This is Africa

It’s been almost a week since we baptised Joseph in the Indian Ocean. I thought I’d let you in on how we arrived at this point…

Our journey with Joseph began just two months ago. We were walking and praying that Jesus would lead us to people who would like to follow him, and, as we rounded the first corner, there he stood.

That particular day he was out looking for someone who would lend him 100 Rand (£7) so that he could pay a visit to his doctor. He had a worsening back condition from a road accident that happened when he was cycling to work ten years ago. The doctor had told him that he would need a wheel chair.

When we met Joseph he told us about his back pain, how he had metal rods in his back, plates in his head and had been in a coma for 15 days when it first happened.

So we offered to pray for him.

When we were done, he showed us where he lived and we agreed to come and visit him the next day.

On our return he was smiling as he told us, “I feel fine”.

The next time we went we had Walter with us, and he was able to determine (through conversing in Xhosa) that Joseph was feeling considerably better, and was walking around comfortably. For the first time in years he was sleeping all through the night. He asked that we would come back every day and tell him something about Jesus.

Since then we’ve returned two or three times each week to encourage, pray and read scripture with Joseph and his wife Lulama. They are excited that they can gather their family and friends in their home and learn together about the life of Jesus.

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Last night we watched God Grew Tired of Us, a documentary telling the story of the Lost Boys of Sudan.  The film focusses on the lives of three individuals who were given the opportunity to escape the huge UN refugee camp at Kakuma, Kenya to pursue life in America.  The story was told with compassion, and I was particularly struck by the difference between the boys life in the refugee camp, which was filled with friendship, community and hunger and their lonely, but comfort-filled existence in the US.

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We baptized Joseph and Walter yesterday on a glorious early-summer morning.

Baptising Joseph

Walter post-baptism

It’s been so exciting to journey with them over the past 2 months, and to see the new life that has been blossoming before our eyes.

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As part of my internship with All Nations I’ve been given the responsibility of developing their African/South African web presence. Part of this involves integrating their book store and contact database with a simple, central, social networking site. It won’t be anywhere near the complexity clutter of facebook, but may involve a customised version of Wordpress MU, utilizing Buddypress.

The most tricky part of this process is that Paypal do not allow funds to be withdrawn into a South African bank account.  There are so many wonderful, simple, ecommerce solutions that make use of Paypal, and as a result save the merchant a lot of money.

So what are the alternatives?

Right now I’m looking at the following options:

• Use Shopify and find a payment processor which works well (and is low in cost) in South Africa.
• Use Magento and their VCS payment module.

Please do let me know if you have any ideas!

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Things are starting to come together on the Baby Safe project.  The box has been installed and is undergoing some testing.  The printers have our order for posters, flyers, stickers and signs.  I finished the website.  Here are some relevant links:

Luke Pedersen (of Project Studio): the guy whose heart resonated with those of our team and who ran with the technical side of the project.  He has spent many a late night developing the concept and pinning down engineers who could hone it.  He also gave the project its name.

Bethany O’Connor: the director and chief social worker on the project.  Bethany has sat through meeting after meeting with local social workers and partner NGOs.  She’s has made countless phone calls and written hundreds of emails and has kept her sanity and focus when everyone else has had enough.

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I saw him in the corner of my eye as I was looking to see that I didn’t step in anything untoward.  He wore a school uniform and an expression of deeply embedded sadness.  It was about 3 o’clock and school was out for the day.

I flashed back to my memories of post-school freedom.  As the clock edged its way towards home time I would find myself distracted by a longing for the ‘creature comforts’ that awaited me.  I would be welcomed home by loving parents, snack, play, read and watch television until it was time to eat yet more nutritious food.  I anticipated a womb-like safety.

Then I was struck by the reality of his expression.  When his school day ended he knew there was nothing to look forward to.  He knew that he would walk through the maze of shacks back to his tiny, dank home.  There was no one eagerly anticipating his arrival.  The night ahead would bring with it a cold dampness, the threat of disease, and, amid the distant shouts of alcohol-fueled domestic violence, a bitter awareness of his lonely insignificance.

At his age I didn’t even know sadness like this existed.

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After hanging out in Sweden for one month, Sofia and I are about to depart for Wales. Here are some of the highlights of the past month:

The Reunion

We were finally and delightfully reunited after 6 long months apart. (photo copyright Louise Persson)

Zoe came to visit

The Wedding

On the 9th of August Emma and Dave celebrated their becoming one. Sofia and I were Maid of Honour and Best Man (respectively), so it was an exhilarating day. The night before, Dave, myself, and a few male family members went swimming in a lake. The water was darkened by tanning, so we came out a temporary shade of brown. (Photo copyright Zoe Morgan)

Meeting of the Matriarchs

My parents came over and spent 10 days making new friends of Olof and Eva, Sofia’s parents.

We will be in Wales for 1 week before heading back to the Southern Hemisphere.

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In my Field Report I mentioned the baby rescue project that I’m involved with. In his blog, Floyd McClung recently wrote about the need and the work of our team:

When the storm drains are cleaned twice a year in our area, the city’s waste management reports seeing small, dead, baby bodies. This is traumatic for the city workers, and its reported that a psychiatrist is on staff to debrief the workers.

click here to read more.

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For over a month Stephen and I have been gathering with a group of Rastafarians who live in Masiphumelele. We spend our time studying the teachings of Jesus and trying to work out how they would look when applied to our lives. We’ve been asking the Holy Spirit to teach us, and to show us what is true, and what is not.

A few days ago, one of the Rastas met with Stephen and told him that Jesus wanted him to stop smoking weed. This came as a surprise because we’ve deliberately not focussed on our differences, on the fact that they smoke, and we don’t, but it was really exciting to hear.

This isn’t the first time that this kind of thing has happened. Over the past few weeks I’ve heard a number of stories of alcoholics deciding that Jesus wants them to stop drinking, and subsequently stopping!

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