Back from Africa
This Sunday 11th October I attended Holy Communion. It had been many months since I had attended an Anglican Church as most of my Sundays in Tanzania involved visits to either Evangelical/Pentecostal or Winners Chapel ~ all with their own version of Praising God. However this Sunday it was like putting on a comfy pair of slippers everything was welcoming, warm, familiar and comfortable ! Great too seeing all those friendly familiar faces in the congregation.
I am prompted to write because I was amazed how the readings hymns and sermon seemed to have been tailor made for me this Sunday!
Why ??
In the first hymn
“Father Hear the Prayer we offer” we sing of asking for strength to live our lives courageously, rejoicing in treading steep and rugged pathways and asking “Be our strength in hours of weakness, in our wanderings be our guide through endeavour failure danger Father, be thou at our side” How often I had asked for this in my times of sadness or doubting moments in Africa.
The 2nd Hymn
Ask and it shall be given unto you
Seek and ye shall find
Knock and it shall be opened unto you
reminded me of my trepidation before leaving for Tanzania… was I doing the right thing, would I make a difference etc. Well I did Seek and I found a new place in my heart, I did Ask and was given strength and joy, I did Knock (metaphorically)on many doors to find a wealth of new experiences and a welcome everywhere.
Ryder’s sermon was about material wealth, attachments and possessions and how these things may hamper our way into the kingdom of heaven, (based on the Gospel reading from Mark 10 17-31)
Looking at all the hundreds and hundreds of people : men women and children in all the churches I attended in Mwanza I can see the meaning of Jesus’ words. These people have very little in the way of material possessions and riches but they are so obviously nearer to God in many ways. They are open, untainted and unfettered by attachments, in fact almost childlike, as God would have us be, in order for us to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. I am not suggesting that we throw out all our possessions and have an almighty gigantic car boot sale, but living for a few months with very little in the way of luxuries, foodstuffs or choice has shown me what in fact we could do without if we tried !
“Blessed is the hand that gives” was a frequent rejoinder in Tanzania, unfortunately it sometimes meant a bribe to get something done by an official.. but the true meaning when sincerely applied is indeed something to aspire to.
And finally… One constant worry whilst I was away was how would my 95 year old Mum be during my absence. Thankfully she is very well and has been looked after by my grown up children.
How apt then that Hymn number 106
“Dear Lord and Father of Mankind” should be sung…
My Mum’s favourite hymn!
So.. Thanks be to God
Carol Doyle
No comments:
Post a Comment