Mutterings from Llandyfan

Church Warden Andy Smart reminds us that a warm welcome is always wonderful, wherever the hillsides may be.

During my career, I have been lucky to work in some weird and wonderful surroundings for some weird and wonderful organisations. One such assignment, which was for a wonderful organisation but in a weird surrounding, was when I worked for the Ministry of Defence and was sent to Croatia and Bosnia.

Those that know me will easily be able to tell that I was not in the forces but a mere civilian working as a civil servant. For those that have been, you will know that both Croatia and Bosnia are beautiful countries, unspoilt apart from the ravages of war.

I arrived there just as the Balkans war was coming to an end. It was still too dangerous to venture out on your own and in both countries I was situated on a military base, with very few civilians, and so you were taken to locations you needed to go. Like now but to a bigger extent then, there were hidden landmines scattered around and so you had to be very careful.

Apart from work, there wasn’t much else to do and so you worked six and a half days a week and only had Sunday afternoons off. As you couldn’t really go anywhere, you didn’t really look forward to your time off as you couldn’t really do much!

The highlight of my week, and it seemed for most of the military on the base, was the other time you got off which was to attend the makeshift church on the base on a Sunday morning. That one hour each week where you came together with others of all ranks and backgrounds was really special.

The old school classroom that was used as the Church was always full and I don’t think they all used to attend just to get out of other duties or get free coffee and biscuits! It was the fellowship that brought everyone together. I think Chaplains in the British Army really are unsung heroes.

Thinking about it, the free coffee and cake did help as well, of course, as the fellowship and everyone was always made to feel very welcome. As well as the coffee and biscuits that many churches in our own diocese provide on a Sunday, lets hope that we offer that warm welcome and fellowship that I really looked forward to in a place far from home.