Hectic!

We’ve reached the firm conclusion that currently the favourite word in South Africa is, ‘hectic’. People here don’t have a busy week they have a week that’s been ‘hectic’. Lives aren’t really busy, they are ‘really hectic’. The year’s been hectic, last Sunday was hectic in fact just about anything you can think of has been hectic. Which seems a suitable point at which to make the comment that this is intended to be my last blog for a few weeks, for if all goes according to plan, we should be back in the UK next Tuesday morning. Those who are going to struggle over Christmas without this particular weekly blogfix need to tune in again about Jan 13th 2010 for some ramblings about our hectic Christmas.

Passionate followers of the beautiful game will be aware that the major event in Cape Town (and for some the major event in the world) during the past week has been the World Cup Draw. As host nation South Africa was hoping for a soft first round but have actually been drawn against some quite tough opponents and then comes the news that they have lost their Number 1 position  in Test Cricket and that India have now surpassed them. Living next door to the Cape Town Cricket Stadium sort of highlights the challenging week that South Africa has had in the sports realm. But I must say that the newly built Stadium in Cape Town where some of the World Cup matches will be played is absolutely stunning. One of the more bizarre news items accompanying the Cup draw was that a 68 year old journalist joked that he was carrying a bomb when he entered the hall where the draw was taking place. He was immediately arrested and put into prison awaiting a court hearing - you’d think a journalist of that age would have a bit more sense! Another journalist was robbed at knife point and another one had specialist camera equipment stolen. It somehow sums up Cape Town; surely no city more beautiful on earth and yet a threatening city as well.

So we are leaving this lovely city, basking in summer sunshine, for a 3 week stint back in the cold and damp of the UK. One of the effects of the summer climate here at this time of year is that somehow Christmas seems a lot less hectic. There are Christmas decorations about, but you hardly notice them in the sunlight. There is mention of Carol services, but they seem vaguely remote when you are considering how to cool down. I suppose people are buying presents and mince pies, but somehow it lacks the frenzy of Christmas preparations in the UK.

It’s been a fascinating few months. I’ve preached nearly every Sunday - last week at Helderberg now led by Gary Welsh, have been mugged in some public gardens, visited Dubai, been to a snake park, spent 10 days in Zimbabwe encountering crocodiles, hippos and every kind of insect known to man. We’ve stroked a lion and watched whales coming right up to the shore line, seen dolphins jumping near Cape Town Harbour and then read sensational newspaper headlines nearly every day; ‘mayhem in street due to murder’ being a fairly typical one this week. We’ve had a great time in Jubilee Community Church whilst here and been very privileged to have been co-opted onto the Eldership team led by Steve van Rhyn. Cape Town is beautiful and violent, it has some of the best scenery in the world and some of the worst slums in the world. People prosper and high numbers suffer from AIDs. You can view some of the most fabulous houses you can imagine and a few minutes later be looking at some of the worst shacks you can imagine. You can buy top luxury goods in huge shopping malls and at every traffic light encounter people begging for money and food for survival. Such a wonderful city in which to live and such a challenging city in which to live.

Back in the UK I’m expecting to go to a CCK Directors dinner on the first night and then a CCK staff lunch a couple of days later. There are dentists to see, bills to pay, the car to get serviced, presents to buy, visits to the family at Poole, another visit to preach at Poole, friends to catch up with, a Christmas Tree to erect, a visit to Heathrow to put Sue on a plane to Chicago, and 5 days later another visit to Heathrow to pick up Sue flying back from Chicago……Well, you know what Christmas is like in the UK…..hectic!

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