All Rev'd Up: Phase One

North West Sunset in Utlwanang

I wonder if anyone who’s ever been through “Phase One” training will ever be able to prevent a wry smile from appearing on their face when they think back on their cross-cultural year. I know I won’t.

We were sent to Utlwanang township just outside Christiana in the North West province. Placed on the back of the backend of the world this area has no water, no hills or mountains, no grass, no trees, only goats and dust. I still wonder why people settled here in the first place.

Phase one had so much to contend with; learning a new culture, standing out like a white person in a township, coming to terms with being a minister, doing TEEC assignments and travelling 370km into Soweto every week for IST. I doubt I will ever go through a year like that again, filled with such a bizarre range of experience, from the ludicrous to the profound. It was a year packed with, tragic and comical situations, painful and joyful moments. Claire and I came out of it the way I imagine a person emerges from a tumble drier; disoriented and thankful to be out, vowing never to go back.

Now years later I look back with fondness on that year. Then it felt desolate, now I see it was the richest of times. Claire and I learnt so much about ourselves and God and the world around us. We were welcomed in and cared for by people we would otherwise never have met.

Next month towards the end of September, straight after my ordination Claire and I have organised a trip through the North West. We are going to meet up with old friends, show our children where we lived and be reminded of where and how this journey all began. I never thought I’d say it, but I thank God for my Phase one year.

As you can see in Phase One I was pretty stoked about being a minister

Claire infront of the manse contemplating our new living arrangement

Washing dishes in our 'open plan' scullary

George Thibang, a good friend and amazing man of God. Goerge, here in his fifties, would still on occassion ride a bicycle 35km along gravel roads, to preach to a congrigation in Kudu Tlou. Something which in his younger days he did almost every Sunday.

In the year we spent in Utlwanang Goerge would patiently spend two hours with me every Friday giving free SeTswana lessons.

His favourite line was always, "Don't worry Maruti, just be free."

I'm most looking forward to seeing Goerge in September.

Thunzi, a dog we saved from being stoned by some local boys. She became our uninvited squatter and later a much loved pet.

Lambert, an olive tree planted to commemorate our first wedding anniversary. Barricaded with fencing, branches and thorns to keep the goats away - to little effect.

We do not expect to find Lambert alive in September. We have decided that if Lambert is no more it will not serve as a reflection on our marriage.

Two of the most annoying donkeys in the world who would regularly stand outside our window at 10pm and HHAAA HEEE!

Rodger Dodger the most wily rock pigeon on earth. He nested on the tin roof above our bedroom and loved scratching and banging at 4am every morning. Needless to say he had everything from sticks, stones, marbles and shoes, thrown, catapulted and shot at him without ever being hit once, not even nearly.