Friday 27 August: Transition Day

Today began with the conclusion of the Tenth International Congress on Calvin and ended with my arrival in the Diocese of Matlosane. It began, for me, in Bloemfontein and ended in Klerksdorp. So it saw the end of the first leg of my trip to South Africa and the beginning of the second.

The Calvin Congress ended at lunchtime. It had been a packed conference schedule and the days have sped past. Inevitably, the last hours had a slightly ‘de-mob’ feel to them. Some participants had to leave early to catch planes; and the rest of us were beginning to look ahead. But the final morning was not without highlights. One of the two presentations was on the subject of ‘Reconciliation in Calvin’s Sermons’ – given, interestingly enough, by a scholar from South Korea – so that there was again a huge political subtext). The lecture included this gem from Calvin about the care of the poor: ‘Our Lord requires of us that we should pay him his tribute, that is to say, the homage money that we owe him in acknowledgement that the things which we possess come from him, and from his sheer liberality. He does not send us either bailiffs or iron-fisted men, but the poor, and that ought to suffice us, for they are his true receivers’. I like that.

The Congress ended with some announcements about future plans (and the intriguing possibility – and it’s no more than that at present), that the 11th Congress in 2014 might be in India…). After that it took on the feel of the end of a Youth Camp – people swapping contact details and making almost tearful good-byes. Friendship are made and renewed at these events, and I’m especially glad at the chance I’ve had to meet or meet again some lovely people – among others from the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland, the USA and of course South Africa.

I had a three hour interval between the end of the Congress and my departure for the airport, some of which I spent lying out in the sunshine, soaking up some rays. It was only the second opportunity I’d had to do that all week. For me, to sit out in the sunshine, feeling the warmth on my face, is bliss – and an intimation of heaven. The gloss was slightly taken off the experience, however, when I got online and discovered that England had slumped to 47 for 5 in the first innings of the final test against Pakistan. 92-5 at lunch was barely a recovery worth celebrating.

The flight from Bloemfontein back to Johannesburg was straightforward. Although it was slightly delayed, we made up the time in the air and arrived on schedule. Then a minor miracle: my bag was first off the luggage carousel. That never happens! I’d no sooner texted Bishop Steve, the bishop of our partner diocese of Matlosane, to say I was in baggage reclaim, than I was walking out into the airport concourse to meet him.

Bishop Stephen had kindly driven two hours from Klerksdorp, with Mekla (he’s the Rector – and Dean-designate of the Cathedral in Ikageng), to collect me. I first met Bishop Stephen at a conference I helped to organise for all our partner-Dioceses in 2008: CrossTalk. It’s lovely to see him again. He’s a wonderful example of Christian leadership: shouldering heavy burdens with humility and a ready and infectious laugh.

We drove first to Potchefstroom (which is where Mika lives, and where Ikageng Cathedral is). As we drove, we talked about the terrible public sector strikes which are paralysing some spheres of life here at present. The teachers are on strike, so children are not at school. And most horribly, hospital workers are on strike as a result of which some very old people and some very tiny babies have died. There is no sign of an imminent end to the chaos, after 12 days. It’s just one indication that the honeymoon is over for the new South Africa, which remains in some ways a troubled and divided place. To the outsider, its amazing that the country has come so far in the last 20 years without civil war… but much remains to be done.

Bishop Stephen's wife Brenda met up with us in Potchefstroom. She and he are both studying for Masters’ degrees at the university there – in their ‘spare’ time. We ate at a restaurant on the campus: the clientele was very white (the only black people I could see were my hosts) and very young.

Then Bishop Stephen drove Mika home, and I travelled the remainder of the journey with Brenda, and we all met up at their home in Klerksdorp, where we arrived soon after 10pm. Tomorrow will be a full working day: Bishop Stephen is going to take me to three churches in the Diocese, to see something of the challenges the church here is facing.