Fishers of Men

 'Fishers of Men' 

Love the walks around the local lake. Yes he did look behind himself but I did not let that stop me from taking a photo. Not to worry sir. We will probably never see each other again. I never quite understood why people go fishing. There must be something to it though, as three blokes lined the edge of the half a metre apart from each other remaining silent except for a few side glances. How does this constitute as a social gathering? Is this how married people stay married? So many questions, so little time.

I gingerly remove my judgy tiger mum lens and readjust with my spontaneous tiger cub lens and carried on staring into his back. This may be fun and heaven for some...or for that trio. 1) You don't have to engage with the other person besides 'pass the bait' or 'cor, this is a big one!' 2) You have no interest in befriending strangers therefore enlisting the company of a like-minded antisocial friend would resolve that issue of unwelcome interruptions, enabling you to remain stoic and pensive. 3) You get your endorphin hit and vitamin D from 'sunshine' regulating circadian rhythm promising a good night's kip 4) You can look out 'to sea' pondering the mysteries of life wondering how on planet earth did you end up here wearing a flat cap and wellies fishing for....well...fish only to release it back into the wild before returning home to eat shop-bought breaded cod.

I put my Motorola back in my left pocket and made a right towards the kid's playground. Real-time duration approx 120 seconds. 🎣

Guess who's back, back again?

Last post dated 2013. It is now 31 Jan 2021. Well. Better late than never!

After gentle persuasion from friends over the last year (I know, I'm hard to crack) I finally figured that it was high time to return to the world of Blogspot. Probably could have blogged sooner but Facebook is just so convenient and I'm lazy. "Do I really need to use ANOTHER platform?" 

"Isn't blogging just a touch narcissistic and presumptuous to think that people would actually want to read your brain?"

Thankfully I had just Yotubed a video on Enneagram Types and the advice for Type 1 Improvers when they are on unhealthy levels is to sing their inner critic voices to the tune of 'Happy Birthday to You'. It dispels and disarms the lie helping one to get out of their anal-retentive, perfectionistic, critical rut. 

Worked a treat and I got over my fears of producing inappropriate or irrelevant content. Or maybe that's the point - to not regulate and just brain-dump my musings.

Right, enough rambling, and let's climb back up from the rabbit hole...

Hi. I won't promise that I'd blog regularly as chances are I'd devote all my energies on this for 2 weeks before losing steam and returning to sloth mode scrolling through Insta and Facebook.

But in the unlikely event that I'd stay and be faithful to Bloggerland...erm...

WELCOME TO MY HUMBLE CYBER ABODE. And allow me to remove caps lock so it doesn't look like I'm shouting. 

Would like this blog to be, dare I say it, a safe space to natter in written form the inner workings of my heart on a good day, whilst also encasing the cauldron of rantings on my less healthy days. I shall endeavour to keep the latter to a minimum...

Right. How the heck do you upload a photo?!

For Non-Display Purposes Only

It has taken me the better part of half a century to try send 40 photos on hotmail. Cut a long story short my plan B took me here.

As an aside, Aunt Cecelia told me that during sleep your internal organs regenerate themselves between the hours 11pm - 3am...but how would your kidneys know what time it is? If it really were true then my biological age is 75 (*shudders). 

In a nutshell:

1. Hauled through a collection of payslips, postcards, progress files, certificates to successfully retrieve box of artwork
2. Borrow lil sis' digicam. 8 megepixels. I remember a time when IXUS 8 was properrrrrrrr advanced like. Now it's old news.
3. Mountains of sketchbooks but can't bear to throw them away. Blood, sweat and tears. Maybe I can store them for forty years and then auction it all off as vintage prized artwork when I'm old and grey and proverbial children want to put me in a home. Ooh maybe I should start writing letters and bury them into an airtight capsule. How else will the next generation know how we live? Once all the crude oil is used up and no longer powers computers. Yes, let's invest in a capsule...right after I save to buy a better camera. Actually no, driving lessons. 
4. Select said art pieces
5. Bad camera, poor lighting, sans 3D white box. Everybody now - ROOKIE ERROR! Relax, audience through cyberspace. You know what they say? It's about making the most of what you DO have. Why show ingratitude for possessing a perfectly good camera? Definitely a first world problem. Pull yerself together girlfriend!
6. Grab a few sheets of leftover cartridge paper and BOOM! Who needs a 3D white box.
7. Snap, snap, rotate camera, snap. (*cue Austin Powers theme tune) Oooh mind the fingers and toes. 
8. Shove SD card into Macbook Pro aka Keith my partner in crime. Been with me 4 years to Hong Kong, Belgium, Poland, Germany, Holland and South Africa. He's a good laptop even though his right trackpad has ceased to work. Getting senile the poor thing. I refuse to replace with a younger model...until I see the blue screen.
9. Crop, rotate, bing bang bong. Hotmail. Upload files...(laptop chugs)..."File sizes too large". *Head dips. Skydive. OneDrive. Nope. OK. 
10. Plan B: Blogspot. BOO-YAH! Now some of the work has already been featured in previous posts but it's always good to revisit and review. 

Bed is beckoning. Internal organs needs rest and rejuvenation. Electricity bills accumulating as I type. *look up. Why are the living room lights not energy saving lightbulbs? Yes they're aesthetically pleasing but think of the polar bears. Can I be bothered to add captions...yes corporal, I think I can. Ok, 30 minutes tops and then I will going to ascend the staircase. Spit on it (*Hawk phlegm into palm. Proceed to unleash onto qwerty).

Commission for Kent County Show. Individual small sketches placed into one.

Ta-dah!

Icon Project with Grandpa is the subject matter. He was dying of prostate cancer so I wanted to dedicate this to him. Gave him a copy of 'How To Make Grandpa' manual. Cigarette, cigar, walking stick,  house slippers, top hat and zimmer frame all hand-sewn using felt and stuffing. Tote bag done by sewing machine. CD contains animation done with graphics group during 2nd year BTEC ND in Canterbury. Miss him. All the times he wanted to take me to MacDonald's. 

Prefer sketchbook to final pieces. More personal and descriptive of journey rather than destination.

Pop-up. Mono-printing on cartridge.

Alien by sewing machine. Button donated by GAP trenchcoat.

Good ol' felt tip and colouring pencils!

Upon inspection, slightly disturbing. Well, they WERE Victorian dolls.

Satisfies the OCD for sure!

Negative space, what would I do without you?

Happiness baby book.

There's the creepy Victorian dolls again!

Childhood museum is definitely my favourite. Even V&A doesn't make it as high on my list. Hope Tamagotchis get featured. Legendary toy of the nineties. When people say ten years ago I always think '90s not noughties. 

Didn't photograph every page. Exquisite watercolour paper. Cost me an arm and a leg to print but well worth it.

Creative Arts Academy 2011-12. From top left to right: Yours truly, Hanne, Jamie, Jono, Michel, Katie. Those were the good days. Miss them and that time a lot. Not featured are incredible house parents Tim and Sinta. Out of TC now with 3 bubbas. Miss them. Student leaders Paul and Jana succeeded as course heads and have baby Mia now. Emma is on Saturation course in South Africa. How time flies. Man, what an incredible year of tears and laughter that He allowed us to experience.

When I was in Wonderful on Monday mornings. Some sketches for Ardent Hare. Think other one was selected and made as animated gif. 

Salamanda plushie! For mum,  most inspirational woman I know. I admire marmee for her ability to endure and persevere, not to mention her unconditional love and grace for me. Lord knows the journey that she has gone through.

Canadian-Korean student leader by the name of Steve Lee recommended said combination on toast. Try it, rocks!

Indian ink on canvas. Initial intention was to sell to pay my fees but ended up giving as gifts to Tim&Sinta, Eugen&Ramona, Katie Robo and...erm...don't remember the fourth

Comissioned tote bag artwork for Sinta's ladies' mentoring group. The Potter and The Clay. Later find that it was for Jin Munn. Win.

People in London bus stop avoiding eye contact and trying to not look awkward.

Sinta, Leon and Ross. Troy was a twinkle in Tim's eye when I did this. Twas little gift for CAA folk at start of our course.

Grandpa I miss you! Pray that I will see you again in Heaven. 

Would work if I lived in Italy. The continentals have got it right.

When I specialised in dance and was inspired by Irene Cara's 'What A Feeling'. Really enjoy using a sharp scalpel. Maybe I ought to go into nursing.

NOT MY ARTWORK.  Inspirational ephemera. Recognise one from Paris, Popeye is a Dali, other's a Man Ray, the rest, your guess is as good as mine.

Yes Frida! Roy Lichtenstein. The postcard with men around a table entitled "Meeting of the Bored". Tube Map circa 2005. Coke can with plug hole - clever!

I am late for a meeting with my pillow. See ya later alligator.

再見! 

A Trip Down Memory Lane...how original!

So it's been a while but better late than never! Just had some dinner with the folks and my mind drifted off to my time in sunny South Africa. It's become a regular occurrence and although it makes me a little sad to be so far away from a home I have grown to love so much over the six months, I'm also quite happy that nobody could take this memory away from me. So here's a little snippet of my time there.

Us on top of Kranskop Mountain, Nylstroom

I think this photo was taken sometime in the second term (April-July). As the training centre plus Jan, the senior pastor, we climbed up the mountain that overlooks the town of Nylstroom. The South Africans were, true to form, very good at climbing the monster. I, on the other hand, was a bit slow on the uptake. Going up the mountain wasn't so bad. Sports direct were very good in selling me some Karrimor hiking boots so didn't slip one bit. It was the going down that was a challenge. This is a bit embarrassing to admit but...I held onto one of the first years on the way down. He was very nice and patient about it but I must say I felt like a bit of a wuss. Thought I had conquered the fear back in Dartmoor but guess it was an opportunity to cement the victory. My one big highlight of the Kranskop climb was praying over the city. We spoke words of life over Nylstroom and asking God to place men and women of influence to bring kingdom order over the town. I hope these Yotties would continue to press on. There's hidden potential in each and everyone of them and I can't wait to see how God is going to use them for HIS glory.

Kylie, Lisa and I on the charity Cansa run

This was the Cansa Run. That's Kylie on the left there from Reading. Good girl, went over to SA to save the animals at the Vet's. Was great just hearing a British accent from another person. Lisa's one of the leaders on Saturation. She can run and run and run. I run...at a glacial speed! Yea. Sports isn't quite the thing for me. I enjoy encouraging more and egging people on. But hey, I DID run the 10K with Leah from Phagameng. Wonder how she's doing now. So yea, the Yotties did a marvellous job helping to set up and set down. One lady gave me a word of encouragement at the time when I needed it most. She saw something in me that I couldn't see in

myself. Thank You Lord for people like her! God made us all so differently. I wonder how He chose the different combinations. There MUST be a reason why He didn't build me with long, runner-like legs, right?

A truly wonderful and loving cell

These are my cell leaders, Fred and Colet and their two beautiful sons, Cobus and Erick. This was my family for the 6 months I was there. Colet's such a sweetheart. On Bretville night, where the whole church dressed in 50s gear, she came to the Centrum and picked me up to her house. She started cutting at this piece of black and white polkadot fabric, held it around my waist, then minutes later was off on the sewing machine. Yup. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, this Afrikaaner lady made me a skirt from scratch! It was so sweet. I was beaming from ear to ear as she was curling my hair in her roller skates, whilst Fred was a metre away combing his

hair with more grease than needs be. Oh it was a beautiful night! We danced the night away and LeeAnne, the TC oversight, stole the show with her epic line-dancing techniques. 

Please don't bite me, I got a plane to catch!

Yea Erick's a lively character to say the least! He's always been the hospitable kind, running up to hug me on the sunday mornings and making sure I'm alright. On the penultimate day of SA, he gave me a beautiful pencil drawing of the Cross for me. Besides 9 year old Jonny from Lerato who made me the Valentine's Day Card (in May!), I don't think anyone else has drawn me something before. Cobus is also very sweet. I remember when we went as a cell to Temple, a nearby holiday resort (I know! These South Africans party in style). We all swam in the outdoor heated pool. Cobus was telling me what school was like and suddenly, I was glad I wasn't a teenager anymore!

Girls receive their pressies from Tanie Ching on the day I left

This is Karlien and Angie! Gorgeous gorgeous girls. Karlien's the quiet type. Took a few times swimming in the pool to get her to open up but I enjoy her sensitive nature. She has taught me more Afrikaans than anyone else. Seriously, here is a teacher in the making. And her artwork! In January during the building project. She and Marne were married to my art box. Yea. No joke. My watercolour set was half empty by the time they were done with it!

Angie is just random. You know Audrey Tatou in Amelie? She's a bit like that. Angie was one of the first friends I made. I don't care she's 9, ok, she's AMAZING! I'd be in the TC kitchen making congee because I miss my mum and how she'd make it for me when I was ill. Then Angie would prop herself next to me on the breakfast bar. She'd point her tiny fingers towards my bowl. 

Me: Erm...dit is rys met baie water...jy wil dit?
Angie of courage: Ja.

Tentatively, I grab an extra bowl, slosh some congee in it, bit o' soya sauce and off she goes. Before I know it she's polished the bowl. Angie rocks. 

Another time, she grabbed her dad's samsung and put some Afrikaaner slow jamz on and started singing. I still remember her blue eyes as she stared at me intently and performed on the stoep. The battery died so she ran back to Meerkats room, charged it, came back, sang. Battery died again. Meerkats again. Charge. Back again. This happened for about 5 times, alright, but I couldn't face telling her to stop. She was just too adorable at that point in time. 

Miss her loads. Think out of everyone, she's the one I've missed the most. Love the way she walks bare feet in that long pink gypsie dress, taking a billion photos with my camera whilst Lilo and Stitch are barking in the background. Oh Angie, will you ever know how much of a big impression you have made on me? 

Ok that's it. I'm going to pray that when I have a daughter she'd be just like her. Sans the blond hair and blue eyes. We all know that with my strong oriental genes that it's not possible. 

Asian invasion must proceed. 

Here's a view from the auditorium looking out past the swimming pool and party den. Isn't that just wonderful? I remember going for walks along the farm to get away from the business of it all and God just ministers to me there and then. In fact, it was in the pool where I felt God spoke to me the most. If only I could capture this scene on camera. It was truly magnificent. This is where Psalm 46 is made real to me where I HAVE to be still and know that He is God. He is the God above all creation, the God who redeems, who rebuilds, who restores. What a beautiful artist He is to paint the skies and colour in the fields. There is no sun like the African sun and I thank You, beautiful Father, for letting me watch it descend upon Effata. 

再見.

Zimbabwe Missions 2013. Yea. That's right.

At Acts of God Church, Bulawayo

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, this is the moment you've all been waiting for. Yes, after all this time, FINALLY I get to write a post. I should be studying right now, although I thought that if I didn't write at least one decent post in South Africa I'd be sorry. 

So the most recent exciting venture would be our missions trip as Saturation School of Missions along with a team from Koinonia and Acts of God Church to Zimbabwe. WHOOP!!! It was baie wonderful. Never thought that a Chinese girl from London would be livin' it large in Bulawayo. 

For 12 days we did things like going from house to house and praying for people. I learnt how to balance a bucket of water on my head - yes please. Give me more. Also ate pap with our hands - many thanks to our wealth of experience in rural village missions the past few months. We also learnt how to sing in Ndebele. It was truly amazing. One of the pastors gave us a bedroom to sleep in so us girls got to sleep on a mattress. They also killed a goat so we could eat well. The ladies worked night and day stirring pap. I tried, it was tough. I don't get it. They're so slight frame-wise and yet they got core strength like a wrestler. Hats off to the Zimbabweans. 

Cansa Charity Run 

This was a while back but I felt it needed to be included. It's not that I ran a long distance but it was more the fact that we did it as Koinonia Training Centre plus peeps from Koinonia Church. 

Every mile or so there were people handing out soft drinks - GAME ON. It made us strong. I mean, look at the photo! The SA Yotties did a fine job putting the stands up and being a general hands and feet.




So we have 9 more days until we fly back to the UK (*gulp). I don't even know where I'm going to live after graduation yet. Very happy that God knows. Not fully sure how I've felt about my time here. I'm looking forward to seeing my family and friends. Really missing my sister and brother at the moment. We used to have so much fun when we were living together. Can't wait to go to London, kick back and relax a bit before the next season of whatever God has in store for me begins. 

On the flip side of things, I don't want to leave South Africa. Made some good friendships here. Love their hearts in wanting to give. Then there's Angie, Henk's (one of the Yotties) daughter. Oh she's cute. I love how weird and quirky she is. 9 years old and she goes around barefeet picking up Bella the cat and just...you know what, I don't know what she does exactly but she's awesome. Love it when she sings in Afrikaans. 

It will be a bittersweet moment when we drive off to O R Tambo airport in Jo'berg. 

But hey, there's still a week to go. Still got Equipping Week here at the TC with Pastor Isaac and his team from the Free State. Still got time to soak up the sun. Still got time to do my SATs Christian Ethics and Introduction to Biblical Languages. Lord give me supernatural strength! Last push before I can wear my mortar board and the scroll of epic-academia-intellectual awesomeness. 

Anyway, must dash now. SATs ain't gonna write itself. 

Yebo!

Sabbath - Dit Is Die Tyd Vir Verf! Ja

I was hoping for a descriptive post but alas, I have noodle time with the lovely Eme Spies! But this is better than nothing, right?

For Sarie

For Tanie Brenda

Pretoria Urban Missions Part ONE

25 May 2013

Hi!

Firstly, apologies for not being very present on this blog the last few months.

Alright! So where do we begin? At the start I suppose.

I have just had one of the most eye-opening and emotional weeks of my life. I am not exaggerating. We had urban missions in Pretoria Mon-Fri working with homeless people and prostitutes. I must say that when I first got to the city that I was not 100% prepared. But who CAN be? Our friend aka man of peace was with us. We walked together along the streets where the ladies would stand to find business. Every one that I saw had bruises on her legs. I never understood how you would get a kick out of beating someone up.

Then we walked to a nearby stall famous for good chicken feet and skewers but it was already closed. Fear not, though, the stall next door sold similar things! Chicken feet were R1 each, skewers R5 and chicken wings R5. How on earth do they make profit? But oh my HAT they were good! We sat by the Art Museum monument and chowed. Our friend went to the cornershop and got us a bottle of coke and loaf of unsliced bread. We knawed at chicken feet and threw the bones on the grass for the animals.

After we went to the Union State Building. The view looking down at the city was incredible. Kind of reminded me of Alexandra Palace but more...I don't know the word at this point in time. Anyway, we posed next to a canon, pulled some funny faces and then the girls and I used the gent's. I know. But we couldn't find the ladies'! Ben, Josh and friend looked out for us. Well, guess it's something to tell your grandchildren.

This was only on the first night but it was one that I would remember when I return to the UK. Our friend's a really cool guy also. Praise the Lord that there are people like him who would rise up, take the baton and just run with it. You can see he has a passion for people and hearing their stories. It certainly made me feel encouraged that someone so young would take big risks and fight for social justice. Plus, he's just a normal guy, just like you and me. Anyone can make a difference. You just have to make a choice and stick to it and pray with utmost sincerity that God would bless your path and guide you on the road. Oh. And the nittty gritty things along the way. Maybe I need to do that more.

I'm rambling and it's almost eleven at night. I should be either in bed or studying right now.

Night!