Friday 23 August 2013

A Week of Amazing Emotions

My last post was last weekend. Since then I've had one of the most amazing weeks.

Monday is "Crash Out" day in the Hutchinson household which is exactly what I did.

Early Tuesday morning (like 7 a.m.) and we were off to one of the fifteen primary schools in Kagiso Township (pronounced ka-chee-so - the ch as the Welsh or Scottish "ch" in bach or loch). The township is still growing and currently has a population of around half a million with properties ranging from "matchsticks" (what we would call little boxes) to shanty homes built from anything people can lay their hands on. In fact later in the week, when we went to Soweto, I asked why there were virtually no road signs - even major town direction signs - then I was shown one of the shanty areas, Yes, they use anything! 

In this photo taken at the school you can see that it is definitely winter here. The children were well wrapped up but shivering during their outdoor assembly - and they weren't the only ones!

 Here's Pastor Obed evangelising to the kids....

We then went to another township school which predominantly caters for immigrant children (Zambia/Zimbabwe/Botswana/etc.).

From here we did a very sensible thing for winter - we went home for PORRIDGE (British, not African!). Then straight out to "Discipleship" at Joy Centre.

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Wednesday saw Joy Centre filming a series of 30-minute chat show episodes for their TV channel which was fascinating. The leadership team at the church will take on absolutely anything. 

Here are Pastor Michael Nkome and Prophet Vaughn Hutchinson being interviewed by Paballo Matabane

Then the following day Paballo had the honour of interviewing economist Joe Dillamore from Chester


As usual Wednesday evening was "Leadership Team" at Joy Centre

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Thursday was a day I'll never forget. Don't get me wrong, every day so far has been memorable but for anyone old enough to be able to remember 16th June 1976 to be able to stand in the middle of Soweto, visit the Hector Pieterson Memorial Museum (he was the first child shot on that terrible day) with all its imagery and atmosphere and then go on to the former home of Madiba, Nelson Mandela, to stand in his kitchen, living room and bedroom was almost indescribable. Add to this the fact that Vilakazi Street is the only street in the world to have had two residents who have received the Nobel Peace Prize - Nelson Mandela and archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu.

Here's 8115 Vilakazi Street (now Mandela House)





....and here's a painting of Madiba

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It's now Friday and this morning Joe Dillamore and I headed north to what we would call a Young Offenders' Institute with eight of Joy Centre's leadership team. We ministered at Mogale Leseding Child and Youth Care Centre in Randfontein. We split into two groups (one mzungu or "pinkie" in each). I preached for a very short time in the middle of the recreation area, then we took a short service in one of the rooms. We then joined the rest of the team and witnessed about two dozen young men give their lives to Jesus. Of course, for security reasons, there was no photography allowed in the secured area but this is the front of what is a surprisingly modern and clean facility.


What next? 10 p.m. tonight we'll be at Joy Centre for their all-night prayer meeting with communion at midnight.

Stay safe everyone and please keep in touch. 

Tlhôla sentle 

Mike




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