Theology retreat

Way back at the end of January, the theologians went on retreat, being the only faculty in which the students get to go on retreat.  I reckon this is a perk of studying to be priests, in a university that arose from a seminary, and the vice chancellor (and chancellor, for that matter) are priests.

Off we went to the beautiful Rest Gardens, which aren’t that far from campus.  The grounds are lovely, though I tend to not rest there very much because the nighttime town activity outside is rather boisterous.  I had a view of the Nelson Mandela stadium, and I don’t know whether there was an event Friday night, but wow.

Our retreat leader was the Right Reverend Doctor Stephen Kazimba, from Mityana Diocese, and dad to my friend and classmate, Isaac.  I had met Bishop Stephen at the cathedral one Sunday last semester, and I’m mortified that I don’t recall his coming to All Saints’ some time ago.  But he’s a wonderful man, and a true father in the faith.  I mean that spiritually in his duties as a bishop, and also, he and his wife have four biological children, and they’ve adopted 13 others, mostly clergy children who have been orphaned over the years.  To me, that is truly living out God’s heart.  So he says he has 17 children, and it’s as simple as that.  Amen.

Our theme was “walking and serving as children of the light in ministerial formation”, based on Ephesians 5:8, and aside from good devotions and teaching, I was thrilled that we had time to get in small groups to discuss how we could practically live this out.

I was also conscripted Friday morning to assist with registration that evening.  That’s fine.  Except that then the Dean asked the team who had been working on the retreat to stand, and that included me, as in, “let’s see… where’s the committee?  Jessica…”  So, I received credit for no work performed.  But perhaps that was just thinking ahead because later on, Rev. Rocky (who had been leading the student team working on the retreat, and yes, we call him Rocky, I don’t know whether that’s his given name or a nickname.  Come to think of it, I want to ask him about it) asked me to be the nurse for the weekend and hold the medicine/first aid bag.

Asking me to be the nurse is a bit laughable, because when people approached me and asked, “do you have…?” the answer was invariably “I don’t know.”  I don’t know medicines here.  I’m only familiar with Panadol from when a friend lived in Australia.  Oh, and profen, as in ibuprofen.  I’m a quick study, though, and began to dole out meds for headaches and stomach aches.  I suspect the latter is because the food at the Rest Gardens is very good, and we had our three meals a day, plus tea twice a day.  Africans always take tea, but don’t always have food with it, so we were downright stuffed.  Plus the food in the dining hall here is bland because it’s hard to feed 1,000 people at a time, so some digestive systems protested. 

One of my worst fears came true this weekend, though.  Canon Alfred Olwa, husband to Rev. Susan Olwa, who oversees all the women’s housing (and therefore plays a critical role in my life, even though I rarely mention the dear woman.  She’s fabulous), came to speak to us.  Canon Alfred is in a doctoral program in Australia, so it was a joy to meet him briefly before he headed back.  After his teaching, Canon Alfred came up to me and said, “Hello Jessica!  I’ve enjoyed reading your blog.”

Pardon?

I mean, it’s one thing to know that someone can Google and find you, it’s another entirely to be told that someone’s done it.  Goodness!  So Canon Alfred, if you’re still reading, it was a pleasure to meet you, and I hope to see you again soon!

One of my favorite moments was when I was walking with Bishop Stephen, and someone must’ve made a comment about me, because he stood up straighter (if possible, he’s already regally tall), and said in his calm, quite, [authoritative] bishop voice, “I have been to her praying church, and her bishop is my good friend.”

Amen.