"Ook dit sal verbygaan"

Yesterday, our cell group took a break from the Screwtape Letters (a book by C.S. Lewis we've been working through), and listened to a sermon from the Moedergemeente in Stellenbosch. Richard preached about the importance of patience and perseverance in conditions which are hard, and when pain and suffering are all around one, and one can not understand what is causing it, or what the reason for it is, or even if there is a reason for it.

His reference text was Habakkuk, who is righting in the context of a siege (of Jerusalem, I believe). He also quotes the philosopher Epicurus in relation to the the theodicy problem (why does a good God let bad things happen?).

The sermon was quite relevant for a number of people, including me, after the stone throwing of the weekend, and the ideas raised yesterday morning about leaving the country. Other people in our cell also have big decisions about potentially moving overseas, and/or have encountered some criminal elements recently.

Other big news is that Ben and Astrid have decided to get engaged.