ROUND THE WORLD IN 90
D
AYS( 1/11/00to31/1/01)
Day 1 To South Africa.
Flight to London over the wet lands of southern England..and overnight
to Johannesburg to be met by Rosalind's sister in law Moira.
After me resting and Ros seeing some of the work Moi does in the
church with her Bible study group, we walk in the park.
Many new birds and animals, and the amazing site of a large number
of folk arriving at the one pond with canoes at 4.30pm. Over a
hundred canoes began to circle the fairly small pond at great
speed. This is one way to get good exercise in Johannesburg we
are told.
We meet Moi's relatives who take us out to a special restaurant,
which has the most amazing variety of food we have ever seen.
From mussels, oysters, and various fish dishes, to venison of
various sorts, eland, springbok ostrich, crocodile tails,aubergine....
The meal turns into a prayer time when news comes through of the
hospital appointment of our hostess' sister. All is good news
next morning, .... tests on the lump come out negative.
To Church at St Andrews Anglican Church in Jo'burgh on Sunday
where we meet the rector and his wife who we had got to know previously
at the Renewal meeting at Canterbury in 1998.
They are very excited about the Transformations conference they
have just attended in Cape Town and a team is coming to their
church in the following week.
Lively worship and good sharing times.
On Day 5 we fly to Port Elizabeth and are met by our next hosts
Archdeacon Howard and his wife Sheila. I speak in their church
on Sunday night and the next day Howard a real enthusiast of the
natural history of South Africa takes us to Addo elephant park,
three hours north of Port Elizabeth.
Safari parks are very large and it is possible to visit this one
and not see any elephants.
The problem is that, if there is a good deal of vegetation for
the animals, they can thrive but will not be very visible amongst
the bushes, whereas if the bushes are cleared not many animals
can be sustained in a small area !
We see 71 elephants that day along with merecats, springbok, hartebeast,
water hog, eland and monkeys, and giant tortoises.
We learn some of the customs of the 'Xosha people of Soth Africa
in these days:
Always ask "How are you,"
-and expect to be answered in detail
Receive a gift in both hands.
Always agree with the elders (even if they are wrong). Politeness
is more important than correctness.
(No wonder so many anthropologists have difficulty finding out
how other peoples really think.)
Howard is a real expert on the bird life and would be on the look
out for unusual ones as we drove around. This makes for interesting
drives and some wonderful experiences of unusual creatures.
We hear of the word of Bp. Eric Pike, and his quiet prayerful
approach to the business of reconciliation in South Africa. He
had helped to mediate in a war that had broken out between rival
firms of taxi drivers in the town, and also we hear of his pilgrimage
to visit places of torture and murder in farms and villages in
the recent past.Praying and cleansing these places seemed to have
been a mighty and wonderful work.
Day 8 Our last evening in Port Elizabeth we go to the local
version of the Transformations conference and meet there two of
the speakers from Scotland, Mary MacDonnell, and David McCarthy.
It is good to see them, and hear what God has been doing in and
through their time in Cape town.
Day 9 Early we set off for the interior.
Howard has a special dislike of the non- indigenous plants which
are spreading at a great rate all over the countryside. We arrive
in South Africa to find that it had been decided to ban the planting
of Jakeranda trees and to pull up all the seedlings ( these trees
are not native to S. Africa but are beautiful and in flower carpets
of blue cover the street.)
So when at the time of our morning break we stop under a large
tree which was not indigenous, I tease Howard saying , Is it all
right to stop here, the tree is not indigenous.
Quick as a flash he replied" Ah, but its shade is."
And so to the mountain Zebra Park 5 hrs north of Port Elizabeth.
Greeted the guard on the gate saying "how are you? "
and found out that he was a theological student soon to be ordained.
It is a fairly quiet time of year and we are staying in a lovely
lodge looking out across the valley.
That day we see mountain zebra, eland, kudu springbok and
earth wolf many amazing birds! Barbecue and bed . After
another day in the park we arrive at sunset at Middelburg with
Rory and Lin Middelcote Rectory. They have two children Adele
(9) and Ross (6). Rory had a fairly full programme for us.
Day 11 In the morning we speak to a bible study group on one
farm, then in the afternoon, on to another farm for An Alpha Holy
Spirit Day. Good response to the video despite power cuts due
to thunderstorms. In the break I see Scotland lose to Australia
at Rugby.
The next day I preach in one of the more distant churches then
after lunch we spend the afternoon on yet another farm the
Boer War (1889 1902) is still recent history for some here!
One man introduced himself saying "I am a racist"! Then
go on to converse very politely ! Rory's wife Lin tells us she
is his memory. He can, according to her, remember only two things
rock climbs and scripture verses.
Next day we visit more farmhouse groups. ( these number between
6 and 15 people) Amazing places with very dedicated folk. One
prayer group runs a school for farm workers' children.
Another takes the oversight of a flock of Marino sheep which
belongs to the parish! Others raise funds for an evangelist for
the black townships by offering holidays on their farms in Port
Elizabeth recently. Very dear people, with much grace and love
of Jesus. There are dangers around and the worry of foot and mouth
disease is a new factor on the horizon. An outb
reak only about 100 miles a way is
proving very difficult to contain.
Rory has been doing a course called Natural Church Development
with his congregations, (his parish is actually bigger in area
than Wales) and the weakness they have identified is in recognizing
spiritual gifts. We decided it would be best to see what gifts
his members saw in each other as a starting point so on several
occasions we asked groups to write their names at the bottom of
a piece of paper and then pass it to the person next to them.
Each one wrote down something ( encouraging) about the person
named, folded this down and passed on to the next until all the
group had put something down. Then I collect in te papers and
read the comments ( at random so no one could work out who was
making what comment, while the person named wrote down what others
saw in them. This certainly seemed to be a good first step in
seeing what 'natural' gifts others recognized in us.
In all we visited eight farms and ten house groups.
The area known as the Karoo is incredibly beautiful
- flat lands stretch to the mountains in three directions and
in the plains occasional flat topped mountains rise up, not unlike
the mesas of the cowboy films. Two of these are right next each
other and the road runs between them. They are called teapot and
coffee pot.
In 1925 the then Prince of Wales spent a long holiday here riding
and shooting wild game. He seemed to enjoy the space and freedom
greatly. We saw the wing of the farm which had been specially
build for his visit.
Ready to move again now on day 16 we have a final evening barbecue
at a mountain hut, about ten miles south of Middelburg. One of
the parishioners owns the mountain! Beautiful night! Fond farewells
with some tears from the children and us ! (The photo on the front
cover was taken here just before sunset.)
To the coast again at Humansdorp -
A Hot and sticky journey we pass though the town where Andrew
Murray and his son ministered and are amazed at the large stone
church- extremely well maintained. At our stop have a snack of
Binatung ( strips of dried meat- jerky not really what we feel
like just then..Finally down to Port Elizabeth to be met at Bishop's
office by Chris, a musician I met last time I was here, to spend
the afternoon at the aquarium which Chris and his wife had never
visited, and on to the next stop.
Day 19 I preach at St. Francis church one of the churches Archdeacon
Ronnie Allright's pastors. He is full of life and very encouraging
to us.
We are moved again for the last five days in South Africa to the
beautiful St. Francis Bay. The houses are large and luxurious,
either built in white and black timber style by the artificial
canals, or in the Portuguese style on the hill top with pink walls
and red tiled roofs.
We stay with Peter Barret in a large house which was built with
a dance studio attached. Now this is being used as a church for
the local community.
Peter is so kind to us and we hear the story of his recent sadness.
Having recently retired to this beautiful place, his wife took
ill and died just a few months ago. We look out every day for
the whales but it seems we have arrived just too late- they have
gone off south, but after a few nights the fishing season for
the calimari ( squid) begins and the boats string out along the
bay at night with bright lights shining. The light attracts the
calimari to the surface.....only to be hooked by the fisherman.
Over the next few days, we speak to several groups, at different
services, and also have a memorable meal with Bishop Eric and
his wife Joyce. I ate at their home five years ago and Joyce,
a very keen cook, records all the meals she serves to guests and
makes sure the menu is different should they eat in their home
again !
Day 27 We leave South Africa for the long flight to Australia.
Arrive at Brisbane to be met by old friends Olive and Sandy
George, from Papua New Guinea days who live near the airport.
Now we have three days rest and are soon to be joined by our second
daughter Dorcas for the trip to Papua.
Some wonderful meetings, Olive's mum, now over 90, came to stay
with us twenty years ago and reminds us that she played the piano
for some of our family clown presentations.
We visited the local fruit shop run by Elvis Parsley. The owner
an Elvis imitator, always ready to give a song to his customers,
and even dress up in white spangled suit and switch the special
coloured flashing lights for an audience of six.
Meeting Dorcas again after 9 months is wonderful, tears and
joy and lots to share.
Then on to Papua New Guinea - Day 30.
We are aware of the angels very often in these days.
We are, eventually, met at Port Moresby airport by two women who
take us to the place we are to stay overnight. This is the Rectory
at Boroko where we lived for a time in 1974, but now very different
. It is surrounded by a large fence and a gate is locked and opened
to let the cars in.The ladies quiz us as to where we were going
and why. Our answers are vague and they are shocked to find that
we were going to Popondetta without clearer confirmation of where
we will live. We are told that there has been a breakout of 30
violent prisoners from Popondetta jail and that these men are
roaming the neighborhood, also that the road to Sakarina, where
we hope to go, was impassable this time of year and the airstrip
closed.
A few other dramatic stories of what has happened to white families
in the area recently makes us apprehensive to say the least !
We decide to phone bishop Reuben and find out the latest situation
before proceeding. He was not available.
At 4.45pm Bp Reuben phones and laughs at the reports. "We
are expecting you and you will be safe with us he tells us, we
have a programme worked out and everyone is waiting for your arrival.
" Not much sleep that night.....
Then early next morning, with some trepidation, we cross the Owen
Stanleys in a small plane.... to be met at the airport by a welcome
committee of the Bishop and his wife and a former local political
Stephne Tago, whom we had known some 25 years earlier.
Also a youth band play us into the transport vehicle and a presentation
of garlands for Dorcas, Ros and I ! Twenty minutes later we are
led into our main home for the time in Popondetta, a flower welcome
laid out for us and another youth band to welcome us like royalty!
We are still a little nervous for this first night but decide
the night before that we will take one day at a time and not allow
fear to dominate anything that we do.
After a few days meeting old friends in the town and getting to
know something of the needs of the diocese Bp Reuben takes us
up to our old parish of Sakarina by the 'new' road.
It is a 6 hour trip over very rough roads.
We nearly lose the wheel after four hours. Only two nuts still
hold it on !
Looking north from Sakarina
Anyhow a wonderful welcome awaits us. The old church now fallen
down and most of the people have now joined the Christian Renewal
Church, yet relationships are very good and positive.
We spend several nights in the villages in the interior, getting
used to small houses ( basic toilets) again; also yam, taro, sweet
potato, pumpkin andrabbit and chicken very fresh !
We are welcomed as special guests wherever we go and it is clearly
important to the people that we have come again to see them. Some
tearful reunions and partings.....
This is a real time
of spiritual battle
and we are very well aware that
many are praying for us.....
We speak at several meeting and churches on the theme of renewal
and the importance of the basics of Christian family life.
The school now has teachers and headmaster all drawn from the
local area, and there is a real sense of pride in this beautiful
fertile plateau, called the Managlas, from all to whom we speak.
Many characters including Malcolm who reminds we of a raft trip
we took together
twenty five years
ago down the Musa river. I remember it and him well. Noah now
an old man but one of our church officials now a leading light
in the Christian Renewal Church, Leo who I married to Mavis one
of the mission nurses. He still has a wedding present we had given
them, all those years ago.
Betty who used to play with Miranda ( our elder daughter ) who
is now in charge of conservation of the Alexandrae Birdwing Butterfly
for the area, also teaches sewing and, a real joy, how to make
salads !
Lesley the magistrate for the area there to hear some court proceedings
( the accused simply come from their villages when he arrives,
and go off to jail if convicted !)
He taught me a new string game called pit pit
We are awoken up at 4.00 in the morning by the sound of the youth
music group singing. 
( Der es nun leik yu....) ( there is none like you...)
There is a wonderful desire to sing and worship....at every occasion.
Fr Philip Nigel, the priest at Sakarina and his wife Christina
look after us well.
On the last day he leaves early to visit the village we walk to.
When we arrive to the traditional welcome of challenge ( a couple
of men with spears rushing out from the bushes to challenge our
bravery ( O.K. if you know this is going to happen !) To find
the lead dancers is none other than our host Philip Nigel, dressed
in tradition costume with beads and tusks and tapa cloth as well
as a big shell in his mouth and still wearing his glasses.
Farewell to Sakarina on day 43 and the journey down to the coast
with the health truck full of folk. We met Daniel, whom I had
sent for ordination, on the journey down. He still has the same
mannerism of clicking his teeth with his thumb nail as a sign
of saying sorry. Many stories to share and people to recall.
More adventures on the way to the airport. I get out of the truck
to say goodbye to one of our dearest supporters, Clement, tears
and hugs and I break my sandle strap... not noticing as I reenter
the truck that the bag with the tickets is now on the ground.
We arrive at the airport, find them missing, and chase back to
town, returning, just in time to catch the flight.
Next day, the lift to take us to the Airport in Port Moresby does
not appear and we try to find a way to get to the airport... Nothing
seems to work. At the last minute the truck arrives. The driver
remembered he was supposed to be picking us up after he had gone
to worship at the Cathedral, in fact, in the middle of the sermon,
and didn't want to leave early !
And so good bye to the extremes of PNG one more time.
Day 48 To Australia and meet Kevin our son-in law. Great rejoicing
and so good to see him again.
Rockhampton is a quiet and beautiful town and we feel at peace
here.
We arranged before going to PNG, over the phone and without much
information, to go to the Whitsunday Islands for five days over
Christmas hiring a Catamaran for the four of us.
It now turns out to be a much larger adventure that I had expected.
A couple of days relearning how to read charts, plot courses,
the twelfth rule 
for tides, and which
boat has right of wa, where and when, and we were as ready as
we would ever be to go.
Day 52. After a 4 hour briefing on the boat, local tides and narrows,
and what to do in case of a cyclone season, ( we are also warned
about the poisonous jellyfish, and told that, if we ware tights
and tea shirts to swim and snorkel in we would be fairly safe.
)
The boat, called Moonshadow is 35 feet long and very well fitted
out with two engines, a depth finder and even an automatic pilot.
That night we anchor in Nara Inlet three hours from Airlie beach
where we had started from. Fishing that night we caught some lovely
sea perch. We eat them for lunch next day.
Now follows four days of wonderful weather light winds and calms
seas. Every day finding a new spot to anchor and go swimming and
snorkeling. Kevin is fairly proficient and has done some courses
on diving while in Austr
alia. He encourages
us to go further and deeper.
We hear the fish crunching the coral, follow a turtle, sleep out
under the stars, sing Christmas carols, come too near to coral
reefs on a couple of occasions but without harm, and I lose my
glasses in mackerel bay while cleaning the barbecue at the back
of the boat.
Kevin says he will dive in for them. I insist he doesn't. It
is too deep and they are too tiny. He listens to me.
Day 58 Back in the Marina, and all safely stowed away. The
five hour trip back to Rocky is not too long we sleep and tell
stories, stop for smoothies and iced coffees in Sarina, then back
to the journey South. Not so hot today.
Day 62 We visit a Crocodile farm near Rocky and the owner comes
up to Dorcas asking about PNG. He recognises the bag she was given
a couple of weeks ago as from there. We get talking and it turns
out he had a farm in PNG and we met there some 25 years ago !
The farmer tells us how wonderful crocs are and not at all to
be feared, unless you are silly. Well................?
Day 63 To Keppel Island a great starfish of a place with 19
white sand beaches just half an hour off the coast above Rocky.
Lovely lazy day, on the beach and in the warm tropical seas. Some
snorkeling but the best areas are not available today because
of the wind direction.
Day 64 To Sydney and a day as tourists seeing all the site.s.
The bridge, opera house, aquarium, water skiing, i Max film theatre,
water display, and we find Sydney Cathedral near to our hotel,
where Jim Glennon was involved with the healing services for over
40 years. It is a happy and light place, near the dock area and
we are glad to have found it.
and on to U.S.A. from 5th January 2001 Day 66.We arrive
safely in Los Angeles after a very long flight( 13 hours from
Sydney.) We had only a brief stop there but managed to visit St.
Andrew's Cathedral where Jim Glennon started healing services
over 40 years ago. These still continue at the cathedral, which
is in the centre of a very busy area of central downtown. One
of their outreach exercises is to offer tapes of the Christian
gospel message free to anyone who visits. And a good presentation
it is too.
Los Angeles is as lovely as usual, in January, at least the
northern suburb of Pasadena where Fuller Seminary is situated
is.
We are taken out to dinner by Mark a friend who edits the string
figure bulletin I helped start many years ago. He had exciting
news. In the next week he is off to visit the Navaho Indians reservation
near Phoenix Arizona and take some books on their string figures
into schools and reservations. He invites us to join him as there
were spare seats in the car !
With a little bit of a struggle I decide I should really stay
with the decision to do the full two weeks at Fuller.
Day 68.Thanks to Mark we make contact with Ray Turner. Som
e of you will remember Ray, he came as
part of a team from Church on the Way in the mid 1980's.
Ray is just as humble and caring as ever and now a very successful
artist. He has 4 exhibitions a year in the main cities of the
USA and his work is clearly well respected.
Even more wonderful is the story he told us of his recent marriage
to Sally his best friend's widow.
Ray had nursed his fellow artist friend through several years
of progressive illness and the triumph of love over sickness is
truly remarkable. I suggested on the way home from our meeting
that the story was worthy of publication and Sally told me she
and a friend had already written some of it as an episode for
the tv programme here in USA called touched by an angel ! It was
screened last year under the title 'a flight of angels.'.
The course at Fuller is taught by an amazing pair of enthusiastic,
eccentric, West Coast Presbyterian pastors. Dr Randy Rowland,
who acts as the 'radio voice of the Seattle Sea hawks' as well
as pastoring a large church for those who come from a modern video
oriented age; and Dr John Westfall, a pastor of a slightly more
traditional church...who loves to be provocative.
It is a small class all from USA except for us. When they learn
that Rosalind is with me they invite her to sit in any lectures
she wished. This means most of the time.
It makes for a long day with an average of 6 hours of lectures
and maybe a couple of hours of other meetings as well for me.
All very well worth while and quite affirming. We seem, by God's
grace, to have stumbled upon some special folk once again.
Day 79. Our last night in L.A. we spend with another friend
who makes string figures. He is the maker of several videos and
resources for those wanting to use string figures as a ministry
tool in evangelism. It is a busy restaurant table with strings
everywhere and a full , interested audience from all around.
Day 80. We arrive in Texas to stay with Peter my elder brother.
We are just in time to attend the baptism of my nephew Magnus
Peter, a wonderfully happy occasion,
Day81. Today we negotiate the road across Houston to the NASA
centre and even touch a piece of the moon. The journey through
rush hour traffic on the other side of the road, without many
signs that made much sense, in retrospect, fills us with a real
sense of accomplishment.
Day 85 We arrive in Florida to be met by Francis MacNutt. He takes
us to a lovely house where George and Melitta Bosworth and Alison
Macdonald from our home church have already arrived some hours
earlier.
A good meeting and some days of gracious care from those involved
with Christian Healing Ministries. A highlight is watching the
Super bowl, the biggest sports event of the year in USA with Francis
giving us a commentary.. " Oh things aren't looking good
for your team"... "Our quarterback is a Christian"...
and other such remarks. The game was not very exciting and very
defence taking 3 hours to play a one hour match but the food that
Judith had prepared for us was quite amazing ! A real 'Southern'
banquet.
Day 90 home via Chicago to a rainy Scotland and time to rest and
find some time of stillness.
Thnak you all for your love and care and thanks to Him for His
Grace, Philip and Ros.