Tuesday 27 November 2012

Getting ready to go

This morning I went into college for Matins and Meditation, led by Luke Curran, the Methodist tutor. He told the story of a Christian Palestinian American businessman, living in Ramallah, whose big project has been setting up the West Bank telecommunications system,. It accounts for 2% of the national economy. He is a prisoner of Israeli bureaucracy, whose complex, sluggish un-cooperative nature makes executive business travel between Palestine and Israel almost impossible, Of itself this is bound to be a hindrance to economic development which would benefit both countries. He doesn't give up, but the frustrations and hindrances to fair growth are immense. A spectacular own goal for the Israeli in-security system.

After breakfast we had a tutor team meeting. Peter received a call from the Archbishop's secretary while we were talking, conveying approval of my appointment as locum Dean of Residential Training for the coming term, by which time an appointment should be made. This will make his life easier which things get frantic in the New Year.

With the information gathered at the meeting, I was able to put together next term's ministry rota afterwards. It's a job I thought I would have to take away with me to complete, so I was very pleased indeed. I returned for lunch, free of all unfinished business, and able to get on with packing for travel. This took quite a while to do complete because of the necessity of checking I had all the vital components of kit to charge and connect various electronic communications devices and cameras ready to travel. It takes longer than tickets and travel documents. A sign of the times.

End of afternoon I returned to College to say Mass in Welsh and meet my tutor group for the last time this year. There was a College enening service to plan for Thursday's Vigil of Intercession for World Mission, which they will have to lead in my absence. I'm sad that I will be missing the last two rather festive weeks of term, but my visit to Taormina was planned before my return to College this term was contemplated.

I returned and cooked supper, then continued packing and checking, feeling incredibly nervous about my trip, although for once I had bags packed, waiting in the hall, and was on my way to bed by eleven, ready for a restless night and very early departure.

From tomorrow I will be blogging from a new address for the duration of my travels.

http://westofthecentresiciliandecember.blogspot.com
 

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