Happenings and non-happenings

Oh my! It's now May 2nd! The days are getting shorter, noticeably colder, and also wetter here in Durban. Just as I finally get used to ridiculous tropical temperatures (I think Ghana definitely helped Durban to feel a little more normal!) it gets all cool! I think I might never feel warm again this side of 30C!

Anyway, it's fast closing in on 6 weeks until I come home. These 6 weeks are going to be a little different than I imagined though. On Sunday just gone I had a rather unfortunate run in with a Mercedes C180, i.e. I crashed into one! It was actually his fault (changing his mind and crossing from right hand side of a crossroad junction to turn left, and so right across my path), but I still ended up driving into the Merc that was deciding to park itself right in front of me. Thankfully I braked fairly well, and managed to steer a bit so I more glanced him and spun off, rather than slamming square into him. His car was good enough to drive away, mine, not quite so lucky. Given the age of the car it's almost certainly a write off. Thankfully again, the other driver has taken full responsibility and has arranged for me to claim from his insurance. Hopefully I'll hear more next week, but the claim is now already underway.

It does mean that for my last little while in Durban I'm car-less.... something you don't want to be when you have to travel 8.5 miles to work, a mile to the nearest shop, 5 miles to the nearest friend's house, and all this over big Durban hills! As it stands I'm either able to hitch a lift or borrow a car for most things I need to do. It is limiting though. I used to be one of the people who could provide a ride for people, now I need a ride. Being a leader in this context generally means you need a car, because that's often the only way you can see people or gather them. For example, it's going to be practically impossible to get my Connect Group together now I don't have a car. It's hard to grasp just how vital having a car is in this environment. I remember from the moment I arrived until now several times where I've been reminded that things just break down here without adequate transport. Getting adequate transport is one of our big challenges. Oh, sure, it wouldn't be a problem if we were just talking about building a church full of middle class families who could all drive. But when including the poor, students, even just ordinary people with reasonable jobs who can't afford a car, and people who come from far away, yes, we need cars! So don't be surprised one day if I end up asking some of you to help a key leader in the church here to buy a car - it's not a luxury, but crucial to operating an all inclusive church in this context.

That was the happening - my car crash. By the way, I was unhurt apart from a small sprain on my right wrist from holding the wheel (I did use my left hand too, but somehow it wasn't hurt!) at the moment of impact. The non-happening is my Teach First application. Things have opened up remarkably to allow me to apply, and my application was warmly received. The problem is that I need to be back for an interview and assessment day on May 14th, which is not just inconvenient but totally impractical. So that's that one out.... there's not really any way around that. I think that applying to start September 2009 would be good, but we'll see.

So for now it seems that I don't know what I'll be doing when I come back home. All things being equal, I think it's better to have a job than not, so I'll be looking for one, but I don't know what. It's hard to think of something you'd really like to do, that would really be of some long term use, but that you might only do for a year. Any thoughts, people? Answers on the back of a postcard, please!

See you all soon!