June 30, 2018.06.3

   This is too good to pass up. From the 19^th to the 24^th I was back in Mthatha. Visiting friends, bringing old clothes to the poor in the village next to Landsend, getting to know our new postulants, 2 from Nigeria and one from Togo, and having a talk with my provincial, Fr. Chikadi. But the main reason was for the meeting of the Board of Management of Sabelani Home, Fr. Guys guys and their ongoing living out of his mission, to reach out to the poor kids who have no chance to get and education, and try to make them aware of their role in society as bringers, especially through their education, of love and hope and good values. That was on the 23^rd. It usually closes with an evening meal with those who are still in the house as well as those who are friends or are part of the extended family of Sabelani. In this instance, after the meeting, at the meal, I was introduced to the new girlfriend of Musa and also a girlfriend of Odwa. We concluded the evening (after the meeting) with our usual respect to the ancestors, usually with a bit of Jack Daniels, which has become very expensive, but this time we satisfied ourselves with a bit of Johnny Walker. I don’t think the ancestors were upset. It was too late for me to travel back to Mthatha at that time of night so I slept at Abbot Francis Home intending to head back to Mariannhill after Mass at the convent the next morning.

     After the Mass on Sunday morning, I said goodbye and hopped in the car for the trip back to Mariannhill. I won’t go into details here but when I got back home I realized that the small missal that I use for Mass at the hospital every day, was left behind, and the daily prayer book (breviary) too. Damn. Getting old. I organized another small missal here and was given an alternative prayer book by Bishop Lobinger, my neighbour, so I survived. However, on Friday the 29^th, I had a memorial service for a lady who had passed away at the sisters guest house, Tre Fontane. Ha. Of course, I forgot to take my garb (Alb) with me.

    When I got up this morning, I had prepared some stuff for the postulant where I was to have Mass and on the way to the car, I wanted to pick up my alb (which usually hangs next to the front door, but it wasn’t there. I thought that I might have taken it to the chapel, but when I checked, it wasn’t there either. So, it was then that I realized that I had forgotten it at the Tre Fontane, in the sacristy there. OK, we will forget it since it is too early to find sister who has the key to the sacristy. (it was about 5:30 in the morning).

     On my way to the garage where my car sleeps, I pressed the remote but didn’t hear the usual squeak, and wondered why. When I opened the garage, I realized that there was no squeak because the battery was dead …again. Damn again (excuse the French). I had left the lights on for the whole night after I put the car in the garage before supper. The model is too old to remind you that you left the lights on . So, off we go, marching to the postulants, a hefty walk for a guy my age, but still possible. So we had Mass with the postulants, a bit late, with no alb, just a stole. No problem. I think the Mass was valid in any case.

    After Mass, I walked back to the Old Folks’ Home and, as I walked in the door, felt a call from the Lord to have a quick sit down session. So I just hung my jacket on a rail as I came in the door and headed for the throne room. After that I went to breakfast and explained about my dead battery and Bishop Lobinger volunteered to use his car to jump start mine. I have jumper cables. But then when I want to go out the door to push my dead vehicle out of the garage to a place where he can connect with me, I discover that I don’t have my keys to the house. Did I leave them in the door by mistake when I came in. I retrace my steps and to no avail.

    So we get the car started and I head for TreFontane to pick up my forgotten alb (it is, by now, a reasonable 9:45am). Hooray, it is there. On the way back, I get a phone call from Sr. Nokwanda that the sisters gave my small missal and breviary to the Father are Abbot Francis Home. So I phone Fr. Urs to ask him to fetch these things (his is presently in Mthatha, but is in charge of the Retreat House here at Marianhill) and bring them back when he comes back on Monday. Hooray. Three things accomplished. 1) battery charged.  2) Alb returned 3) the forgotten books will be returned on Monday (keep you fingers crossed). Now, the last things, the bloody keys. Where the heck could they have gone. Then, I check where I had quickly discarded my jacket and there they were on the floor right where they had fallen out of my pocket. So that is number 4. All accomplished. Thank you Lord.

     Bad start to the day, but it seems to be improving. Do some of you have similar experienced. Some call it AAADD. Age Activated Attention Deficite Disorder. I will explain that another time. Enough for now. I have an evening Mass in English at 5:30pm and it is now almost noon. And tomorrow, I have my usual 8am Zulu Mass at Savannah Park. A fancy name for a  spread out housing project, all hills. Have a great weekend if you still read this on Saturday.

Love and Peace, Cas.