What's the difference between a Nigerian 419 scam letter and Hank Paulson's letter to Washington?

That's a good question - what is the difference between a Nigerian 419 scam email and Hank Paulson's letter to Washington to bail out Wall Street in the light of the recent collapse? Not much (if you consider this VERY tongue in cheek letter from Hank).

Seriously, this is a matter of some concern. I listened to two guys speaking about the merits and de-merits of a bail out while our train was stuck at Sloane Square station last night. The one guy made a good point, he said that this kind of 'bail out' tends to encourage rewarding people with poor fiscal responsibility. In other words, it's a bit like South Africa's national airline, no matter how badly you manage your finances, the government will always bail you out (and more)...

Of course the converse is that if the Federal reserve does not bail out Wall Street many, many, many innocent people will loose homes, cars, and their livelihood... It's a tough choice.

But, here's a little something to put a smile on your face regardless. What's the difference between Hank's letter and a Nigerian 419 scam? You tell me!

Hal sends us this "brilliant satiric email phrasing Hank Paulson's giant Wall Street bailout as Nigerian spam."

Dear American:

I need to ask you to support an urgent secret business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude.

I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of 800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you.

I am working with Mr. Phil Gram, lobbyist for UBS, who will be my replacement as Ministry of the Treasury in January. As a Senator, you may know him as the leader of the American banking deregulation movement in the 1990s. This transactin is 100% safe.

This is a matter of great urgency. We need a blank check. We need the funds as quickly as possible. We cannot directly transfer these funds in the names of our close friends because we are constantly under surveillance. My family lawyer advised me that I should look for a reliable and trustworthy person who will act as a next of kin so the funds can be transferred.

Please reply with all of your bank account, IRA and college fund account numbers and those of your children and grandchildren to wallstreetbailout@treasury.gov so that we may transfer your commission for this transaction. After I receive that information, I will respond with detailed information about safeguards that will be used to protect the funds.

Yours Faithfully Minister of Treasury Paulson

Stockings, pills and London doctors (from South Africa)

Last night I woke up with a cramp in my left (bad) leg like I have never experienced! You know the type where you're woken from your sleep and you want to jump around the room to stretch your calf but every move makes the cramp worse! Ha ha! It was quite funny!

Well, that was the first sign that all is not well with my steel-injected-peg-leg! This morning I noticed that it was severely swollen and that there were red and blue bruises all over my ankle and calf, within a short while most of my lower leg was blue. So, I stopped into a pharmacy who phoned the doctor - they were afraid that I had developed a deep vein thrombosis. But, I am thankful to report it is nothing as serious as that!

The doctor who saw me was from South Africa (a graduate of WITS University where I once studied as well). She was very helpful and kind and is fairly certain that there are no clots in the leg. The bruising and swelling are a result of the flight and yesterday's walking. However, to avoid anything more serious she gave me some anti-inflammatories, a few asprin (to thin my blood), and some very cool 'flight' stockings! So, when I fly home on Sunday I'll be the only guy on the flight in women's pantyhose (well maybe not, but at least I'll be the only one with a legitimate excuse ;-)

What's the downside!? Well, I had an appointment to see my friend Angie Shier-Jones at 14.00 and had to see the doctor at 14.30, so I didn't get to see her. Also, my leg is sore and my pocket is £65 lighter! Yikes, thank the Lord for Medical Aid back home! You can be sure that I kept my receipt and will try to claim when I get home!

Catching up on email, phone calls, and skype form the London Apple Store in Regent Street.

Each time that I come to London I try to make the time to visit four
sites. First, I always like to go into St Paul's Cathedral for a
short time of quiet and prayer. The scale of the Cathedral (plus the
fact that I often use it as an illustration in sermons and classes to
highlight how language has changed...), and the fact that it is a
place of quiet in a busy and bustling city, make it a special, and
must visit location. Second, I always go down the road across the
Millennium footbridge to the Tate Modern museum. If I can I spend an
hour or so walking around seeing what is on display. Today it rained
cats and dogs as I was crossing the bridge. Third, I always sure that
I get to the Apple Store in regent street! That is a spiritual
experience of a different kind! Lastly, I always seem to end up at
King's Cross at Platform 9 3/4 (the one from Harry Potter) - this is
not a choice, it always just seems to happen that way.

Well, here I am in the Apple store... It is a great place because
they have benches upstairs near the Genius Bar and Theatre where you
can sit and use free wifi. So, I made a few phone calls using my
'Skype out' credit - checking on some arrangements and meetings for
the week and returning some voicemail. Then I skyped home and had a
video chat with Megie and Courts. How amazing is that!? Free video
calling from London to South Africa at great quality and convenience.
Then, I downloaded all my emails, typed this message, and responded to
a few other emails.

I've done a lot of walking today (and some of it was rather quick in
order to get to my meeting on time). However, I'll need to leave this
Cathedral of Macintosh quite soon to get back to Kings Cross, collect
my bags and make my way out to Wimbledon (where all South Africans
start, or end up!) to meet my brother-in-law, Craig! I'll be staying
with him and Kath this evening! I always enjoy being with them, they
are hospitable in offering a 'stray puppy' like me a place to lay my
head!

On the steps of St Paul's Cathedral (with a Mac!)

I had a few hours to spare before my first meeting today, so I decided to do a bit of a walking tour of London. I checked my bags into 'left luggage' at Kings Cross station and then caught the Piccadilly line to Piccadilly Circus and walked along Strand and Fleet streets to St Paul's Cathedral from there. It is quite a long walk, what with my leg not yet being up to speed, but it was enjoyable.

This photo was taken on the steps of St Paul's Cathedral using Photobooth on my Macbook air... If it makes it onto my blog you know that I've found an open wifi signal somewhere along the line and have been able to send it through! It's cold, it's grey, but it's good times!

[thanks for the heads-up Gus. Now I know why my photos were not coming through! Here's the picture]

There's a first time for everything...

This is the first time I'm flying from the international section of Cape Town's airport (all my previous overseas travel has been from Johannesburg). This is a lovely airport! But, there is no gadget shop (good for the wallet though!)

I'll be landing at Heathrow early tomorrow morning. Have some marking and reading to do on the flight.

I miss Megie, Courts, and Liam already!
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At the heart of the people called Methodist - Ordination 2008

The atmosphere of worship is electric in the hall today. Thousands of Methodists have gathered to celebrate and set asside about 40 ministers who have completed on average 5-7 years of training for the Methodist ministry. Personally it is a joy to be a Presbyter for Rev Ronnie van Eck and Prof Jan Reynders, they have been close friends and a great inspiration to me. Both are older men with years of experience and training. Ronnie is a past school Principal and Jan is a Professor of Physics. Yet in spite of their success in their secular carreers they submitted themselves to the rigour and scrutiny of formation and training for the Methodist ministry. I had the joy of teaching them, and most of the 40 persons who are being ordained today.

I give thanks today that women and men still offer their lives in service of our Lord in the Church. Of course there are many who take the equally bold step of offering their lives to serve Christ in the marketplace and home. There can be no greater joy than intentionaly and passionately serving Jesus in achieving His will.

On a closing note, I love being in a radically multicultural setting with incredible vernacular worship! This is the joy of being a Christian in Africa!
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What counts... A reflection on love, friendship and the grace of Christ

10 hours is a long time to spend doing any single activity! Fortunately while driving I can take time to think, reflect, and pray.

Today my thoughts were filled with many varied things... I thought about the beauty of South Africa, I thought about the Church, and the denomination in which I have the joy to serve... I also thought about the challenges we face in our land (the recalling of Thabo Mbeki by the ANC leadership... this does not bode well for our future, in spite of the fact that Mbeki was a weak president when it came to the things that truly matter - HIV/AIDS, poverty and racial reconciliation). I thought about the joys and blessings of my new post. I have met incredible people (like Johan who serves as a missionary in the Ukraine, Nour who has come from Egypt to learn how to serve and pray, Lloyd Reeb from the USA who is doing incredible work with business people, Mark Anderson from YWAM, Aaron Walsh who leads a remarkable contemplative 24/7 prayer ministry in New Zealand... The list goes on and on!)

I thought quite a bit about the remarkable man that I serve, Graham Power. Graham is a wonderful Christian leader. Sadly I have not encountered that many selfless, courageous, sincere, and truly Christ loving leaders in the Church... Graham is a source of constant inspiration. He attends to the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting and giving with regular and concerted discipline. He is patient, and at the same time has a measure of drive that is refreshing and encouraging. Graham has no guile - he is sincere and honest.

I thought about myself, I thought about the blessings of what I'm doing, and the wonderful blessing of being back in Somerset West with my family. I also thought about those things that I miss... I can't tell you how much I miss preaching weekly (Bryanston Methodist church means so much me, and I miss everyone there a great deal - we journeyed together through some very blessed, and some very difficult times)! I miss teaching... Heck, I can't tell you how much I miss being the classroom and seeing students engage with new concepts, watching the 'penny drop' as they suddenly see how things fit together, and what role they can play in achieving God's will and helping others to do the same. I miss the time I had for academic banter, I so enjoyed conversations of a deeply technical nature with my friends Wessel Bentley and Neville Richardson. I miss not having the freedom to attend academic conferences, and the struggle to find the time to do research... I miss Xhosa chapel services at the seminary! Heck, I miss singing the Lord's prayer in Xhosa or the 'Siyakudumisa Thixo' - I still sing these to myself almost daily.

But, I have been blessed with many good friends, many wonderful experiences, and many opportunities to serve in each season of my life. This one is no different.

What matters most to me is my love for Christ, the joy of knowing and serving him, and the excitement of finding a whole new way to know Christ and make him known in the marketplace. What matters most is the blessing of being married to Megan, a beautiful, patient, caring, intelligent and loving companion in this journey. She is more gifted and Christlike than I am - I draw great strength and stability from her. What matters most are my children Courtney and Liam. I cannot imagine life without them! Courtney is such a wonderful young woman, she has a small little heart like mine, and she too seems to have a natural proclivity for reaching the outcast, the mistreated, and poor of our world. Liam is an indescribable gift... I still look through the photos of his birth, how sick, small, and frail he was. Megan and I still cry from time to time when we think how close he came to death on numerous occasions in those first few months, and the challenges that lay ahead for us wit his special needs. We feel unworthy, but grateful, for his life!

So, today I am in Bloemfontein - this is a city in which I did my compulsory military training. The only fond memories I have of this place are attending the Trinity Methodist Church, and praying on base with my friend John. Today, however, I made new 'good memories' as I drove here with my daughter Courtney. She's asleep now. I thank God for her, for Megie, for Liam, and for our wonderful life.

I will miss them in the next weeks.

Gadgets for my 'road trip to Ordination' in Bloemfontein

Well, Courtney and I arrived safely in Bloem - we made it in 9.5 hours, which is not bad considering the road works along the way.

Courtney is in bed watching the Pink Panther movie. I, however, have some work to do (reports to write, a chapter to finish and some marking to do)... So, here's my bag of goodies for the trip:

1. Apple Macbook
2. vodafone 3G hsdpa modem
3. garmin quest GPS
4. fuji digital camera s7000 - a fine digital camera with a superb lens AND most importantly it takes standard AA batteries. I've had this cam for 3 years now and it is still my 'go to' camera
5. iPhone
6. Nokia E90 (with which I took this photo and am writing this post).

With this I can work, stay in touch, and get a bit of relaxation as well.

Tags: Macbook, Air, iPhone, Bloemfontein, Ordination, "road warrior"
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Snow in the Hex River pass

Isn't this lovely? Snow on the mountains of the Hex river pass. It's been a cold winter in the Cape.

We give thanks to God for the beauty of South Africa!
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On our way to Bloemfontein for the Methodist Ordination service

On Monday I start about 7 weeks of international travel (England, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Kenya) - however, this weekend I was asked to be a Presbyter for two of my past students at their Ordination service. I couldn't get an affordable flight to Bloem so I decided to drive.

Since I'll be away for so long my darling daughter Courtney decided to take the 'road trip' with her dad! How cool is that!? Here we are in the car in du Toit's Kloof.
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Special brains! Inside a London Cab drivers' brain.

In a week's time I shall be in London. It always amazes me just how quickly and effectively London cabbies navigate the congested and twisted streets of that great city!

Well, here's a little inside info on why that may be possible for some of them! Now, I wonder what part of the brain we could stimulate to develop personal hygiene and diminish the capacity to swear ;-)

FMRI scans have revealed the amazing workings of London's Black Cab drivers, who train for a decade to acquire "The Knowledge," an encylopedic ability to navigate London's streets:

The hippocampus was only active when the taxi drivers initially planned their route, or if they had to completely change their destination during the course of the journey.

The scientists saw activity in a different brain region when the drivers came across an unexpected situation - for example, a blocked-off junction.

Another part of the brain helped taxi drivers to track how close they were to the endpoint of their journey; like a metal detector, its activity increased when they were closer to their goal.

Changes also occurred in brain regions that are important in social behaviour.

Taxi driving is not just about navigation: "Drivers do obsess occasionally about what their customers are thinking," said Dr Spiers.

Taxi drivers 'have brain sat-nav' (From boingboing)

Is the Church incedental? OR, is it part of God's plan for community?

One of the challenging aspects of my new ministry is that it puts me in contact with many high level Christian persons who have 'given up' on the local Church. For many of them they simply find it quite difficult to connect with their local pastor (I suppose when you're meeting theologians, Bishops, and some of the world's brightest and most engaging teachers and preachers that can be a bit of a challenge). Then of course many of them are very driven and successful business people who have expressed frustration at the smallmindedness of some Church leaders, as well as the lack of commitment and creativity among some Church members.

The reality is that more than half of the top leaders that I know do not worship regularly at a local Church... It scares me! Megan and I have chosen to commit ourselves to our local Church. We worship at Coronation Ave Methodist Church. Our ministers, Philip Buckland and Steven Lottering are a blessing to us, and we enjoy the worship, fellowship, teaching, and challenge of the community. The same cannot be said for many of our friends. They love Christ, but do not find a local Chruch in our area in which they feel they can belong and grow.

Whilst reading William P. Young's book The Shack recently (which is a magnificent book by the way! Just look past some of the idiosyncratic theology and you'll be challenged, blessed, encouraged and ministered to!) I began to think about the community of the Church. The question that arose in my mind is this: Is the Church (as in local churches or congregations) incidental, or is it part of God's plan for human community?

Of course I realise that the Church exists in many places outside of local congregations (it exists in hospitals, schools, workplaces, homes community gatherings etc. since the Church is the community of believers and not the building)... But, is the local congregation part of God's plan for humanity!? I happen to think it is...

The attached audio file (which is a sneak preview of my Radio Show for this week Wednesday) gives some of the reasons why I think that God wants us to commit ourselves to the disciplines of community worship, service, learning, and fellowship.

Download the MP3 here (Why we're better together) (6.2MB).

Let me know what your thoughts are. Wes I would love to hear from you if you have a chance - I know that you have done extensive research on the theology of Church (ecclesiology). but, I would like to hear the perspectives of everyone who visits the blog.

Rich blessing,

Dion (in the throes of packing... We move into our new home tomorrow, and guess what!? It's raining again!!!)