I was in Ascot, Berkshire last weekend. I took part in HOST and a lovely family, the Hosegood invited me over for a weekend in their home. I knew little about Ascot except that it home the famous horse racing tracks and that's where the Queen goes occasionally for royal horse racing. The first signboard that greeted me when I reached Ascot train station is "Royal Ascot". Now, how royal can it be?
That greeting was a tip at the iceberg of how posh and royal Ascot really is. I soon reached the Hosegood's residence. It was a lovely bungalow with huge space around it. The house, needless to say, is humongous. I was getting excited and imagined how wonderful the weekend was going to be. That kind family that invited me over was a small family, consisted of Neville and Ceppy and three lovely children, Theo John, Esther Elizabeth and Lydia Charlotte.
The kids were very well-mannered, friendly with strangers and fun to be with. I had a good time mingling among them. What struck me was the way how conversation was carried out in the house. English people are really a very well mannered lot. It was just the way they were brought up. They treated me like one of their own and living like the English was quite an experience although it was only for a weekend.They brought me out to Winchester, the former capital of England and Windsor. I had a good look around Eton too.
The only thing I knew about the Hosegood prior to my arrival was that they are Christians. I was nonetheless excited and was really looking forward to a English-Christian-family lifestyle. How different it turned out to be. They attend the Anglican church, the church of England. If you learn your history well, you'll remember the bits on bishops and parish. I knew very little on this. I was thrown off course initially because of my lask of understanding on the organisation and roles of bishops on each parish and the whole complicated matter that comes in the package with it. Apparently, their stands were very different from what I hold on to. Not the bits on the life and death and resurraction of Christ. That we believe and are convinced that He indeed died and rose for us. It was the part of women leadership and headship. (I knew the countless times I discussed this with my fellow brethren in church and school!) And yes, we went right into that just hours after arriving. It was a session of sharing and comparing views. We both showed verses from the Bible from which our stands stand. It was a lively session of discussion. The conclusion was rather an anti-climax one. We agreed that as long as our core belief is in the Lord, everything else may not weigh that heavily. Although I beg to differ, but I did not press on. Ceppy stressed on the part of suppression of women roles in church. That very thought had once crossed my mind too years ago. But I am very convinced that both man and woman are created differently with distinct functions. Just as the the church is made up of many parts, not one part can function well without the other. Therefore, the roles of women are equally important although different and in silence.
I wasnt sure if I brought that point across clearly but perhaps there was really a reason that I was invited by this family. This arrangement was not coincidental, I' m sure. It was probably for me to see the other group of believers. I suppose, I came back with a better understanding of how a country is divided into parishes and that each parish is headed by a bishop and a whole hierarchy of positions. Apart from this seemingly organised order, there is a whole lot of complications, especially when bishops stand in between God and you.
But oh well....I'm sure answers will come one day....
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