060412, Easter Friday

I went to Umtata on Tuesday to renew my driver’s licence.  It turned into an episode of ‘the amazing race’, cause they sent me off to the Police Station for an affidavit ( after I checked if I'll need it and waited in the queue for 2 hours), because my old licence was stolen (I didn’t think I’d need it again, since I already used it the last time to get my temp licence and in the end they didn’t even look at it, but anyway).  Thankfully I got it all done.  And I got a rain jacket from Pep and new gumboots (My old gumboots had a leak - not helpful). 

The rest of the week has been fine, settling in and so on.  Got the kids to come and play on Wednesday. 

The tap water is in dire availability again.  I’m lucky if I can have a shower every second day.  And luckily got some washing done as well.  But that’s village life I guess.  It calls for other interesting ventures.  As you go and fill up your water bottles else where, you are likely to meet another person there who can give you some news about local business.  Yesterday I heard it confirmed again that the community is not very happy about the municipality that wants to take part of their land (the same area on which my half-built rondavel stands).  We have yet to see what is to come of that.  Meanwhile the chief  hasn’t made himself available for a meeting yet.

As I’m meeting more people and talking to people around here in this small town, (which seems to be a microcosm of the greater world out there) I’m finding a lot of people walking around with loads of guilt.  But we need to be reminded that Jesus set us free.  We are forgiven. That’s what this weekend is all about.  To be reminded and to celebrate what Jesus has done for us, settling our debts for us on the cross, conquering the grave and giving us free access to the power of God that rises us from death to life, setting us free.  Not by any good work we’ve ever done or could do, but by His grace.  The free gift God gave every one of us, because He loves us.  Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His mercy endures forever!