Skip to main content

Kanyamazane





My first stop was at a local farm to pick up 600 bags of narchies which, I think! Are oranges, a lot of vitamin C. then onward to meet my guide for the day Aron who is a full-time care worker for Church Unlimited. The journey took us to through Kanyamazane a busy town on the edge of Nelspruit then on into the hills which became a very beautiful drive. Passing by Game reserve lodges eventually the tar road run out the dust arrived, and we came to Mpkeni. 


The centre was based out of a small building on the edge of the village it reminded me of any youth club you would find in many urban areas of Birmingham England. Aron enlisted the help of two local girls and three women who help run the centre, no men, to empty the vehicle of vitamin C. In conversation with the girls who were missing school because of the lockdown I was able to ask them about their future. One said on leaving school she would like to join the police force, the other girl wanted to be a doctor.

      
 It took me wonder how possible it might be for this country to fulfil such admirable ambition, it also encouraged me to find such hope and poverty close together, no cynicism here. 

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

Tokens of Trust

Tokens of Trust by Rowan Williams I have been deeply jolted to the importance of the role of trust in my life and the cost when trust has been missing. Many years ago I spent a long time at the top of a cliff roped and secured being encouraged to abseil over the edge to the bottom a number of feet below. No matter how much my highly competent friend encouraged me to trust him and the equipment, I could not. During the same period of my life it was my job to service the fire service turntable ladders, which meant climbing 100 feet to the top of them. This I did many times never without a sense of anticipation, trusting the mechanics and workmanship that had been carried out. But it is with people where trust is cashed out or held back, reaping rewards or crippling relationships. I think the book has jolted me to understand my role as a professional truster  As a stipended priest I am called to model to, and with, my community my profession of trust. As I reflect upo...
1 comment
Read more