This time yesterday I was fairly confident of my programme for the coming week in Tonga. Then came the news at breakfast time that the king had died. He was not, it's fair to say, a model monarch, but that will make no difference to the outpouring of grief and the extravagant funeral ceremonies. For a while I wasn't even sure if the trip would be on. Winston has been caught in a whirlwind of consultation and media interviews all day. He is now coming with me so that he can act in his capacity as Church leader. Another day, and all the planes would have been booked. We now have no idea what, if anything, will remain of the plans for the week. I have been asked to represent tne British Methodist Church if there is an opportunity. There is a Tongan word: 'kataki' which means, 'relax, don't panic,things will happen in their own good time'. I will need a lot of kataki in the coming days.
Another day of preaching yesterday. In the morning, Newtown, a village on the edge of Suva in a lush, fertile, valley. Fertile in more ways than one: there were about a hundred children there, amazingly staying pretty still through the service - a mixture of high church ritual, old fashioned hymns (Blessed assurance in Fijian) and modern songs backed by keyboard and drums.
The afternoon saw me addressing the assembled ranks of the Diocese's young people in the cathedral. It seemed to go surprisngly well. I think Island young people are rather more respectful of their elders - though allhave cellphones and most are on facebook.
I'm not at all sure how easy it will be to post from Tonga, but I'll do my best. Everyone here is complaining about the heat, which continues to be extremely humid, in spite of the torrential storms.
No comments:
Post a Comment