Surprises and Amazements

Last Thursday, Fr. Charles met Julianne Allaway, Paula Sanchini, and Dave and me at the Manzini airport.  On arriving in Mbabane, our first surprise was that we would not be able to stay at Thokoza until Sunday afternoon, but they had made arrangements for us at Khula Golden Guesthouse. This place had some interesting challenges, but our hosts beamed Swazi hospitality.   As we were eating on Friday evening, three new guests arrived.  As we met them we discovered we were meeting the priest, The Rev. David Dinkebogile from Christ the King Diocese in South Africa, who would be preaching at the consecration the next morning. He was accompanied by his daughter, Maria, and Mrs. Maureen Sithole from the same Diocese.  They were observers at the election of the new Bishop of Swaziland and were delighted to be back.   Maureen had presented the motions in the Provincial Synod meetings in 1992 and 1994 permitting women to be ordained to all three clerical orders.  As she told the story, she was just beaming!  And we got a new glimpse of the significance of this first woman bishop for their province, for Africa.  The next morning at breakfast, we talked more and took some pictures to share with you.  David+ preached powerfully, full of the Spirit from Isaiah 6.  And what a joy it was to be praying for and listening to someone we Iowans had met! 

The Rev. Mary Jane Oakland