The long road north and a family reunion..

 

Here I am at a favorite bench under an eucalyptus teriticornis – forest red gum from Queensland, Australia.

 

 

I have been wanting to blog about my latest travel experience and our country..

 

Last week I had an opportunity to visit my family at my brother’s place in Hoedspruit. I decided to take a road trip, stopping in St Lucia where I got stuck in the mud after a downpour and had to spend an extra day before resuming the journey north. Despite the difficulties it is a fun destination.. So out of Africa...

 

      

 

 

Past Mtubatuba the road condition deteriorated and some of the drivers being a law unto themselves endangered lives, broke the rules and showed complete disrespect for those they shared the roads with. While camping in Hoedspruit my head against the tent wall was nudged by something large at about 3:30a.m. and I awoke startled. Whatever it was tried again... fortunately I had moved to the centre of the tent and my shout was met by silence. I started developing strategies for what may have been an elephant. I was all alone in the campsite, began to pray fervently and soon fell asleep. The next morning was Tracker Course 101 with the owner who confirmed it was probably a lone hyena from the spoor left in the dirt.

 

  

 

The surprise visit was a good one, a little short but so good to reconnect with family. The road trip back south was wonderful – I missed a turn coming out of Nelspruit and took a detour over the mountains past Hermansburg and saw some of the wild horses approaching Kaapschehoop.

 

    

 

Further on I came across Sappi Ngodwana and not long after, former President Kruger’s last residence near Waterval Boven before he went to Nelspruit and on to exile. I had a great discussion with the Curator of the nearby Tickled Trout before heading on.

 

    

 

I had to take another detour through the forests on a dirt road part of which had not seen a grader for years and like the road from Mkuze to my campsite on the way back, dodging potholes, obstacles and corrugations made for some intense driving.

 

Back home I washed the vehicles, repaired the trailer and got cracking with the a roofing project. The best part of travel is the homecoming and getting back into the routines.

 

The last few weeks have been a political fiasco with the wrongdoings of many senior cabinet members under the spotlight. It seems that as a country we are, as elsewhere, beginning to get a handle on the state of corruption. It is good and needed for justice to be served. At the same time it is good to pause for reflection. It’s easy to be finger pointing and there is a lot of that these days. It can quickly lead down a path of anger, separation and conflict. But when the gaze is turned inward, what becomes apparent is the need for truth and definitive action in our own lives. Do we serve those around us or expect to be served? Have we become careless or disinterested in mainaining a a vigilence to stand and do what’s right? Too concerned with building our future to roll up sleeves and help our communities and our country? To treat others with respect and maintain courtesy even if we are challenged by aggression and indifference?

 

Imagine what could happen if as a nation we recognise our fight is not with one another but to truthfully examine our hearts and motives and choose daily to do right!

 

While evil must be exposed, if we are honest enough we all need forgiveness. Of all the world has witnessed, there is one example that stands above them all. A righteous man suffering the most cruel punishment the world has conceived, rejected by his followers pleading with God to forgive their deed: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” The same man, victorious over death, declaring that all authority had been given to Him by His Father. The same man, on a mission to reconcile us to His Father and with that reconciliation, Our Father; stated that those who do not gather with Him are against Him. The same man who promised His followers He would return as a Bridegroom to His Bride (all His followers alive and dead) to snatch her away to an incredible banquet.Thereafter He will return as King of Kings. For His followers this is the blessed hope. For others, a cause of growing concern as that day approaches fast. May our hearts be yearning and ready for that great reunion!