Thursday Morning

Today began with breakfast on the veranda in bright sunshine, a warm addition from the last couple of days. Just before 9:00 am, after we had eaten and cleared away, we made our way to the chapel for communion. A different communion than we are used to, the bread and individual cups had all been prepared beforehand, and everyone on site was welcome to come between 8:00 and 9:00 to spend some time, pray and take the bread and cup as they wished. 

We went as a team, and were alone in the beautiful chapel, as we stood in a semicircle around the table. We said prayers, remembering Jesus’ sacrifice, and how he had shared bread and wine around the table with his disciples on the night before he was crucified; we then ministered to one another, giving the bread and the cups. Giving thanks for this special celebration, we sang together a song that had been on my heart for a few days “Father We Adore You” before leaving the chapel.

After the communion we walked up the hill a short way and across the site towards the fire pit for a very special moment for all of us and the Hands at Work team. We had spoken with Hands during the planning of our visit about how we all together could celebrate and remember Chris while we were here. Chris loved the outdoors, and it was felt a fitting tribute would be to plant a tree close to the fire pit, a place at the Hub that Chris often drew teams to towards to share stories.

The whole Hands contingent gathered with us, as we stood around the hole which had already been prepared. Prag, in her St Andrew’s Team hoodie from four years ago, opened by sharing some thoughts; and we then heard Psalm 121, which had been read at Chris’s funeral and celebration of life service. It’s amazing how God works through us, Prag began to sing, leading us in “Father We Adore You”, the very song that our team had sung in the chapel a few minutes before. He knows our every action and thought, and plans our every deed.

Levi spoke about a tree full of new life and growth grows to provide shelter, stability and a home for birds and creatures; he then led us in prayer before the tree, a Wild Mango tree, was placed in the hole. Those who wished to each took turns returning a spade full of soil to the hole to secure the tree in place. It was a fitting tribute to a man who meant a great deal to Hands at Work, to Mafambisa, and to all those he led in teams to South Africa over the last decade.

It was another rollercoaster of emotions, but a beautiful morning; we felt exhausted and exhilarated - and it hadn’t even got to 10:00am.

Blogged by John