After my girlfriend had been so ill during January and I had spent nine weeks recovering from a severe respiratory infection that was aggravated by a flare-up of Lupus, all of this was really just a little too much. I needed to fly to South Africa and when usually you can ask those that are close to you for help, this wasn't a realistic route. My girlfriend hadn't worked for close on a month, my brother is bearing the cost of a funeral and his children have had to cross the world to get to my Sister In-laws funeral, children in tow.
In Johannesburg, my needs are sorted. I have three friends that have reached out. I have somewhere to stay, help with getting around and a meal every day. I will be able to renew my driver's licence, go to my Sister In-laws funeral and see everyone that I need to.
A week later I need to go to Cape Town. That's where it gets bizarre,
My closest friends in Cape Town have either immigrated to Europe, moved to Johannesburg or gone on holiday. As an active person in the church, I reached out to the Anglican Congregation closest to where my mother is in frail care to see if they would be prepared to help a fellow Christian. I asked for a safe place. Not inside someone's house, but a garage or an outside room, Just somewhere off the street. And you know what I got in reply - "We'll think about it" and then Nothing.
And the churches wonder why their membership is dwindling. If I was visiting with a pocket full of pounds it would be different. The kettle would be on and I'd be referred to someones local guesthouse. But turn up in South Africa and ask for a safe back garden to camp in While you wait for your mother to die? Not a chance.
And so my journey to South Africa may well be my last because I will go to Cape Town. I will spend seven nights wherever I can lay my head, possibly inside a Police Station waiting room and I will be able to go to a local shopping centre to wash and keep clean. I will go to church at the place that won't even give me the safety of their four walls at night so that I can take communion. But once it is over, I will know, It is time to journey back.
What has become of the church when in a country notoriously dangerous it won't reach out to a fellow Christian traveller in need of a little support.
I offered the people at this church references from my local church of the same denomination, but it seems that in truth they just didn't have the time or couldn't be bothered.
And yet I have been invited by a friend a young vibrant black Anglican priest to join him in his mission in the remotest parts of the Eastern Cape. I will, of course, be going and taking plenty of gifts with from my own congregation. But in my hour of need, my Christian brothers and sisters of my own denomination are not there.
What does that say about the state of family of Christ?
*Update* - I was cared for and loved by an amazing group of people from a Baptist congregation at Linkway Church in the same neighbourhood as the church from my denomination. I felt welcome cared for and received Amazing emotional support in the light of my situation. Have arranged a donation for them since I am back at work now.
