What we have here... is Covid 19!

This post picks up where I left off 8 months ago... That is, pretty disillusioned and confused with what the 6 months prior to that had served up. That is, I felt we'd held up our end of the deal, but God had seemingly dropped the ball on His side. Because our much hoped for SA roadtrip got a puncture before we even started, followed up by a last minute u-turn on an amazing job opportunity for an American NGO in Nepal. 

And then, 1 month later, we got our answer... Covid 19. Because let's be honest, a road trip around SA during lockdown wouldn't have exactly worked (duh), nor would of a job in a foreign country, working in schools (double duh). In fact, those 2 options would have likely been in the top 5 worst 'stranded family' scenarios around! Of course, it would have been great to have known all of this in the middle of 2019, but I think if we're honest, knowing the future wouldn't be all it's cracked up to be. And besides, on all accounts, we've spent the last 7 months with our bum in the proverbial 'lockdown' butter. 

I mean, for those who know where we live, there's not much explanation required, but for those who don't, allow me to elaborate. We live on a 20 hectare community farm in the South of Joburg. That is, it's a farm that grows raspberries, enjoyed by a community of 20 families each renting a standalone house on the property. Accordingly, outdoor movement or exercise was not limited, nor was our ability to practice neighbourly distancing (a more practical version of social distancing👌).

However, without a doubt, my most 'practical' testimony coming out of Covid, being an independent, non salaried, contractor, is how I managed to hit budget 5 of the past 7 months, when I could hardly make ends meet over the same period last year. I can clearly recall a fairly nervous conversation I had with God in early March, relating to my Covid financial prospects... and was greatly surprised when He reminded me that He in fact offers short term insurance... Of which I was delighted to learn, that my premiums were fully paid up for the Matthew 6v33 income protection plan!😅 

If you're unfamiliar with this policy, I want to tell from experience, it pays out very well, includes no application forms (a handshake will do), and comes with a set of additional benefits even Outsurance would be proud of! But our budget aside, lockdown really did show me the benefit of living a simple, uncomplicated and quiet life! No big business or division to manage, no hard job/salary cuts to make, no church doors to close, no school to manage, etc... Just me and my household.🙏

Not that my goal in life is to underachieve, but that our default today, certainly as gen X's (and probably Y's too), is to take on more and more responsibility. I think in many ways Covid undid that for a while, and showed all of us that life under 'my' control, really is a myth. Or do we still seriously believe that the galaxies, systems, planets, stars, seasons, rhythms, and life itself, are an uncontrolled and undesigned piece of work? No, you need real power to control, and real genius to design from scratch. Perhaps then, Covid offers all of us the opportunity to consider the sun, and human eyeball, afresh... (But I digress!)

In the remainder of the post, I thought I'd share some of what actually was in my control in lockdown, and how it has been a blessing to me;

• As mentioned, farm life offers open spaces, add a pair of running shoes to that, and there was no reason not to overcome the Covid spread! In fact, I read a quote yesterday on self discipline that blew me away... 'Self-discipline is being your own biggest fan'. I also learnt that self-control is the foundation for that. Anyway, my point being, that I set a goal of running a 3.30 2km (split) sprint (around the farm), trained through the winter, and ran a 3.39 2 days before spring (a PB for me). In the process I also dropped to 73kgs, slightly above my school leaving weight!😎

• I managed to continue immersing myself in the world of education, got my Google Educators (level 1) certificate, and am on track for level 2, and formulating a business plan (BP) for a school I carry deeply in my heart and head (the BP is to see if it should be in my hand!). In a previous post I shared how I almost took a position with a foreign NGO in the education field, but in retrospect I think that was ill timed (obviously), but also somewhat ill-placed. Time will tell, but my roots, my heart, and my people remain in SA. I am already a sojourner once over, must I really double up on that? (Anyway, God knows). Watch this space (especially if you have kids👌) (And here's the concept for anyone interested) 

• It remains no secret, that my 1st love is discipleship, that is trying to figure out how best to follow the One really in control (refer to previous point above). In this regard, I felt it overdue that I make some videos, and convey in another (more engaging (and lazy?)) medium, what God has taught me and placed on my heart. In this regard I completed my Called 2 Conquer War Room series, and hope it will be helpful to other disciples on their sojourn. You can decide for yourself here if you like. 

• As Dannean and I, and anyone else married (never mind with kids) well knows, lockdown brought about a new need to resolve conflict constructively😆💥 Anyway, we've certainly had plenty of practice in this over the years, but hadn't done something 'for us' in some time. And so with every man, woman and their dog going online, we were spoilt for choice, and ended up doing this discipleship course with a very cool crowd in the States. This has helped us move closer together spiritually, by being more intentional and purposeful in understanding God's design in, and seeking out His purposes for, marriage (which includes something else we didn't design, and can't control - our spouse!). 13 years married this year, to this babe...

• Lastly, a long time passion of mine has been mentorship, of which over the years I have been involved in different capacities, shapes and forms. On this note, and for any men out there wanting to volunteer in something worthwhile, check these guys out (where I currently volunteer). Anyway, as we all know, jobless youth, who amount to tens of millions of people in our country, is probably one of the most heartbreaking realities (each one with a story) in SA today. In this regard, I was asked by my good friend and Emthonjeni founder, Trevor Nthola, to run a ' Strive 2 Thrive' workshop for 10 guys and girls from his orphanage down the road (in Orange Farm township). It was a wonderful milestone in my life, and of course I pray in the lives of these youngsters. If this is a burden you bear in some shape or form, here's a copy of the presentation and I'd be happy to workshop it again anywhere there's a need!

Anyway, thanks for reading, and while on one hand I'm mindful of the bigger, more important issues all around us in our country (world) right now (and consequently how small and insignificant this post is in that context), I'm reminded and convinced, that each life and story still matters (at least to the One really in control!). 

Besides, a little light shines all the brighter in the darkness. 

Shine on friends, Nkosisikele (God Bless) all of you! 🙏💙✝️

What we have here... is a failure to launch!

I woke up this morning with such a longing to write again... That is blog again about where we find ourselves in our life's journey. My last post was 6 months ago, and was filled with much hope and exuberance at the prospect of taking a 1 year road trip through South Africa. So sure and excited was I by this dream of ours, that we even created a new blog entitled 'Tata-Ma-Mzansi-Adventure', and boldly shared our plans far and wide. I think at the same time we were glad to be seeing this blog (Our Walkerville Adventure) come to a close, and to move on to newer and better things. Not that the last 5 years haven't been awesome, but it just felt like we were running out of railway or steam (I'm not sure which one), and needed a change. A fresh perspective, a change in direction (career for me), as well as the pursuit of other stirrings deep in our hearts (you can read more about this here - relating to our dreamed of SA roadtrip - https://mzansiadventure.blogspot.com/)

Anyway, in the end - that is having spent 6 weeks trying to borrow the R200k we needed to buy the caravan, and kickstart the adventure - we came up R120k short. Eish. That certainly was not in the script, which was quickly replaced by awkward conversations about how we must have heard wrong from God, and how best to pay back all the money we had just borrowed. Eish indeed! Needless to say, I'm quite an upbeat guy, and so I remained convinced that it was rather an error in destination (than in adventure) on our part, and God would surely be sending the updated memo shortly. In fact, I made it clear that the memo should arrive before the conclusion of 2019. The bible says ask (in faith) and you shall receive, and I for one was going to make sure I wasn't short in either department!

And sure enough, in the middle of November last year, God answered (through a good friend of mine) in the form or an incredible job opportunity! For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to get more involved in education (in some shape or form), and it just so happened that this job description ticked all the boxes I could have ever dreamed of... Well, almost all of them (but I'm getting ahead of myself). There was however 1 significant kicker (X-factor), and that was that the job was beyond SA borders... Far beyond! In Nepal (where people go to climb mount Everest) beyond, to be precise! 

And so began the challenging mental and emotional ascent, of deciding whether or not it was indeed our time and call to leave SA, and go on to a much bigger adventure than even a caravan trip around SA. For me, there was little doubt that this was our destiny, but we decided to take a more pragmatic approach, and simply let the interview process run its course, and essentially wait for them to chose me (and not the other way around). And surprisingly enough, a little more than 1 month later, they did... And told me the job was mine if I wanted it.

As you can imagine, this precipitated a massive amount of celebration and expectation on our part, believing that our ship had at last come in, and we were indeed bound for the adventure of our lives, all the while doing it in submission and service to God and His Kingdom (we hoped). It really felt like we had the winning spiritual lottery ticket! And so once again, friends and families were informed, that instead of a caravan trip around SA, we'd be heading off to Nepal to work for an American NGO, doing awesome work on the front lines of education. And so, needless to say, 2020 dawned full of awe, adventure, faith and excitement! Well almost... because the last piece of the job puzzle, that of salary expectations, still remain untested. This was not by accident however, as in my earlier review of salary bands and company remuneration policy, this appeared to be the last thing to worry about. Eish, wrong again! 

Because what I had not anticipated, was that those salary bands actually applied to self-funded US expats, and my salary band was instead bench-marked on non-self-funded, non US expat factors. Not to say that it was a cheeky salary offer, but simply too little security for us to relocate our entire lives, to a foreign country, with a foreign language, in a foreign culture, for a foreign employer, in a foreign job - only to break about even! And so for the 2nd time, in just as many months, the door closed, and to be honest, our hearts just wanted to break. It felt like something had died. And sure, it wasn't a person or beloved pet... but rather a dream. And yet dreams are somehow perhaps a more dangerous death, for therein lies our hopes and aspirations for the future...

Anyway, fast forward 1 month, and here we are... back in Walkerville, only this time a little less adventurous. We've put the kids into school up the road (no more homeschooling), gone back to our little church down the road (no more home / men's church), and plugged back into our beautiful Field community (which is still a piece of heaven on earth). For work, I simply picked up (where I almost left off) paying the bills by contracting to my buddy's business in Sandton, and Dannean will likely get some part time work when the kids have settled into normal school. And so, for the 1st time in 6 months, I feel like I have sufficient tranquility, perspective and capacity to write again... To be me again.

I think one of the reasons I love writing so much, is that it really helps me to process life. It helps me to organize my thoughts, and constructively verbalize my emotions... which up until recently, sounded a lot like this; Lord, what in heaven's name was that all about!? What of all our hopes and dreams, energy and effort, to travel our beloved country, or work for a great foreign based NGO? Not forgetting we did our very best to do it all in faith, and with pure motives Lord... Seriously, what gives!? Fortunately for me, all of this (ranting) is actually not hopeless rhetoric, for if there's one thing that the past 18 years of walking with God has taught me, it's that He's got answers... very good answers. And even though his answers are more often questions, they never fail to lead me beside still waters, or restore my soul... for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23). 

In conclusion, there's a 2nd thing that the past 18 years of following the Lord has taught me, and it's never to judge God too soon. So I will be reserving my judgement (of the past 6 months) for a little while, and be back with a followup in due course. Until then, Our Walkerville Adventure must go on! Come pay us a visit on the south side whenever you like.