Walking together - walking with Jesus
As we renew our link with the Diocese of the Highveld, three people describe how that link has deeply affected their own walk of faith
Stitches of friendship: gifts of sewing equipment help women in the Highveld become materially self-sufficient. Their faith teaches us that our true sufficiency
is found in God
Canon Andrew Willie and his wife Val lived in the black township of Vosloorus, for a week. Val writes:
The generosity to us was humbling. Preparation for our visit by fund-raising ensured that those selected to host us for meals or visits were not out of pocket. The parishioners worked together as a team, caring for us and each other, truly living their faith.
We experienced electricity sharing [power cuts to us], living behind metal barred doors and windows, seeing the poverty and hardship of the 60–80% jobless, incredulous at the juxtaposition of black people in shacks with sewage running down the earth tracks in between, while less than a mile away were opulent houses with high security walls and armed guards at their gates.
The parish feed children who would otherwise starve. They care for the sick and support healthcare workers. Embryonic programmes for after-school clubs keep children away from gangs. Children who are HIV/AIDs positive show an innocent joy and a love for others which transcends their suffering as they experience the Church’s care.
Britons rely on the welfare state but South Africa has none and the churches have seized the moment. People see the Church in action and respond. Church is not a Sunday Club but an everyday place of witness to our Lord. We learnt of the encouraging leadership of Bishop David Beetge.
What else? The suffering of children burned in shack fires that brought us to the foot of the Cross; the sheer heavenly beauty of African ‘a cappella’ singing of ordinary hymn tunes; the humility of people who felt a Sunday School of 80 children was far too small; the simple sincere faith of two African ladies with whom we stayed and who encouraged us to pray as never before. We saw how their Christian example touched their township neighbours and the importance of their unconscious evangelism.
Revd Dennis Richards of Caldicot reflects on their parish link with
St Peter’s Chains:
2008 was a significant year for many involved with our friends in South Africa. On a personal level, we in the Benefice of Caldicot will be eternally grateful for our link person, Lillian Chimpini at St Peters Chains in Katlehong, our link parish. Lillian keeps us up to date with events in Katlehong and in the Highveld generally. She sends us wonderfully-crafted PowerPoint presentations, which we post on our web page and, sometimes, run on a laptop during our services in the benefice. With Lillian, Irene Doull (our Diocesan World Mission Officer), and the other Link Committee members, we continue to feel truly involved in the life and ministry of the wider Christian Church.
2008 started quietly enough – the usual good wishes – and assurance of prayers from our brothers and sisters in St Peter’s Chains. Then, in February, came the news that Fr Sindile Sithole, the Rector of St Peter’s Chains had suddenly and tragically died, leaving a young widow, Princess, and two young children: a daughter Thando which translates as ‘love’ and a son Luvuyo, ‘rejoice’. Fr Sindile died on the 2nd February, but had already written a Lenten message for his people and I was able to share his words with the congregation at the Requiem Mass that was held for him at Portskewett Church on 22nd February. Archdeacon Glyndwr celebrated and all our benefice team took part in the service. We are assured by Lillian that our prayers prior to and during the service were a great comfort to our friends, and though it was a truly awful time, it proved that our prayers, support and love for one another are very worthwhile. As Christ’s love sustains us, so our love for one another can hold us up when life gets tough.
The year held another sting when Bishop David Beetge also died soon after attending the Lambeth Conference, and we as a diocese will continue to be grateful for all that he achieved in his life and ministry.
It was fitting that, at the Diocesan Conference in October, conference voted unanimously to renew our link with the Highveld for a further five years. So much has been achieved in the past five years, and there is much more that can, and will be done.
Thank God for our friends.
Anne Parr, the link secretary for St Mary’s Church, Abergavenny, was one of a parish group who visited the Highveld. She writes:
Having visited the Diocese of the Highveld we in Abergavenny have been blessed with the opportunities arising from prayerful and companionable links made with the people there. This has focussed our minds, and we have come to see the combination of prayer and activity as being the main reason for the Link. Meeting many, knowing a few, and seeing how others are able to live their example of Christ in their daily lives, whatever their circumstances, has proved an inspiration.
As a link we try to give projects as much support as we can, so our donations of wool, garments and material are greatly valued and appreciated. Helping others in helping themselves to develop sustainable projects within their communities remains one of our aims.
The Diocese of The Highveld, and all at St Dunstan’s Benoni, are regularly in our prayers, as we are in theirs, making us constant prayer partners, day-by-day.
Being comparatively wealthy, we appreciate that others in the Link have such few resources. Nonetheless, the joy of Christian Faith, and lives of holiness enrich the prayerful aspect of our Link and we receive from them such blessing. Many of those to whom Jesus talked, and who he called to follow Him found themselves poor. Yet he often called them above others. Over and over again we are discovering that our Highveld prayers are joyful prayers, so what we receive in return is great indeed.
~~~
If you would like to know more about the link,
contact Mrs Irene Doull, Diocesan World Mission Officer