not so silent

My own personal reflections Easter Sunday 12 April 2020 My scripture is John 20, the story of Thomas, a character I cannot lose. What does the Resurrection and this encounter have to say to individuals, families, communities, mission organizations and institutions? As I do not function as a parish priest at the moment, the question is obviously for me and my context. We read the passage, and the Easter Story in general, as God’s mission, or act, to deal with sin. But what if we have acknowledged this redemption, and have already responded: is it just a reminder of God's actions? I have been reading Rowan Williams book ‘Resurrection’ , and the passage I have been returning to is this: ‘every proper proclamation of the Easter gospel, pointing to a hidden and exclusive Christ with one we can never simply and unconditionally identify, represents the same challenge, the same rejection the same call to ‘adulthood’. The resurrection calls for...

One of the helpful things we did not long after moving to South Africa was to subscribe to a UK newspaper (cheap deal for people living abroad). When I say subscribe I don’t mean some 13 year old boy (maybe girl) arrives at our house on their bicycle each morning with a copy of The Times. No, I mean an electronic copy is delivered to us each morning onto my Tablet, I do not even get to recycle the papers! So I bounce between news in the UK (it will be our home again at some point) at the same time trying to understand our situation in South Africa. South Africa Lock Down  So to Difference Three I have been entertained if not directed and made curious by the UK newspapers on how to use the time on our hands in lock down. This has often be carried out by The 50 Best; books, podcasts, films, plays, albums the list and opportunities seem to go on to a point when I will need a longer lock down, only joki ng honest. I can even complete an Open University course for fr...

South Africa Here are some interesting differences on lock down between SA and UK. It seems for the UK the off licence is an essential service. Well we need something to get us through the situation don’t we. I have friends in the UK wondering if there next face to face get together will be an AA meeting. Here is South Africa the sale of tobacco and alcohol during the lock down has been banned. UK  Also in the UK to keep you in tip top shape for work if it ever returns the government is encouraging you to exercise, walk the dog maybe walk to the Off Licence. Here in SA lock down means no walking for exercise no walking the dog. A short list of restrictions in SA   Getty Images South Africa's lockdown To last for three weeks Shopping restricted to food and other essentials Sale of alcohol and cigarettes prohibited Walking down the road for exercise is banned Public gatherings are banned Funerals restricted to 50 p...

At home in the UK when we have a water leak a big one and the taps to our houses run dry there is a plan that will be carried out by your water company. In response to the Covan 19virus the South African government announced it had purchased 41000 water tankers. My question to Erin was, where do we get them from? How can we afford them? This water situation highlights a major issue in South Africa as we continue to build townships and dwellings, legal and illegal with no clean water supply and no electricity supply. A friend of mine recently had to go to hospital because of severe stomach pains. The result was he said snakes! but what he meant   was worms. He got worms through dirty water because his new house has no clean water supply so he brings water from somewhere else and in the process poisoning himself and possibly his family.   The Water Project   identifies   a SA government web site tells us clean water ‘ access was most limited in Limpopo (5...

Joel, Sarah, John Nigel and Erin departing MA Erin and I were invited by YWAM Marromeu, one of our mission partners, to lead them in a week long retreat at their base in Nensa, Mozambique. We jumped at the chance to be involved with such a mission minded group in a challenging situation. On our departure from Kruger we are reminded of the practical aspect to deep spirituality. Yep Toilet Seat to be fitted (not to the plane!) This tied in with Mercy Air mission statement to work with those in isolated communities. We flew in the Cessna 310 from Mercy Air Farm to Beira (3 hours), along with Joel and Sarah, who we left there to complete a dental outreach with the helicopter, before John took Erin and I on to the airfield at the sugar plantation at Marromeu, another 40 minutes. John leaving us behind heading for Beira  We had been to the base at Nensa once before, at the beginning of our time with Mercy Air 2018, and had found...

Quick we are leaving  As I informed you in our prayer update this week, we should still be in Mozambique, at Chemba, on the third stage of a very big trip. However, this, and stage two, were postponed due to international borders being closed because of the virus. So - What did I happen? Four of us, Joel and Sarah, Erin and myself, flew fixed wing to Beira, where we left Joel and Sarah to pick up the helicopter, and spend the week with a dental outreach. With our pilot John, we continued North in the Mercy Air 310, to a sugar plantation at Marromeu, where we had been once before. There we were met by a lonely guard, waiting for the only flight that month. We unloaded our stuff and watched our plane take off to return to South Africa. Looking at each other and wondering - oh well, someone will pick us up! And they did.  Leanna arrived a short while later having been detained by a puncture, on one of many of the very challenging dirt roads.  Erin, Joel an...