From the Vicarage - June

I read of an American woman who travelled to Zimbabwe in search of her ancestry. She asked about the traditional words used by the locals as they greeted one another - “Mhoro, wakaadii” (“Hello, how are you?”), “Ndapora kana wapora” (“I am well if you are well”). They were, she was told, an expression of Ubuntu - the African philosophy that “I am because you are” or “We are because of each other.”  Her initial confusion led to a feeling of “joy that comes from feeling connected”.

There is also the story told of a European anthropologist who whilst amongst a Zulu tribe in the 1960s invited the children of the village to take part in a running race. There was a tantalising bag of sweets for the one who finished first. The children of various ages and sizes, and many with challenging abilities due to injury or birth, all lined up and the signal was given.

At first, a few of the children ran ahead. But then they stopped, looked back, and rejoined the line. Then the children all locked arms and walked and ran until they reached the destination together. The children laughed with delight as they shared the sweets. But the anthropologist was baffled and asked “Why did you all come together? One person could have had it all.” Amazed at his thinking, one of them stepped forward and said, “We believe this is how we should be…”

Only a couple of weeks ago I stumbled across a conversation shared on social media. A young Mum had used the phrase “It takes a village to raise a child”, only to be abruptly challenged by someone asking, “Where is this village which is going to raise my child?”.  Her response was, “You have to make it…!”

In the main, I think we all crave that sense of community – the ‘connectedness’ the American woman found while exploring her own heritage, the ‘togetherness’ displayed by the children who walked and ran ‘as one’, the village which is going to share the joys and sorrows of raising a child! But we all have to make that community – together - and community flourishes when rather than wanting the best for me, I want the best for you, and we want the best for everyone!

It is lovely to hear and read of so much going on here in our local communities (much found between the covers of this magazine) – opportunities to gather and connect, to be able to contribute and to be supported, to share and to celebrate!

This month we have the opportunity to come together for the Collingham Community Show.

I know that already there has been much ‘Community-Making’ going on, in order to bring this day to fruition, and with the desire to make something good for everyone.

Let’s all come together and make it a great Community Day! 

Love & Prayers       

Carolyn    

The Reverend Carolyn A James