Carnival Day

Carnival day – in aid of cancer patients. The parade starts at the top of Market Street, and takes about an hour to get to the bottom – a distance that normally takes about 10 minutes of brisk walking. The crowd danced as they walked; then they stopped and chatted and danced some more, etc. until they reached the wharf. A section was cordoned off, and various tables were set up selling fast food and a few other odds and ends. They raised about 3,000 pounds.

Vontray (a boy who attends Good News Club) dressed as a slave ladyJohn Mbungwa (Kenyan) dressed as a "wannabee" ScotTwo awe struck visitors to the IslandThe Consulate gives a good vantage point for watching the parade go by.Somebody has had enough noiseThe parade procedes through The Arch on its way to the wharf

Cat's Chill Pad

I came home from work to find that Graeme had built a special ladder for Clawd so that he could climb up on to his "chill pad" under the awning behind the kitchen door. It reminds me of an exercise pad that one would build for pet mice - only MUCH bigger.

Clawd will climb up the ladder near the kitchen window, then walk across the beam towards the planks under the roof. He loves sitting on these planks and swiping at my hands as I try and hang up washing.

Arthur received a call asking him to come in and help at the Consulate again. He has to dress formally in black pants and a white shirt to serve breakfasts to the hotel guests. Then he changes into casual shorts and shirt and does sweaty gardening. When this is finished for the day, he sands down wrought iron chairs, then paints them with hammerite (a special paint that prevents rust on iron). Even between ships, when there are hardly any guests, he will still have work for a while – there are about 30 chairs to sand and paint.

Arthur preached on Rev chpt 5. I wonderful reminder that, at the end of this world, there will be a gathering where ALL of creation – the church, the angels, creatures on the earth, under it, in the sea – EVERYTHING will be worshipping our Saviour and King.

We were very encouraged when 4 children turned up at Good News Club. After the children’s meeting, we teachers chatted about how we could improve on the program that we are presently providing, and make the Saturday mornings more interesting for children. We decided to work out an “activity program” for each week, and put up a chart listing each week’s activity in the hope that it will arouse anticipation/interest.
After Good News, I went shopping and found that a few extra toys and gifts were out on the shelves in anticipation of Christmas. I bought 9 reasonably priced children’s gifts for the end of the year party, as well as a game called “Twister”.

I enjoy the bus ride to and from the Prince Andrew school on Thursdays – I go to lace class, and Arthur goes to English class. It reminds me of the times when we used to travel together on buses in S Africa. With my teacher’s approval, I gave up on the more advanced lace pattern that I had started about a month ago. I was spending more time unravelling the 52 bobbins that kept getting twisted around each other, than actually getting on with the pattern. I also did a lot of unpicking and redoing, and was just getting frustrated. We agreed that I should go back to doing simple book markers with fewer bobbins until I am more proficient.

Mail arrived on the RMS via Ascension, and we received 2 lovely parcels from the USA – crafting materials, Bible covers, children’s books and DVD’s and a model of the Old Testament tabernacle. I am looking forward to teaching the book of Hebrews together with the tabernacle in Sunday School. The Bible covers will be used as prizes for children that read their Bibles during the week. They have to come to me on Sunday, and give me a short summary of the chapters they have read at home during the week. The winners will receive a brand new Bible in a cover.

I spent the morning cleaning the manse’s downstairs floors in the morning. It was the first Tues morning that I did not go to Sandy Bay - we agreed to change the meetings to fortnightly ones. The afternoon was spent working at the Consulate, and the evening was taken up by the Cape Villa and then the Jamestown Bible studies.

The Consulate

Hazel W (my boss) needed to use the computer at my work station, so I wandered around the Consulate for about 30mins taking photos.

The main staircase leading to the bedrooms.

The courtyard

the garden at the back where people tend to go for private meetings or lunches

the frangie pangie tree is budding again after the winter months

a banana tree’s flower

There was a good turnout at Sunday School. I asked Sunna (a previous “regular”) why she and a few others no longer came to Good News club. I was told that they had other activities on a Saturday, and they preferred coming on a Sunday. Perhaps we should rethink our approach to the children.

Only 2 children turned up for Good News club – Juliana and Kieran. I continued with the story of David, and afterwards the 2 of them played “skittles” with some empty milo and hot choc containers. They then decided to play a little table tennis. However, Clawd was determined to join in on the game, and it ended up being a table tennis version of “piggy in the middle”.
In the evening, Graeme and I went to the Consulate where Peter Mott makes crepes in the courtyard. You watch him make them, and then choose your filling from the syrups etc that are available. We each had a plain maple syrup one, followed by an apple and cinnamon one. Most yummy – and filling to boot. Home to finish off our preparation for the Sunday meetings.

Smiley Face

Last night's Bible study at Jamestown was rather unusual. In our time of sharing, we got the giggles. The strange thing was that everyone was more relaxed as a result, and the actual study time was more interactive.
I had a chat with Dr Bloem this morning :) I found out that St Helena does not have a doctor that interprets the x-rays - they are simply handed to the doctor that asked for them, and he interprets them. And.... it is all in the interpretation.
Dr Bloem fetched the offending x-ray, and could not find whatever it was that made the other doctor think that my lung had collapsed. There was an area (that I was familiar with from many previous x-rays) that showed "a bit of fibrosis" due to many years of infections and asthma - but other than that, we were both happy with the picture of my lungs.
The only suggestion that he made, was that I ease up a bit on the up hill walking, so as not to put additional strain on my heart.
On the way home after work I found ONIONS! We splashed out and had potatoes AND onions in our supper.
I went to the Deadwood Bible study this evening with a lighter heart, and we had a good time of sharing and Bible reading.

Bad Health Week

This past week has been a little difficult for me due to a chest infection that I picked up. I did not attend the Sandy Bay BWA, or Tuesday's Cape Villa Bible study or Wednesday's Deadwood study. An x-ray has revealed that the lower lobe of my right lung has collapsed. The doctor that I saw was not very communicative, but luckily Dr Sarel Bloem (no prizes for guessing his nationality) arrived back on the island on Sunday, so I will make an appointment with him and ask him numerous questions.
I only missed one day at work, but did some 'heavy breathing' for a few days. I hate feeling useless, and when my lungs are not working properly, it gives me a sense of satisfaction that I can still do office work.
The RMS arrived on Sunday. The Consulate needs extra temp staff during the week between its arrival at St Helena, and its return to South Africa. (The hotel is fully booked for these 8 days). So ... Arthur is working in the courtyard and garden area - sweeping, washing down tables, watering plants, etc. He spoke on the 'gospel hour' on Radio St Helena last Thursday, and will be sharing St Fm's gospel hour this coming Thursday afternoon with Tammy Williams. It is great that there is such a tolerance of straight gospel preaching on St Helena. We pray that it will have the desired result - lives changed and brought into a relationship with the living God.

Week's report

Instead of daily entries, I will be giving a summary of the week's events.

I am trying to get into a new routine – working during the day, and fitting my other activities around it. It is amazing how much can be fitted into a day that feels like it is already full. God gives the strength – I have to discipline myself to use that strength/energy wisely.

Because of the drilling that is being done by CAN France on the hills surrounding Jamestown, there is a lot more dust and grit in the air than usual. When I drew back the curtains to let more light into the lounge, I was amazed to see the state of the window sill that had been dusted a few days before. It looked as if someone had sprinkled a hand full of sand on it.

Due to the fact that the RMS has been in dry dock for over 5 weeks now, and we have not received our usual supplies every 3 weeks, there are a number of shortages (besides popcorn) at the moment. What is, however, in abundant supply is the odiforous, gas forming vegetable, cabbage. In SA it was a vegetable that seldom used up space in our fridge – except when I specifically wanted to make cole slaw. Well, we were been given locally grown cabbages by 3 different people, and our fridge needed clearing. Sooo... Graeme made sauerkraut and I cooked a cabbage stew. To my amazement, it tasted good. Graeme even asked for seconds. I sauted diced potato in oil and a few spices and herbs, then added a little minced pork (a common item on St Helena). Once these were nicely done, I added a good amount of chopped cabbage, and carefully stirred and watched that it did not overcook and turn brown.

At the Sandy Bay BWA, we are attempting to cut up, and turn unused men’s shorts into handbags, using the pockets that are already there, as pouches. We are doing this by trial and error. It will be interesting to see what the end results will be – maybe we will start a new trend on the Island.

On Thursday morning I went to visit Bev Kilner and baby in hospital. What a gorgeous little girl! She does not have the usual, almost blank, baby face, but already has clear features of her own. 8 lbs 6oz she was at birth, and that at 2 weeks early! I have been crocheting her a little baby blanket, but sadly have only got it 2/3rds finished. I will just have to give it to her for Christmas.

Good News club was a total “no show” this week. The boys are involved in football, which takes place at the same time, and a number of the girls are in guides and were required to help at a coffee morning at the Community Centre. I have to guard against discouragement.
Sunday School was attended by 6 out of the 10 regulars. As I was writing the memory verse (John 3:36) on the white board, one child shook her head and said, “No – God does not get angry!”.... It is easy to accept a loving, totally forgiving God, but not so easy to accept that He will not tolerate rejection of His Son.
Since Sunday School started at the beginning of May of this year, the children have collected 45 pounds (about R500) that they want to send to a group of AIDS orphans that live in a squatter camp in Welkom, South Africa. Here are some of them proudly displaying the money that they collected. Graeme is preaching through a series on "the sermon on the mount". This Sunday, he came to the section on adultery - a very sensitive subject on an Island where very few couples bother getting married. I thought that he handled it very well. Instead of finger pointing, he simply kept referring to "what the Bible says".

This morning, (Monday) a nasty cat from somewhere around here, came in through the back door while I was getting my breakfast, and "marked his territory" next to the dogs' feeding bowls. Both dogs AND Clawd chased him out. I tried wiping up the mess with vinegar water, but it did not help, and we now have a passage that smells of unwelcome cat. Grrrhh!!