Rocket Maaaaaan!

A slightly earlier blog than usual and possibly slightly more rushed than usual as this evening I set out on what might just prove to be the adventure of a lifetime. At 5pm this evening Sebastian the Swede, Henning the German and Veronica the Mexican/American are heading off on a road trip that will take us 12 days, will encompass 5 countries and will take us to the legendary Victoria Falls! So you’ll excuse me if this blog lacks any because I still have quite a bit to do including changing money, picking up a car, buying spare batteries and a spare memory card for my camera, which is bound to see a lot of action over the next two weeks or so.

Focussing on the week which has been though, rather than the week to come, I’ve had a very enjoyable week spent in Port Elizabeth. It has been a weekend though that has already seen some things come to an end. Over the last week I have had my final classes in ‘Inclusive Education’ and in ‘Educational Thought’. Although I had covered aspects of these modules at home I feel that I have also learned a great deal and gained a far greater perspective of the subjects from studying in South Africa. If nothing else I have gained professional insight from fellow trainee teachers in another country and it has been fascinating to hear the views of my classmate in regard to different educational issues. I think we definitely have different ways of thinking and differing teaching philosophies in some respects but in others we are completely united in our realisation that our children are our future and that we are charged with a responsibility to provide them with an education which will stand them in good stead to be leaders in that future.

Friday night saw the visit of a rather famous person to Port Elizabeth. Elton John was in town as part of his ‘Under African Skies’ tour and he didn’t fail to disappoint. The weather threatened to put a dampener on the event and there was even speculation in the days before the show that it would have to be cancelled due to the thunder and lightning storms putting the audiences safety at risk. And true to the forecast, the storms began to hit Nelson Mandela Bay a couple of hours before the show and they hit hard. Lightning lit up the sky all around and the thunder roared angrily and then the rain…we were walking to the concert from the car when the rain started to lash down creating instant lakes in the road, much to our enjoyment as we splashed about in our bare feet, not even caring that we were getting soaked. Once inside the concert venue, which was actually on a campus sports field we made our way to the front of the crowd so that we were right on the front barrier in the very middle of the stage…excellent standing point. The rain let up at certain points throughout but the heavens also opened up at other points so there is a lack of photos for you to enjoy but it is safe to say that Elton and Ray Cooper, his percussionist, put on a fantastic show. Hits such as ‘Your Song’, ‘Candle in the Wind’ and ‘Crocodile Rock’ wowed the crowd and I was ecstatic when he played my favourite, the lesser known ‘Indian Sunset’. The show finished, almost inevitably, with ‘The Circle of Life’. So the African skies may have been dark and stormy but the mood of people afterwards was certainly the opposite.

My personal highlight of the week came on Sunday night when our Bible study group met on a moonlit King’s Beach to read the Easter story from the four gospels together, to pray together, listen to music and to share communion together. Hearing the story read by people with different accents, different colours of skin and from different places across the world brought home to me how universal God’s love is. When we broke bread and drank wine we weren’t bound by any religious rules but rather were united and freed by what Jesus has left for us, the Holy Spirit. Jesus died for everybody regardless of race, ethnicity, language, gender and we all were so undeserving of that perfect sacrifice, a sacrifice which wipes clean the slate of sin for every person who believes in it. And to rise again from the grave shows us that we have a God who is alive and reminds us that those who believe will also have life for eternity with their Saviour and Lord. I love Easter and although it wasn’t the Dawn Service at the Argory this was certainly an Easter celebration which I will cherish for the rest of my life. Afterward we came back to my flat and ate together and had fellowship together and I am so thankful that God has blessed me with Christian friends while I’ve been out here. A Sunday night spread in South Africa certainly reminded me of all my friends at home and how important fellowship is to Christian living.

This week I also played South African monopoly (and lost) and also swam a lot in the sea to cool down form the still exceptionally hot weather that we get here during the day. I hear things aren’t so hot at home right now and that you’ve been hit with a fresh round of snow and that people are actually starting to get annoyed with snow! Don’t get annoyed with snow, it’s beautiful! So as I said at the start, this probably wasn’t going to be my finest entry and so it has proven but rest assured that when I return to write in a couple of weeks time it will be full with adventures, stories and mishaps just like every other trip I’ve taken so far. Victoria Falls here I come….

Peace

God Bless

“Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9