St Helena's weekly flight attempts to land.... a 3rd time

Friday morning in Jamestown.

Friday November 30:

Last night we had dinner at Wellington House and Bishop Dale came to assure us that the plane was on schedule for today. After a good tuna steak and rum-and-raisin ice cream, we walked home. 

This morning was a bit warm and up until 10:30am we had a bit of sunshine.

Town is buzzing with people, reminding me of the little town of Grahamstown on a Friday, full of energy. The numbers of people are far lower here but the spirit is the same.

We walked up Main Street and along the Jamestown harbour and met more people wishing us well with our flight today. The news is that flight has left Windhoek on its way here and we hope in the next four hours there are no dramatic weather changes.

The rest of our story can be told in photos I took, and from St Helena-related websites:

Packed at our hotel and ready to go.

To the airport - it's cloudy, but not too windy.

St Helena's runway is exposed to what pilots call "wind shear".

We're at the airport. 

The prospects look good. 

Checking in. 

Alleluia! The plane has landed.

We landed at OR after 10 pm tonight... Now back to Cape Town to sort out my disrupted schedule and reconnect with my family. 

Exploring St Helena - and getting exercise...

Brother clergy climb Sister's Hill.

Archbishop Thabo continues to blog from St Helena as a result of repeated postponements of the flight taking him, Bishop Stephen Diseko, Bishop Allan Kannemeyer and Fr. Mcebisi Pinyana back to Johannesburg after the consecration of Bishop Dale Bowers:

Wednesday November 20:

At 7:30 we joined the weekly Mass at St James, celebrated by Bishop Dale, then had breakfast. I had run out of hypertension medication so my chaplain, Mcebisi Pinyana, and I enjoyed a walk through light drizzle to the hospital pharmacy. On our way back, an old lady ran across the street and said Eric had books I was looking for. This is how news travels on the island.

The books were piano lessons for beginners. I borrowed them and went to St James to practise the piano. Joy, my teacher in Cape Town, will be happy to know that I fitted in about 30 minutes' practice! I know it's a schlep for her to teach an adult but she is the best teacher for me.

Back at my room I continued to read “Justice” by Michael Sandel, a recommended read indeed. Then I dozed off; I did not l know that I had so much sleep in me! My siesta was disturbed by a call from my university friend and brother-come-businessman, who had heard that we are stuck on St Helena and wanted to send a private plane to fetch us. I assured him that the islanders are hospitable and perhaps God is willing us to rest.

I fell back into siesta again and at 13:55 the reception called and woke me up. Joy – another wonderful ‘deacon’, not ordained but diaconal in her varied services – came to check if we wanted any help. She also brought us lovely thank-you notes. Jamestown and the island are small and we are now “known” around town. It takes longer to move from place to place than when we arrived, as everyone wants to say a word or two and inquire how we are.

Jamestown, with Jacob's Ladder in background.

The four of us re-grouped and decided to climb Sister's Hill as brothers. Sister's Hill is the hill on the opposite side of the Jamestown valley from the hill which we use Jacob's Ladder to climb. We walked to the top and could see the new Rupert's harbour not far from us in the adjoining valley. Our aim was to walk to Rupert's valley from Jamestown but at a dilapidated watchpost we decided to enjoy views of the ocean and the different view of Jamestown.

In the area - Munden's Point - three Bahraini dissidents were held by the British at the request of the rulers of Bahrain from 1957 to 1961 - the last prisoners to be exiled to St Helena.

After some while we descended. We had hoped to get something from the stores on our way back but they close early on Wednesdays, so we went to one which was still open and bought what we could. It has been cooler and the wind is gone.

Talk is that we might leave on Friday but I suspect it might be Saturday – or whenever!

We each have meal vouchers from the airline for 20 pounds a day. We eat sufficient breakfast for the day and use our vouchers at dinner. Lunch is siesta. For Wednesday dinner we across the Castle Gardens to eat at Anne's Place, where we had a delicious home-cooked meal. I enjoyed the yellowtail and vegetables. (Scrolldown the Castle Gardens page)

After  dinner, I still needed about 1430 steps to complete my aim to walk 10,000 steps a day on my mobile phone Stepz App. It monitors my daily activities and since being on St Helena my walking is in the green area on the App, meaning 10k or above. So I went up towards the Post Office and back towards the harbour and around the fountain at the gardens and reached my goal for the day.

More photos from our walk - and the vouchers which give us sustenance....

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Stranded in the South Atlantic!

Bishop Dale braais fish for us.

Our goodbyes to the Saints were delayed last Saturday when the weather forced the cancellation of our flight home, resulting in an avalanche of cancellations.

So we were here on St Helena for a second Sunday. My chaplain, Mcebisi Pinyana, preached at St James' Church, Jamestown, and instead of being at St Mary's in Orlando East in the Diocese of Johannesburg, I celebrated at St James, accompanied by great music and the choir. (The church is alongside a prison! See photo below.) 

Bishop Allan Kannemeyer preached at another parish, while Bishop Stephen Diseko celebrated, and Bishop Dale Bowers went to St Paul's Cathedral. It is a rare happening on the island that you have so many bishops in so many parishes on one Sunday.

For lunch we joined Mrs Penny Bowers' parents, Bobby and Pat, and their family as they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. (Also see a photo below.) Larry the churchwarden and Ivy Ellick, the Diocesan Registrar, continued to pamper us with attention, for which we are most grateful.

On Monday, the four of us visitors took a long walk after breakfast, choosing a new route and covering about 10 km in total, according to my phone App. We walked up the Jamestown valley inland as if going to the next valley, Rupert's, and then at Constitution Corner we came down again past St John's Church and through an area called Maldivia. 

We were tracing Maldivia Lodge (see photo), where Dinuzulu lived during his exile on the island, but we were also just enjoying this safe island on foot. I dedicated the afternoon to admin and correspondence with the office via WhatsApp. 

On Monday evening, we joined the Bowers for a fish BBQ. It was a good opportunity to say thank you to this generous family for hosting us and spoiling us. 

It is windy and cloudy but we are assured that the flight from Johannesburg will land and that we will be able to depart for South Africa. A number of people have said their goodbyes and some said they will also come to the airport. St Helena's cricket team is coming in from Botswana on the flight.

The extra days have been relaxing and reminded me to firm up the dates for my pre-Advent retreat soon. Until we meet again, thank you Saints and all who prayed for our visit here.

Subsequent to the Archbishop writing this, the following tweets on Tuesday from the St Helena Independent:

St James Church backs onto Her Majesty's Prison!

Celebrating Penny Bowers' parents' 50th wedding anniversary.

Maldivia Lodge in 1903. (Acknowledgements: St Helena Island Info)

A delayed goodbye to St Helena by visiting bishops

From left, Bishops Stephen, Dale and Allan on
a school visit with Archbishop Thabo.

From an unseasonably windy day on the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic, Archbishop Thabo wraps up his daily blog account of his visit to the Diocese with Bishop Stephen Diseko and Bishop Allan Kannemeyer: 

Friday November 16 

On my last scheduled full day on St Helena, I walked once again – alone this time – up and down  Jacob's Ladder to look out over Jamestown and surrounds. The wind didn't exactly blow me up, but it got windy during the day and the talk was of whether the weekly flight will be able to land on Saturday or not. As a frequent traveller, I have flown in cantankerous and inclement weather before but only time will tell...

After breakfast we had Morning Prayer, followed by an official visit to the Governor's office at the Castle in Jamestown. Governor Lisa Honan gave our team an audience and shared her journey and vision, as well as her love for the the island.

We then went to the Prince Andrew School, where the primary and secondary school children of the island were all together. The Secretary of Education was present too. Mrs Penny Bowers is the head teacher of the school. They convened a great assembly, the first where all the learners congregated in one hall to worship with us. We sung, read a text, and Bishop Dale and Fr Musgrave of the Roman Catholic Church did a sermon demonstration.

I taught the school Miriam Makeba's “Click Song” and we danced together. I shared briefly my education story, as in my book, Faith & Courage, stressing its importance and relating how some in Africa still struggle to attend school. A young Afrikaans boy came up to me after assembly, asked me, “Waarvandan kom die biskop” and gave me a high five. It took me on an emotional journey home. He was touched too and I glad that he stepped out to greet me.

After school, I went to the Saints FM and SAMS local radio stations to share our experiences of the island. Leigh and Cyril at the respective stations were such a joy.

We had our last meal and lunch with our ecumenical partners and said our thanks and good byes. We were meant to have a boat trip to see whales but it was cancelled due to the wind and very choppy seas. This meant we had our only nap of the week today!

Tonight we will have our last meal with the Diocesan Council and clergy, then come back to the hotel and pack. Tomorrow weather permitting and God willing we shall depart. I have my boarding pass at hand. Thank you all for carrying us and the Saints in your prayers. I now pen off my reflections. Do visit st Helena to retreat, recoup and reflect.

LATE NOTE FROM BISHOPSCOURT: As we prepared the Archbishop's blog post for publication, news came that the weekly Saturday flight had been cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. The party is now expected to return on Tuesday, resulting in a number of cancelled engagements, including the Archbishop's participation in London in preparation for the Lambeth Conference.

More notes on slavery:

Slaves were transported to and from St Helena before the trade was abolished in the British empire. After its abolition, a British naval brig, the Waterwitch, was deployed to suppress the trade, and a naval court was set up on the island to try slavers captured by the navy. 

Notice of a sales of slaves.

An account of what happened to freed slaves.

A memorial to the crew of the Waterwitch.

Homily preached at the Consecration and Installation of Dale Arthur Bowers MBE as 16th Bishop of St Helena

Bishop Dale and Archbishop Thabo
(Photo: ‘What The Saints Did Next’)

Homily by the Most Revd Dr Thabo Makgoba, PhD, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa at the Cathedral of St Paul on Sunday, 11th November 2018:

Readings: 1 Kings 17:8-16; Ps 146; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mk 12:38-44

May I speak in the name of God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Your Excellency Mrs Lisa Honan and Mr Dave Honan, Members of the Legislative Council, ecumenical partners, my brother Bishops,  other distinguished guests, esteemed clergy of this Diocese, and People of God, sisters and brothers all:

St Helena's graves show the pain of war

Archbishop Thabo at the graves of Dinuzulu's infant sons.

Archbishop Thabo continues his account of a visit to the Diocese of St Helena:

Thursday November 15 - later in the morning

After climbing Jacob's Ladder together with our visiting party, I joined Bishop Dale and the Canon for Morning Prayer. Then our episcopal team joined Dale and me for another Bishops' peer training session.

We concluded the session on the issue of Church governance and the Bishop's role as the main liturgist in the Diocese. We addressed the question of how scripture, self-knowledge and your response to God's mission enables you as a bishop to create structures in the Diocese that breathe life and release others for mission.

Bishops climb Jacob's Ladder - and visit oldest St Helena resident

Bishop Stephen Diseko reaches the top.

Thursday November 15 – Morning

Today all four of us visitors – including Bishop Steve, Bishop Allan and Fr Mcebisi - made the early morning climb, 699 steps up Jacob's Ladder!

See more photos below... 

Wednesday November 14

We continued with our Bishops' peer training today, devoting a session to the Bishop in scripture as we shared our experiences.

Then we visited Plantation House, the official residence of the Governor of the island, for a special tour in which we learned a lot of history and background. St Helena being a British Overseas Territory, it has its own Legislative Council and a governor who represents the British monarch. We were glad the current governor has opened the residence for the public to visit.

Also at Plantation House, we met the oldest resident of St Helena, Jonathan the Tortoise, who at an estimated 186 years is also reputed to be the world's oldest known living terrestrial animal. Then we went to visit Longwood House, the house in which Napoleon Bonaparte lived from 1815 to his death in 1821 after the British had defeated him and sent him into exile. There we refreshed our knowledge about the ravages of war in history.

Of Dinuzulu, Boer prisoners and the slave trade - Blogging from the South Atlantic

Travelling inland on St Helena (Photo: Archbishop Thabo)

Visiting the Diocese of St Helena with Bishop Stephen Diseko of Matlosane, Dean of the Province, and Bishop Allan Kannemeyer of Pretoria, for the consecration and installation of Bishop Dale Bowers, Archbishop Thabo writes: 

Tuesday November 13:

After Morning Prayer at St James' Church in Jamestown, we started our Bishops' peer training at St James' Vicarage with Bishop Dale, touching on the bishop as a person and caring for oneself.

The three of us - Bishops Stephen and Allan and I - shared our own varied experiences, which was very fruitful for all of us.