wfn.org | More inspiring youth ministry.

[Audrey Whitefield <a.whitefield@quest.org.uk>]

Oct. 21, 1997
ANGLICAN COMMUNION NEWS SERVICE
Canon Jim Rosenthal, Director of Communications
Anglican Communion Office
London, England

[97.10.1.8]

FEATURE:More inspiring youth ministry.

(Scottish Episcopalian) Out of Aberdeen and Orkney Diocese and into
Africa

THREE years of preparation and planning came to an end when, on Tuesday,
July 8,12 young people from the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney boarded a
plane at Aberdeen Airport bound for the Diocese of St John's, South
Africa. The youth exchange teams were led by the Rev Ian Thompson as
diocesan youth chaplain, and Mrs Gwynneth Lloyd of St Mary's, Aberdeen.
We were joined by the Rev David and Mrs Melanie Campbell from
Newport-on-Tay who, thanks to the generosity of their congregations,
were able to be part of the exchange visit.

The group arrived in Umtata (which was to be their home base) tired and
apprehensive, almost 30 hours after leaving home, but the excitement and
enthusiasm of the young people from St John's waiting to welcome them
soon dispelled these feelings.

The next three weeks proved to be a merry-go-round of experiences and
emotions, the generosity of the host families and the warmth of the
reception extended to the Scots was overwhelming; the poverty seen in
places like the Tipini community and the sight of young children begging
in the streets, both moved and challenged them and the very basic nature
of some of their accommodation brought an awareness of just how affluent
Scottish society really is.

The trip was in three sections. During the first few days the group
spent time getting to know their African hosts, the local young people,
and touring around parts of Umtata and then it was off to Butterworth
for the start of the "conference season". The Scots attended three
conferences, the first of which was organised by the Girls Friendly
Society. This was quickly followed by the Diocesan Youth Conference and
the Renewal Conference. These introduced the youth exchange team to more
aspects of African culture and worship.

As well as conference going, the Scots spent time examining the social
and cultural history of South Africa and the former Republic of Transkei
with their hosts. This proved to be both interesting and informative as
they talked together about the past and the future, the problems facing
the country now and the attempts at reconciliation currently under way
in the country.

The final week of the trip was spent walking down the "wild coast" on
the eastern seaboard of the country with some of the members of the St
John's Youth Guild. Walking between 12 and 15km a day over fairly rough
terrain, sleeping in basic rondevaals (round mud houses) and cooking on
open wood fires were the order of the day and this proved to be the most
arduous part of the visit, at least physically. Space does not permit
the tales of hole-riddled ferries. encounters with snakes, hours spent
lost in the forest or rivers that had to be waded or swum across but
this was an eventful week for the young Africans as well as the Scots!
At the end of this adventure, however, everyone knew a lot more about
themselves and each other.

The last weekend was spent back in Umtata and was largely taken up with
discussions reflecting on the visit and farewells. Attendance at a
National Peace Rally revealed how involved the Church is in the
political life of the nation and a visit to the university made clear
how great the challenge facing the country is as the problems of Door
resources and limited finance are addressed. For the young Scots both of
these visits revealed even more of the complexity of the situation which
exits in the new South Africa.

In some ways it was a very different group of people who boarded the
plane at Umtata airport to begin the long journey back to Aberdeen. New
friendships had been formed, new experiences had been encountered and
many new lessons learned. There was some comfort in the knowledge that
some of the Africans will visit Aberdeen next year but, as the plane
sped along the runway, the Scots resolved that they must return one day
for they were leaving something of themselves behind with the people of
South Africa who had taken them to their hearts and whom they had come
to love as sisters and brothers in Christ.