Frankenstein and the lost bolts

I developed irritating "spots" under the arms of my spectacles. When I asked the surgeon to look at them, he felt that they should be removed and sent away for analysis. So I went through the procedure this afternoon.

Needles being dug into my face in order to administer local anaesthetic, medical facilities that are a lot less sophisticated than the clinics in SA, a doctor that I did not know, etc, made it an unpleasant experience.

When Arthur came to fetch me from the hospital, he burst out laughing because he said that I looked like Frankenstein that had just had his bolts removed....

Froggie

After Sunday School the children came over to the manse to watch a movie. Their attention spans are not very good, and they wander into the kitchen and the outside yard while the movie is showing. To their great excitement, one of the boys discovered a frog in some rain water that had collected in a tin bath outside. Apparently, it was the first time that Karla (age 11yrs) had ever seen a frog. I took photos to show you the only kind of frog that lives here.

If you look carefully, you will see a spot in the tin bath. This gives you an idea of how big the frog is.

A close up of froggie.

Karla wanted to put him in a jar and take him home, but I insisted on letting him go free. (Spoil sport).

Market day

Thursday is market day on St Helena i.e. the day that the local farmers bring a few vegetables to town to sell, as well as the day that there is meat for sale on the shop shelves. Although I have been told that there is a weekly scramble for veg at Nick Thorpe's shop, I had never experienced it until today.

I saw folk lined up and waiting patiently outside Thorpes' shop at about 10.00am, and wondered why they were all there. Then I saw a van pull up, and 2 men start unloading a few crates of vegetables. At the same time, all the people who were waiting outside the shop, filed through a narrow passage that led to a small courtyard at the back of the store. There they once again, stood with their backs to the wall, and waited patiently, while the vegetable trays were weighed and then arranged on the ground in front of them. I wondered how long it would take before anyone could actually take any veg to buy. There were carrots, cabbage, broccilli, sweet potatoes and cucumbers. Suddenly, a voice called out "Okay!" Like a shot, all the quietly standing people had their bums in the air, and their hands in the vegetable trays. Mad scramble. I am told that there is usually nothing left about an hour after the "Okay" call has been made.

Interesting transport

The last time I saw this kind of vehicle, I was a child , and living in Zambia.

Sunday

Graeme has finished his series on the beatitudes, and Arthur is preaching two Sundays in a row, out of the book of Jonah. He did very well this Sunday with the first sermon, based on the first 2 chapters.

Sunday School went well. There were 5 children, as well as Danielle who is coming to help, and learn how to teach. I am always encouraged when the children ask questions, and express their feelings - even if it is to tell me that it is "mean" for God to send people to hell. "Can't we ask God to change His mind?"

25 years

It was Arthur's birthday today. 25 years old. He asked me to cook an "African meal", and invited a few friends over. So I got the afternoon off work, and came home to cook pap (stiff maize porridge), seshaba (tomato and onion gravy) boerewors (a SA kind of sausage, which I found by accident in one of the shops) 4 bean salad and cole slaw.

Graeme and I left him and his 5 friends to enjoy themselves without old fogie company, and took ourselves off to the Consulate where Peter Mott was making crepes. We had one with a savoury tuna and onion filling, and one with a banana filling and chocolate syrup. Yummy.

As things stand now, it looks as if Arthur is going to register with a UK theological college, the London School of Theology, that allows long distance studying. He will start in Sept of this year, and hopes to finish his studies in 3 years. During this time, he will continue to work in the church here, with special effort going towards establishing a work among the young people.

God of miracles

I had the normal BWA meeting at Sandy Bay this morning. Joyce Williams asked if she could have a lift back to Jamestown with me. We chatted about this and that, then, when we were close to Jamestown, she casually mentioned that she was going in to town to do a bank transfer - her brother, Colin, who works on the Falklands had put 12,000 pounds into her bank account, and she now had to transfer it into the church's building fund!!!!

We are now within a few thousand pounds of our target to complete the restoration of the Jamestown chapel! We don't know how the money was raised, but we do know the God who moved the hearts of the people who gave. Praise His glorious name! It is such an encouragement to continue with the work here. Graeme has asked Colin Yon (otherwise know as Porpoise) to go ahead with planning the restoration work. We have already bought the sheeting for the roof, but a few more materials (like cement etc) still need to be ordered, and he will then let us know when he can start on the work itself.

We still need to continue with our fund raising program - there is an activity planned for each month for most of the rest of the year. Besides the Jamestown chapel that was damaged in the rockfall, the Sandy Bay chapel is in need of quite a bit of repair. The great thing, is that the church members are enthusiatic about working together in the fund raising efforts.

The Aylings

The cruise ship, Melody anchored in Jamestown for a few hours today. A couple from our previous church came ashore to spend those hours with us. It was soooo good to see them - Steve and Marleen Ayling. It was a rather rushed visit, but greatly appreciated by the Becketts. Their first priority was to climb Jacob's Ladder. 699 steep steps up and then down again. Marleen struggled towards the end, but she did it.

Afterwards Graeme took them on a rushed scenic tour past Plantation house, stopped to meet Jonathan, the 185 year old tortoise then whizzed around the windy roads to the Sandy Bay chapel, getting back just in time for them to make it back to the Melody.

Winnie's House

Sandra Peters is on her way to the UK, and we had our first Deadwood Bible study without her. We now meet in Winnie Thomas' home. It is a very 'free' group where questions are asked, and experiences shared quite comfortably.

Heart shaped waterfall

Still trying to get over the latest bout of chest/sinus infection, so I stayed in bed while Arthur took the Sunday School class. A good number of children turned up (6) after the Saturday outing. Later in the afternoon, Arthur invited a few teens and children to go on a hike to the heart shaped waterfall.Only 3 came - Vontray, Danielle and Sunnah. It is about 3 1/2 km walk from the manse, then about 80 steps to the place where you start walking across a number of rickety bridges and stones to get to the actual waterfall. Approximately a 4 hour hike for the fit.

Rupert's Bay

8 children arrived for the outing to Rupert's Bay this morning. We had a good time, with the children just splashing in the rock pool, clambering over the rocks looking for crabs, and generally just enjoying the sea. There is no beach - just small smooth rocks. I bravely tried to take a walk over them (with the help of my walking stick) but soon realised that one needs nimble young limbs to do so, so I wobbled back to a big rock, and sat there watching the children, enjoying the sea air, and chatting to Enid (who also chose to just sit on a rock).

One can see the petrol/diesel storage place (I don't know what it is called officially) round the corner, with the fuel pipe hovering over the sea. The fuel ship connects to a long pipe to this pipe and them pumps the fuel from their tanks into the ones on St Helena.

Rupert's Bay is also the place where, hundreds of years ago, the ships that were carrying slaves, off loaded their cargo. These ships were not allowed in the main harbour of Jamestown. There are many horror stories about the condition that these poor people arrived in.

4 parcels

A VERY good post day. We received all 4 parcels that were posted to us over a period of months from the USA. The complete set of Jungle Doctor books, Sunday School material and craft things. Treasures indeed.

Things are very quiet at the Consulate now, with the last guests having left. It is unlikely that Arthur will have any work there in the near future. He does, however, need to spend more time preparing for his 'O' levels which he hopes to write in June.

Good News outing

Good News club has experienced a steady decline in interest over the past few weeks. But today I received a call from a "drop out" asking to be allowed to attend this coming Saturday - the reason? We have spread the word that we are going to Rupert's Bay - one of the spots where swimming is allowed.

Arthur and Graeme had their eyes tested today. Arthur's left eye has deteriorated a lot, so he is getting new specs. The procedure is interesting. Eyes tested and frames chosen on St Helena. Frames and prescription sent to UK, where spectacles are made up, then sent back to St Helena. When the specs arrive, (4 to 6 weeks later) there is no one to adjust the frames to your face, or check that the correct lenses have been put into your frames. You just say "thank you" and wear them.

I am not feeling great this evening, but guess what? Arthur not only bought the ingredients for tonight's supper, but he also cooked it, and served it to me.

Good Bye bishop John

St Helena, and the Anglican community will not be the same again - bishop John Salt has retired, and sailed away on the RMS to the UK today.
I also said good bye to Xander and Sandra Peters. They are going to visit their 2 children in the UK on an 8 month holiday! Their daughter lives in Wimpole Street - a few streets away from Harley Street in London, where our daughter lives. Small world.

Sandy Bay

Had a good session with the Sandy Bay ladies this morning. They are going great guns with knitting the bed socks that we plan to give to the old folk at the CCC. I am enjoying going through the letter to the Hebrews with them.

Thought I would show you a photo of a garage that is perched on the edge of a cliff, AND on a hair pin bend on the road to Sandy Bay beach. I must confess that I would not be happy about parking my car in it.

The order of superiority is firmly established with our cats....