Today is SUNDAY!!

Back in RSA

I've been home for about 24 hours, and it really has been a bizarre reverse culture shock.



I arrived home to an empty house and felt quite awkward switching on the lights, boiling water in the cordless kettle, and using a toilet that flushes. Most distressing of all for me, being able to turn a tap and not only have water, but drinkable water!



The television was an issue I had to resolve with some prayer. I didn't simply want to veg out as soon as returning home, but based on the circumstances (my illness and exhausted physical state) I felt it was forgiveable.



The loneliness factor was quite obvious to me. Having spent pretty much every waking (and sleeping) moment with the team, it was quite an adjustment to come back to an empty home.



One other thing I've picked up - Zulu people, in general, are insanely aggressive when compared to their Moçambiquan counterparts, whom in contrast are very humble, reserved, and QUIET. Zulu people generally tend to be loud and determined, whereas the Picoco people are simple and community-focused, always helpful and allowing us to go in front of them in a queue etc.



All-in-all, living off pap and mealie meals for a week, having to pump water for washing, having bucket-baths around an old and used long-drop out in the cold midnight air, waiting for a gas kettle to boil drinkable water in the mornings, being grateful for a full moon to shine some light in the evenings, and long-dropping all seem to have helped me yet-again realise how fortunate we are on this side of the border. I'm not going to cut off my hot-water supply any time soon, and I'm sure in about a month I'm going to be mostly back to normal, but one thing I am going to change is I'm going to grow my own vegetables!



The experience always changes you; one week with the poorest of the poor, you can't help but be changed. Right now I'm struggling to accept the "entitlement attitude" so many jerks have in this country; they need only sniff what's going on over the border and then they'll change their tune!

Mozambique Mission

Two days into the mission "technically".

Started 530am on Saturday, and got going +-8am. There were delays (team waiting for the treasurer), VW TRANSPORTER needing oil, getting tyres pumped, etc. We were last in the convoy but made stop 1 earlier than the team getting the ZA stickers.

Our first casualty was Egg-poo being denied access to Swazi. Sent home.

The stretch from Swaziland to Moz was attended to by my co-pilot while I slept. When I awoke I didn't recognise the surroundings. Kinda did. Kinda didn't. Wasn't sure but we carried on. Eventually we found a sign saying Siteki to the right. I recognised the area but told the convoy to not turn. When we finally arrived at the luxury resort I realised we were going the wrong way. One of our team insisted Lamahashe was the right border, and another asked for directions to Goba border post, and both confirmed we were going the right way. I enquired about the description of this border post and soon concluded we were going to the wrong post.

Turn around. Backtrack. We arrived at Goba post at about 7pm. My Portuguese got us going so it was good. Rafael's Spanish also did wonders. We were through. Cellphone started to work again, and I got a host of smses from the others who'd gone ahead wondering where we were. I sms'ed and said we were heading to the YFC house. The girls in the car behind were getting frantic because they were exhausted by now.

I got us to the YFC house from memory - having shown everyone where Pikoko was on the way - only to receive an sms from Shannon saying we must go to Pikoko.

I pulled into YFC house and found Lauren and Debbie and Wes who were surprised to see us. At the moment I showed up, Debbie had just been asked to phone me because I was lost, so then we all went back to Pikoko in convoy and made it home and in bed by about 11pm.

I'd managed to get the team through Swaziland (once we ascertained we were lost), through Moz border. To YFC house, and then back to Pikoko.

On Sunday I had an early start (745am) and took us to the cemetery in Matola where we picked up Chico and headed to Elio's church.

Service started at 9am, and I got to finally do my sermon at 1145am. Hectic. We finished by 1230pm and have just come home.

Stay tuned for further updates.

Mozambique 2009

Since 2005 I've been going to Mozambique for church missions. I have always loved the experience even though it's physically, and emotionally draining. The spiritual side is amazing, so that makes up for it. Mozambique 2009 is upon us, and I depart TOMORROW for this momentous mission!

As with all missions to Mozambique, there's been a last-minute scramble by yours truly to get everything into gear. This year, ironically, has been the least stressful preparation for me, and maybe that's because I'm now a five-time veteran or something, or because I know it's going to be arguably the toughest mission I've been on yet. You see, this time around, our leader has decided that the only way to REALLY experience community with the people we're going to work alongside, is to live alongside them. That means, of course, that we are going to sleep in the community, eat with the community, and work with the community.

Why is this such a big deal?
There's no running water. There's no ablutions. The water you pump isn't drinkable. There's mosquitoes with malaria. There's nothing. Absolutely nothing. Oh, and there's this witch. The Witch of Pikoko. This "lady" and I had a very intimate encounter last year, which ended up in me being rescued by a Land Rover that DIDN'T STOP MOVING and me bundling into it with explosions and gun-fire and curses and spells and all sorts. But that's for another time.

For now, if you want to know what we're up to, or want to pray for us, here's the itinerary:

Also, I'm preparing to preach this year. Something new for me in the sense that I'm preparing in advance, so there's a lot of responsibility and expectation on my shoulders. The sermon notes can be seen here; http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddptrndx_31gh429bfc

Please feel free to pray for the team, pray for the sermons, and for good health and effectiveness. And also for the ones left behind, or for some reason or another couldn't go on Mission this year - and for those that are spouses and family of the missionaries.

Thanks guys! A te prossima semana!

YA WBC Weekend Ministry video is online

Back in early 2008 we created three promotional videos for our Weekend Ministry at church. Long story short, we needed a way to bring back the ministry that had hit the church by storm a few years ago, because we'd been quite quiet for a while and people had pretty much forgotten about us. We started off with a 15 second teaser, then the next week a 40 second teaser, and then this big beastie. It spurred a revolution in church with the use of video, and yet again, Weekend Ministry were the pioneers :)

For those non-Christian types out there, put your differences of opinion aside and watch the video - it's still pretty funny. We did this video in a few hours and I had to then edit it and produce it in time for church the next morning; overall I am satisfied with my brainchild :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cW6sc-_v70