Dom, Jon and I left everyone at COTT a communal a thank you card saying it had been a privilege getting to know them+spending time in the life of COTT. We said we’d had a wonderful time+that they’d forever be in our hearts. We also thanked them for sharing and for the laughs.
During the final service, which was the Easter morning Eucharist, we were brought to the front for prayer (see a previous post). At this time Grant the student chairperson said "we’d wrapped ourselves around their hearts" and that "they'd embraces us and we'd embraced them".
The rector Bill then said they’d learnt from us, particularly that Dom had taught them "that it's not disablled, it's differently abled", from Jon they’d learnt "how to support your spouse", and from me they’d learnt "that dynamite comes in small packages!"
COTT also gave me a COTT tracksuit as a gift, which was V kind of them.
Nonto who we made friends with, gave Dom and I a 2010 (i.e. soccer worldcup) pen with a note each. On mine she said ‘It was nice having a friend like you. I really enjoyed the things that we shared together. May the Lord bless you in your ministerial work.’
Titus, who was mt closest friend while out there, gave me 'An African Prayer Book' (see a previous post) and he gave a short book of his about conversion. Jon and I gave him a book of ours, 'Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained', a long poem about the creation and fall. It was particularly fitting as it had a picture of a huge snake on the front and we'd all spent one fun evening watching Snakes on a Plane and discussing snakes! In it we wrote: "Titus, This book is just a small gift from us to you. It's a poem based on parts of the Old Testament. We brought it from home to South Africa, and think it should stay here with you, especially because there is a snake on the cover! haha Love George and Jon x "
He also gave Dom,Jon and I a letter with a picture on (see below). He said many things including some serious and some funny. He said he’d had fun with us, that he would miss my laughter and that he’d learnt from us. He also wrote: ‘We need to come all over the world and worship together, love one another, live with compassion, care for each other, hold the cross together, share our experiences, culture, traditions and our differences.’ He then said he’d miss us and that we’d brought healing into this life and to other students at COTT. He signed off by giving us African (Tswana) names; George as ‘Tumelo’ (meaning ‘faith’), Dom as ‘Tshepo’ (meaning ‘hope’), and Jon as 'Mpho' (meaning ‘gift’).
I gave him a card back with a pic of the 2 of us on. I also included some serious and some funny stuff on. I said I felt blessed to have known him and that I’ll miss him also. I said he’d made me laugh and thanked him for ‘spending time with us, sharing with us, helping us, including us, +laughing with us.’ I included the Bible verse John 13.34-35 and ended saying I’d learnt much from him and that I’d never forget him or my time in S.A.
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