Cape Town College is on holiday for a few weeks at the moment, and I was fortunate enough to be able to get some last-minute cheap flights down to Cape Town last weekend. I stayed with a lovely couple called Jim and Carol (originally from Newcastle) who looked after me very well indeed. Whilst there I was able to visit Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape Point, Groot Constantia vineyard, and the V&A Waterfront.  Other highlights included: Spectacular weather (despite various warnings about visiting at this time of year…) Getting to drive an old VW Golf (always wanted one of those) Meeting the drummer from Guns n Roses up Table Mountain (see photo blow) Click here for the full album.
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Cape Town College is on holiday for a few weeks at the moment, and I was fortunate enough to be able to get some last-minute cheap flights down to Cape Town last weekend. I stayed with a lovely couple called Jim and Carol (originally from Newcastle) who looked after me very well indeed. Whilst there I was able to visit Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape Point, Groot Constantia vineyard, and the V&A Waterfront.  Other highlights included: Spectacular weather (despite various warnings about visiting at this time of year…) Getting to drive an old VW Golf (always wanted one of those) Meeting the drummer from Guns n Roses up Table Mountain (see photo blow) Click here for the full album.
Zoom Info
Cape Town College is on holiday for a few weeks at the moment, and I was fortunate enough to be able to get some last-minute cheap flights down to Cape Town last weekend. I stayed with a lovely couple called Jim and Carol (originally from Newcastle) who looked after me very well indeed. Whilst there I was able to visit Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape Point, Groot Constantia vineyard, and the V&A Waterfront.  Other highlights included: Spectacular weather (despite various warnings about visiting at this time of year…) Getting to drive an old VW Golf (always wanted one of those) Meeting the drummer from Guns n Roses up Table Mountain (see photo blow) Click here for the full album.
Zoom Info
Cape Town College is on holiday for a few weeks at the moment, and I was fortunate enough to be able to get some last-minute cheap flights down to Cape Town last weekend. I stayed with a lovely couple called Jim and Carol (originally from Newcastle) who looked after me very well indeed. Whilst there I was able to visit Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape Point, Groot Constantia vineyard, and the V&A Waterfront.  Other highlights included: Spectacular weather (despite various warnings about visiting at this time of year…) Getting to drive an old VW Golf (always wanted one of those) Meeting the drummer from Guns n Roses up Table Mountain (see photo blow) Click here for the full album.
Zoom Info
Cape Town College is on holiday for a few weeks at the moment, and I was fortunate enough to be able to get some last-minute cheap flights down to Cape Town last weekend. I stayed with a lovely couple called Jim and Carol (originally from Newcastle) who looked after me very well indeed. Whilst there I was able to visit Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape Point, Groot Constantia vineyard, and the V&A Waterfront.  Other highlights included: Spectacular weather (despite various warnings about visiting at this time of year…) Getting to drive an old VW Golf (always wanted one of those) Meeting the drummer from Guns n Roses up Table Mountain (see photo blow) Click here for the full album.
Zoom Info
Cape Town College is on holiday for a few weeks at the moment, and I was fortunate enough to be able to get some last-minute cheap flights down to Cape Town last weekend. I stayed with a lovely couple called Jim and Carol (originally from Newcastle) who looked after me very well indeed. Whilst there I was able to visit Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape Point, Groot Constantia vineyard, and the V&A Waterfront.  Other highlights included: Spectacular weather (despite various warnings about visiting at this time of year…) Getting to drive an old VW Golf (always wanted one of those) Meeting the drummer from Guns n Roses up Table Mountain (see photo blow) Click here for the full album.
Zoom Info
Cape Town College is on holiday for a few weeks at the moment, and I was fortunate enough to be able to get some last-minute cheap flights down to Cape Town last weekend. I stayed with a lovely couple called Jim and Carol (originally from Newcastle) who looked after me very well indeed. Whilst there I was able to visit Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape Point, Groot Constantia vineyard, and the V&A Waterfront.  Other highlights included: Spectacular weather (despite various warnings about visiting at this time of year…) Getting to drive an old VW Golf (always wanted one of those) Meeting the drummer from Guns n Roses up Table Mountain (see photo blow) Click here for the full album.
Zoom Info
Cape Town College is on holiday for a few weeks at the moment, and I was fortunate enough to be able to get some last-minute cheap flights down to Cape Town last weekend. I stayed with a lovely couple called Jim and Carol (originally from Newcastle) who looked after me very well indeed. Whilst there I was able to visit Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape Point, Groot Constantia vineyard, and the V&A Waterfront.  Other highlights included: Spectacular weather (despite various warnings about visiting at this time of year…) Getting to drive an old VW Golf (always wanted one of those) Meeting the drummer from Guns n Roses up Table Mountain (see photo blow) Click here for the full album.
Zoom Info
Cape Town College is on holiday for a few weeks at the moment, and I was fortunate enough to be able to get some last-minute cheap flights down to Cape Town last weekend. I stayed with a lovely couple called Jim and Carol (originally from Newcastle) who looked after me very well indeed. Whilst there I was able to visit Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape Point, Groot Constantia vineyard, and the V&A Waterfront.  Other highlights included: Spectacular weather (despite various warnings about visiting at this time of year…) Getting to drive an old VW Golf (always wanted one of those) Meeting the drummer from Guns n Roses up Table Mountain (see photo blow) Click here for the full album.
Zoom Info
Cape Town College is on holiday for a few weeks at the moment, and I was fortunate enough to be able to get some last-minute cheap flights down to Cape Town last weekend. I stayed with a lovely couple called Jim and Carol (originally from Newcastle) who looked after me very well indeed. Whilst there I was able to visit Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape Point, Groot Constantia vineyard, and the V&A Waterfront.  Other highlights included: Spectacular weather (despite various warnings about visiting at this time of year…) Getting to drive an old VW Golf (always wanted one of those) Meeting the drummer from Guns n Roses up Table Mountain (see photo blow) Click here for the full album.
Zoom Info

Cape Town

College is on holiday for a few weeks at the moment, and I was fortunate enough to be able to get some last-minute cheap flights down to Cape Town last weekend.

I stayed with a lovely couple called Jim and Carol (originally from Newcastle) who looked after me very well indeed. Whilst there I was able to visit Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape Point, Groot Constantia vineyard, and the V&A Waterfront. 

Other highlights included:

  • Spectacular weather (despite various warnings about visiting at this time of year…)
  • Getting to drive an old VW Golf (always wanted one of those)
  • Meeting the drummer from Guns n Roses up Table Mountain (see photo blow)

Click here for the full album.

The other evening I met Matt Sorum, the drummer from Guns n Roses up Table Mountain in Cape Town. I have to admit I’m a bit of a fan, and I enjoyed chatting for a few minutes with this bona fide rock legend. As we were talking, a couple came up and asked if he could take their picture (which I thought was hilarious) and he was very cool, taking 3 or 4 pictures for them, and even suggesting they stand in a different spot because the light was better! I wish I’d asked him if playing in front of 80,000 people made him happy.
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The other evening I met Matt Sorum, the drummer from Guns n Roses up Table Mountain in Cape Town. I have to admit I’m a bit of a fan, and I enjoyed chatting for a few minutes with this bona fide rock legend.

As we were talking, a couple came up and asked if he could take their picture (which I thought was hilarious) and he was very cool, taking 3 or 4 pictures for them, and even suggesting they stand in a different spot because the light was better!

I wish I’d asked him if playing in front of 80,000 people made him happy.

Fire in Zandspruit This evening we went in as usual to Zandspruit township to lead a Bible study at the community centre. We’d been there half an hour or so and were about to get started when one of the ladies walked in and said that someone’s shack next door was on fire. We went outside and just stood there whilst someone’s home was violently going up in flames. There was nothing we could do except pray and help the men with the hose. Nothing was salvaged. Apparently it started from an unattended candle. This happens all the time in Zandspruit. Last month 16 shacks burnt down in one fire; they weren’t lucky enough to be so near to a tap. Someone else said that recently someone came home drunk and managed to burn down his shack attempting to cook some food - he didn’t get out and was burned alive. This evening I’m grateful I don’t live in a shack. I’m grateful I don’t live with the very real possibility of my house burning down. I’m grateful there’s a fire service who would come and help in the unlikely event that it did. I’m praying for heaven, where one day there will be no shacks, fires, tears, death.
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Fire in Zandspruit

This evening we went in as usual to Zandspruit township to lead a Bible study at the community centre. We’d been there half an hour or so and were about to get started when one of the ladies walked in and said that someone’s shack next door was on fire.

We went outside and just stood there whilst someone’s home was violently going up in flames. There was nothing we could do except pray and help the men with the hose. Nothing was salvaged.

Apparently it started from an unattended candle. This happens all the time in Zandspruit. Last month 16 shacks burnt down in one fire; they weren’t lucky enough to be so near to a tap. Someone else said that recently someone came home drunk and managed to burn down his shack attempting to cook some food - he didn’t get out and was burned alive.

This evening I’m grateful I don’t live in a shack. I’m grateful I don’t live with the very real possibility of my house burning down. I’m grateful there’s a fire service who would come and help in the unlikely event that it did.

I’m praying for heaven, where one day there will be no shacks, fires, tears, death.

May Prayer Letter - click here to download

Greetings everyone

We’re now just over half way through the second term here at JBC, which means I’ve taught 4 out of 6 classes on how to understand and teach the gospels - a general introduction to the gospels as a genre of literature; an outline of the key themes of each individual gospel; how to approach the parables; and this week we had miracles (teaching rather than performing).

The sessions are going well, and I’m sure I’m learning a great deal more than the students as I prepare and wrestle with the material.

The work with university students is starting to gather momentum at the University of Johannesburg which has been a real encouragement. Having come to the end of our Bible overview, this Tuesday my colleague Nick and I started teaching the Grasping God’s Word course, which will enable the students to prepare Bible studies and talks of their own. 

We’re now getting around 12-14 to those sessions which is great, and it would be particularly good to pray that the guys who preach at the Christian Union meetings would come along too.

This month’s exciting development is that JBC is set to go international! Nat (JBC principal) and I have been invited to Tanzania to speak at a conference next week. The details seem to be fairly hazy (!) but apparently we’ll be equipping a mixture of pastors and lay people to teach the Bible faithfully in their churches; there will be between 100 and 300, and we’ll be speaking through a translator. Nat will be doing a Bible overview and some Bible handling principles, and I’ll be teaching a variation on the gospels class I’ve been doing here in Johannesburg. 

We’ll be speaking for 4 days, Wednesday 22nd to Saturday 25th, from 10am-6pm, and then off to preach in different churches in Dar es Salaam on the Sunday.

It certainly promises to be an interesting experience!

In other news, it was great to have my friend Jonathan Cranston out to visit South Africa this month under the pretense of ‘doing some research’. Being a vet, this research took place at Kruger national park, so I was able to head over there for a weekend to put my camera through its paces - you can see the results by clicking here. 

Out of a desire to get some exercise and meet some non-Christians, I went a few weeks ago to ‘social’ tennis which happens on Wednesday evenings at Randburg Tennis Club. Despite all aspects of my game being decidedly rusty, I managed not to embarrass myself beyond the point of wanting to go back, and have been along each week since then. I’ve surprised myself to learn I’m even able to be competitive at something I’m not very good at. 

Thanks for all your prayers and support, and as ever, do get in touch - it’s great to hear from you!

Blessings

Anyone for church?

A few wednesday evenings ago, I went to Randburg Tennis Club for their weekly ‘turn up and play’ social tennis evening. Despite having hardly played since I was a kid, I wanted to get some exercise and meet some new people, so when a guy from college, Gareth, who coaches there invited me along I decided it might be a good idea.

When I got there as the evening was starting, I found I was way out of my comfort zone - something that doesn’t happen very often! It had been a long time since I’d been to a tennis club, I didn’t know anyone there (Gareth was busy coaching) and I wasn’t really sure what to do.

It struck me that that must be exactly what it’s like for many people being invited along to church for the first time. It was reassuring to be given a warm greeting and made to feel welcome; I ended up having a great time and have been back each week since then.

How important it is for us at church to make sure newcomers feel welcome as they step out of their comfort zones!

Kruger National Park A friend from home, Jonathan Cranston, managed to make it over here to visit on the pretence of ‘doing some research’ (he’s a vet), so this saturday we enjoyed a great day’s research at the Kruger National Park. We spotted 4 of South Africa’s ‘Big 5’, although the leopard crossed the road in front of us so quickly I didn’t manage to get a photo! There’ll just have to be a next time… God’s creation truly is awesome.
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Kruger National Park A friend from home, Jonathan Cranston, managed to make it over here to visit on the pretence of ‘doing some research’ (he’s a vet), so this saturday we enjoyed a great day’s research at the Kruger National Park. We spotted 4 of South Africa’s ‘Big 5’, although the leopard crossed the road in front of us so quickly I didn’t manage to get a photo! There’ll just have to be a next time… God’s creation truly is awesome.
Zoom Info
Kruger National Park A friend from home, Jonathan Cranston, managed to make it over here to visit on the pretence of ‘doing some research’ (he’s a vet), so this saturday we enjoyed a great day’s research at the Kruger National Park. We spotted 4 of South Africa’s ‘Big 5’, although the leopard crossed the road in front of us so quickly I didn’t manage to get a photo! There’ll just have to be a next time… God’s creation truly is awesome.
Zoom Info
Kruger National Park A friend from home, Jonathan Cranston, managed to make it over here to visit on the pretence of ‘doing some research’ (he’s a vet), so this saturday we enjoyed a great day’s research at the Kruger National Park. We spotted 4 of South Africa’s ‘Big 5’, although the leopard crossed the road in front of us so quickly I didn’t manage to get a photo! There’ll just have to be a next time… God’s creation truly is awesome.
Zoom Info
Kruger National Park A friend from home, Jonathan Cranston, managed to make it over here to visit on the pretence of ‘doing some research’ (he’s a vet), so this saturday we enjoyed a great day’s research at the Kruger National Park. We spotted 4 of South Africa’s ‘Big 5’, although the leopard crossed the road in front of us so quickly I didn’t manage to get a photo! There’ll just have to be a next time… God’s creation truly is awesome.
Zoom Info
Kruger National Park A friend from home, Jonathan Cranston, managed to make it over here to visit on the pretence of ‘doing some research’ (he’s a vet), so this saturday we enjoyed a great day’s research at the Kruger National Park. We spotted 4 of South Africa’s ‘Big 5’, although the leopard crossed the road in front of us so quickly I didn’t manage to get a photo! There’ll just have to be a next time… God’s creation truly is awesome.
Zoom Info
Kruger National Park A friend from home, Jonathan Cranston, managed to make it over here to visit on the pretence of ‘doing some research’ (he’s a vet), so this saturday we enjoyed a great day’s research at the Kruger National Park. We spotted 4 of South Africa’s ‘Big 5’, although the leopard crossed the road in front of us so quickly I didn’t manage to get a photo! There’ll just have to be a next time… God’s creation truly is awesome.
Zoom Info
Kruger National Park A friend from home, Jonathan Cranston, managed to make it over here to visit on the pretence of ‘doing some research’ (he’s a vet), so this saturday we enjoyed a great day’s research at the Kruger National Park. We spotted 4 of South Africa’s ‘Big 5’, although the leopard crossed the road in front of us so quickly I didn’t manage to get a photo! There’ll just have to be a next time… God’s creation truly is awesome.
Zoom Info
Kruger National Park A friend from home, Jonathan Cranston, managed to make it over here to visit on the pretence of ‘doing some research’ (he’s a vet), so this saturday we enjoyed a great day’s research at the Kruger National Park. We spotted 4 of South Africa’s ‘Big 5’, although the leopard crossed the road in front of us so quickly I didn’t manage to get a photo! There’ll just have to be a next time… God’s creation truly is awesome.
Zoom Info
Kruger National Park A friend from home, Jonathan Cranston, managed to make it over here to visit on the pretence of ‘doing some research’ (he’s a vet), so this saturday we enjoyed a great day’s research at the Kruger National Park. We spotted 4 of South Africa’s ‘Big 5’, although the leopard crossed the road in front of us so quickly I didn’t manage to get a photo! There’ll just have to be a next time… God’s creation truly is awesome.
Zoom Info

Kruger National Park

A friend from home, Jonathan Cranston, managed to make it over here to visit on the pretence of ‘doing some research’ (he’s a vet), so this saturday we enjoyed a great day’s research at the Kruger National Park. We spotted 4 of South Africa’s ‘Big 5’, although the leopard crossed the road in front of us so quickly I didn’t manage to get a photo! There’ll just have to be a next time…

God’s creation truly is awesome.

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