59 Miles Per Gallon

I covered about 1,000km / 600mi in my three-wheeler in its first month. I estimate that it uses a litre of diesel fuel for every 25km / 16mi in the city. That's 59mpg, compared with 18mpg for the average car / automobile (see the EPA estimates). If therefore I should cover 10,000km / 6,000mi in a year, this would mean a saving of about R20,000 over an average car -- many times my monthly discretionary income.

amatomu.com Not Making Sense

Something doesn't seem to make sense with my blog stats. According to SiteMeter (a well known hit counter), my readership is up about 10% over a month ago -- yet according to amatomu.com (the South African blog rankings), it has dropped, over the same period, about 200 places in the All Blogs rankings, and has fallen precipitously in the Religion rankings. It has vanished, too, from the Hot Right Now column, where its posts regularly appeared. OBSERVATION: I think this happened before. If only I could remember what it was ...

New Beginnings

It was my first day in the pulpit yesterday without my wife. I don't think I've been more shaky, before a service, in all my career. Then a member walked in and said: "How are you?" I said: "I'm fine." She said: "We want the truth now!" Then, as usual, the pre-service chaos escalated, and I was distracted in a hundred directions. It all just seemed so ... usual. A deacon had been appointed to read my notes if I got stuck. He stood up and made a joke about it. And I made it through that first service -- without getting stuck. It was nicely attended, too. I'm thankful for the many people who prayed for me.

A New Ruse

Our "Poorest" are so quick to invent new ruses -- in order to get handouts. I was back in the pulpit today for the first time after wife M.'s death. They said to me afterwards: "Your wife was my best friend!" "Your wife was my very own mother!" "She used to help me so generously!" "We knew each other very well." OBSERVATION: Fabrications all.

Unprocessed Salt

I love to hand out small gifts to our congregation -- or to our Church leadership. Actually, there are one or two members who like to do it, too -- usually without making themselves known. A week ago, I was on a salt farm, and the farmer had many, many tons of surplus salt. So this morning I offered the congregation crumbly chunks of unprocessed salt. These were snapped up with enthusiasm! OBSERVATION: It is tasty salt -- the farmer says this is because it has sulphur in it. But because it is dried out in the sun, in the veld, it could have little bits of veld in it. See also Salt Farm.

MTV Film-Shoot

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MTV roped me in for a film-shoot last night. TV cameras don't look the way they used to -- that's a TV camera on the far right -- they're taking a shot of me switching on my vehicle's lights. On the left: how to get on and off a pickup in high heels. They said: "You'll be famous!" I can't wait.

Longest-Serving Minister

This year, I become the longest-serving minister in the Atlantic Area -- a series of several suburbs along Cape Town's Atlantic coast. The local Pentecostal pastor -- my only remaining "rival" -- announced that he is to place his primary emphasis elsewhere this year. OBSERVATION: How did I survive this long? I think, because I felt that my ministry was about God's work -- I mean, God working -- not me. But also, I think, because I loved my congregation. And probably, I would not have lasted this long without the help of competent Church consultants. I received three calls during this time, to three different nations, but did not accept.

My Pickup And The Bomb

In the movie The Day After, a vast number of cars / autos are fleeing Kansas City on the freeway, when the entire mass of them is immobilised through a nuclear pulse (an EMP). A pity for the people trying to flee. However, if my Mahindra pickup had been in that scene, it would have kept on going. This is because an EMP destroys a car's electrics, but my pickup has an uncommon engine that needs no electrics at all. The photo shows another minister giving it its first service this morning.

Emerging And Emergent Church

A question one frequently comes across is: what is the difference between Emerging and Emergent Church? I answered it like this, for a recent postgrad assignment (and the TA responded: "These are fantastic insights!"): "I myself differentiate between Emerging Church and Emergent Church. I have discussed this with Prof. Ryan Bolger and others, who would similarly see a distinction. Emerging Church would be the avant garde, that which is not yet, the experimental, or "fresh expressions of the Church" (Kärkkäinen Lecture 3A). In short, it is still emerging. Emergent Church, on the other hand, would be the community which is at the forefront of an emergent humanity, which is moving towards the "anticipatory focal point" (Van Engen 1991:111) or "Omega point" (De Chardin 1959:72). The two need not be mutually exclusive. OBSERVATION: According to Google, my most popular post on this blog is Emergent Church.

Tok-Tokkie Beetle

I took this photo on the mountain this week. It is a common sight here: a so-called tok-tokkie beetle -- a member of the tenebrionidae family. It is called a tok-tokkie because it communicates with other beetles through a tok-tok tapping on the ground. You may click on the photo for VGA.

Stupefied By Speed

stupefied : adjective : in a state of mental numbness. In spite of adversity, I decided to forge ahead with my studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. Last night I handed in my (wait for it) nineteenth assignment in twenty-three days. And that's as a mere sideline. One thing about postgraduate studies: one needs to have the pace. Otherwise, I think, a half-competent undergraduate could do it. At least, that is, when it is a "taught" Master's (one also gets the "research" Master's). OBSERVATION: I have seven results back so far this term, and am "flying high".

Back On Duty

Yesterday I "reported for duty" again, three weeks after wife M's death. I said to her before she died: "I don't know if I can go on without you [in ministry]." She looked surprised. She said: "You know that, with God, you can." She encouraged me to carry on. I wrote our Church newsletter today. I quoted Psalm 59:16: "In the morning I will sing of your love." I wrote: "Now we are going to see what God can do in His love and mighty power." OBSERVATION: What in human eyes looks like a disaster for a Church may in God's plan be a great new beginning. Mirjam herself said that God was doing a new thing with us -- a different thing.

Signal Hill

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This evening I climbed Signal Hill -- for the third time in three days. I can do that now. I'm quite pleased with myself -- although I concede that Signal Hill is not really in the same league as Kilimanjaro. The photo is taken about half-way up. OBSERVATION: The photo is in 3-D. Lazily squint your eyes until the images overlap and snap together. You may click on the photo(s) for 420k resolution and enhanced 3-D. Our Church (towards the right) is marked with a red/yellow dot.

Rolls Again

I recently described how a diplomatic corps Rolls Royce pulled up behind my Indian three-wheeler in a reserved parking bay. It so happened that I owed the owner of the Rolls a lot of money (by my standards, I should say). Like a good minister, I finally paid up yesterday -- then I wrote to the owner: "I hope that the Rolls didn't run dry" (because I hadn't paid up). He wrote back: "The Rolls didn't run dry, but it did give a serious problem. We met up with a friend at the Royal Cape Yacht Club for dinner [no less]. The car started, but wouldn't engage in reverse or drive, and was locked in park. I crossed myself. A stressful half hour [until it was fixed]." OBSERVATION: See, it pays to drive a good, practical Indian vehicle, not one of those trouble-prone behemoths.

Partnership -- Of Sorts

There was a man in our congregation who hired a domestic servant. They came from very different backgrounds. They fell in love. But they decided not to marry – nor to have intimate relations. Rather, she lovingly attended him every day, and they made small-talk and kept each other company. They dined together – breakfast, lunch, and supper. She routinely retired to her quarters at sunset. And at the last, she nursed him through his final illness, and she put up a bronze plaque in his memory in the Church. It is still there today.

Successful Pastor

As a successful pastor, see, there has to be something about you that says: I don't give a damn. Notice this pastor's hairdo (he's behind the pulpit -- it's in VGA if you click on it), and compare this with the rest of the congregation. Then notice his popular appeal. I rest my case. Actually, it was easy to see this pastor's recipe for success: a radical, simple, biblical message with a great faith in God, and a simple, joyful, genuine priesthood of believers in the service. And behind the scenes, thorough teaching -- of all ages.

Mamre Moravian Church

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I attended the Moravian Church in Mamre this morning -- a village about 50km/30mi north of Cape Town. This fairly large Church was absolutely packed, up to the gallery (off the top of the left-hand photo). An elder gave up his seat for me. The Church was built in 1861, then disassembled and moved twice -- most recently in 1999. The sermon was based on the words of Jesus: "When I sent you without purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?" The minister spoke repeatedly of "hard circumstances" ("swaar omstandighede"). He focused on the purse: "But have you lacked anything? He is Jehovah Jireh!" The bag: "What we need in our bag is love, joy, peace ... Some of us have so much baggage we can't go forward." And the shoes: "We need the readiness to be sent out without a crown on our head. Do I need money to magnify the name of the Lord?"

Me And The Khmer Rouge

Here's another experience that changed the way I saw the world. It was a visit to Cambodia in 1994. While the history books suggest that the Khmer Rouge had been driven back almost to the borders at this time, my diary gives a different impression: "Military helicopters wove across the city [Phnom Penh] ... people with hands blown off, eyes blown out, legs blown off ... machine-gun fire ... severely malnourished children ... large troop carriers racing through the city ..." OBSERVATION: I felt that the word "justice" died for me in Cambodia. The photo shows a Christian missionary holding a malnourished child in Phnom Penh. After this, she contracted dengue fever -- and burnt out. Malnutrition was a widespread problem at the time. See also Cambodia.

Tougher Terrain

Here's how the Mahindra Alfa handles in tougher terrain. Over potholes, gullies and so on, its performance is excellent. I am impressed. Through sand and mud, though, its performance is fair. It is able to power its way through some situations (like this one, pictured), and to power its way out backwards, too, but that single front wheel makes it difficult to control. When it comes to ripples or corrugations in the road, it is terrible. It is a complete rattle-trap. I haven't forged any rivers yet, but that was a problem for my old Bajaj Pickup, as its brakes routinely failed.

(Not) Spooked

I wrote the following post twelve days before wife M.'s death. I didn't post it -- then. Here it is now, slightly revised:
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It's an unusual challenge, dealing with a seriously ill wife -- and, at the same time, with ministry. Just one aspect of this is people's opinions: "You have to get her to eat!" "You can't let her suffer pain!" "You need to get a nurse!" This all makes sense -- yet I have taken the deliberate decision, as far as possible, to do as she asks. So, for instance, earlier this week she was in terrible pain. But she didn't want to go anywhere -- or run the risk of being taken anywhere. She was deeply content to be in my care. So I let her be. She may die at my hands -- it's a possibility. OBSERVATION: Fortunately I'm not one to panic. And as a minister, I have seen others deal with "panic situations" hundreds of times. That helps.
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NOTE: Things got worse, after this. In spite of "not being one to panic", I called a friend saying: "I'm spooked!" I took M. to hospital twice (she was admitted both times) -- also, I called a doctor round. One needs to bear in mind, too, that she was having regular check-ups. But all in all, during her final weeks, she was out of my care for only three days.

Rolls Royce

At Mirjam's memorial service last week, I pulled up in the reserved parking area in my (now red) Mahindra. Someone then pulled up right behind me in a retired diplomatic corps Rolls Royce. A minister e-mailed me afterwards: "I had a good laugh at the sight of the Rolls Royce with your new red Mahindra in front of the church ... all were welcome this seemed to say." OBSERVATION: We even admit Rolls Royces -- but it's a close call. Unwieldy things with no heart. The photo shows my arrival at a farm on the Berg River this week.

DRC Wynberg

On Sunday I attended the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC, or NGK) Wynberg -- the third oldest congregation of the DRC in Cape Town. This Church was built in 1899 -- replacing a Church built in 1830. Ds. Danie Nel preached about Jesus' two commendations of "great faith". This is a faith, he said, which acknowledges one's complete unworthiness, and is connected with God's plan for one's life. It is a faith that is rewarded with a wonder at God's deeds. OBSERVATION: This minister had the whole service "computerised". I thought he'd have done better without it.

Zero Grade

I decided to forge ahead with my studies. At the moment I am doing postgraduate Systematic Theology III -- focusing on the Church, and the Last Things. There are twenty-three students in my class, at a renowned seminary. We are being taught by doctors of philosophy and theology from Cambridge and Helsinki. One-third of our assignments are "public" -- i.e. open to all participants in the course. Yet only five students handed in their first public assignment on time -- only five the second! The penalty for missing the deadline is a zero grade. OBSERVATION: Not to speak of the cost involved. This one course costs me about as much as my entire (previous) Master of Theology degree.

Hat

This photo captures my surprise as an old student friend and minister greets me at Mirjam's memorial service. He was at our wedding nearly thirty years ago. OBSERVATION: Several people asked me about the hat. I wore it because I thought that Mirjam might have said otherwise: “A regular Sunday suit -- is that all you could do?” So I bought a matching hat. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Love Is Of God

In my tribute on Thursday, I briefly spoke about something that left an immeasurably large impression on me, on us -- when we were still us: "I feel that very special mention is deserved of the seemingly endless patience, considerateness, generosity, and love of our Church, throughout the past year. The Church took away all our worries as to how we would cope, they made loving provision for us, and surrounded us with prayer. This was and has been so extraordinary that it has to have been of God. The Bible says: 'Little children, love one another, for love is of God.'"

Disinherited

This week I collected the photographs that Mirjam displayed on her work-desk, and I gave them to her brother. There was a photo of her brother as a teenager, with tousled hair. There was her nephew's first day at school. And there was a photo of an aunt who disinherited her. You'll notice the odd one out. I had always seen this photo, but suddenly it puzzled me -- it seemed quite out of the ordinary. I hadn't asked her why she put it there.

Mirjam And Ministry

Mirjam's thinking on the Church was well developed. She wanted this to be reflected in my tribute to her (it was read on my behalf by our elder C.). Here is what I said: "I return for a moment to our early years of ministry. I had been overly conscientious as a young minister, and she had been overly anxious and critical of my performance. But half way through our marriage, Mirjam abandoned her anxious and critical approach -- and this came about through a faith which was imparted to her by a well known Church consultant, Dr. George Malek. She never ceased to speak in his praise, although she often mentioned his flaws. The importance of this cannot be over-emphasised. Through him, she came to see ministry not as something that a minister does, but as something that God does through the minister, by His wonderful grace -- and this turned her into a strength and support to be reckoned with. Few members saw just how she was a power behind my ministry in private. But she also became a power to others -- inspiring them to know that the Church should not be seen as a human task, but as the gracious work of God Himself. It was her heartfelt concern that too many Christians were buckling under the burden of ministry and adversity because they believed that they needed to take the burden upon themselves -- but God Himself undertakes."

Memorial Service [2]

Our elder C. took this photo at Mirjam's Memorial Service today. There are many photos of the service, but I'm posting this one because it is an "atmosphere shot". It reflects the sadness and the summer heat. The nave was crowded out, it was standing room only in the narthex, and people spilled over into the transepts. OBSERVATION: I said to Prof. John de Gruchy, who led the service: "I think it has a lot to do with the fact that Mirjam was seldom superficial. She ministered to people, even in the briefest conversations. And she had love." Click on the photo to enlarge to VGA.

Memorial Service

A Memorial Service for Mirjam has been arranged for Thursday the 13th of January at 3:00 pm, at our Evangelical Congregational Church in Sea Point, corner of Main and Marais Roads. The service will be conducted by John de Gruchy, Emeritus Professor of Christian Studies at the University of Cape Town. John was Mirjam's academic supervisor for many years, and ultimately her friend. The message will be delivered by Edith Sher of Messiah's People, based on Psalm 84 in The Message. Mirjam particularly appreciated Edith's preaching. As is our way, the congregation will be broadly represented in the service. Our Associate Pastor Georges Mpunga will say the closing sentences. Thanks to undertaker Rev. Alan Lindhorst for various arrangements. Alan happens also to have been a student of John's, and was one of "our boys" who entered the ministry. OBSERVATION: Mirjam left me complete instructions -- asking me from time to time: "And who did I say should do that ... ?" Then she would seem quite pleased with what she had (already) decided.

† Mirjam Scarborough

It is with deep regret that I announce the death of my beloved wife Mirjam Rahel, this evening, of bone marrow cancer. She was a Swiss "farm girl", yet one of considerable sophistication and spiritual depth. At the time of her death, she was an ordained minister, a doctor of philosophy, a co-director of the World Evangelical Alliance's International Institute for Religious Freedom, and an editor of the International Journal for Religious Freedom. She made an important contribution to Mennonite pastoral theology. She was treasured for her ministry in the local Church. We were married 28 years, and have a 24-year-old son, Matthew. We met in 1978, at theological seminary in Switzerland.

Two Degrees?

I began my third-last course at Fuller Theological Seminary yesterday -- I'm at the end now of my second Master's degree. A couple wrote to me: "We are pleased for you in obtaining a Master's degree. It will give you the extra knowledge to teach, but it won't fill you spiritually. And two degrees??"

Hallucination

Wife M. said to me on Saturday: "You came and you sat down by my side. You showed me how to sit up. When you showed me, I was able to do it." She said: "You showed me how to eat. When you showed me, I was able to do it. But," she said, "I was hallucinating. My head was on my pillow. Thank you for helping me."

The Spirit Of The Law

There is a basic dynamic behind a great deal of oppositional behaviour in the Church. The oppositional person tends to be marked by an inability to see what God is doing by His grace, and tends to be able only to see how people have failed God's law -- or the spirit of the law, or Christ's perfected law -- whatever the case may be. A question here is: Has such a person understood grace at all? OBSERVATION: Many years ago I asked someone who was ranting at me: "What is the Lord doing in our Church?" He was stunned. He was silent. He couldn't think of a thing. Thankfully we have a Church today which is filled with people who have an eye for what God is doing in myriad ways -- by grace.

At A Loss

A week ago, they stabilised wife M. in hospital (she has bone marrow cancer). But after she was discharged, she went down so fast. By today, she was in a dreadful way. Yesterday I called a "house doctor" to our home -- I wanted some common sense. I haven't had that from the hospital. But today the house doctor had M. admitted to hospital. All M.'s vital signs were wrong. OBSERVATION: This week I was at the end of my ability to take care of M. -- although I know that she wants nothing else. I am at a loss as to what to do. But that is where -- so I tell my counselees -- God steps in.

First Sermon

This morning I attended our central Evangelical Lutheran Church (pictured), where Pastor Walter Schwär preached his first sermon as the new pastor. He said it would be appropriate to ask: "How do we make a congregation grow?" He said the answer (at least a "very important component" of it) lay in "the watchword" Romans 12:21. We overcome evil with good, and in so doing we change the behaviour of others, within the Church and in the world. We need each other to accomplish this. OBSERVATION: Personally, I consider that there is an order of magnitude's difference between preaching values and preaching God, even if values should be couched in religious terms. I don't see Church growth here.

Gecko-Hunter

Naughty little pussy-cat. Our cat is a serial gecko-hunter. This one was still alive. It lived to tell its friends. I post this photo because it wasn't the tragedy that it seems. For this gecko, things can only look up in 2011.

E-Mail Surveillance

There are some things about my American education that "exercise" me a great deal. The latest is this. I sought to access my student e-mail yesterday, and was informed that my seminary would from now on (quote) "have access to ... your email". Before I can use my .edu e-mail again, they require that I click on "I accept". That is, I consent to surveillance. From (suspicious) Africa, this seems absurd. They can go jump. I don't need to communicate with anyone under these conditions. (See also Paranoia).