As you might have heard, the UK has been hit by some pretty severe snow storms during the last 36 hours. This morning I was horrified to learn that there were no trains running from Cardiff to London, where I was due to catch my flight to Sweden (via Copenhagen). I spent the morning on hold, before being told that my flight had also been canceled and could be rescheduled free of charge.

In the meantime, I’ve invented a new concept: The Snow Crunch.

Defn. The Snow Crunch: The sudden tightening of an individual’s personal finances caused directly, or indirectly, by a snow storm.

Today in London there was an increased demand for accommodation due to flight cancellations. As a result, the hotels increased the cost of a room, thus perpetuating The Snow Crunch.

“When our acts mirror our words, they give to our words a transforming power.” ~ Elizabeth O’Connor

District Six was a multicultural area that was destroyed during the Apartheid years in South Africa. People of African descent were moved by force to particular townships, people of mixed ethnicity were moved to other areas, their houses bulldozed and the land offered to white families.  However, many white families refused to move in because they disagreed with the actions of their government.

Today we visited the District Six museum in Cape Town’s city centre and were introduced to a few of the stories of this neighbourhood. One of the most shocking was of a man categorised as “coloured” (of mixed ethnicity) married to a woman categorised as “black”, who were forced to live in different places.  If they wanted to see each other they had to apply for a pass from the police, who would grant them one visit every three months.

Afterwards we debriefed the experience and explored what we could learn.

It’s so easy to look at the instigators of the Apartheid regime as evil and to simply stop our analysis at that, but there is so much we can learn.  Within each of us is a tendency to fear what we don’t know, or to hold prejudice against others.  Our distinctions may not be down racial lines, but we would be naive to think ourselves immune.  We are often so saturated by our cultural norms that we become inebriated to our own weaknesses.  It’s like asking a fish to describe water.

It’s been almost a week since we baptised Joseph in the Indian Ocean. I thought I’d let you in on how we arrived at this point…

Our journey with Joseph began just two months ago. We were walking and praying that Jesus would lead us to people who would like to follow him, and, as we rounded the first corner, there he stood.

That particular day he was out looking for someone who would lend him 100 Rand (£7) so that he could pay a visit to his doctor. He had a worsening back condition from a road accident that happened when he was cycling to work ten years ago. The doctor had told him that he would need a wheel chair.

When we met Joseph he told us about his back pain, how he had metal rods in his back, plates in his head and had been in a coma for 15 days when it first happened.

So we offered to pray for him.

When we were done, he showed us where he lived and we agreed to come and visit him the next day.

On our return he was smiling as he told us, “I feel fine”.

The next time we went we had Walter with us, and he was able to determine (through conversing in Xhosa) that Joseph was feeling considerably better, and was walking around comfortably. For the first time in years he was sleeping all through the night. He asked that we would come back every day and tell him something about Jesus.

Since then we’ve returned two or three times each week to encourage, pray and read scripture with Joseph and his wife Lulama. They are excited that they can gather their family and friends in their home and learn together about the life of Jesus.

Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?
“Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.
“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
“Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Tonight we’ve been thinking about these words of Jesus. They sound so simple, but, as with most things Jesus said, they raise so many questions. Was Jesus serious? How do I “seek the Kingdom of God”? Where is my treasure at the moment? What would it look like to stop worrying?