St Barnabas Church Website

Let me tell you a story, it is about a group of friends were told to get into a boat and row to the other side of a big lake. As night started approaching they were still far from shore. The wind begun to pick up and the boat started rocking. Some if the guys on the boat begun to wonder if they would make it to the other side!

Four months ago I stood up here and told you I was going to Africa, it feels like I have been away four years. Going back four months I finally arrived in South Africa after a long 14 hour flight. I was met by two of the other short term missionaries called trekkers, we wandered round the airport which I though was a stalling move until they admitted to me they were lost. We finally found the car park and headed out to the WEC base in Brakpan. I had a feeling this trip to Africa would rock the boat. However I did find this nice saying, sometimes you just have to jump and build you wings on the way down. After a week or so to my sheer amassment I found that I had wings and even better they were fully functioning. I didn’t dive, I soared, past experiences like Boys Brigade and interacting with kids, evening service with speaking in public where all helping me to soar. Its not to say that it was a smooth flight there was turbulence and I did fall, one of the worst was when I backed the team van into a pole. Ops but I can now say I have a healthy fear of underground car parks. There was also fun times, going swimming, watching football and just hanging out with the other trekkers. I also found some things odd, like the signs around the place saying pipeline rehabilitation, the thought of pipes being pulled out of the ground sent to a rehab clinic then put back on the ground come to mind. Another funny but very Africa moment came when I received these 3D glasses from the post office. These were so I could look at the 3D stamps that were on the post cards I had just sent home. Someone hadn’t quiet thought this one through.

Let me continue my story, Jesus had been praying up on a mountainside, about midnight he walked down the hill and out onto the lake. When the friends, Jesus’ disciples saw him they cried out in fear, It wasn’t enough that they were about to sink in a storm but now there were ghosts walking on the water as well.

When I look back on my trip, what do I see? I see people living in fear, also in poverty not only economic but moral. I have found that it has moved from a racial apartheid to a economic one where a few black people have become rich but most still remain poor as they did before apartheid ended. The thing that got to me the most, this happened in Malawi was my personal helpless of poverty. Even if I had cut my trip short and drew out all the money I have left and gave it away, it wouldn’t have made a difference. There were just too many people, some would probably not use the money wisely and even if they did they would only get a few meals out of it and end up back at square one. This is what heaps of missionaries have faced, its hard when you see it every day. Standing at the traffic lights, walking down the footpath, sitting out side the shops. It may hurt or cause heartbreak but in the end it is not for us to worry about. That is Gods job we just need to be willing to listen and to help.

One question I have been asked is why are you going to South Africa, I can tell you if anyone had brought up the idea a few years ago of going to SA for a mission trip then backpacking round parts I would not have gone if you paid me. But I have changed even in the last year I have grown a lot. In the application I wrote it had shy as part of the personality types but that is not what they found in SA, they even commented on that in a report back on me! But why did I go? Well I suppose why not. If God offers an open door why turn away or take the window? I realise now that the idea had been swimming in the back of my mind for years, it just took a while for the courage to build up. So what did I get out of this trip? A new family in South Africa who I miss terribly, eyes opened to different cultures ways of thinking and time management. One of the biggest things I got was confidence that I can go to Africa, one of the most troubled yet beautiful continents, I can backpack in it, survive its airports and I can enjoy it. Even if I got nothing else but confidence from being in Africa it would have been worth it.

More importantly what did the people around me in this trip get! Hopefully the children got a few laughs and smiles, the adults got some practical help or even some bits of wisdom from me. You never really know how much impact you had. But also that I was able to help the mission in Brakpan, Johannesburg by adding a little fuel so their fire can shine even brighter in the darkness.

Now let me tell you the last part of the story, as you might have guessed it’s the story in Matthew 14 and is one of my favourite.

Jesus yelled out to his terrified disciples on the boat, take courage it is I, don’t be afraid.

“Lord if it is you” peter replied “tell me to come out to you on the water”

“Come” Jesus said

So peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came towards Jesus. But he saw the wind and waves, he was afraid and begun to sink, he cried

“Lord, save me” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him and said

“You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

When they made it back to the boat the wind and waves died down, those on the boat worshiped him saying “truly you are the son of God”

I have sunk in life before and I will sink again, but I know that I have gotten out of the boat and walked on water! Can you?

Over the past week and a half I have been backpacking from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth in South Africa. There was drama as I went through Johannesburg airport, my flight from Malawi was a bit late so I had to walk quickly to pick up my bags and check them back in for the domestic flight to Cape Town. I was stopped by immigration because my body temperature was a bit high. I was pulled to the side and told to fill in a form and checked by a nurse before allowed to go on. By then I was really late but made it to the count just before it closed for the flight. I found there that my seat had been given away because I had not been there 90 minutes before the flight! Fortunately this kind man put me on another flight 45 minutes later at no extra cost!

The flight to Cape Town was interesting as it took a while for the plane to get its back end of the tarmac, so we spend a while rolling down the runway at a 45 degree angle. On the landing the plane seemed to go up and down as we approached the runway and continued as we bounced down the runway. I was beginning to wonder if it was a trainee pilot or one of those pilots I have been hearing about who bought their licence!

Cape Town was beautiful, hiked up Table Mountain, went out to Robin Island and out to the most south west cape in Africa where I saw some penguins. I also walked along the nice water front they have and all this packed into three days! I then caught a bus to Mossel Bay where I went shark cage diving (yes you read right, shark cage diving) which was awesome, the sharks even crashed into the cage! Next place I stayed was Wilderness where I went for tramps through the bush and along their lovely golden beach. Then on to Port Elizabeth where I spent a day with Jordan, who is a South African staying at the same Backpackers. He showed me around Port Elizabeth and the new stadium for the soccer world cup! I then headed back to Johannesburg for one night to hang out with the WEC people and then headed home.

Johannesburg airport couldn’t let me go without one last frustrating goodbye with the passport control computers crashing. I stood around for half an hour waiting for them to check me through into the terminal. Luckily I was early and still had a bit of time before my flight. I am now home and feeling a bit tired after 20 hours of travelling.

Moni, Muli bwanji? (Hi, how are you?)

Malawi is an amazing country with natural beauty that reminded me of home and warm and welcoming people. There were also frustrations; it started with my bag not turning up when I arrived, as it was still in Johannesburg. It fortunately arrived on the next flight undamaged. A few days later my credit card was suspended because someone had obtained the details and was trying to with draw huge amounts of money. Fortunately they were to greedy and tried to draw out more than the card allowed so I didn’t lose any money!

I spend the first week in the capital Lilongwe with Sandy and Maitland and there cute twin 3 year old kids Moses and Miriam. I visited a market which unlike the touristy markets of South Africa and Swaziland was a real African market. It was hot, smell and fantastic. They sold everything from fish and bugs to small motors and clay (apparently pregnant ladies eat it to..). There were also these rickety foot bridges over the river that some entrepreneurial people had made then charge a toll to cross! I also visited a local orphanage which was well set up with about 15 separate houses which each had about 8 children in it and a house mother.

I then hired a car and drove to Lake Malawi and stayed in a lodge at Cape Maclear. My room was right on the sandy beach front and it was facing west so I could sit and watch the sun go down. I went snorkeling and saw all the beautifully colored fish. I also went on a boat trip around one of the many islands in the lake. I also drove up to Mzuzu and stayed at Nkhata bay for a night. These drives were not with out some frustration. There were people walking and biking along the road constantly and there were also animals, I nearly hit a goat! Then there were run ins with the police. At one road block an officer asked me how I was and where I was from etc. Then he asked me for a present to remind him off his friend from New Zealand. I don’t know if was tired, hungry or something but I didn’t click to the fact he was really saying ‘give me money’. I looked around the front seat of the car, I don’t have any presents, I though but I do have biscuits. So I gave him a biscuit and he waved me through. At another police road block (there were many of these) an officer said I had to pay a fine of 2,000 Kwacha about 20 NZ dollars. This was because I did not have two of those triangle reflector things you put up when you have to change a tire on the road. To cut a long story short I gave up ‘discussing’ it and said I would pay the fine. When I tired to pay him he said I couldn’t pay here I would have to do it at the local police station! So a police man “escorted” me in my car while I drove to the police station. I then paid the fine and got a recite so I could claim it off the car rental company. This took more than half an hour. Another long story short the second triangle was in the car, it was just hidden under the lip if the boot!

There is wide spread corruption in the police but they are not paid much and are poor so I can see why they would try to get more money out of people. However if they could put effort into good ideas instead of ripping people off this country could do great things. I can see potential as they are trying much more than what I saw in South Africa and Swaziland. Sandy put it right when she said it breaks you heart, yet still a beautiful country.

I am now heading back to South Africa for a short trip from Cape Town to Port Elisabeth.

Tionana (See ya later)