We are off on another road trip with the key aim to get to Lesotho and do the Sani Pass. All the rest of the trip is just leading to and from the Sani Pass. That is the pinnacle of the trip and we are hoping it won’t disappoint.

We left this afternoon at 3:30pm for Matjiesfontein. My father-in-law has been preaching at Matjiesfontein over Christmas for the last 26 years (including today) and we have not as yet been here with them over Christmas but we thought this was an ideal opportunity to rectify that. Given it was Christmas day, the traffic was very light and we made it to Matjiesfontein in 2.5 hours.

As we arrived, the bus was departing for the trip around the town. S, K (S’s girlfriend) and C joined my father-in-law on the bus for the quick tour. H & I went to check in and then we unpacked the car. We are staying in the Old Museum Suite – it was originally actually a museum.

After we had unpacked we joined the in-laws on the porch of the hotel for the a pre-dinner drink and then headed in for dinner afterwards. They have a special Christmas dinner with 4 different meats (lamb roll, lamb roast, pork belly & turkey). After the main course the staff came in and sang a number of songs including ‘We wish you a merry Christmas’, ‘Silent Night’ and then ‘We will make you fishers of men’ to which all they invite all the people to join behind them as they move around the restaurant (I have the video as evidence!).

My father-in-law then does a quick speech (apparently a tradition now it seems – after 26 years I guess that is what happens!). He said today that after 26 years of being called the Rector of Matjiesfontein he thought it was time for a promotion and so if you agreed that you should raise your glass to him being called the Bishop of Matjiesfontein. He was duly elected/approved/toasted in as the Bishop. The main purpose of his speech though is to say they will pass around the hat as a donation for the staff and then he promptly takes the hat around himself. I am sure they get more that way as it is pretty hard to say no to him!

It was a lovely evening that capped off a lovely Christmas day. The only problem was that it was a first Christmas Day that I never saw my one son (the now married one) as we went to an earlier service than he attended at church today.

Until tomorrow …

P, H (though she slept for 2 hours of the 2.5 hour car journey today and so doesn’t really deserve 2nd spot but it’s Christmas and I’m in the giving mood), S, C & K