm called Belfast (we Irish get everywhere.)


I eventually found the farm at the end of a very long dirt road but it was worth the drive. It's called the iDwala Retreat Center www.iDwalaretreat.co.za run by Heidi and Hermann who are professed members of the Society of St Francis

My Accommodation 
 It was very refreshing to join with them in the Franciscan rhythm of prayer for the day. I was also invited to share meals and conversation and all this added to my spiritual enrichment. It was a great joy to walk in the hills with Hermann who knows so much of its history and geography

Retreat Center 
 I was able to do much praying and reading. I am reading for two things at the moment, for my final essay on my diploma on Christian Spirituality, looking at the differences and similarities between Aquinas and Eckhart! and a book my friend gave me.


I hope my time at iDwala is the first of a new pattern in this nearly new country. So in your prayers please remember those who give themselves to this ministry, those who come alongside people like me and you in our journey with this amazing God.









Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Response To Bishop North

A while back Bishop Phillip North spoke to New Wine and caused a bit of a reaction one of it was a Tweet to my millions of followers. In response I had a phone call from The Church Times asking for a quote because I serve in a poor parish, I declined and said I would put a more considered response on my blog, so here it is with a link to The Bishops full talk. https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2017/4-august/news/uk/there-s-a-future-for-the-church-if-evangelicals-put-the-poor-first-bishop-north-tells-new-wine 1.      One of the issues the church does not recognise is the exportation of people , talents and money from parishes like mine to middle class parishes which is draining and demanding on leadership. For 10 years I thought I was building a community, then it dawned on me I was building people up to go to other places. 2.      Bishop Phillip talks of abandonment of the poor: I think it’s more complicated than that. When ...
9 comments
Read more

LA 1

just arrive in LA. let me tell you the difficult bit of travel always seems to be getting from station to hotel on public transport. arriving at the hostel/hotel i discover i have lost a sandle i must have had them 5 years. i was trying to be cool and straping them the back of my rucksack. im thinking of lobying Birmingham city councuil to plant palm trees on the Tyburn Road they transform the landscape and we could all listen to Hotel California in the 67 bus. room is not ready yet the loby is trendy and has a young feeling abut it hope the room lives up to the entrance. now let me see i have two priorities 1 find a church 2 find where the womens voleyball is playing tomorrow better get a shower first
2 comments
Read more

Wallander Vs Hutch

Wallander vs Hutch In 1975 I was 17 years old it was the year The Boss Delivered  Born to Run deep into my soul.  TV screen heros came and went with regularity. There were enough detectives on TV to cure all crime. But who was my hero? For instance I never wanted to be Ironside (can you blame me) only flirted with smelly Colombo,(not literally) Kojak was too old like a dodgy uncle but Starsky and Hutch well they were the people to be in the late 70s. This united pair burst onto the sunny California scean in a Ford Gran Torinos "Bright Red" (paint code 2B). In Aston where I lived there were no hills, no beachs no Bright Red Torinos, but I did have my Austin A40. They ran, jumped into the car without using the doors slid of the roof lounged on the bonnet (hood) and pulled guns and people out of the boot. In my distant days of youth, the days before varifocols and flatulence Starsky and Hutch  inspired Friday night drives in my A40 with The Boss on the cassette player....
Post a Comment
Read more