Seated (L to R): Jenny Wilson, Jeanette Halls and Stella McLean; Back row (L to R): Eileen Nomdo, Robina Bryant, Deirdre Legg, Barry Wood, Thea Ramsay, Jo Tyers and Herby Halls.
From the 9th until the 11th November 2011, eight of our Cross of Nails Group from St Saviour’s and Good Shepherd, Protea spent three days on a directed retreat with Revd Barry Wood.
A visit to Volmoed is always anticipated with much excitement and joy knowing that we will receive such a warm welcome. On reflecting on our relationship, we became aware of the wonderful threads of connectedness we have that we feel so proud to be part of the greater Volmoed family. We rejoice with them in the growth and blessings on Volmoed since their earlier beginnings.
When the Revd John Goliath became Rector of St Saviour’s in 1989, we started addressing healing the hurts of the past and reconciliation. We then received encouragement from the Revd Clement Sergel and Willie Hare who were at Volmoed at the time. Jenny attended a week-end workshop at Volmoed in October 1992, lead by Cecil Kerr of the Corrymeela Community (CCN Centre) in Ireland.
In the pursuit of encouragement, Good Shepherd connected with Coventry Cathedral in about 1989 and their story and ministry of reconciliation. In 1999, Canon Andrew White from Coventry heard the Protea story of how the Protea community were forcibly removed from their homes near Kirstenbosch, how they kept their faith and dignity in adversity, how they stayed faithful to Good Shepherd despite having to travel many miles to get there for the Sunday 9am service, how a new mixed (white & coloured) congregation developed despite the apartheid laws and the Protea Community submitting their Lands’ Claim.
He invited us to attend the first International Cross of Nails Conference in Coventry in 2000 and we told the Protea story. At this Conference, St Saviour’s Parish was presented with a Cross of Nails admitting them to the CCN. We told them about how Canon Paul Oesteicher had visited Volmoed in 1991 and about their ministry. So in 2001, Canon Chris Burch from Coventry Cathedral came to Volmoed and presented them with their Cross of Nails on Easter Monday. Once again our relationship with Volmoed deepened.
When Revd Barry Wood became Chaplain to Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, he became interested in the Protea Community as many of their predecessors had worked at Bishopscourt. This established a very special relationship with Fr Barry and his team of St Thomas’s intercessors. Their interest and support in the past few years has been much appreciated especially during the anxious time of the Protea Court Case.
On the last day of our recent retreat, Eileen Nomdo shared her testimony at the 10am Chapel Service about how G-d has always been part of her life and that of the Protea Community especially during the process (sixteen years) of the Lands’ Claim and Court Case. Even dealing with the legal profession, G-d’s spirit has been with us as we pursue justice for a community which suffered such brutality through the apartheid years. Eileen’s great faith shone through as she related her story to the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians Ch 5 v 22).
So we return to Volmoed again & again as we grapple with the demands and needs of a reconciliation ministry. G-d has laid this on our hearts. We give Him all the glory as through the Protea Community we have learnt much about life, faith and how to be truly human.
Volmoed www.volmoed.co.za
Good Shepherd www.goodshepherd-protea.org.za
Jenny Wilson December 2011
