Next Friday, 30th, is the end of the academic year. This means it's Preschool Graduation time again and I'm off to the first event tomorrow. My days have been filled with getting photos of kids printed and laminated onto certificates, buying sweets and toys for presents, planning how to get the best cake..
Next week it's the second Graduation ceremony, conveniently 2 preschools celebrate together. Pray it doesn't rain on Wednesday or we're in BIG trouble... Trying to fit 200 people into a small preschool... We've lots of ground outside and that's where we'll be.
Just to give myself extra work (I love it really!) I'm hosting an event here on the resort for 2 preschools next Tuesday. Would be nice if it doesn't rain then as well, but I'm not sure we'll manage 2 dry days - this IS the rainy season! Last night was a storm to match Joburg standards... hours of heavy rain turning our car park into a muddy swamp. Lovely.
Thursday, 22 November 2007
Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Finally, some lions...
I needed a break last weekend and went up to visit some friends in Johannesburg. It was brilliant because I got to see some amazing lions too whilst I was there. I'd remarked to Y that I hadn't seen any yet and she remembered the Lion Park so we headed there on Saturday morning. Bit pricey, but entry did include the cub section where we got to go in and stroke the lion cubs. I stroked this one (see photo), who is 3 months old! So soft and furry, like a massive cat. It was quite hot on Saturday so they were all lying around keeping cool in the shade. When I first stroked the lion it kept looking round but the keeper said I had to stroke firmly as otherwise they think I'm a fly and then might bite me... Cool... a real lion bite.. But anyway, it didn't go for me. The people who went in after us were getting their trainers chewed later on, but as we were only in flip-flops I'm glad they had just been chilling with us...We also got to feed giraffes from a special raised platform. Cool.
Then we drove round the park and got up close and personal with more lions. (more photos on facebook) It was hot and the lions only get fed once a week on Sundays so they were loitering about under trees. The first lioness was very interested in the stupidity of the men in the white mercedes who were following us round, especially in the one man who opened his window and was leaning out to take photos. Those people were especially irritating as they were cutting up other cars to get to the lions first, and opening their windows etc... Not as stupid, however, as the woman who had her window down and her child in the back leaning out taking photos of the same hungry lioness a little bit later. When will people understand that the 'Lions are dangerous, unpredictable wild animals. Please keep car windows closed at all times' sign actually means just that!?!?! If the animal had been bothered, there would not have been time for that woman to get her child in and window closed...
Thankfully, no one was eaten, but the creatures are magnificent. Covered in flies and ticks, yes, but that doesn't change how wonderful they are. I can't get over the size of their paws. You wouldn't want to be in an arm wrestle with them. Or any kind of combat for that matter. They are just beautiful, majestic creatures and to get up close to them was incredible. God knew what he was doing when he created these as Kings of the Beasts...
I'm so happy that I've seen some lions, but I still want more. Having seen the Gauteng Lions I may have to pop into Natal Lion park in the next few weeks when Mum and Dad come out...
Thursday, 8 November 2007
Soccer blues…
Sihle, the main soccer guy here, has managed to get tickets for all the Kaizer Chiefs games at Durban Absa Stadium. He's the man!
So last night I headed off to Durban with a couple of soccer-mad Zulu guys, the local Councillor and his men. The Councillor has the most easily recognisable car in the valley – a big black shiny Mercedes. Sihle had the honour of driving it last night and I’m sure he made sure he drove carefully as I followed him down the N3, he was certainly not breaking any laws… I wondered why the Councillor himself wasn’t driving his car, but as we drew close to the stadium, the reason became obvious. It’s hard to drive and blow a big yellow plastic horn to alert people of your arrival and allegiance in the forthcoming soccer match!!!
We scrambled right up to the back of the stadium, as it looked like it might rain and there we would be under cover. Then the waiting game began. We’d arrived about 1 hour early and the stadium was less than a quarter full. It filled up to over half full by the time the match began. I abandoned all hope of finding a toilet, or a source of dinner and contented myself with an apple. I was kind of stuck between 2 large Zulu guys and was fearful for a while that if they suddenly leapt up in enthusiasm that I would be swept up along with them, but thankfully I managed to extricate myself from that by breathing in at the appropriate moment!
The match began at 7.30pm. Kaizer Chiefs vs Moroko Swallows. We were on the K Chiefs side, but they were fairly weak for the majority of the game. There were some nice moves but the team didn’t seem to work well together. Thankfully they had a brilliant goal-keeper who successfully managed to field maybe 8 goals in the first half. Half time score was 0-0.
The second half picked up when Swallows scored twice in fairly quick succession. The fans for the ‘Birds’ were getting more and more excited and rowdy, but it was still quite contained. My last live soccer match had been 7 years ago in Italy when I had feared for my life as fireworks sped past my ears onto the pitch. The Africans are so well behaved in comparison. There was no funny business here, I didn’t even hear any expletives, but then there might have been some comments in Zulu that I missed!
The Chiefs finally got it together enough to score a goal. The crowd went wild. Finally some hope but only 15 minutes left. In that last 15 minutes however there were 2 red and 1 yellow cards for the Swallows and several minutes of stoppage time as I think no less than 3 Swallows went down and had to be stretchered off the pitch. In the last few minutes of extra time the Chiefs managed to mess up 2 attempts at goals. It was frustrating for the fans. Full time score: Swallows:2 – Chiefs: 1.
But all the same, it was a great night. Good to see some life soccer action in a country that is so soccer mad. And when 2010 comes around I can say I was in a stadium in S.Africa once. Although matches might not be played there, there is a bigger one being built next to the Absa Stadium. However, the workers down-tooled on that again this week so it’s anyone’s guess as to whether the place will be finished in time…
So last night I headed off to Durban with a couple of soccer-mad Zulu guys, the local Councillor and his men. The Councillor has the most easily recognisable car in the valley – a big black shiny Mercedes. Sihle had the honour of driving it last night and I’m sure he made sure he drove carefully as I followed him down the N3, he was certainly not breaking any laws… I wondered why the Councillor himself wasn’t driving his car, but as we drew close to the stadium, the reason became obvious. It’s hard to drive and blow a big yellow plastic horn to alert people of your arrival and allegiance in the forthcoming soccer match!!!
We scrambled right up to the back of the stadium, as it looked like it might rain and there we would be under cover. Then the waiting game began. We’d arrived about 1 hour early and the stadium was less than a quarter full. It filled up to over half full by the time the match began. I abandoned all hope of finding a toilet, or a source of dinner and contented myself with an apple. I was kind of stuck between 2 large Zulu guys and was fearful for a while that if they suddenly leapt up in enthusiasm that I would be swept up along with them, but thankfully I managed to extricate myself from that by breathing in at the appropriate moment!
The match began at 7.30pm. Kaizer Chiefs vs Moroko Swallows. We were on the K Chiefs side, but they were fairly weak for the majority of the game. There were some nice moves but the team didn’t seem to work well together. Thankfully they had a brilliant goal-keeper who successfully managed to field maybe 8 goals in the first half. Half time score was 0-0.
The second half picked up when Swallows scored twice in fairly quick succession. The fans for the ‘Birds’ were getting more and more excited and rowdy, but it was still quite contained. My last live soccer match had been 7 years ago in Italy when I had feared for my life as fireworks sped past my ears onto the pitch. The Africans are so well behaved in comparison. There was no funny business here, I didn’t even hear any expletives, but then there might have been some comments in Zulu that I missed!
The Chiefs finally got it together enough to score a goal. The crowd went wild. Finally some hope but only 15 minutes left. In that last 15 minutes however there were 2 red and 1 yellow cards for the Swallows and several minutes of stoppage time as I think no less than 3 Swallows went down and had to be stretchered off the pitch. In the last few minutes of extra time the Chiefs managed to mess up 2 attempts at goals. It was frustrating for the fans. Full time score: Swallows:2 – Chiefs: 1.
But all the same, it was a great night. Good to see some life soccer action in a country that is so soccer mad. And when 2010 comes around I can say I was in a stadium in S.Africa once. Although matches might not be played there, there is a bigger one being built next to the Absa Stadium. However, the workers down-tooled on that again this week so it’s anyone’s guess as to whether the place will be finished in time…
Linga Longa Animal Farm trip
One of the Preschools had been invited to come and visit Linga Longa Animal Farm near Drummond. This was fantastic because we’d been trying to plan a trip out but had got stuck with no money. So the invitation was perfect timing! Thank you God!
And so it was that yesterday morning, 57 preschoolers, a few teachers and volunteers and me set off round the windy mountain road to Drummond, only about 20 minutes away. The bus carrying all the children took an unexpected detour when they missed the turning, but they arrived soon enough.
Their trip started with a feast of hot dogs, juice and party bags full of sweets and these little dolphin toys which turned out to fire mini dolphins out when aimed at the unsuspecting farm animals. Following the feast the children were let loose on the farm with carrots to feed the expectant creatures. They saw donkeys, cows, sheep, pot-bellied pigs, goats, even chickens, rabbits, tortoise and marmoset monkeys (which are a cross between cute and mean-looking at the same time, very odd).
There was also a bird park, with a very chatty cockatiel that kept them amused for ages, especially when one of the teachers started mimicking the bird. It didn’t know what to do!
The centre had swings and slides too and a big screen with cartoons so there was plenty to keep them occupied for the morning. However, all too soon it was time to get back on the coach and head back to preschool.
As I normally pop in to preschool for a short time, I was not used to the onslaught of 57 under 5s. Maximum respect to anyone who works with these ‘creatures’ full time! Their attention span was averaging 3 minutes, with the exception of our children from here, who sat engaged in the TV for ages whilst others ran around them! It’s not like they never see TV, just not usually that big!
And so it was that yesterday morning, 57 preschoolers, a few teachers and volunteers and me set off round the windy mountain road to Drummond, only about 20 minutes away. The bus carrying all the children took an unexpected detour when they missed the turning, but they arrived soon enough.
Their trip started with a feast of hot dogs, juice and party bags full of sweets and these little dolphin toys which turned out to fire mini dolphins out when aimed at the unsuspecting farm animals. Following the feast the children were let loose on the farm with carrots to feed the expectant creatures. They saw donkeys, cows, sheep, pot-bellied pigs, goats, even chickens, rabbits, tortoise and marmoset monkeys (which are a cross between cute and mean-looking at the same time, very odd).
There was also a bird park, with a very chatty cockatiel that kept them amused for ages, especially when one of the teachers started mimicking the bird. It didn’t know what to do!
The centre had swings and slides too and a big screen with cartoons so there was plenty to keep them occupied for the morning. However, all too soon it was time to get back on the coach and head back to preschool.
As I normally pop in to preschool for a short time, I was not used to the onslaught of 57 under 5s. Maximum respect to anyone who works with these ‘creatures’ full time! Their attention span was averaging 3 minutes, with the exception of our children from here, who sat engaged in the TV for ages whilst others ran around them! It’s not like they never see TV, just not usually that big!
Monday, 5 November 2007
And on a supernatural note…
Spiritually, things have really opened up here this past week, in quite a dramatic fashion. It’s been quite a week. First thing that happened was on Tuesday when we received reports that one of the young Zulu guys had been taken ill suddenly, seemingly having had a stroke. I went down with my car to take him to the Drs, as he’s a good friend of mine. But on arrival I realised that this was something spiritual and he didn’t need a Dr, he needed prayer.
Pretty much all the Zulus on site gathered as well as our director and I to see what could be done. Most of the dialogue was in Zulu and I could only understand about half of what was said or was happening. It seemed he’d had some sort of vision about this site. He didn’t go into too much detail then, but later told me some of what he’d seen.
I was desperate to kick out any manifesting evil spirits, having had lots of training for it but little practice, but it was difficult to get in there as we were in the presence of a Zulu pastor and several other Zulu Christians. In any case, I held onto the wooden cross I carry around with me and prayed constantly in tongues for the whole duration of the encounter.
In the end we prayed outside the building. The guy had managed to get up and walk around, previously he’d claimed not to be able to move or see. During the prayers however another Zulu guy ran into the building screaming. It was all happening down there. Confusion still reigns a little bit.
Zulus are a superstitious lot. That’s why sangomas (traditional healers) make so much money, and it’s a gruesome business. This whole episode freaked a lot of people out. I wasn’t very freaked out or scared, in a country full of superstition and witchcraft I’m just surprised we’ve not seen more of this kind of thing around.
In any case, the conversations in the office afterwards have been good, with people more open to talk about spiritual stuff. And the winds of change are blowing. You can’t just ignore it when evil spirits manifest themselves.
If you understand what I’m going on about please pray for continued protection for us here and for wisdom for me in knowing what to do and when. It’s been an amazing week for me, I’ve never prayed so much or sang so much in worship. God is greater than any pathetic evil spirit. Jesus has won the victory and the devil now stands condemned. The power vested in me by the fact that I’m saved through the blood of Jesus means that I have authority over ALL spirits in the name of Jesus. There is nothing to fear as He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world. Nothing can stop the will of God and He will be glorified in this place.
Following these incidents, I’ve been in discussion with the deliverance and healing team from my church. They can’t just come in as a ‘quick fix’, more has to happen. Pray for guidance and open doors to come and work here, the devil might mean all this for bad, but God can and will turn it around for good, if we allow Him to. Pray that more people would turn and give their lives to Jesus, only by doing this can they truly be delivered and saved from further interference on the scale we’ve seen this week.
Interesting that this should happen at the very moment I make my decision to leave soon, and that the main people affected should be close friends of mine. (That’s not to say that people should get worried and avoid me from now on ;-) !!)
Pretty much all the Zulus on site gathered as well as our director and I to see what could be done. Most of the dialogue was in Zulu and I could only understand about half of what was said or was happening. It seemed he’d had some sort of vision about this site. He didn’t go into too much detail then, but later told me some of what he’d seen.
I was desperate to kick out any manifesting evil spirits, having had lots of training for it but little practice, but it was difficult to get in there as we were in the presence of a Zulu pastor and several other Zulu Christians. In any case, I held onto the wooden cross I carry around with me and prayed constantly in tongues for the whole duration of the encounter.
In the end we prayed outside the building. The guy had managed to get up and walk around, previously he’d claimed not to be able to move or see. During the prayers however another Zulu guy ran into the building screaming. It was all happening down there. Confusion still reigns a little bit.
Zulus are a superstitious lot. That’s why sangomas (traditional healers) make so much money, and it’s a gruesome business. This whole episode freaked a lot of people out. I wasn’t very freaked out or scared, in a country full of superstition and witchcraft I’m just surprised we’ve not seen more of this kind of thing around.
In any case, the conversations in the office afterwards have been good, with people more open to talk about spiritual stuff. And the winds of change are blowing. You can’t just ignore it when evil spirits manifest themselves.
If you understand what I’m going on about please pray for continued protection for us here and for wisdom for me in knowing what to do and when. It’s been an amazing week for me, I’ve never prayed so much or sang so much in worship. God is greater than any pathetic evil spirit. Jesus has won the victory and the devil now stands condemned. The power vested in me by the fact that I’m saved through the blood of Jesus means that I have authority over ALL spirits in the name of Jesus. There is nothing to fear as He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world. Nothing can stop the will of God and He will be glorified in this place.
Following these incidents, I’ve been in discussion with the deliverance and healing team from my church. They can’t just come in as a ‘quick fix’, more has to happen. Pray for guidance and open doors to come and work here, the devil might mean all this for bad, but God can and will turn it around for good, if we allow Him to. Pray that more people would turn and give their lives to Jesus, only by doing this can they truly be delivered and saved from further interference on the scale we’ve seen this week.
Interesting that this should happen at the very moment I make my decision to leave soon, and that the main people affected should be close friends of mine. (That’s not to say that people should get worried and avoid me from now on ;-) !!)
Future plans
Once again, it’s a period of blog drought followed by several blog entries all at once. Nothing can be done, such is the unpredictability of African life!
A week ago I made the final decision after a period of much soul-searching and prayer. Not long after coming back here from the UK I sensed once again a call from God to pursue ordination in the good old Church of England. I made a few enquiries here and there and it seems the best way to follow this call is to apply from the UK for selection (and all the other hoops to jump through on the way) and to return sooner rather than later.
And so it was that I was considering an earlier return to the UK. But then I started having doubts and, just like Jonah (the prophet, not the Young Zulu Warrior choir member) I set out in completely the opposite direction from Ninevah… But the strange thing about running away from God is that He makes you miserable and soon enough I was back in confusion-ville and heading to a ministry evening at church which proved very helpful for my thinking.
One of the people who prayed for me asked me what my 5-year plan was. Interesting question, easy answer (for me at least) – get married, have children, establish a speaking ministry with maybe a book published. Then he asked me what I’m doing about achieving that. It was a crucial moment.
I don’t think I’m coming back to the UK on a whim, I’ve taken advice from various wise people and everyone concurs on the fact that it’s time to come back to the UK (at least for the next few years). Just to confirm all of that, I received prophetic ministry a few days later. A lot of good stuff, nearly all of it linked in some way to leaving. Good, especially as those people praying knew pretty much nothing except my name.
And so I shall be returning to the UK in early February, enough time to finish up and hand over my projects from here and to see Christmas celebrated well and back to school up and running. My main focus is to get Ingcindezi preschool kitchen and new classroom all ready and finished off for the start of the new academic year in mid-January. Then I can leave.
When you make the right decision with God, He confirms it over and over, and the reaction from people I’ve told already has been fantastic. Everyone seems genuinely pleased that I’m coming back to the UK, probably Leamington again for the moment, whilst I do my application. People here, Zulus especially, are less pleased, but I’ll be back to visit, and in the meantime I’ll be speaking out for them wherever I go. You can’t come some place like this and make such good friends with people and not talk about them to others. I’m really at peace about coming back, I can now enjoy the last few months here with the children.
A week ago I made the final decision after a period of much soul-searching and prayer. Not long after coming back here from the UK I sensed once again a call from God to pursue ordination in the good old Church of England. I made a few enquiries here and there and it seems the best way to follow this call is to apply from the UK for selection (and all the other hoops to jump through on the way) and to return sooner rather than later.
And so it was that I was considering an earlier return to the UK. But then I started having doubts and, just like Jonah (the prophet, not the Young Zulu Warrior choir member) I set out in completely the opposite direction from Ninevah… But the strange thing about running away from God is that He makes you miserable and soon enough I was back in confusion-ville and heading to a ministry evening at church which proved very helpful for my thinking.
One of the people who prayed for me asked me what my 5-year plan was. Interesting question, easy answer (for me at least) – get married, have children, establish a speaking ministry with maybe a book published. Then he asked me what I’m doing about achieving that. It was a crucial moment.
I don’t think I’m coming back to the UK on a whim, I’ve taken advice from various wise people and everyone concurs on the fact that it’s time to come back to the UK (at least for the next few years). Just to confirm all of that, I received prophetic ministry a few days later. A lot of good stuff, nearly all of it linked in some way to leaving. Good, especially as those people praying knew pretty much nothing except my name.
And so I shall be returning to the UK in early February, enough time to finish up and hand over my projects from here and to see Christmas celebrated well and back to school up and running. My main focus is to get Ingcindezi preschool kitchen and new classroom all ready and finished off for the start of the new academic year in mid-January. Then I can leave.
When you make the right decision with God, He confirms it over and over, and the reaction from people I’ve told already has been fantastic. Everyone seems genuinely pleased that I’m coming back to the UK, probably Leamington again for the moment, whilst I do my application. People here, Zulus especially, are less pleased, but I’ll be back to visit, and in the meantime I’ll be speaking out for them wherever I go. You can’t come some place like this and make such good friends with people and not talk about them to others. I’m really at peace about coming back, I can now enjoy the last few months here with the children.
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