Chelsea Flower Show

It was a privilege and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be invited to spend Saturday at the Chelsea Flower Show in London. (Thanks Nic!). Pretty much 5 mins after I got there the rains started and continued relentless until the man with the microphone announced that 'Regretfully I have to inform you that the 2006 Chelsea Flower Show is now closed.'
Cue the sun.
Unbelievable.
As were the flowers.
I thought it might be a little boring, oh no. Not for the biggest flower show in the world. The gardens were perfectly planted and the main pavillion was awash with colour of thousands of gorgeous flowers. And yes, that is a corgi in the photo (another area presented floristry offerings celebrating the Queen's 80th)

It was a journey of discovery.

Confirmed that I know practically nothing about gardening - a humbling experience, am developing a new-found respect for those who spend hours perfecting the peaceful places in my life.

Confirmed too that God is just amazing in the variety of flora and foliage he's created, all for us.

I may not be able to grow them, but I do enjoy photographing flowers and now have a fine selection of flowers to form my relaxing desktop background (never need watering either!)

Some more good stuff going on... SOCCER AID

This week, in the run up to the WORLD CUP, there's much more interesting footie going on on ITV1.
SOCCER AID
What follows is taken from the UNICEF website about HIV/AIDS in South Africa.
Robbie Williams went out to visit a family of orphans in KwaZulu Natal, near Durban, when he was out there on tour recently and there's a film of it being shown sometime this week as part of Soccer Aid. Interview in this Saturday's Telegraph magazine. Good article. Bad statistics. Glad I'm involved.

'Looking after children orphaned by AIDS in South Africa

Every minute of every day, one child dies and four children lose a parent because of AIDS-related illness. Already 15 million children have been orphaned by AIDS worldwide.

UNICEF and partners at work

There are an estimated 2 million orphaned children in South Africa, half of whom have lost their mother, father or both parents to HIV/AIDS. Most of these orphans and vulnerable children are taken care of by their extended family, headed mainly by elderly members who often live in poverty. Some are faced with the responsibility of caring for their one remaining parent, sick from AIDS-related illness. Others have to fend for themselves, or take on the burden of looking after their younger siblings.

Many of these children are denied access to education, health care and psychosocial support because of fees, the distance they would need to travel, or lack of knowledge that these services exist. In addition, they are at a higher risk than other children of being exploited through child labour, as well as sexual abuse.

UNICEF and the National Association of Child Care Workers (NACCW) are working together to protect these vulnerable children through a project called “Isibindi; Circles of Care”. It operates in the Imsimbi, Illovo and Bhekawandle communities of Umbumbulu, where the HIV/AIDS rate is an estimated 41.2 per cent.

Seventeen community members have been trained to work daily with families in their homes and help them with, for example, food preparation, homework supervision, grief work, health care, teaching life skills, growing food gardens, gaining access to grants and ensuring that children are enrolled in schools.'

check out more details at:

http://www.unicef.org.uk/socceraid

It seems that some provision is being organised, but there is still a lot more to be done.

Ngikhuluma isiZulu

Sawubona!

I figured that if I write the odd random phrase in Zulu, I'll read it often when I'm reading back through my blog and it will stick in my memory. Kind of a cunning language learning technique. Feel free to learn it too... see if you can spot linguistic patterns... (a little hobby of mine ;-) )

Ngikufisela impilontle nempilonde ngokukhumbula usuku lokuzalwa kwakho!
Happy Birthday!

(Lit: I wish you a pleasant life and a long life with remembering your birthday)

Ngikufisela unwele olude!
May you live long

(Lit: I wish for you long hair)

uKhisimuzi omuhle nonyaka omusha omuhle
Happy Christmas and a prosperous new year

Impilontle
cheers

Halala! Wenze kahle
Congratulations! You have done well.

Reality bites

Sunday was a special church lunch day followed by presentation by 2 couples from our church who've been out to Uganda recently to visit the orphanage where St. Paul's sponsors some orphans. It was a great occasion and brilliant for those who sponsor kids to actually see how they are getting on and how their donations have transformed the lives of these kids.
There was a video of the trip. As it began, a lady from church turned to me and said 'I bet you're dying to get out there now aren't you?' I nodded, but as the film continued, the realisation of the magnitude of what I'm doing came out of nowhere and hit me.
Watching hippos grazing at the roadside and then hoardes of happy children bouncing around in front of the camera, it looked great. The trip lasted a couple of weeks. The thought that I'll be there for 2 years, not 2 weeks, popped into my head!
I'm not worried especially. I know I am fulfilling the calling on my life and that this is the next step on God's path for me. Yet the awesomeness of the fact that I am in fact packing up my life here and moving to a completely different continent and a culture I can't even begin to understand is dawning on me.
I love different cultures. I know I'll get the most massive culture shock. I've done my 'cross-cultural mission' studies and know the cycles. I suppose that will help me to assess what I'm going to experience. It's going to be so amazing, so horrific and so challenging but also so much of a blessing to me and to others... a totally life-changing experience.

I can't wait. ;-)

why (RED) is suddenly the best colour

If you live in the UK and are reading this today, and the shops are still open, get down there and buy a copy of today's INDEPENDENT newspaper, which is a special issue all about Africa, edited by Bono.
If you missed it, try linking to www.independent.co.uk
Within the pages, as well as some great articles with lots of terrible facts about the reality of many plights that hit Africa, not just AIDS, there is a lot about something called (RED)...

From what I understand, it's a group that's been set up to put money into something called The Global Fund to help fight 3 main causes of death in Africa : AIDS, TB and Malaria.

It's going to work by conquering the high street. To quote Bono:

'We had the student campuses and the church halls but we didn't have the high street.'

You'll be able to get a (RED) American Express card, (RED) mobile phone (which actually looks quite cool, and apart from initial handset charge, won't cost you anything more than you're paying now) , Converse (RED) shoes, Gap (RED) t-shirt and Armani (RED) sunglasses and promise of clothes to follow. Donations are made to the Global Fund when you buy these products, or in the case of the phone, when you make calls, 5% goes to The Global Fund.
Sounds like a very clever plan...

Watch out for more (RED) products... this could be the next big thing...

GGA Update

After some rather unneccessarily stabbing and vitriolic comments from a random person (see another recent blog comments should you wish to be enlightened), some might agree that I haven't mentioned much in particular about GGA on my blog recently.

That's not to say anything has changed in my situation, plans are still very much progressing, here's an update of how things are going so far...

I've now got my official invitation to GGA, which means I can apply for my visa. Just waiting for my new passport to arrive, then I'll be off to experience the joys of S.A. bureaucracy at the Embassy... After the bureaucratic nightmare that is Italy, S.A. can't possibly be that bad ;)

My role when I get to GGA will be as Administrator/PA
and will comprise 5 areas (initially)

• writing and maintaining reports
• overseeing homework and education for the children
• dealing with volunteer enquiries
• fundraising
• PA events

So just a few things to keep me occupied then! I'm particularly looking forward to getting involved with the childrens' education, as it will be a challenge for me, not being their teacher as such, but more from a home point of view, to encourage them in their learning. Having been the one who sets the homework and even plans the homework timetable and does the liaison with parents when homework isn't done for whatever reason, I'll now be the one getting the kids to sit down and do their work... It should work as a triangle, with parent, teacher and pupil all working together, I'll switch from teacher to 'parent' for a while! But what an important role, as education is the way forward for these kids, their attitude will probably be so different to the kids in England, and their studies are key to getting out of poverty and to making a difference to society. These children are the future of S.Africa, who knows what future leaders are currently studying diligently within the walls of GGA? It's going to be such an amazing privilege to be a part of their education.

I've spoken to the GO Team from my church, the team who co-ordinates people who go out from the church family to work overseas. In addition to this we had a very successful S.African evening for my small group which was really encouraging. It was great to be prayed for and to feel some of the excitement about where I'm going. I am so excited about what God is going to do at GGA when I'm there, both in and through me, and how lives will be changed.

The next few months will see me speaking at various church services in Leamington and around. There's still a possibility that the Young Zulu Warriors will come to the UK on tour, but not sorted as yet, watch this space...

I have various items of merchandise for sale to raise money for GGA, beaded badges in various forms, a CD of various songs by the GGA singers, plus copies of Heather's biography. Contact me if you'd like any of them, although I'll have them in church when I speak.

It's exciting to think I'll be leaving my school soon, and things are starting to wind down a little, although there is still masses to do before the end of term. Memories of summer terms at school as a child were always of it being quite chilled, and I suppose for the kids it is still like that, but when you get to the teacher side of it, and especially the head teacher bit, this can be the most manic and busiest time of the year, especially when one is doing handover as well. No wonder I'm starting to feel a bit drained and ill... ;(

I'm very glad that I'm not going alone, that God is always with me. I'm very glad that he has called me to go to GGA and that he goes ahead to prepare things and he is with me every step of the way. I am glad that he is with me constantly by the Holy Spirit living in me and that he shows me what to do in every situation. For, as tired as I am today, I am reassured that 'I can do everything through him who gives me strength.'

Sometimes I just think, I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to be living in the situation to which I am moving. I've seen videos (technology prevents me from putting them on here, but if you're in church you'll get to see it), pictures and read a lot, but still that will not really adequately prepare me, so I'm going to have to take a big deep breath and a massive step of faith and trust that God will see me through. It's his work I'm going to do. He always provides and equips for those he calls. Otherwise he wouldn't have called...

I'm not perfect, neither is this blog, just to let you know (and to clarify for my Afrikaaner friend), I'll be updating with preparations for Africa and with what's going on with me here in Leamington, as a journal of my life here over the next few months. So expect some serious stuff and also some more light-hearted entries, as I see fit... The beauty of this being my space and all...

check out this site...

Whilst enjoying the speed of wireless broadband (the perks of babysitting!), I surfed my way onto a gem of a site called SITES UNSEEN, www.zoecarnate.com which boasts the biggest library of alternative Christian stuff online... just the kind of thing to amuse and inspire..
this is what I've discovered so far...

A girl called Tamara advises re 'dating to save' http://datetosave.com (not sure I really approve or condone this behaviour, but it amused me for at least 2 minutes)

10 Christian Dating Tips for Effective Missionary Dating
1. If he tells your that you are hot...
Tell him God made you hot.

2. If he wants to hold your hand...
Give him a Bible.

3. If he tries to get closer...
Tell him the Holy Spirit is wooing him.

4. If he asks to pay for dinner...
Remind him that Jesus also paid a debt He did not owe!

5. If he reaches his arm around you...
Tell him that nobody will ever be as close to you as Jesus is.
(or ask him if you instead could "lay hands" on him in prayer)

6. If he tries to kiss you...
Remind him that a kiss killed your Savior.
(and you're not ready to "speak in tongues")

7. If he asks to come inside...
Ask him if he has asked Jesus to come inside his heart.

8. If he tells you he loves you...
Tell him that Jesus loves him.

9. If he gets angry that you won't put out...
Clarify to him that W.W.J.D. does NOT mean "Who would Jesus Do."

10. After you dump him...
Tell him that Jesus Christ will never leave or forsake him.

Or if that doesn't work, you could always take a leaf out of Amy Hughes book and build an entire church out of lego and dedicate it to a cat! I joke not, check out: www.amyhughes.org/lego/church

and one more, http://www.plug-pray.org - maybe this stuff works for someone!

Hours of fun!
St, Martin, Andy, Potts, Enjoy! ;-)

same post as before on sugar hangovers

I must be getting old.. the party lifestyle is taking it's toll...
Just recovering from a hectic partyful weekend... children have suffered today at school and at one point I could do no work but colour in a picture, such was the level of sugar induced fatigue...

Out on Friday until 2am for some much needed, and highly amusing, dancing in Mumbai...(the bar not the city, for those reading this not from Leam) Including us getting very excited about the DJ playing a Lionel Richie song (surely a sign that I should retire now, I actually enjoyed it). I still managed to maintain my 'Kebabs are killers' rule and not buy anything from Halikarnas, on the contrary, surreal moment and surely a first when I found some pumpkin seeds and pine nuts in my bag and consumed them there while everyone else got stuck into the 'food' they'd purchased there... Was much fun, but can't share any more details ;-)

Then Saturday, yet more partying of a family variety. Liz's birthday lunch en famille, followed by dinner in a Thai restaurant, which turned out to be fairly pricey, but was tasty too... until the msg hangover hit the next day...

Sunday was Gwyneth Emily Victoria Horn's thanksgiving service, which was lovely. Taking after her actor father, she performed brilliantly for her public, smiling and waving when up the front of church and later for the photos round the cake... A perfect little actress... Comedy food moments from a friend who did the old pretending-to-throw-a-cheesecake-in-my-face trick, only to have it slip off the plate and all over him instead. Priceless.
Less priceless were the little peskies who helped themselves to the decorations from Gwyneth's cake during the setup... That's what you get when you work with kids I suppose... we never could track down who it was exactly...
Turns out Gwyneth's not such a perfect child, and is already being put in 'time out' at nursery for pushing other kids out of the way to get to the best toys... at 8 months! Now that is something she must have inherited from her Auntie... she really is a Horn... ;-)