Johann and Louise Vanderbijl, Author at SAMS USA

Trip to the Eastern Cape: Day 10

by Johann and Louise Vanderbijl | Jul 2, 2017 | Health, South Africa

Close your eyes…you might just think you
are in Cambridge or Westminster or King’s College…but no, wait! The words are
not English, but Xhosa. Open your eyes and you are looking at roughly 5000
people crammed into a tent. I think to myself: “My great-grandfather did not
build churches. These people. They are his legacy.” According to the SPG in
London, Arthur was here to train indigenous missionaries…indigenous…that’s what
this church is now. While it is a perfectly sound Anglican service, it is all
done in isiXhosa…the Prayer Book, the Scripture readings, the Hymns, the
service music…and all are indigenous people. Just the way Arthur would have
wanted it to be.

We were told to be at the church at 8:30
AM, but by the time we got there crowds were already singing lustily in the
tent…cars parked everywhere…and wave after wave of procession marching up the
street from Ebenezer to the tent. I was there just in time for the very last
one…with all the Canons, Archdeacons, the Provost and the Vicar General. Eish!
Whatever happened to Africa time?

I walked alongside the Chancellor of the
Diocese…a good man to know! He and I chatted about the LEAD program and he is
sold. One more on our side! Thank You Jesus! The tent was actually overflowing
when we processed in and more people kept arriving throughout the service. As
guess I managed to get a seat on the stage because I was with this final
procession…it helps being late sometimes!

The service was amazingly organized. The
choir was magnificent. As I said to one of the Archdeacons, today even the
angels were silent. I hope I can buy one of their CD’s as I would love to hear
these spectacular voices again. As neither Louise nor I speak or understand
Xhosa, we were at somewhat of a disadvantage, but one of the great things about
the Prayer Book is that even though it is in a different language, one can
figure out what is going on from time to time.

These chaps do like their incense, though!
The acolytes were so well trained and to watch them…their serious little faces…was
a treat. The Eucharist is probably the largest I have ever attended with
Chalices and Patens galore…the Vicar General kindly asked me to serve the bread
– I loved every moment of it. Every man bows and every women curtseys as they
receive the elements in upraised palms…precious brothers and sisters.

As this is a “Family Day” celebration
service and everyone from the Diocese is present, there were reports to be given
and gifts to be received. From the entrance of the church came the loud sound
of dancing and singing as a group of enthusiastic young folk dragged in two
sheep…a ram and ewe. As we did not understand what was being said or sung, we
wondered…independently as we were not seated together…what was going down. Was
this some OT scapegoat type ritual? The sheep were shoved onto the stage and
made to sit at the feet of the Vicar General. My curiosity took over and I
asked the Archdeacon next to me what was going on. He told me they were gifts
from the Diocese to the Vicar General as a token of their appreciation. He was
told that this was the start of a flock for him and his family…not to eat, but
to multiply. They gave him an envelope with money for food…just to make sure.
Sweet.

Then came my turn to address the crowd. I
had prayed fervently that the Lord would give me the right words. Of course, at
gatherings like these, there are many to address prior to saying anything…the
Vicar General, the Provost, the Canon, the Archdeacons…and so on. But when I
spoke, I told them what a blessing it was for us to be here on their family day
as I am part of their family in a sense. I then told them about Arthur being
the first principal of St John’s College…at this point people applauded and
cheered. I had wondered how they would react, but it was very positive indeed.
I told them all about GtC and the LEAD program and that I would be meeting with
their Vicar General to discuss dates, times, and venues. The expectation is
palpable…they want this training.

It was all over too soon…then there was
lunch. Lunch? No, a feast worthy of the word celebration. Chicken, beef, lamb,
rice, samp, butternut squash, spinach, salad, and dessert…these folks can eat!
When it was time to say goodbye, the Vicar General said he would see us before
nightfall…

And, in spite of an unbelievably busy
schedule, he did! We had a wonderful chat over some light treats – who could
eat anything heavy after today’s lunch? He is going to check on the Diocesan
calendar, but is tentatively thinking of having us come up to do the first part
of the training in October. Whoohoo!!!! We may be able to get some folk from
the other Diocese to join in the fun too!

–>

Long day…time to find a pillow.

Trip to the Eastern Cape: Day 9

by Johann and Louise Vanderbijl | Jul 1, 2017 | Health, South Africa

I have been through several storms in my
life. To me the most exciting part of nature’s show of power is the
anticipation…what some have called the calm before the storm. That is what
today has felt like to me. While many around us have laboured long and hard for
the “Family Celebration” service that will take place tomorrow, we have been
spectators…watching…waiting…wondering…

We had heard last evening that we were in
the wrong accommodation. The Diocesan Secretary had made provision for us in
the Diocesan Guest House, but he had told no one prior to his leaving for East
London. Once he returned, we had to move.

On the way over, we first fetched Bulie and
took her with us. She was going to serve as our guide and principal
“introducer”…a job she did very well, I must say. On the way we stopped to see
the Cathedral Church of Mthatha, thinking that Arthur might have served there,
but it was only built in 1901 and the Lomaxes lived in Steynsburg at that time.
We then went on to our new temporary home…

For us, this was a very good move as we are now close to the Vicar General’s and the Provost’s homes and…get this…we are a short walk from the first church built in Mthatha as well as the first school. While there is still no obvious clue to Arthur’s presence here…no plaques bearing his name or anything like that, St John’s church and St John’s College stand as a testimony to his dedication to seeing local missionaries raised up to serve their own people. Rather progressive for his time.

Bulie introduced us to the Diocesan
Secretary at the Guest House and we chatted about the LEAD program. Everyone is
hungry for teaching on disciple making…and he is no different. Lord, please,
lead on! Bulie served at Ugie at St. Barnabas…a gorgeous, well-maintained
church. Then she was posted to where she is now. It is not exactly a rural area
as it borders on Mthatha, but it is a far cry from the picturesque place she
was before!

She told us a story of when the great storm
of early this year raged through Mthatha. That day, many churches in the area
lost their roofs…but Bulie stood her ground in the church building praying: “Oh
God! Your people here have nothing…spare them the expense of having to rebuild
this church!” And the Lord hearkened to her prayer…in spite of the fact that
the church is poorly built and rickety at best, it is still there as testimony
of God’s grace and mercy.

After we had moved our belongings into the
Guest House, we went to check out the place were the celebration is to be held.
A super tent on a hillside, strategically chosen to send the shockwaves of the
Gospel sung and preached into the valley and up the hill beyond. The topography
serves as a natural amphitheatre.

The area is a hive of activity…the women of
the church have been slaughtering chickens…23 per parish, so well over a
100…but these are no regular chickens! They are huge…Louise estimates each one
weighs about 6 pounds!

Huge black, three-legged pots dot the Ebenezer church
grounds and everywhere women, gathered in huddles, sat peeling potatoes and
carrots, while other were chopping away at what would go into the pots with the
chickens. It will be a feast, believe me!

While there, we met with a Canon and
several Archdeacons. One of the Archdeacons took us to the tent where we prayed
for the service tomorrow. I plead the blood of Jesus wherever I go…the blood
that speaks better things than that of Abel…the blood of reconciliation that
alone can wipe away the ancestral call for vengeance…that alone can bring
reconciliation and peace between God and Man and Man and Man. We asked the Holy
Spirit to begin His work now already, preparing each soul who will hear the
messages tomorrow, including those who will bring them.

We…as I said before…are all anticipation.
The calm before the storm.

The rest of the day has been fairly quiet.
Louise has caught up on laundry. We walked about the grounds…visited St John’s
Church and looked at the land where Arthur must have taught. There are new
buildings now, as the original buildings were no doubt mud brick buildings, but
a plaque at the entrance confirmed that this was the College started in 1879…strangely
the same year Arthur was sent on to take over the school and church in
Southwell. My only guess is that he served as a pioneer and once his job was
done, he moved on to the next. The SPG Office in London said that he was the
first headmaster here, but that he trained local missionaries, not children. So
did he raise up local teachers and leadership to do the work of the ministry? Were
Arthur and Mary Ellen trainers of disciple-makers…like us?

Trip to the Eastern Cape: Day 8

by Johann and Louise Vanderbijl | Jun 30, 2017 | Health, South Africa

I have a confession to make. The signs indicating the road to take to get to Grahamstown from Port Alfred were there…no one had removed them. Louise and I were so busy discussing what we were doing and who we were meeting we simply didn’t see them. So, forgive me road workers…

Today has been mostly a driving day. The only exciting things we did…except nearly get wiped out by a speeding taxi overtaking an oncoming car in our lane…was stop for breakfast and stop for lunch.

Birah Cafe…cheese and bacon pie!

We seem to be doing a lot of eating on this trip! A necessary evil, I suppose.

The views along the way were stunning…what a pity one couldn’t stop to take photographs because of all the road construction! The aloes were magnificent! The mountains, the rolling hills, the deep river gorges, and the gentle ploughed slopes made one want to burst forth in praise.

So, we had Faure do that for us…yes, it was a requiem, but his interpretation of the Pie Jesu just seemed to fit with what we were seeing and experiencing.

Mthatha is an interesting place…bustling and busy, just like Addis Ababa. The traffic is just like Addis Ababa too with a fair bit of Cairo and India thrown in for good measure. Those of you who have had the misfortune of driving in those places will know what I mean. In most places in the world, the front passenger seat is the seat of honour. In Cairo, according to Bishop Mouneer, it is the seat of horror. A few times I have had to “do my Ethiopian thing” and push my nose into endless traffic to cross over or have had to go through a very red light because no one from the other side stopped. Nerve-wracking fun.

My great-grandfather, Arthur, was the first principal of St John’s College here back in the 1880’s. Apparently this is still a very good school and only the best pupils get to go there. Way to go, Arthur!

Bulie and Louise.

Our contact here, fondly known as Bulie, came to get us and we went out on the town…not exactly…but we went to a local restaurant and talked about the Diocese and about future possibilities for LEAD training here.

She told us that Rooted in Jesus Junior is a great hit here, and that she is sure that Rooted in Jesus (Adult version) as well as the LEAD program will take off as well. But, as we saw in the Diocese of George, we need to look at translating the material in other languages such as Afrikaans and Xhosa. It is just so much more effective to learn something in ones heart language…so we have our work cut out for us!

We found out that we are in the wrong B&B…YIKES! So we will have to move tomorrow…no rest for the weary. Sigh.

On the road to Mthatha.

Trip to the Eastern Cape: Day 7

by Johann and Louise Vanderbijl | Jun 29, 2017 | Health, South Africa

We got lost today…well, not quite lost, but we did miss our turnoff because the dear folk doing the road construction had removed all the signs on our side of the road. So, we blissfully drove on until we got to the mouth of the Fish River. Stunning views, but way off course…but we did get to see a family of Vervet monkeys on the way, so it was not a total waste of time!

Once on the road to Grahamstown, it was a straight shot…well a curved straight shot through Bathhurst. This is the bastion of 1820 British Settler territory and we drove past farms with names like Lyndhurst and Waters. Many of these farms are game farms so we spotted a few zebra and various antelope like Springbuck and Blesbokke. This is also hill country and the views along the way are breathtakingly beautiful. Many aloes grow here as well and their blooms are particularly bright red this year.

The Cathedral of St Michael and St George

Today we met with the Rev Dr Claire Hunter, the wife and co-worker of the Dean of the Cathedral (see here: http://grahamstowncathedral.org/) who is away in Stellenbosch attending the funeral of his godmother who recently passed into the arms of Jesus.

Dean Andrew Hunter and his wife Revd Dr Claire Nye Hunter

Claire is an educationalist and was so excited to hear about the new LEAD program of Growing the Church…we were so excited she was excited, so you can only imagine how much fun we had over coffee and delicious home-made cakes. We look forward to training with her on board as GtC faculty in the future.

She told us that the Cathedral was one of the best integrated churches in southern Africa. If you look at the pictures on their website, you can see why she says so! A wee glimpse of heaven…every tribe, nation, tongue…together worshipping our one Father. Bliss…

Aunt Alice is on the far left.

Claire was also able to point us to the Cory Library where an exceptionally helpful young lady by the name of Louisa…good name…helped us find the baptismal record of Southwell Anglican Church. Lo and behold, there it was. Pages filled with my great-grandfather’s signature as he baptised baby after baby after adult…yes, adults too…after baby. Folks didn’t have television or cell phones those days and the winters are cold. Three of these babies were his own children. Clara, John (my grandfather), and Alice, who later became an Anglican nun and served at a mission in Rusape, Zimbabwe. This was an amazing find. The librarian was so excited she hugged me goodbye!

John Lomax, born on 3rd October 1882 and Baptised on 19th November 1882 by his father, Arthur Lomax.

We spent a lovely cozy evening with Pen, her sister, Carol, and her Rector, Cynthia…thankfully, Carol’s Staffordshire Terrier is male, otherwise I would be totally outnumbered! We had a marvellous time and Cynthia is convinced the LEAD Disciple-making course is a necessity for their parish…if only people knew how life changing this course really is! To follow Jesus…to REALLY follow Jesus, is to make disciples…and what could possibly be wrong with that? And to follow Jesus is to embark on a journey that will take you deep into the very heart of God…

All in all, this has been a fantastic day! Thank You Jesus!

Trip to the Eastern Cape: Day 6

by Johann and Louise Vanderbijl | Jun 28, 2017 | Health, South Africa

Port Elizabeth is know as the “windy city” and boy did it live up to its name today! We had hardly started our presentation when we heard this howling sound…everyone else seemed quite unperturbed, so we raise our voices and carried on.

It was a wonderful and encouraging meeting – in fact the most engaging meeting we have had thus far. Everyone was engaged…asking questions, making statements, discussing ideas, dates and venues…it was so exciting that Louise and I completely forgot to take any photographs…not one…sigh…

From Port Elizabeth we headed on up north towards our next destination…Port Alfred. This became a destination because of an enquiry I had made about my great-grandfather who had served as Rector and Principal of the church school in nearby Southwell. Pen is a priest in the area and I got her name and email address from the church website. (see here: http://www.albanyanglicans.org/stjames/) But, as always with a great God like ours, this seemingly casual encounter turned out to be a divine appointment for us and we spend a wonderful, God-filled, Spirit-led evening with her, encouraging her and praying with and for her. She is a brave woman with an indomitable spirit and someone we have come to admire and respect over a very short period of time.

But prior to our arrival in Port Alfred, we made the long awaited detour to St James, Southwell, to see this tiny church in the middle of what would have been nowhere at the time when my great-grandfather and his brave wife and children laboured for the Lord out of love for the people who lived here.

It was here, at Southwell that my grandfather, John Lomax, was born and raised for the first seven years of his life.