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• Lots happening at the Haven
• Why Quiet Days
• The Religious Life
Lots happening at the Haven
[Joy Lancaster]
’All smiles at ‘Belgian Carnival’
For two weeks during July we had three Belgian student volunteers at
the Haven. At the end of their stay they organised a carnival for our
children and adult patients. Well, it was a party the likes of which
The Haven has never seen. They had pony rides, fire trucks, two clowns
(one doing face painting and another doing magic tricks), jumping
castles, quad bikes and a movie shown on a big screen television.
It was wonderful and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They also
had 100 helium balloons to decorate the inside of the marquee that they
had set up to protect everyone from the bright sun in the afternoon. As
the sun was setting the children let the balloons go. “The
balloons are going to Jesus,” exclaimed the children.
Two of these young men had visited South Africa last year and
someone brought them to The Haven. They were so moved by their visit
that they came back the following day, in pouring rain, to bring
presents for the children. Upon returning home, they started an
organization to raise funds for The Haven and immediately started
making arrangements to return to South Africa.
Everyone at The Haven was overwhelmed by their generosity and thoughtfulness.
More about our volunteers in the next issue of iindaba
Cottage make-over
The big cottage on the premises (also known as the green cottage)
underwent a make-over when a group of volunteers from the University of
St John and the College of St Benedict’s in Minnesota was here.
They not only painted the outside but also all the walls inside of the
cottage ... these a warm, welcoming yellow. This made for a big change
from the sad and drab grey that all the walls had been. About two
months later we had the flooring replaced with tiles and the bathrooms
in both cottages have been retiled too.
Chapel make-over
We received a call from a representative of The Union of Jewish Women
earlier in the year, and she said that they have money that they would
like to donate to The Haven for a specific project. Our Chapel flooring
was in desperate need of replacement as the carpet that was on there
looked as if it had been laid when the building was originally built.
Our house-keeper took the call and told the lady about the floor. It
was felt that a different type of flooring would better suit The
Haven’s needs. The Union of Jewish Women very kindly sponsored
the replacement of the carpets with laminated flooring. Christ
the King church sponsored new blinds for the chapel to suit its new
look.
Playschool revamp
With our children growing up and starting to go to school and needing
pre-school education, we are looking at having our Playschool revamped.
The Haven has been adopted by a non-profit organization, called
Australia Aids South Africa, as their primary benefactor. They have
raised funds and have so far bought furniture and educational toys,
etc. in anticipation of the ‘new’ Playschool. Plans are
being drawn up for the revamp which is being sponsored by
Commodore Shipping, a major trading company based in Cape Town.
The Haven is also looking at extending the children’s wing and a sister company, Calulo Trading intend sponsoring that.
Driveway paved
The Haven has had its driveway paved… hallelujah! The United
Congregational church in Chatty adopted us as their charity for 2007
and sponsored the paving of our driveway. They also bought seven new
bed and base sets for one of our cottages. Regulars to The Haven have
all commented on what a pleasure it is to drive in on the new driveway.
It has also transformed the look of the premises.
Our cottages are used to house overseas visitors from time to
time and also out of town folk who come to do our Wellness Management
Course. The beds that we had were really looking quite sad and the new
beds are an absolute blessing.
Haven ‘Black Tie’ affair
The Haven is having a black tie affair at ETC on 7 December.
There’ll be a buffet dinner, a live band and Marc Lottering will
be providing our entertainment. Tickets are R300.00 per person, and you
can contact the Haven office to purchase tickets. So polish your
dancing shoes and join us for some dancing and laughter. Phone:
041 481 1515
Why Quiet Days
[John Davis]
Sometimes you have to stop. We stop at night when we lapse
unconsciously into sleep. Usually we awaken refreshed, and then we live
the next sixteen hours or so before needing again to rest.
This rhythm for the Christian usually settles into a three-fold pattern
of Rest, Pray and Work. It’s important to have this balance in
our in our lives because to be unbalanced is not desirable. Eight hours
resting, thirty minutes praying and fifteen and a half hours working
and relaxing is what many of us are accustomed to.
Now consider this – a Quiet Day is setting up deliberately a new
behaviour pattern where one places time aside to be quiet with God in
the silence, with or without others being around. Usually there is an
opening address from the ‘conductor’ who is present to set
the tone and be available to anyone who needs guidance or direction.
One is free to sit quietly and think and pray or read a book or
meditate on a text of Holy Scripture or go for a walk or simply to
allow God’s Spirit to come and bless you. Tea and coffee is
available and usually a bring-and-share lunch when we break silence and
talk to one another.
A Quiet Day is a creative, dynamic, gentle adventure into God.
The results of setting aside six hours (10h00 to 16h00) to allow the
Holy Spirit to work with you and in you may not immediately be felt,
but the next day you will notice a definite change – for each one
something different – enough to make one long for the next
encounter with God in the silence.
Our Creator does not play games with us. He is real and alive and waits
for us to allow him to mould us more and more into his Own Image.
The creator of human personality is himself greater than that which he
has created. God himself is personal and like each one of us is
able to communicate in any way he chooses. That’s the
exciting part. To place oneself deliberately in God’s path,
as it were, by attending a Quiet Day is an act of faith on your part
which always is honoured by God in a way you will recognise. You are
invited to discover for yourself the touch of the Lord on your life in
a new way by daring to take God even more seriously than that to which
you are accus-tomed by habit or tradition.
God is leading us into new paths which are not new but merely
undiscovered by each generation. No human parent will choose
deliberately to ignore his/her own flesh and blood when the son or
daughter comes to visit. Nor does God ignore us when we make time
deliberately to dialogue with the Divine Majesty – our heavenly
Father - in the space provided by a Quiet Day. To be quite candid and
frank, it’s awesome.
John Davis is a retired priest living in Kenton-on-Sea.John Davis is a retired priest living in Kenton-on-Sea.
The Religious Life
[Roy Snyman tssf]
Following on last month’s article on the Religious Life Council
meeting, this is to give readers an idea of what orders there are
available from which people can choose.
Order of the Holy Cross:
The OHC in Grahamstown is attracting much interest as it develops its
work amongst young people, and in the running of their Conference and
Retreat Centre.
The CR Sisters, whom we know so well, have recently received two new Vocations from KZN and are broadening their perspectives.
The Franciscan Life in Africa
are represented by the mostly lay Tertiaries, though there are some
priests among them. Their Provincial for Africa (David Bertram tssf of
Polokwane) asked Roy Snyman tssf and Mrs Mary Rogers tssf of Cape Town
to be the official Franciscan Tertiary representatives. Mary is the
Secretary to the Council.
The Franciscans are the only one of the ‘Great Orders’ that
have three ‘Orders’: 1) Friars, 2) Sisters and 3)
Tertiaries. The Third Order was established by St Francis of Assisi for
the Laity, who wished to live the Gospel Life according to the ideal of
serving the poor and marginalised in simplicity, hidden generosity and
ecological awareness.
Priests in Parishes may join in order to live this life, while not becoming Friars or Sisters living in friaries and convents.
Oratory of the Good Shepherd:
A Community of (mostly) Priests, who do not live “in religious
houses” but are monastic, are the men of the Oratory of the Good
Shepherd (OGS) eg the present bishop of St Helena, +John Salt.
Thanksgivings are asked for the Communities that have done great work
in our Church, and Prayers requested for more fulfilled Vocations in
our existing Orders.
Biblical
Many in scripture embraced celibacy as a Vocation, as did Jesus
himself. He blessed this dedication when he said, “There are
eunuchs … for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able
to receive this, let him receive it.” (Matthew 19 : 10 &11)
‘Jesus may be calling you! Think on this with prayer.’
Fête
Walmer Town Hall
Saturday 10 NovemberSaturday 10 November
09h0009h00
Food, White Elephant, games, books etcFood, White Elephant, games, books etc
Raffle: Raffle:
1st prize – TV1st prize – TV
2nd prize – DVD2nd prize – DVD
3rd prize – Gift voucher 3rd prize – Gift voucher
The Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin.
Pic: Guess who? Hidden beneath this beautiful quilt is the person who received it for her birthday? (But she’s not alone!!!)
Clue in ‘The view from pulpit and pew'.
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