Week ending 25 march

This week has been an improvement on last week. I have had some decent conversations with friends and enjoyed myself a lot more. I met up twice with K_ who believes that the Libyan thing is a big set up by the world powers. He says that Libya until the recent UN action had one of the best standards of living in the world, I have yet to check the validity of this statement. I got the idea that he believes the theory that the 'rebels' are terrorists trying to de-stabilize Libya and have succeeded in getting UN approval. We chatted also about justice and grace, how the 2 are impossible apart; you can't have grace without justice and vice-versa. In a bible reading on Tuesday I was reminded how Amos frustrated his audience by first getting them to seek justice for the atrocities carried out by their neighbours and then how he turned the tables on them to include Judah and Israel too. I have tried to seek ways to use this tactic on particularly judgemental people this week, to help them see their need for grace. On Thursday we talked some more and I invited him to join our church weekend away and I was able to hand him a 'Jesus storybook bible'. I also had an interesting conversation with Anne who is working with us about what she does and church models and a nice talk with H_ about investment. I told him that I like to eat my desert first since life is unpredictable.

Greenwich Park

Jubilee park - Canary Wharf

During the week D_ visited too, in the beginning of the week he was very agitated and not getting any sleep, making conversation very difficult. His dog pulls him around the place and he finds it very difficult to control her. She is often the topic of conversation. He is an intelligent man and thinks deeply about things but often his frustration gets the better of him. Friday when he came in he was calmer and happier - he'd had a good day in Greenwich park and he explained how sad he was with the Canary Wharf development and it's corporate coldness in comparison with the beauty of Victorian Greenwich park - how corporations, iPads and mobile phones have made us colder and less open to appreciate the world around us. I think I agree with him.

Self-Control

The first week back in London was some good, some bad - hey, in the words of my friend Ben Bell 'It's not heaven'. For a start I would like to be on permanent holiday! Heaven is supposed to be like that innit? During the week I had to catch up on various bits of paper work, I also find it very hard to get back into the swing of things. By Friday I am feeling a bit more normal and I give my second assembly in a series on 'the servant Jesus', focusing particularly on him washing the disciples feet. I get the children in the school to name the people in their community who serve them and compare the kind of things that a servant does with a leader and it becomes somewhat apparent that they are very similar people. Anne, a female Bishop from Berlin is working with us for 3 weeks and she joins me. Friday is quite an enjoyable day, although I have still to see any of my regular friends. I have bumped into them outside of the cafe during the week.
Saturday we went to Leeds Castle, which I recommend. I have been about 5 times now and it never fails to impress me, they have falconry and other birds on display, a huge wooden castle for the kids, massive parklands - a wonderful day out for all.

Leeds Castle

Sunday I gave a talk in church concerning 'self-control'. I was asked to look particularly at it in light of Proverbs. The phrase doesn't really seem to occur in the book, but it becomes apparent that 'self-control' is a product of righteousness, rather than a means to it. It contravenes all I have ever been taught - God makes me self-controlled; I can't get it before I meet God, like some sort of reward. If we want to be self-controlled we need to find out what God says about our SELF and continue to do so.

Japan's Chernobyl

Did you know that 'Chernobyl' is the Ukrainian word for 'wormwood'? Not interesting huh? What about this prophecy from the bible, Revelations 8: 8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. 10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water-- 11 the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter. 

Back in London

We arrived back in London on Thursday 9th March - we had a decent trip both directions with Swiss air, the pilots even allowed Hannah into the cockpit before take off!, we were collected by Tom from London City Airport. Merely being collected by a friend after a long journey is remarkable! You are tired and just want to get home, and somebody has taken the time to get there for you. We were so worn out from the travels we slept almost all of that Thursday, juggling duties in childcare. I was so glad to be allowed the time to recuperate. I visited the cafe for a brief period and somebody has put up 2 new blackboards with prices on - it looks great.
Friday Tom and I went into HQ on our bikes, the ride in is so pleasant and the weather is getting warmer. We interviewed 2 people for the post of Catering Supervisor at Cafe Forever, they were needless to say wonderful people - watch this space! On Saturday I went and bought a child cycle seat for Hannah and all four of us went out for a short ride, but it was a little cold for the girls. Sad to see 'Mudchute kitchen' on 'Mudchute farm' still closed - it used to have a huge turnover of customers.
On sunday Tom preached on Proverbs relating to anger. We are all very angry at ourselves! Turning that anger around positively brings redemption - can you imagine how badly things would've worked out if Jesus was angry when he was crucified! This morning Tom and I fetched a washing machine for Sandra and delivered it to her door. She and her son are church regulars. Later I have taken my car that has dodgy brakes in for repairs to a place called Duo Motors - we'll see whether they are any good.

Another African farm

Out the kitchen window

Hanlie and girls

For our first three days in the Cape we visited our friends living in Wellington. We hired a small car without airconditioning at the airport and headed to Wellington. We soon regretted the decision about aircon since the temperature in Wellington is very high - one day we hit 39degC! The extreme heat knocked the girls out each time we got in the car. On one day we went and used the public pool which was very well maintained and used - at least 100 people were there. Hanlie and Charlie live as tenants on an organic farm called 'bloublommetjieskloof' and Hanlie's boyfriend Morné visited with us. Morné soon became a great friend of Hannah and Lisa, as did Charlie, the two of them providing shoulders to ride on and interesting natural facts. Although it was hot, the visit to Wellington was definitely a highlight of the trip, not just because of the beauty, but also the opportunity to catch up with such wonderful friends. Hanlie works at some sort of orphanage with hundreds of children - HAM or House of Andrew Murray taking it's name from the great 1860 revivalist. I chatted with Hanlie about their marketing, I am looking more into marketing and how others do it to see if there's some way in which I can help. We ended our visit to our Wellington friends by swimming with them on 'The Strand' beach. 

Morné and Hannah

Charlie and Hannah