Over and out

So - my last sabbatical posting. Got back from South Africa earlier today - a good three weeks with the family, visiting Kruger, Durban, Joburg, Swaziland, and lots of other interesting places. A tiring return journey, but here now. I'm grateful to all who prayed for refreshment, health and safety etc - I think those prayers were answered. My last sabbatical prayer request is for the weather to improve as we camp at Greenbelt this weekend (!) - and for a smooth transition back into life and work here in London. Over and out!

On retreat in Zim

I'm in a very remote farmhouse in a beautiful spot in rural Zimbabwe, an hour or so from Bulawayo. As I come towards the end of this part of the sabbatical it has been great to have time to review my journal, pray, walk and rest, and look forward to meeting up with the family next week.

Zimbabwe has been one of my favourite parts of the sabbatical. The ministry has been very varied and well received, and I like Bulawayo very much. It has been good to stay in an area a bit longer - nearly 3 weeks by the time I leave. The people I have met have been lovely - and many of them astonishingly committed to the rebuilding of this nation.

Beneath the beauty and the friendly welcome there are shocking stories to be told. It is less than 2 years since the stores were empty, the inflation rate made currency valueless, those who could drove to Botswana for food, and those who couldn't ate bark from the trees and poisonous local fruit. When you look at the agricultural richness of this country it is heartbreaking that even now most food is imported, as the farms which have been repossessed under the land grab are often not utilised by their new 'owners', who may know nothing at all about farming. I heard of one such owner who hired the previous farmer to come back and run the farm for him, because he himself had no idea how to do it.

Perhaps most impressive are the people who have the wealth and skills and passport to leave but chose not to, even when things were at their worst. I met one couple who chose to relocate here in 2008, when things were at their worst, because they felt that God had called had called them to be part of the rebuilding of Zimbabwe, and they didn't want anyone to be able to accuse them of only arriving when the worst of it was over. Amazing.

Next week I leave here for South Africa and a holiday with my family, and I'm looking forward to it very much. I probably won't post again until I get home. For those who have prayed, thank you. I think all the main prayers for by sabbatical - health and safety, fruitfulness in ministry, personal refreshment - have been answered. Please continue to pray for a good and happy holiday and a smooth return to London in late August.

Sad day

Very sad today about the loss of our dear friend and elder Paul. Hard to be so far from home at a time like this. Follow this link for more:
http://www.ascensionbalhamhill.org.uk/news_story.php?id=4

Enjoying Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

I'm in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. I've never been to Zim before but I'm enjoying it a lot. Contrary to the media impression, it feels safe and friendly, the people are lovely, and the church is displaying remarkable courage and leadership in difficult circumstances.

So far I have mainly been with Anglicans, teaching a leaders' day on Saturday and a clergy day on Tuesday, preaching in a parish on Sunday, and staying for a few nights with the Bishop. His diocese, Matabeleland, is linked with our area, Kingston, so it is good to be part of strengthening that link.

Missing my family at the moment. Nat turned 17 last week, and Isaac left primary school, and it was hard not to be there for those milestones.

...and Lusaka

A very quick note tonight - I've been in Lusaka since Wednesday staying with a friend from my DMin studies in the US. He is a Weslyan pastor here. I have been teaching his people about Alpha, as he wants to run it, and then doing some teaching on Philippians with some pastors linked to World Vision. A privilege to do, although it's been quite draining. Tomorrow I travel to Livingstone - 8 hours by coach! - preaching there Sunday morning, doing some leadership training in the afternoon, and then spending Monday visiting Victoria Falls. After a return coach journey on Tuesday, and a meeting with local Anglican leaders in the evening, I fly to Harare on Wednesday. Thanks for prayers for health and strength - all being answered. I do feel the need to take more rest time in the next week or two though and that is difficult when people are so enthusiastic about finding things for me to do!

Quick update from Kinshasa

Thanks to those who have prayed for me this week - conference here in Kinshasa has gone well, I think, although numbers quite low people seemed appreciative of the teaching. Carl and I have both stayed healthy and endured the heat and the very lengthy conference sessions! This morning a highlight as we visited St. Peter's Anglican Church Kinshasa with the Bishop of Kinshasa and the former Archbishop of Congo. I preached, which seemed to go well, and the whole service had a lovely mix of Anglicanism - meaning I knew where I was in the liturgy even though I didn't understand the language - and indigenous Congolese worship. Tonight Carl flies back to London - via Tripoli - and tomorrow I fly to Jo'burg for one night on my way to Lusaka on  Tuesday. There I will hopefully be doing 2 days or so teaching for leaders and preaching at Livingston next Sunday, as well as - I hope - having more time for rest and sightseeing than I have had in DRC.

So little time, so much to do...

36 hours or so until departure for Kinshasa and a lot more than 36 hours worth of stuff to get done. Finally got visa for DRC this afternoon - has not been straightforward, and was feeling quite tense about it, not least since their embassy has had my passport for nearly a week. Anyway, that's done, and soon we'll be away...