Time is flying

I have been tardy in keeping this blog up to date. I guess I should get into the habit of doing it each day. But its been a busy time and there has been so much to do. Today is a holiday in South Africa (Youth Day) so apart from a Prayer Meeting early on and moving my desk from the church to home, ready to be packed for Australia it is a free day.

Good news is that I finally received my Police Clearance Certificate yesterday. I had submitted one with my original application for a visa but it expired. Fortunately I applied for a new one in early April because the Australian Immigration Department wanted a new original certificate. As soon as I received it I couriered it to Perth. It left Pietermaritzburg at 13.18 and arrived in Johannesburg at 16.16. I can track it via the internet! Wonderful.

All things being well, this should fulfil the requirements needed to grant the visa and who knows, perhaps by the end of the week. It will certainly lift a great deal of strain and anxiety. We are living in limbo land at the moment – not knowing if we are going or staying. We had a farewell gathering arranged by the church choir on Sunday despite the fact that we are not sure of our future. Its hard to say goodbye in these circumstances. However we have been very open about the uncertainties with the congregation and they have been very reassuring – they wish us well, believe that it is in God’s intention … and would be very happy if we stayed. I love these people here and its going to be very sad to leave them.

I will preach my last (?) sermon on Sunday but it will not be the last service. Our last (?) service at the main church will be on June 28th and its going to be a thanksgiving from our side. Everytime we sing a hymn which I really like, I add it to the repertoire of hymns to be sung at my funeral – I now have 37 of them, and we have decided that we are going to sing at least some of these at the last service. I am also going to give thanks for all the people whom I have served in the 15 years that I have been minister of this congregation – they have really blessed me in so many ways. The following Sunday I will preach my last sermon at the Dargle Church. I will already be on leave but they have especially asked for me to be there.

My leave starts on June 25th but there is still so much to do. I need to get all the church info off my computer onto the computer system at the church; we need to dispose of a whole lot of stuff before the packers arrive on July 7th; I need to sort out my financial affairs – pension, investments, bank accounts, tax etc. We have booked a beach holiday from July 10th (and paid for it) but if time runs out we’ll give it to someone who needs a good holiday.

Please keep praying that there is enough time to do everything which needs to be done and that the processes continue to be smooth.