African Renaissance

Movement Discussion

2006-10-20T15:13:00.000+02:00

Hi Guys

Lets get talking...........

Structure? How to begin or has the movement begun?

How do we talk about the movement?

Our next get together is on the 14th of November, Francois will mail a venue!

May I just list my values and I would like to suggest that we write a statement of belief!

These Values embody Christ and the early church!!!!

Radical Inclusivity
Eternal Perspective
Nobility
Authenticity
Itegrity
Simplicity
Servanthood
Apprenticeship
Nurturing
Community
Enaging

Looking forward to the conversation!!!!!

Mpume

2006-09-06T17:48:00.000+02:00

I would just like to introduce you to one of the Students at Siyabona Leadership School, which I feel will give you a good idea of what we are trying to achieve with Siyabona.
Mpume lives in Orlando East, this is a very well known zone in Soweto. Mpume has a high school education and he is very passionate about his community. Unfortunately he has lost 2 sisters to AIDS. Mpume serves his community by developing vegetable gardens and teaching about AIDS and the dangers of practising sex outside the boundaries of marriage. Unfortunately in his community there is a lot of rape and many woman get infected through that.
A couple of months ago Mpume got a research group to come and do voluntary AIDS testing in one of the High Schools with 1300 students in his community, where he provides teachers and students with fresh, healthy vegetables. 100 Students took part in this inisiative and 73 of the 100 people tested HIV+. This confirmed Mpume’s mission to provide education about the illness and healthy food to build the immune system of those who are infected.
Mpume has many people under his influence. He is postitive and very well equiped for what he does. He lives only from donations and shares whatever he has, going hungry many days, helping his community.
One evening at Siyabona we had to share which leader has had the greatest impact on our lives. Mpume’s response was pofound. Sitting in our group with corporate leaders he said: “All I can say is Jesus Christ, that is it, He was God and could ask others to serve Him, but He served them.”

Voxtropolis

2006-08-15T15:26:00.000+01:00

Check out www.voxtropolis.com the City of Voices

Siyabona Update

2006-07-04T14:06:00.000+01:00

Here are some pictures from Siyabona Leadership school. Things are running smoothly and the interaction and growth is very exciting.

Keep in touch.

Siyabona Session 2

2006-05-15T09:47:00.000+01:00

We will have our second session of Siyabona tomorrow. The first get together was a great experience and there is great excitement for the second session tomorrow.

We had about 30 students from all racial and socio-economical backgrounds. It was a great dynamic and the students enjoyed the interaction in our country that is still very much isolated between white, colored and black.

I pray that this will help elevate the leadership quotient in our country.

Siyabona Leadership School

2006-03-20T12:49:00.000+02:00

Siyabona - Zulu word meaning: we see, we have the ability to see the future.

Our vision is to cultivate diverse transformational leadership

Our core values:

Servanthood
Reconciliation
Apprenticeship
Integrity
Stewardship

Siyabona Leadership School will be an experiment where we introduce low, middle and high income groups to the same environment. Here in South Africa this is crucial to get our country mixed up and at a place where we share and learn from each other. Siyabona will provide the environment where the corporate CEO can learn from the local leader from a squattercamp, but also where the squatter can learn from the CEO.

Our country needs transfromation and the development of leaders. Siyabona is non-profitable and will exist only to see this happen.

I ask for your prayers and thoughts on this idea!

Siyabona will start on the 11th of April and will get together once a month for 3 hours.

Consumerism

2006-03-08T11:20:00.000+02:00

It scares me. Consumerism that is.

Yesterday I had to wait in a queue for 2 hours to renew my car license. The whole system of the state department here in SA is so insufficient. But what a lesson of how deep consumerism has her claws into me. We snap our fingers and pay loads of money to have things our way. This doesn't work here in South Africa.

While in the queue waiting a crippled man walked in and was ushered to the front of the line. He was black. Many of the white, sophisticated consumers could not handle this and started complaining. "He also has to wait in the line", was the cry. Then they took him to the back again, but eventually someone ushered him into the offices for personal attention.

It was pretty sad to see how we choose consumerism, rather than the example of Jesus. These were the European whites who brought Jesus to Africa. Somewhere in their process of showing Him to Africa, they have lost Him.

Eternal Perspective

2006-02-28T09:51:00.000+02:00

Sometimes working with the poor and broken is tough. How do we give them hope? Somehow we will not alieviate poverty right away for them. In this temporary life not all will be perfect once we become Christ followers.

We live in a time where people are obsessed with looking young until they die, but we still die. Looking at the cosmetics industry it scares me to see all the available lotions and potions! I don’t mind cosmetics, but you have to agree the world has become obsessive. We don’t want to die! Why is this? Because we make to much of this life. We are still the pilgrims that God sent to this world. This is the journey, not the destination.

For the above mentioned problems Christ offered the following:

Eternal bread, eternal streams of water and eternal life.

That’s why I say:
Jesus and followers of Jesus look beyond this temporary life, focused on that which lasts eternally.

Col 3: 1-3 : “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

1 Thess 3:18 “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.”

Phil 3: 19-20 : “many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

43 Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luk 24
Jesus speaks about water that quenches our thirst for eternity.Jesus speaks about bread that feeds us for eternity.

Scriptures about eternity: Close to 100 in the Bible.

2 Cor 4:16-18 : ‘Paul reminds us of this life’s temporary status!

Questions:
What lasts for eternity?
If you have found the answer for the above, how should this influence the way you invest and manage your time?
If you start living for eternity today, what is the one thing you need to change so that your life will be in line with you eternal perspective?

Jesus brings more than temporary relief, there is eternal hope.

This is no reason to be passive about the world, but a great motivation to engage our communities, rich and poor.

Radical revolutionary inclusivity

2006-02-10T08:51:00.000+02:00

The world is known for exclusivity. Therefore we discriminate. Our country has a history of apartheid where this was clear. Jesus challenges us to be inclusive. But the church has not done justice to this core value that was part of the lives of Jesus and his early followers.

Therefore I post the following and would like you to comment on this.

R - Radical Revolutionary Inclusivity,

A movement of Jesus Christ should be known for its inclusive nature.

Luk 15:1 “Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him.(NIV) ,

Mark 2:15: 15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Col 3:11 “and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”

Luke 7 : 36-50.

1 Cor 9: 19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings

Matt 19: 13 “13 Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

Questions :

Do I realize that Jesus includes me?
How inclusive do I live towards others?

God is a DJ

2006-01-25T11:27:00.000+02:00

The following words are from a song of a British dance group called Faithless. It's quite a catchy song and gets you moving.
"God Is A DJ (Yes He Is)
"This is my church
This is where I heal my hurts
This is my church
This is where I heal my hurts
This is my church
This is where I heal my hurts
It's a natural grace
Of watching young life shape
It's in minor keys
Solutions and remedies
Enemies becoming friends
When bitterness ends
This is my church [2x]
This is where I heal my hurts
For tonightGod is a DJ
This is my church
This is where I heal my hurts

This is very true in South Africa. Most of the people go to clubs Fridays and Saturdays to dance into the morning hours. I was wondering how many of them actually have a spiritual experience while they are there. I was thinking that most of them actually find more healing there than in church. This made me think about the concept of church once again.

Secondly, what if God was a DJ and all of us were doing the dance of life? Shouldn't we be moving to his rhythms? Should we not get the beat from the DJ, making the music for all of us to enjoy?

Have a great 2006!!!

2006-01-11T09:50:00.000+02:00

May you grow and develop and become more who God intended! Thanks to those who read and keep in touch. Greetings Hermann and Adel

Blogging fast......

2005-12-14T09:26:00.000+02:00

I'm busy fasting from blogging..... It's doing me good, I get a lot more done!!!! Don't know how long it will still continue, but I'll still be reading my favorite blogs!! Keep up the good writing.....

This weekend I preached in an old Dutch Reformed Church. It looks like an old European Cathedral.... Is was fun.... Adel and I also worked with the youth who has a missions group who are going to do outreach over the Christmas period.

I preached about BONO, MLK jr and Gandhi and how Jesus transformed and inspired them and how he does the same for us!

Stuck in Acts!

2005-11-21T10:28:00.000+02:00

32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34 There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.(Acts 4)

What a read. I am encouraged by the book of Acts. I guess this is the answer. Reading an inspiring blog this morning by Brian Russel, I realized why I am stuck in Acts. I'm going back to the first church to figure it all out again........ For so long we were following this mega church vibe and then the next...... I believe God through His Son Jesus should be followed, because He is the One that calls us and gives meaning to our lives. Brian challenges us to go back to Scriptures, the Word and the Truth.

Read Acts 4 again, it is a good read!

Still thinking!

2005-11-15T16:54:00.000+02:00

Creating business to relieve poverty. Those are the thought's in my head. We have to create job's for others, through new business.

I'm still thinking about my previous blog and appreciate the comments. Also just another photo of our favorite neighbor here in South Africa. My wife mailed it to me!Keep praying for BOB!!!!

Keep praying for Zimbabwe.

Maybe this is why?

2005-11-03T14:48:00.000+02:00

Our country has a crime rate as high as inflation in Zimbabwe. It is easy to meet someone in our country who has either been robbed, highjacked or shot at! Why do they do this to us? It is not a black and white thing............Wednesday is refuse removal day in our section of town. This means we move our dustbins into the street and it gets collected by Town Council. Every Wednesday when Adel and I go jog at 6:00am their are about 10 people we pass on the street digging in the dustbins. Over the last year we have seen more and more white people as well.

We have also found that more and more of the robbing and hijacking has been done by whites. So this is not a black and white issue in our country, so sensitive towards black and white. But why do they rob us, highjack us and sometimes kill us?? Are they evil? Are they greedy? Are they needy? Maybe this is why:

Maybe it is because we jog past them in the morning without offering a meal, while digging in our dustbins.
Maybe it is because we ignore them when they beg on the street.
Maybe it is because when we speak to them we treat them as less superior.
Maybe it is because we close the window of our cars and ignore them at the traffic light.
Maybe it is because the young child walking with his blind mother nearly gets run over by us driving our expensive german cars.
Maybe it is because our parents could provide and theirs couldn't.
Maybe it is because we only give 50 cents while our wallets are full of hundreds and thousands.
Maybe it is because we don't buy from those little, poor entrepreneurs trying to start a new business.
Maybe it is because we don't even greet them, when they try and get our attention to sell something to us.
Maybe it is because we put up our businesses next to the squattercamps to exploit what little they have.
Maybe it is because when we start a business it is for our own pockets and not for the pockets of others.
Maybe it is because we throw away and forget things that could make a huge difference to them.
Maybe it is because we don't realize how it feels to be hungry.
Maybe it is because they are sick of being cold and hungry.
Maybe it is us.
Maybe we are not following in the footsteps of Christ.
Maybe we create the thieves through our selfishness and isolation.

Just thinking about these things. Not sure I agree with myself.

Kingdom.blog

2005-11-01T10:44:00.000+02:00

I started a new blog with Sam Radford. He had the brilliant idea. Check it out at www.kingdomblog.org

Yesterday Sam posted an article by Rolling Stone Magazine on Bono. Bono mentioned that he is writing a poem "The Pilgrim and His lack of Progress". Brilliant! Today I feel exactly like that!!!

A tribute to you!

2005-10-26T16:57:00.000+02:00

My husband, Hermann never writes about what he conquered, whose lives he changed or what amazing new change he stirred in the heart of someone he encountered during his day. And he can write a book on his stories in his live and also now currently in his new, what many uninformed would define as a real “Corporate, capitalist driven” job.

Hermann does not share his stories because he believes that he always has something more to do, more to give, more to change of himself and he therefore never thinks that these experiences should be shared. Being a typical proud wife I always find it difficult not to share what he has done though when we chat to friends. He shares them with me though and I decided to tell you what impact he had on my life just by being who he is.

My heart for the poor only started to really change 4 years ago in 2001 when I met a guy, Hermann who has had this social giving heart from the age of a little boy. He helped the poor and showed them Jesus films with my dear mom in law during the APARTHEID Years, although they were also poor, my dad in law being a policeman. Those years just treating the black people with respect was a sin, and you did not get funding to do it or a "WOW YOU HAVE TAKEN SUCH A BRAVE STEP".

Hermann started a church in a in a squatter camp with Sipho a very dear friend, when he was working as a school teacher in 1998 (again without any funding, any training but with a passion from God and taking action in his current position). I went with Hermann to the four squatter camp churches when I met him, where he was involved when still working full time for the church. It was not a “full-time” ministry rewarding job, but he loved every Sunday, greeting his friends, who were always happy to see us. He “preached” plain basic life challenging messages to the “inferior, illiterate, not good enough people” in a tent in dust, with a floor of “mud” in SA heat – and we had church for 2-3 hours and it was “spiritual’ and authentic and real! He did not preach to the intellectual, popular, wealthy white in an airconditioned, state of the art church where I sat most of my student life doing nothing else but studying to become a CA (SA), to avoid the childhood I had and being a consumer listening to high religious sermons with no real challenge to change.

But Hermann made me aware and encouraged me through his actions to let God talk to me and start to do something myself. I started to pray and experience God through Hermann and my heart and actions started to change.

He stirred this feeling in so many friends’ hearts and I wish I can put their names down… Even though from 2003 he was not involved in the “social work” of the church anymore he still made time to go and visit, started with other new projects to empower the poor, of which only I knew… He contributed to so much change of my heart that I and a friend started with a job creation project last year, I started to see the needs of Thoni and Peter who helps us in our house, students at my job who could not afford food, the person cleaning my office who can not pay lobbola at the age of 40.

And today in his current non-full-time ministry job he still changes people hearts – people who have never been in a squatter camps are taken there and made aware of what we have to give, they are introduced and challenged to start with a relationship with Jesus (who of us in jobs have done this once?). They are assisted in getting involved in projects of empowerment of the poor in their direct position. Hermann creates jobs, build confidence, gain respect and GIVE respect to the “inferior” every where he goes. You have read his blog on Alex and Aleta – I have never seen them so exited as on the days when they saw Hermann when we visited them for a short while…

Today I want to give tribute to my husband for encouraging the potential in so many of us (and I have seen it although we may not say it) to start in our own current position and search for God's Calling in helping our poor neighbors in need for health, food, skills and sometimes JUST love. Thank you for all your questions, and that you always seek further and feel and share that you can do more, although you are already doing so much for our "poor" friends in our current position. Thank you for never sharing what you have conquered or that you have made it, cause sharing your brokenness and flaws encourages so many of us.

I know that you are going to “hate” me for doing this blog, but I just wanted to give you a bit of hope in the past few dark moments you have lived. You also know that I am very critical and would not have said these words if I do not mean it and did not experience it first hand… As the saying goes: ”Ask a man’s wife about her husband and you will see his true character.”

A Phone call

2005-10-25T08:44:00.000+02:00

It has been a couple of months since I have left my previous position at a church. To be exact it has been three and a half months. I have worked there for eight years and have worked with many individuals in this organization for eight years. I used to be on the management with some of these individuals for 4 years.

In the nearly 4 months that I have been gone, not one of my management colleagues has called me up to now. Let me tell you who did call me though, people who are not on the management. Three staff members have called me and expressed that they really miss having me around.

Adel my wife used to be head of the woman's ministry and needless to say she has not been contacted either.

A couple of days ago, Alex and Aletta called me. They are two people struggling with cerebral palsy. I used to run the welfare department at the church five years ago for two months long. In this time I must have visited them four times. It was tough cause getting no visitors for months, they soak up all the attention they could get. I thanked God for releasing me from the welfare department and I would just enquire every now and then how they were. Many times I ignored Alex's call and just listened to his voice message asking me, begging me to visit him.

I actually forgot about them when I left the church, but I really enjoyed speaking to them when they called a couple of days ago. They mentioned that they miss me and was thinking about me and praying for me.......

Being away from church for the last couple of months has really taught me much about the church.

I am asking questions about whether I actually had community with many of the people that I worked with. I am actually wondering if I ever experienced church? Is it actually possible to experience community in the kind of church that I was working at. Henri Nouwen learned so much at L' Arche and Alex and Aletta just reminded me that Jesus speaks so clearly through those who are broken and discarded by society.

Still we seek the acknowledgement of those who are great in the eyes of the world.

May God guide me to seek His acknowledgement.

A different neighbor

2005-10-19T14:36:00.000+02:00

It is very sad to see the people of Zimbabwe and especially to see their suffering. We have about 2 million refugees in South Africa from Zimbabwe. They are prepared to work for very low wages and this causes trouble with South Africans, who are rightly so not prepared to work for these wages.

The main cause of this problem is not the poor economy or the bad rain season, or a lack of entrepreneurial spirit. The main cause of the problems in Zimbabwe is Robert Mugabe.

I have spoken to a couple of Zimbabweans over the last months and with a couple of my black SA friends who agree with me. What they have actually told me and this I did not know as a white boy, is that Mugabe is holding on to power, because as soon as he steps down he will be charged with the murder of a couple of villages in Zimbabwe. Since hearing this his action now make sense. I now understand why he is so desperate. In his desperation and fear of death, like any dictator, he has ruined the lives of many. He has ruined Zimbabwe.

On days like these I don' t feel like being Christian towards this man. I wonder what Jesus thinks of this man, if we could call him a man. Incredible to think that Jesus loves this man.

Read more on Mugabe

How do we as South Africans love this neighbor?

In the Drakensberg!

2005-10-14T14:33:00.000+02:00

We love our weekends now that I don't have the commitment of a church pastor! Sounds terrible, but it's a season!!! This weekend we are in the Drakensberg. Read more on the Drakensberg!

Bubba and his abused little friends whom God loves dearly...

2005-10-13T16:05:00.000+02:00

A movement began in the spring of 1989, when a Norfolk, Virginia grandmother, Bonnie Finney, took a stand against child abuse after experiencing the death of her grandson , Bubba. She tied a blue ribbon to her van as a memorial for her 3 year-old grandson, who was murdered by his mother’s abusive boyfriend. The spirit of her blue ribbon grew, and others have joined her in using blue ribbons as reminders of the bruises of child abuse. The following poem was written on the story of little Bubba, and all the children in abusive homes whom might never live up to the age of three...

My name is Sarah I am but three,My eyes are swollen I cannot see,
I must be stupid,I must be bad,What else could have made My daddy so mad?
I wish I were better,I wish I weren't ugly,Then maybe my Mommy Would still want to hug me.
I can't speak at all,I can't do a wrong Or else I'm locked up All the day long.

When I awake I'm all alone The house is dark My folks aren't home.
When my Mommy does come I'll try and be nice,So maybe I'll get just One whipping tonight.
Don't make a sound! I just heard a car My daddy is back> From Charlie's Bar.
I hear him curse My name he calls I press myself Against the wall.

I try and hide> From his evil eyes I'm so afraid now I'm starting to cry.
He finds me weeping He shouts ugly words,He says its my fault That he suffers at work.
He slaps me and hits me And yells at me more,I finally get free And I run for the door.He's already locked it
And I start to bawl,He takes me and throws me Against the hard wall.
I fall to the floor With my bones nearly broken, And my daddy continues With more bad words spoken.

"I'm sorry!", I scream But its now much too late His face has been twisted Into unimaginable hate.
The hurt and the pain Again and again Oh please God, have mercy! Oh please let it end!
And he finally stops And heads for the door,While I lay there motionless Sprawled on the floor.
My name is Sarah And I am but three,Tonight my daddy Murdered me.

My Prayer is that God's will be done in these little, innocent, harmless childrens' lives. At this stage it is unfortunately all I can do... and wear a blue ribbon to "live" my passion with Bonnie.

The reality of our country

2005-10-13T10:55:00.000+02:00

On Monday I went to pick up some friends from the US to visit a squatters settlement in South Africa. They stayed at the Hilton in Sandton. They stayed for free! I was shocked to once again experience the contrast of 1st and 3rd world in our country.

This is the reality of this beautiful land. The church looks the same. We have 1st world churches and 3rd world churches in our country.

Shouldn't the church be groundbreaking? The church should not follow the natural tendencies of society? I listened to a friend of mine who said that if you mix Christianity and Capitalism, you get the institutionalized Church. What example has the church been in this country? How should they believe if the 1st world church of SA just continues to grow richer and live in more isolation?

Right is the Hilton Hotel in Sandton. The photo above is taken from an informal settlement in South Africa. This is the reality of our country.

We as followers of Christ should awaken and continue the Renaissance that Jesus has begun.

May it begin with me!

May the Renaissance of Christ be completed in me!

A Tribute to my wife.

2005-10-10T12:06:00.000+02:00

This weekend Adel and I drove to a wedding that is about 3 hours drive from Johannesburg. It was fun. But we really started talking about our marriage and we once again realized how the little foxes can creep into your relationship. It really made me think about priorities once again and that we need to make time for the important things, because the unimportant ones creep in somehow!

Therefore this blog is a tribute to my wife who has been married to me for nearly 4 years. I thank God for her and my prayer is that I would be the husband that God intended me to be for her. Through all the changes that has happened the last 6 months and all the stress connected with that, she helped me through.

I pray for our marriage, I pray for her, that we would be spared for each other.

My ADP class in semester 1/2005

2005-10-07T08:12:00.000+02:00

I loved them all, all 15 of them. I had the privilege to teach students from Monash's Academic Development Programme in the first semester. The Programme is like any development programme at other South African Universities - a extended curriculum degree for students whom have not met the entry requirements, but need only one year of "extra" classes in required subjects to get accepted for a degree. All of them are from African countries - Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania etc. Some of us walked an interesting and challenging path together.

One student's mother died in January and had emotions to deal with plus the new SA environment. I really felt for him...
One got pregnant and went home to look after the little one...
One told me his story of having a very successful dad (politician) and at a high level in their specific tribe. He had a lot of pressure on performing and it had its toll...

Some days I was really frustrated with their performance in ACC, but other days I was so impressed and happy. Like in the beginning of the semester when I asked them to write down their number one goal in life - here are some responses:

"I would like to be the best dad I could ever be."
"I want to be the President of Tanzania"
"I want to have my own liquor business" (this is from one of the partiers)

Taking things for granted

2005-09-22T12:53:00.000+02:00

I get a whole lot of "spiritual" and "please pray for ...." sms's daily, and I realy try to care and have symphaty for people who are suffering from sickness and pain. But this morning I got an sms which blew me over. I realy do not know who send it. The person was asking all recipients to pray that God will help them to make a financial breaktrough. My first emotions at 6:30 when I just woke up:"You have got to be kidding me - first of all I do not know who you are and secondly, prayer for finances happens in relationship." How can I pray for someone's finances if I do not know how they live and what the financial breakrough is they need?

I am sorry for my harshness, but I feel we are abusing our Father's Grace and Strentgh. People are complainig that they are struggling financially but then they still go out for lunches and dinners.... That to me and Hermann are LUXURIES! Maybe it is because we grew up in a financially struggling & challenging environment. But then I look at Lincoln, the 40 year old person who cleans my office and THANKS ME when he takes my dustbin and I just realise: " I do not have a clue what GRACE is, I do not have a clue what suffering is, I do not know what Contentness is" Cause I am gonna turn 40 like Lincoln and probably still gonna sit in my nice office on my nice chair with my nice car and nice house and there are going to be another Lincoln whose financial breakthough is probably a dinner somewhere nice and a promotion to cleaning manager.

Paying careful attention to change

2005-09-20T16:14:00.000+02:00

Adel and I entered into a road race over the weekend. It was 10km and very tough. What was worst was the fact that I ran the ladies race with Adel and I realized that I'm not the athlete I thought I was. I struggled to keep up with ladies twice my age and twice my size.

While we were running a lady in front of us stopped running. Adel and I swerved around her and continued. She was white about 47 years old and struggling. Behind us was a black lady about 35 from Soweto. I knew where they were from because of their running club outfits. As this black lady passed the white lady she enquired her name and offered to help. The white lady said its fine and the black lady could continue. The black lady refused to leave her and continued to encourage her. After a few kilo's they passed me and Adel.

This was beautiful to see and experience. When we pay careful attention we see the change in our country. This inspires me to change and continually grow in how I see other races. Lets pay careful attention to see the progress.

Monopoly

2005-09-16T09:40:00.000+02:00

Last night I watched a debate on CNN about world poverty, unfair trade, the fact that certain countries have a monopoly on world markets and it pretty much upset me. I respect what the members on the panel were actually trying to achieve, especially BONO and Jeffrey Sachs.

But this made me think of a story that I shared with a couple of men this morning:

"A committee of ministers in a certain city was discussing the possibility of having D. L. Moody to serve as the evangelist during a city-wide evangelistic campaign.
Finally, one young minister who did not want to invite Moody stood up and said: ÂWhy Moody? Does he have a monopoly of the Holy Spirit?Â
There was silence. Then an old, godly minister spoke up: ÂNo, he does not have a monopoly of the Holy Spirit; but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly of D. L. Moody.Â

May God get a monopoly on my life!!

Save my relationship with Christ.

2005-09-14T09:34:00.000+02:00

I enjoy my new venture of coaching. It is a great opportunity for me to really invest in the lives of other people. I enjoy unleashing passion and helping people working constructively towards their calling.

Yesterday I coached a young corporate. Our discussion and conversation drifted towards religion and being a Christ follower and a keen evangelist I could not help myself but to start asking questions about my clients religion. This guy was black, 32 years old and a young corporate on his way to making it big in South African economics. This was his response:

"I decided to save my relationship with Christ by leaving the church. I realized that the church is the same as any corporate company with politics and power play. I tried to make a difference, but eventually realized, the only way to protect my relationship with my Maker, was to leave the institution of church."

I bet we have many people following Christ experiencing the same. It worries me, because many people decide to follow Christ as individuals.

Back in business!!

2005-09-13T15:19:00.000+02:00

What a frustrating 3 months. I'm reminded again of Africa and how slow things are here. I have struggled for 3 months to get e-mail and internet since I left the church. Now I'm back in business, or at least that is how it feels.

I'm currently doing life and business coaching and I'm looking forward to share my experiences again. God has been good to me and Adel and we are at a good place.

Thanx to all those who prayed for us and helped us through a long and weary wilderness.

Looking forward to hear from you all via e-mail and the blogworld.....

ID - where does it originate from?

2005-09-01T13:58:00.000+01:00

The past few weeks I have been challenged with having my ID in God versus having my ID in the western, capital, first world and community. It is difficult and sometimes creates depressed emotions in one's heart if you compare and 'mingle' and become part of a group by doing what they are doing, talking the way they talk, seeing and experiencing things from their perspectives... and forgetting God's doing, talking, seeing, experiencing and being. And do not understand me wrong, it is not a specific group of friends, or workgroup. It is more a state of mind group, a society group, a moulding group. I am also quilty because I am part of a group everyday!

I have been part of conversations where I felt so insecure and uncertain with my "glorified teacher's" occupation, my naive views on live, my limited knowledge in "religion", business, live, relationships. I wanted to say things to make it and me more acceptable. I felt so insignificant and worthless at times, being an add-onn, a wall-flower... and I was quilty in being part of conversations where I did not speak and lived the way God expects me too - being content with me and who I am and sharing and living it. Finding and living my ID in God and not in the material things our society exposes us to.

I learned from God yesterday evening at a Mexican dinner with dear friends, after a week of "fighting" against depressed emotions (because of Satan's lies on my ID, which I believed), that He wants us to grow our ID in Him. I learned that there are so many others who feels the same. If we loose everyting like Job and Jesus Christ on His Crusifixtion day, will we still have dignity and character to look at our Father and know that "He is my God and I have been created in His Image." or will it "destroy" our image because it was planted in the temporary foundations.

I know that these words are "know it all's", nothing new, we all know this, but do we realise the impact on our lives if we realy start to live this? I do not want to be judgemental. I'd rather want us to help each other in this journey of going back to the basics and our roots and realising where our ID's came from. May our Father and the Holy spirit keep reminding us in situations when we might forget, who we ARE in HIM.

Memories...

2005-06-29T14:17:00.000+01:00

Hermann (and I indirectly) are leaving a place where he experienced so much destructiveness but he also learned so much over the past 10 years. I belief that our wonderful God had it all planned out for my dear husband (it might sound cliche). It was an environment where one was exposed to challenges and new "adventures" on a regular basis.

I have also learned so much the past 3.5 years with my husband and we do not regret the times, the people and the experiences. As Hermann say, we have met so many beautiful people and that is something that God has blessed and I belief, planned to the date and year. Some things challenged our marriage, but there were things that also build our marriage and relationship. Services and people with whom we experienced His presence and His amazing grace.

My husband has mixed emotions - one the one hand he is greatful for God is Calling Him further in His plan and journey with Hermann. But on the other hand, Hermann has memories that brings tears and an acking heart - experiences and people, authentic relationships that has sentiment. God is helping us to heal, though a long process - selfish emotions surface daily.

Our prayer is that we will grow closer to God in our journey ahead, we want to BE more authentic, more dependant on Javeh (as Hermann would say), more aware of Him daily, living His principles setout in His Word, and not judgemental, but full of grace and love.

It's not mine!!!!!

2005-06-28T11:12:00.000+01:00

The ministry of non-possessiveness.
I am leaving my current job this weekend. I have started a couple of initiatives here and it's sad to leave all that behind.
Wednesday night I spoke to one of my friends who really felt that God was calling him not to hold on to what he has done and learned, but to really pass it on. He called it the ministry of non-possessiveness.
God used him to speak to me.

My wife is back!

2005-06-13T12:55:00.000+01:00

What a week! I never thought that I could be so lost! My wife is back and I'm relieved to say that next time she leaves to go somewhere, I go with her. She completes me. She is my friend and my partner in crime and it is just great to have her back!

She had a wonderful time in Australia. People there are much more agnostic than in South Africa. When she mentioned that I am a church pastor people lost respect for her and treated her as if she was dumb. We had a great conversation last night and discussed whether SA is on track to become the same in future. She mentioned how important she realized prayer and devotion is in the Australian culture. We become lukewarm in our Christianized country.

Adel challenged me with her insights into Jesus and devotion towards Him. In our culture and lives Jesus becomes an add on, but when we follow Jesus in an Agnostic environment we need Jesus and Jesus alone. That's how we stay sane in an environment that treats believers as insane! How do we relate to these people??

Well, that is another conversation.

Almost time to go back to SA..

2005-06-11T04:52:00.000+01:00

It is Saturday, I am leaving for SA tomorrow 6 am. Had an experiencial time here in Australia, Melbourne. Church is not a big thing - most people are atheist or agnostic! Again so many beautiful churches in the city, so less occupied... God is talking to me through Proverbs - about Understanding, Knowledge and Insight. Knowing Him will bring Wise understanding, Knowledge and insight. Knowing Him and living His way brings Wisdom far beyond our worldly knowledge and education. Do we have to be educated to realy know God and wisdom. Do we not learn from people's actions rather than their words (which they got from education)? Are actions and values no learned through personal relationship with a master through apprenticeship? Did our western society had to invade Africa, to westernise the Boesman and African Blacks and "educate" them or did we only have to bring JESUS to their culture? Why did we taught the black woman that covering your breasts is being educated? Why is having open breasts been seen as uneducated? Did we not make a mistake by educating them? Because education, westernise and capitalise people! Do our Western people in SA really belong there? These are all questions in my head. I need anwers.... chat later...time is up!

Feeling Imperfect without him....

2005-06-08T13:59:00.000+01:00

At last! Internet access at the Hotel I am staying at, at a HUGE fee! I have been away from home (which is my wonderful husband) for two days now and it feels like 2 years! I miss you my love and realise every time I think of you - which is basically always, that God put us together and that we have a purpose together and not as individuals...

It is always amazing to hear how people can blatantly, though always according to them as a joke, say on these retreats that they are so happy to be away from home and their wife / husband. How can we disgrace ourselves like that? Why do you get married in the first place then? I can not and do not want to live without Hermann, I would choose not to go away without him and rather be with you my love, than be here... I do not feel fulfilled nor perfect without you.

I do learn a lot however and try to make the best of my wonderful privilege and opportunity here. I thank God for blessing me with these wonderful treats, which is only because of HIM! We stay in a very lani Hotel - The Mansion Werribee in Melbourne - beautiful and exotic! I met nice people and during the day it is okay, but it is in the evenings like now (it is 11:16 pm) when I can not sleep and want to be with my husband to share today with him.

Is it not great that God gave us a companion to share our lives with? God thought of our longings for love long before we did...

I am reading Proverbs now - God and His Word make me less emotionally unstable during the evenings - It starts with direct words: Everything... wisdom, starts with God. We can only live fulfilling lives when we know our Maker, when we long for Him, when we live to be like Him, when we implement His wise teachings in the today and the now. May we live ONLY for our GOD and experience true love with our lifetime earthly companions.

I love you my breath, I miss you!

Leadership for the coming generations.

2005-06-08T11:50:00.000+01:00

Yoda-dude
Adel and I had the opportunity to spend time with Alex, Octavio and their families while we were in LA. One of the topics of our conversation stuck with me: Yoda the master and the Jedi the Apprentice.

We discussed how we as leaders should surround us with young leaders who will take the Kingdom to the next generation. It's funny how we all believe we are relevant, cutting edge, until we talk to someone 5 years younger than we are.

How do we identify these leaders and how do we invest into their lives? This will be interesting conversation, but instrumental in raising up new leaders for the Kingdom.

Who is your Yoda?
Who is your apprentice-Jedi?

Home alone.

2005-06-06T09:33:00.000+01:00

My beautiful wife.

My wife is off to Australia today. I am going to be devastated for a week. We will be on the phone, we will e-mail and SMS. I am going to miss her a lot. I thank God for my wife and the gift of companionship.

Adel will be on a work retreat, for those of you who don't know she is an accounting lecturer at a university and she has spoken internationally. Be sure to check the blog if she blogs in OZ!

Love you baby!!!

Yahweh

2005-06-01T11:18:00.000+01:00

Back in Africa the world continuous as it should and as we all knew it would. While in New York Adel and I discovered the biggest secondhand bookshop in the world. It is called "Strand Books." What a joy! What a joy!

It is in this store that I bought a book that is the first book that Eugene Peterson translated into contemporary language. The book of PSALMS. I started reading the Psalms again and even though I have two copies of the Message and have read the Psalms numerous times, this time is different.

I am struck by Yahweh. I am fascinated by Yahweh. Peterson uses this term for God and it truly lends a different dimension to the Psalms. I'll give you a couple of verses:

Yahweh makes His people strong.
Yahweh gives His people peace.
Blessed Yahweh! His love is the wonder of this world.
Yahweh takes care of those that stay close to Him.
Stay with Yahweh and never quit, I'll say it again, stay with Yahweh.

Over and over these scriptures speak to me in a new way. As I sat in the plane praying over some of these scriptures, I once again realise that Yahweh offers us more than salvation from hell. He offers us true life, real life, deep life, eternal life.

This is my prayer, that Yahweh will grant me this life, but more than this that we will live this life as a testimony to a world desperate for Yahweh.

Leaving Hawaii

2005-05-29T19:55:00.000+01:00

Well Adel presented yesterday and she did great. All her hard work was rewarded with good feedback. Thanks to all of those who prayed for her. She made me proud to be her husband. She was very thorough and cane across like a true academic.

We are heading back home this evening.

God has spoken to me and Adel over the last couple of days. We feel like this is a new season, a time of a fresh calling on our lives. I am constantly reminded by the wise words of Jesus in Mark which is our prayer: "Embrace this God life, really embrace it, and nothing will be to much for you!

We speak again from Africa.

2005-05-26T22:16:00.000+01:00

I have been attending my 1st day of the BUSINESS CONFERENCE at the Hawaii Mariot Waikiki Beach Hotel and we stay here! WOW... what a blessing and privelage. I feel like a princess in my tower. Hermann and I are so greatfull on how God blesses us.

The first 3 sessions were so learningfull. I met interesting people and my mind was stretched. I start to realise that I enjoy learning more and new things. I am truly a young "academic" as the snobs would say. I just say that I am a learning teacher, appreciating education, because it is something priceless, which no one can ever take from you. And what a previlage to be in a position to learn more. How many people do not have the lifes you and I have, praying for an opportunity to learn and go to school not even University or college. I think of the hundreds of illetarite people in South Africa, who would love to only be able to read the paper.

My next session has started already. Will tell you more later!

New Friends in LA

2005-05-25T18:14:00.000+01:00

Hermann and I had the privilege of meeting 7 new friends yesterday in LA. Neza (Adriana in her birth name), Alex, Michael, Erica and Lucas is a family of 5 and Octivio and Lilia has 3 children. We also met John, whom chauffeured us to Hollywood - what an eye opener - will tell you more about that later! We spent the whole day with them and we learned so much and saw so much of Jesus in them. We saw true friendship, love, care, family life, fun, jokes, authenticity, realness, a lot of conversation and care. Hermann and I were challenged in our old way of church and being a follower of Christ. As Hermann said: "We have a lot of unlearn" to do.

May God strectch us and help su grow more to the disciple couple he wants us to be!

We had so much fun with our new friends, although they can be our parents (they have lived a full life already and we were not yet born). But it is as Alex said, cultures connect and not authenticity. Souls connect and not generations!

Los Angeles.

2005-05-25T18:10:00.000+01:00

We had a great day yesterday. Spend time with Octavio en Alex and their families in Pasadena. We had great conversation. When we get back to SA we will show you guys some photos and talk more about our conversation. They are super people, great kids, great family, beautiful example to me and Adel!

We leave for Hawaii this evening. Transport in LA is more of a challenge than in NY. Adel is presenting on Saturday, so please keep her in your prayers. But she will do great.

We visited the new Catholic cathedral in LA this morning. Not a good experience! A bit freaky to say the least. Don't know why I felt this way??? Hopefully you'll hear more from us in Hawaii.

God Bless!!

New York, New York.

2005-05-22T14:45:00.000+01:00

Adel and I are in New York. Last time it was winter. It's much prettier in the spring. Last night our friends went to the U2 concert. Man they had a great time. We saw the photo's this morning. They are sure giving us a good time. We had a great time yesterday, Central Park is just beautifull. We had a great picnic.

Today we are going to church, then into Manhattan again. On Monday we leave for LA and Wednesday for Honolulu.

Adel is presenting a paper on Saturday. The conference starts on Thursday. We'll be back in SA on the 1 st of June.

Maybe I'll blog before then, but if not then soosn after that!

a True Servant.

2005-05-18T17:27:00.000+01:00

Dallas Schafer

We had a wonderful 10 days with Dallas. He has been in ministry for over 50 years and married for nearly 51 years. I was astounded at this 70 year olds passion, purpose and blind faith in Jesus Christ. Despite many obstacles Dallas came to South Africa at a difficult time and has really touched many peoples lives. He left for Cape Town today where he will again minister with passion and purpose.

I look at Dallas, see his example and I hear his words and through his wonderful ministry I want to be a more devoted follower of Jesus and a better husband to Adel.

Thanks Dallas for putting some new passion in me.

Changes.

2005-05-16T10:10:00.000+01:00

Wow. I have not blogged in a month. Time flies when your preoccupied! This morning a long journey for me, has come to an end! It is a time of new dreams and plans for the future.

May God be with me and Adel.

Da Vinci Code.

2005-04-19T09:48:00.000+01:00

I loved this book. I read it in 2003 and enjoyed every page.

The book has caused controversy in Christian circles. Many feminist organizations has liked the idea that Mary Magdalene was the mother of Christianity. Many Christians have started doubting their faith. Never a better thing than doubt to help us grow further. The annoying aspect of doubt though is that people stay stuck in doubt and never grow beyond that. When in doubt we need to see the opportunity to grow. We need to take responsibility for our doubt and address it.

I have read much about the book and have recently watched a BBC production on the "Real Da Vinci code." Dan Brown the author has been exposed as someone who has created sensation to sell his book. The aspects that he has claimed as fact are not and therefore Christianity has once again been proved authentic, by someone trying to prove the opposite.

I enjoyed the words of the journalist from the BBC : "The facts that Dan Brown claims to be true, is utter rubbish." He said this with a British accent which made it sound much better. So Dan Brown has blessed us with a great story, but that is all it is! It could never discredit the Source of our lives.

I look forward to the movie though with Tom Hanks playing the lead role!

Africa.

2005-04-07T14:01:00.000+01:00

Last night when I left church I saw two young African girls walking home. They work at a restaurant as waitresses. Their names are Lucia and Precious. They were on their way from work to a shopping mall about 7 kilometers from their work, where they could catch a taxi to the inner city of Johannesburg. They do this every night and they risk being raped. When I gave them a ride, we spoke about their lives. They heard that evening that the restaurant is closing by the end of the month and that they would lose their jobs. They asked me to help them look for jobs as well as pray that God will help them. May God help them.

This morning at office, Sipho came to mention to me that an African lady living in a squatterscamp close by, was asking for me to go and visit her. She is about 37 years old and lost her only child when the baby was 3 months old. I buried the baby and officiated at the funeral about 7 years ago while I was working in the squatterscamp. It was the first funeral I ever did. The cause of the baby's death was never determined. But you know what the cause was and so do I. Now the mom is looking for me, because she is at her last. Her life is coming to an end and we all know why, but somehow we are not allowed to talk about this issue.

I am so thankfull to God for my job, for my life, for everything. I come into contact with this kind of suffering and I fail on my knees and realize that by God's grace I have more than I need.

But this saddens me. Actually this upsets me. This morning I read that Zimbabwe's elections was pronounced free and fair. This means more time for Mugabe and the rest of his baboons. This means more immigrants fleeing to South Africa, this means fewer jobs for South Africa. It is our President Mbeki who called these elections free and fair. It is also our President Mbeki who ignores the AIDS issue. We have seen all the abuses in Zimbabwe, it is us who bury our families and friends every weekend, but still Mbeki and the government denies our most prominent issues. Sipho mentioned to me this morning that he has to officiate at 3 funerals this weekend.

What is most annoying is the fact that Mbeki and his friends don't pay for their weak judgment and leadership. The people who pay are Zimbabweans and the South Africans living in poverty. I regret the idiotic policy of Apartheid previously adopted by white minority South Africans, for the biggest effect of Apartheid, is that the white youth who really want and can make a difference is not allowed, but also the perception exists that they are the oppressor's. Any white South African 40 years and younger had nothing to do with Apartheid.

It's days like these I pray for Jesus to come! I need to see justice in an unjust world. My heart aches for Lucia, Precious, Zimbabwe and all my fellow Africans suffering with AIDS. May God hear your prayers and may I be selfless enough to see your needs.

May God grant us another Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.

Mono.

2005-04-04T14:37:00.000+01:00

Check out this rocker at www.mono.co.za He has just recorded two new songs and they will be on all regional radio stations in the next couple of weeks.

He just got engaged a couple of days ago and will get married on the 1st of July 2005. He is a musician with a calling and provokes thinking in his shows.

Check out the website and read some of the articles available. I have also made a contribution.

Shalom!

Grace..

2005-03-24T13:15:00.000+02:00

I have not blogged for a long time, mainly because I felt I did not have anything to share. Sometimes we have seasons of dryness en emptyness and shallowness. But thanks to God for His Grace. Grace is a beautiful word, but do I really grasp the true meaning? God is walking a path with me to live with grace - grace to myself for my constant faults and failure, grace to my husband when we disagree, grace to my friends when I'm hurt by their innocent comments, grace to my enemies when I'd rather want to hate, grace to people who have less than me in ALL dimensions of live. Grace is an aspect of my live I am struggling with.

I heard someone yesterday evening saying: "Jesus reflects GOD's power through our weaknesses." And I experienced this by being faitfull to His Word. We were on our way to a sermon at a chruch yesterday evening. Walking into our kitchen I had a thought that I must take the PINK rose from the bunch on the cupboard. I took one, and had another thought that I must give this rose to someone at the sermon. It felt weird and I put the rose in my handbag, not wanting Hermann to see it - it felt freeky and stupid (maybe I am making this up?, was my thought). We went to sermon, worshipped and the speaker started with his message above. During the sermon I had another thought. God placed someone on my heart, someone whose relationship with me had gone sour. I knew that I had to give the rose to her... I looked around and could not find her (another thought - "you are making this up"). I decided that I made a mistake and walked with Hermann and friends to the car. As we walked out of the doors, she was walking in. I then believed! I gave her rose with a content heart, not knowing why (it felt weird again), but I gave it to her. I hope and pray that He is proud and I thank Him for helping me to grow in being gracefull, because in essence that is giving and growing in LOVE!

Mother Theresa says: "It is not the extravagant things we do that has an impact for God, it is the small things we do with LOVE.."

Where is Jesus?

2005-03-22T17:15:00.000+02:00

This is one of the most prominent weeks on the Christian calendar.

I had coffee with a distressed young male, about 28 years old, today. He is very worried about himself. He is losing faith in the fact that Jesus is God. How can it be?

This young man mentions to me that he is missing the simple gospel message that Jesus is Lord and God. He cannot remember when he last heard this message in church. He is not saying the sermons are bad, but he is not hearing anything difference in the message of the preacher and the message of Deepak Chopra. He hears the same principles. He hears the same feel good message of living a life of meaning.

He has a point. Are we diluting our message to draw more consumers into our churches or are we giving a true message of Jesus and who He is? Yes, we need to be relevant, but we never need to change the truth of who Jesus is and what His life and death and resurrection was all about. He is the Way the Truth and the Life.

A Simple "Jesus only" message has always been the most powerful!

The Best way to live. Part 6.

2005-03-17T11:48:00.000+02:00

I've been reading Parker Palmer the last week and here are some astounding quotes:

"Authentic abundance does not lie in secured stockpiles of food or cash or influence or affection but in belonging to a community where we can give those goods to others who need them - and receive them from others when we are in need."

Abundance is a communal act, the joint creation of an incredibly complex ecology in which each part functions on behalf of the whole and, in return, is sustained by the whole. Community doesn't just create abundance - community is abundance. If we could learn that equation from the world of nature, the human world might be transformed."

I've also read the "Time" magazine about the terrible reality of world poverty. What western democratic capitalism has created, is isolation from those who really have need. It really is sad to view the spending of the different countries when it comes to debt relief and poverty relief.

Somehow I once again realize that our hope is not in our own abilities, but our hope lies in Godly community. Our hope is to live together with each other and with Christ. This is how abundance will be created. I challenge you to become a person that creates this abundance. This is perhaps your most precious contibution towards humanity.

Community is the best way to live for all of humanity!

The best way to live! Part 5.

2005-03-02T15:14:00.000+02:00

It amazes me to see how many people except the status quo. It actually disappoints me. I keep asking the question: "Is this it?" After all the beautiful promises from God and the perfect example of Jesus and not to forget the courage of the first church, we are satisfied with the status quo.

Erwin Macmanus talk about the radical minimum standard that we find in scripture and that few people are prepared to live that, the same with community. Whenever I challenge people I hear excuses like: "But remember we are just human beings." That irritates me. "We will always have these problems!" Who wants true community? There are few and I am one of them.

Therefore even though I am not the relational type, but the task oriented type, I will wrecklessly try to build community in my house, with my friends and with people in God's ministry. I want to experience the way God intended for us to live.

I am struggling, but I refuse to make excuses. I will experience authentic real community, this side of eternity, so help me God!

The best way to live. Part 4.

2005-02-15T16:13:00.000+02:00

There are many obstacles that prevent community. Scott Peck lists pairing, fighting, fleeing and dependence. I feel that the major obstacle is fear. Fear is at the root of destroying community.

I experienced this again as one of my friends was rejected because of a mistake that he has made. His community was afraid of the consequences of his deeds and they were afraid to face the reality of him failing in a certain aspect of his life. Fear drives us away from one another, but love draws us closer.

Jesus never rejected us, even though he could and should have done so. He set the example to love, cause where there is perfect love, fear disappears. Let us love those in our community and not be scared of them or their actions.

May God help us to love with His perfect love.

The best way to live. Part 3.

2005-02-09T13:46:00.000+02:00

Being exposed sure isn't a lot of fun. We feel rejected and like we have failed. People see the whole person and not just the person we want them to see. We can't hide all our shortcomings and this makes us feel uneasy. This is the very reason few people want to enter into community.
People can't face the truth about themselves. They believe their own lies they tell others. We are constantly busy with impression management and this leads to fakeness and the wearing of masks. Community exposes the truth, al least true community does. My question is whether we really are in true community. It's uneasy sometimes living in community, but this is the environment where we grow and face the truth to grow further. This is where we confront who we are and seek help and guidance from fellow struggling human beings.

Community is where we accept, forgive and care. Unconditionally I might add!

The best way to live! Part 2.

2005-02-01T09:08:00.000+02:00

Jesus continually gives the new commandment: love. We should love each other as God loved us. He loved us so much He gave His life.

This is a tough act to follow. Does this happen overnight through a touch of God? Is this a choice that we make? Henri Nouwen makes this more difficult by defining community as the place where we love the person we love least. How does this come about?

Perhaps our attitude should be one of giving in community and not recieving. Jesus set the example to His disciples. While they were busy fighting over who was the greatest, Jesus was trying to serve them and show them how the greatest should live.

I believe that if we seek community it starts in our hearts, with a giving heart. Should you seek community, seek to give to other.

Tjopper!

2005-01-27T10:23:00.000+02:00

Hermann and I have a beautiful white Labrador! We got him from Krugersdorp SPCA last year on 15 June. We named him Tjopper, my husband's creative choice and for short, Tjoppie (a real Dog name). Hermann had to sleep with Tjoppie in the garage the first evening because he was so traumatized - probably because he had been in a "cage" for so long. It was amazing and an experience to see how our love and attention changed Tjoppie. Tjoppie, we realized after a week or so had an earproblem.

The Vet, Dr Marais, said that it is an earinfection and bacteria, which is probably the reason why his previous owners decided to leave him. He also said that it is going to cost us a lot to help Tjopper and it might end with and ear operation, costing thousands. We had to decide whether we gonna take Tjoppie back to the SPCA or make the sacrifice. The decision was quite easy, to Dr Marais's surprise. We will keep Tjoppie, he already had a soft spot in our hearts.

Over the past 7 months Tjopper had antibiotics, went to the Night Clinic, visited Dr Marais almost twice a month and eventually had his ear operation 3 weeks ago. What a sight! (will attach some photos). He had his two back legs plastered together and had a cone around his head for a week, because... Tjopper could not leave his ear alone. He found the most amazing creative moves to scratch his ear, to my and Hermann's frustation. Hermann had to take him back to the Vet yesterday again because Tjoppie scratched out the stiches which left a bleeding whole next to his ear! We were both very angry and frustated with him! The smell coming from the wound was so disgusting that Hermann had to leave the car doors open for the smell to leave.

Now, Tjopper loves swimming, playing with his ball outside and hide and seek with us in the house and he love DRIVING!. When he sees that we are on our way to drive he will stand at the back of the Bakkie with a wagging tail and and exited face!

So yesterday evening, on our way to church, we walk into the garage and started to laugh... because on the front seat of the little Polo Playa, sits our beautiful Tjoppie, plastic cone around his neck, wagging tail because he wants to join us fro the drive!! We realized again why we love him so much!

Love is something you can't create or prevent from happening, it just happens! Unconditional love is something so obscure and weird, because their is so much risk attached to it, but we all are willing to take the chance. We learn so much about that from our two dogs and little chicklet. All they can do is love unconditionally and all we can do back is do the same...

Friends?

2005-01-18T10:00:00.000+02:00

I am not going to pretend and write a beautiful story about what I have learned from a methaphor or how priveleged I am because of what I have or what we have done at our Soup Kitchen and how we helped the less priveleged - today I am angry and frustrated with first world "FRIENDS" and I am going to get it out of my system. God help me! My character still has a hell of long WAY to develop! Hermann and I have had the most depressing experiences with "friends" the past few months.

Two years ago we prayed that God will bless us with friends to whom we can give, sacrifice and learn from... and experience Community. Henri Nouwen says you can only experience real community if you can have community with your enemy.... (ironic is'nt it?). It is two years that have passed, we met a lot of friends, but have not experienced community, only Consumerism. I just realize more and more that we are living in a CONSUMER DRIVEN world - selfish, self-centered and the "IT's MINE" syndrome! We are not willing to sacrifice one little part of ourselves to make it easier for a friend... and in essence His Kingdom.

Hermann and I are going through a DESERT season at this stage. I do not think any of our "friends" know that. Because most of the time we talk to them about them because we REALY CARE about their needs and them. Most of their comments is critisism about our current position, not support and understanding (they do not even know our history), competition to be better, not companionship to share and grow together.

Maybe God is trying to teach me to rely on Him for support, undertstanding and companionship and that community is far beyond what I can imagine and that I still have a long way to go and grow. I know that my experiences are very subjective and selfish, and that there are friends whom we cherish and appreciate, they are just so RARE... I am not perfect, and I know that God wants me to LIVE 1 Peter 2:1-4 and to get rid of all my selfish feelings, but Father it is difficult to have this character with friends...So... please help me God.

The Best way to live! Part 1.

2005-01-17T16:33:00.000+02:00

The more I study community, the more I realize what a wonderfull way this is to live. I will again be looking at writings from Bonhoeffer, Nouwen, Bilezekian and Ortberg over the next couple of weeks. I am captured by the concept and the way that Jesus portrayed this way of life to His disciples.

I firmly believe that community could be the way that we cross over the canyons between cultures in our small country. It is the medicine for healing, restoring and reconciling a country that stays much divided after 10 years of democracy.

Allow me over the next couple of weeks, to publish thoughts I have on community and how it should be embraced by those who consider themselves followers of Christ.

Adel and I are at a place where we seek authenticity in our lives. We feel that community might be a way to become more real! It is never easy, but worth it.

Opportunity.

2005-01-10T13:54:00.000+02:00

We bear in mind that many of our fellow humans did not have the wonderfull start to the year that they have hoped for. The Tsunami in Asia is very disturbing and obviously many people are questioning the events on December 26.

Jesus and His disciples once met a blind man. This event is recorded in the Gospel of St John. The disciples immediately asked questions. They were looking for an explanation. "Why is this man blind?" "Who sinned and caused this man this sufferung?" Jesus taught his disciples that this man was not there to be analyzed, but this man was there to be helped. This man was there for God to do a wonderfull miracle. Jesus did not see a dilemma, but an opportunity.

I was at the car wash over the weekend. The discussion between the customers waiting for their cars was about the Tsunami. Why did God do this? Who caused this to happen? Did these people sin? Are they worshipping idols and therefore God is punishing them?

This is an opportunity for us to reach out? What are we going to do? Let us help, we have the opportunity. Many relief efforts are on the way and I encourage you to help.

While we do this, let's pray for God to bring comfort to those who are grieving the loss of loved ones.

Blessed with family and love..

2005-01-04T13:24:00.000+02:00

Chickie

Hermann and I went to his parents for Christmas and New Year. They stay on a plot in Vryheid (www.drakensberg-tourism.com/vryheid.html), Northen Natal. Vryheid is called the "Lily of North Natal" and the metaphor fits beautifully! What an amazing site to see! Green pastures and mountains, beautiful Bass lakes, rivers, the very popular Afrikaans "Doringboom". We had such a wonderfully quality of life this festive season. Pa Doep woke us up every second morning at 4 o'clock to go fishing - the lakes are awesome! We swam in the "Plaasdam"(Farm dam) every day, slept, read, ate like kings and walked bearfeet on grass full of goose, chicken and duck poo! I was a REAL TOMBOY for a week and it was so nice not to worry about the cracks in my heelsl, the mud underneath my toes, the scratches on my legs! We also brought back from Vryheid two new additions to the 3 members (myself, Hermann and Tjopper, our beautiful white Labrador) of the Du Plessis family in Johannesburg. Their names are Chikkie, a little cockchicklet, and Dogtertjie, a Jack Russel! Every morning is a blessing when Hermann and I wake up and hear their joyous barks and squeaks to show us how happy they are to see us. I will not exchange this holiday for a house in Clifton, a Villa in Plettenberbay or a 5 start Hotel in Umhlanga! God made me realize again how such small things can bring so much joy and peace to one's heart and life! I thank God for He has done great things in the small things of life! The two things that you cannot buy but brings so much JOY is Love and Family....

Crime in South Africa.

2004-12-09T09:21:00.000+02:00

When crime statistics are available to the public in South Africa, you can be sure that it has been tampered with by government before we see it. Everyday the newspapers and TV News is full of crime stories from all over our country. It always feels far away.

It has come very close to Adel and I the last couple of days. A Computer got stolen out of or offices yesterday. One of my colleagues at work got robbed of al his belongings. Then when Adel and I arrived home, our neighbor's where robbed, including there guns. The cops were all over the place and it seemed like the culprits were still in the house, but they escaped with a pistol and a shotgun. It was bit of an adrenalin rush for us to see the cops searching the house with their guns pointing all over the place. Three crime scenes in two days, all people we know. It's scary.

We are reminded of the evil in this world. We are reminded of the temporary status of our lives and how quickly it could be over. We are reminded of the role we have to play as people of the unseen Kingdom.

How do we help? How do we live without fear? These are the questions that we are faced with. Adel and I truly believe that God will protect us, but we are afraid to arrive home after work. We keep all our gates locked, we even lock our dog in the house with us.

As I write this I listen to staff members sharing their crime experiences. It dictates our lives and conversation. We need to claim back our streets. There are more good people that criminals. Lets keep praying for SA.

a Friend of ours has a blog called Soulgardeners. On 18 November he blogged on our weird country. Take time to read those stories.

Shalom.

Shopping.

2004-12-06T11:27:00.000+02:00

What is Christmas about? It's about the gifts. Christmas has become a secular feast. Read an article that I wrote on a friends website. May we think about Christmas this year.

Bono, my favourite rockstar.

2004-12-01T15:40:00.000+02:00

Humanitarian!?!

I love U2 and their new ALBUM: "How to dismantle an Atomic Bomb." My wife gave me the CD for my birthday, with a giant Bono poster. She is the best and knows me well!!

Example?!?

2004-12-01T14:23:00.000+02:00

Bono
This guy is doing a great job fighting AIDS and poverty in Africa. Listening to him on Larry King Live and Oprah, I'm convinced that he must be one of the most influentual rock stars around.

His motives are passionate and he lives with an awareness of the suffering of the poorest of the poor. Read his biography.

Bono is a devoted Christ follower and you can read his prayer for America on Christianity Today's website.

We should give back to the world! Bono is a prime example. When asked by Larry King why he does humanitarian work, he replied: "Larry, God has given me so much, I just figured that somewhere, sometime, I should give back."

May we bless others with God's blessing in our lives.

Tutu vs Mbeki

2004-11-30T10:46:00.000+02:00

There is currently a disagreement between Desmond Tutu and Thabo Mbeki on various issues in our country. Tutu believes the poor are still struggling and that black empowerment in only enriching a few blacks as it only enriched a few whites during apartheid.

I believe this is very healthy and that this debate will bring about positive changes in helping the poor and reaching out to their needs. If you would like to read more on Desmond Tutu, just click on his name.

May we all pray for our country like Desmond Tutu and may we all realize that we have a roll to play in making SA the great country that it is.

To read more on the disagreement click here.

Reflecting

2004-11-25T11:48:00.000+02:00

I read an article based on a sociological study done with people older than the age of 75. They asked them what is the number one thing that they would do differently. The number one change that people would like to make if they had to live again, is that they would reflect more.

Life races by. We should take more time and reflect. I read a beautiful article by Archbishop TUTU just reflecting on the changes in South Africa over the last 10 years. It was published in a local paper. It made me proud to be South African. We need to reflect more on our lives and our world. It makes us more aware and helps us to live in the now!

I turn 30 tomorrow. We are going away for the weekend and I will do a lot of reflecting. I thank God for my life! I am fulfilled.

Shalom.

You're fired!

2004-11-10T13:30:00.000+02:00

"The Apprentice" is currently the show to watch on South African TV. Donald Trump has got serious hair issues though. It's like he's still stuck in the eighties. He does business differently in the new millennium, but his hair sure didn't change much. Anyhow I love all the backstabbing and insults that accompany the show, it reminds me of the world we live in and it makes me excited about the role we have to play in this superficial materialistic world.

The last two episodes Donald fired ladies, who did not fight for themselves. He mentioned that they would get nowhere in this world if they can't fight for themselves. As I recapped with my wife after the shows, we decided that we should start fighting for ourselves. The next morning we discussed this issue again.

Suddenly we were reminded of the words of Jesus and how we should live in his Kingdom. His Kingdom works in reverse, from top to bottom, that's the way it is! If you want to be first, be the last. If you need to win, lose. If you want to achieve, help others achieve. If you need to be in charge, become a servant.

Mr Trump, you are right. If we live for this world, we will start fighting. But we don't. We live for the Eternal Kingdom of Christ. Therefore we shall put on the servants robe and serve our friends, neighbours, the poor, the sick, the hungry, the outcasts, the broken, for we belong not to a kingdom of this world, but to an unseen Kingdom and there Jesus reigns for eternity.

The life story of Micheal....

2004-11-07T19:12:00.000+02:00

READ the challenging life story of one of my TOP 10 students in Accounting 1 in 2003 at the University of Witwatersrand

My name is Mafika Michael Mndebele. I was born in 1982, Kwa-Zanele location, Breyten (Ermelo region).At home we are three. Two boys and one girl the first born. I am the second born. I was grown by my grand parents. I first stayed with my grand father (my mother’s father).My mother was working in a town which was 30 km away, so she could only visit at the weekends.

I started school in 1988 at Siyacathula L.P School. When I was doing grade 3 in 1990 my father who was also working 25 km away disappeared. The year after in 1991my mother
introduced another father (step father). In 1992 I went to Mkhomazi H.P School, in that year my mother and my step father bought a shack so I had to come with them. At that time my mother was still working 30 km away but now she could come back every day late in the evening.

From 1992 my life changed because when I came back from school nobody was at home and despite that my step father would come before my mother and I was always afraid of him, so I had to stay away, when he come back he wouldn’t t see me cause I’ll only come back when they bare sleeping late in the night (21:00). At this time I started smoking, taking drugs and drinking heavily because I was always depressed. I almost went out of my parents’ control. Despite all this at school I was doing very well.

In 1995 I went to Masizakhe High School where I started grade 8. I joined gang stars in the township the life was worsened than before. After my mother realized that I was completely went out of her control she had to send me to Kwa-Zulu Natal in one of the rural areas there, this was when I was doing my grade 9. Because I was used to township life I could not really afford to stay for two years there. I only did my grade 9 AND THEN I came back to my mothers place. When I came back from Natal I was worse than before.

In 1997 when I was doing my grade 10, I started to think seriously about which career I’d have to follow. Accountancy came to my mind immediately, but now I knew that since I was not organized I wouldn’t reach there. Fortunately my mothers grand mother had that I was disorganized, disrespecting my mother, she asked me to come and stay with her in Nelspruit so that she teaches me respect. In fact I had respect but I could not exercise it because of the environment that I have encountered at home.

In 1998 I started schooling at Sitfokotile Secondary School. From then I saw my future because of the comfortability I had with my great grand mother (mother’s grand mother) in that year I had to quit drugs and other adhesive staff because there was no need anymore.

I stayed with my grandmother in harmony. She taught me how I should leave with other people; she taught me full respect and the way in which I should approach life. She also taught me to be patient, to believe and to have faith in what ever I do. I took all this to my heart and at the end I finished my matric with beautiful results.
In 2000 I wished to go to the University but I could not because my grand mother and my mother could not afford. Since I was not at school I decided to do voluntary teaching with my secondary school teaching grade12 accounting and economics.

Before the end of the year 2000 I applied for admission with the University of Venda. I completed my first year then I only finished the second semester of my second year, thereafter I deregistered. I was registered for B.Com(accounting) degree. Immediately after I deregistered I got a full time job as an accounting teacher for grade 10, 11 and 12 at Trinity College in Nelspruit. Before the end of that year I applied to Wits, I got admission to do Bachelor of commerce. I passed my first year with good marks with the help of my accounting 1 lecturer.

In 2004 I registered for Bachelor of Accountancy II. Now I am looking forward to finish my degree and to become a chartered Accountant as I always wished to.

Enough is enough.

2004-11-01T16:05:00.000+02:00

I was driving in my car listening to South Africa's most favorite DJ, Gareth Cliff. Out of the blue he starts speaking about obesity. Apparently in South Africa we have more obese people than malnourished people. There is more than enough to go around for everybody!

Why do we then have malnourished people in SA? Take a look at our neighbours in Zimbabwe! There we have the big politicians living in splendor, with more than one million citizens of Zimbabwe on the streets of South Africa, begging.

When is enough, enough? Where do you draw the line? When is your living standard satisfactory?

May we keep asking ourselves these questions and may we come to a place where we empty our pockets rather than stuff them to capacity.

Keep perspective, Pilgrim!

2004-10-27T11:42:00.000+02:00

There are two perspectives that hurt us in our day and age. The first is the perspective that everything is about me : Self-centerdness - Always think about yourself first, don't take others into account. The second is the perspective that this life is what its all about: Temporary.

These perspectives create our cruel life!

Therefore I will always be fascinated by the teachings of Christ. I believe they are the cure for a world left broken with temporary selfishness. "Give and you shall receive, if you try to save your life, it will be taken away, if you give away your life, it will be saved."

Adel and I are pilgrims trying to shatter selfish, temporary living, by living with the perspective of Christ: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." This does not come natrually for us, as we are bombarded with the opposite everyday. We believe there is more than this world has to offer, that secret is discovered in giving your life, time and money!

May God help us to live with Christ's perspective!

Read more on perspective.

Contentness

2004-10-20T09:11:00.000+02:00

We painted our house on the inside last weekend - well should I rather say that we hired two painters to do it for us, Freddie and Johannes. It was Freddie's 30th Bday on Monday. He has been a painter for 9 years now and is originally from Cape Town. Johannes is 50 years. His wife died a few years ago and he has 3 sons. Both Freddie and Johannes paints over weekends for extra income, which is great and Hermann and I am thankful for them.

What struck me the most on Friday and Saturday was Freddie and Johannes' s content spirit. They both said that they are SO GLAD to have this extra job over weekends because it is an extra income. I just thought :"How in the world do they cope physically? I need my weekends to rest!"

Johannes came alone on Saturday because Freddie had another house to paint... He painted the whole of Saturday... I felt too guilty to just "rest" with Johannes working on his off day for us... I washed dishes, did some needlework, we went and did some shopping...and I realized how privileged and blessed I am to have a job which pays enough so that I can use my Saturdays to rest and that I am sometimes still not content with what I have.

We took Johannes back to where he stays at 6pm on Saturday and spoke to him about his hard day and that he must be so tired and exhausted. Johannes replied: "Over weekends it is very lonely and there is nothing to do at the hostel where I stay. It is better to be busy and work then."

What a content reply! What hope!! How content are you and I in our current first world circumstances and luxuries? Johannes and Freddie will probably never be in a position to own their own home like most of us do. They will probably have to work over weekends for the main bulk of their lives, either because they need the extra income or because it keeps them busy because there is nothing else to do. Compare that to you and me who earn enough to do things that we enjoy and which makes us feel better because we are currently not content and sometimes do not live with hope at all!!

This reminds me of Eugene Peterson's comment in his introduction to 1&2 Thessalonians in the Message:

" The way we conceive the future sculpts the present, gives us contour and tone to nearly every action and thought through the day. If our sense of future is weak, we live listlessly. Much emotional and mental illness and most suicides occur among men and woman who feel they 'have no future'. "

Our Picture

2004-10-17T19:47:00.000+02:00

Us two!!

A Photo of Sandrah

2004-10-17T19:13:00.000+02:00

Sandrah This is my student with the wonderful story published on the 29/9/2004
She's beautifull.

First rain.

2004-10-12T15:33:00.000+02:00

We had our first rain of spring yesterday. I had already planted grass in August, because I was sure that it would rain early in September, but this was not the case. The impact of the little shower we had last night was magnificent. Early this morning some new small green pieces of grass was appearing between the old dull pieces of grass.

It's weird how for nearly two months I was watering the lawn once a week and then suddenly after the real thing, new grass starts coming up everywhere. Now I'm sure that this is not the way grass grows, but I'm sure that there was a process which started in August, that is now coming to completion. This made me think!

We have become very mechanical and superficial in our way we approach life. We should go back to where people used to approached life organically and authentically. We can't force everything in our lives into maturity. Sometimes we can only do what is needed and then allow the natural process to take it's coarse. Ask parents!

This is also beautifully illustrated in the brewing of beer. The better the beer, the more patient the brewing process. Sometimes it's worth waiting for things, because then they taste much better.

What are you rushing? What should you wait for? Maybe the process is near completion.

One day at a time.

2004-10-04T10:59:00.000+02:00

Last week Wednedsday was a pretty exiting day for me! We started a small support group for people diagnosed with cancer. I was a bit unsure about how to approach this group, but I was suprised with the outcome of the evening. There was 6 of us. Two cancer patients, two family members, a pastoral care leader and me. As we discussed the needs and the support structure I quickly realised the zest that these people possess. The enjoyed life and every second of it. There was no bitternis, but excitement at the opportunity to give and support. The cancer patients made one thing clear, no shrinks, we want to support each other, we can relate, we understand our own needs. No offense, but we want to walk together, help us initiate a group where people suffering of the same disease may support each other.

It was striking how these cancer patients and their families treasured life. Those who struggle and those on their way to being healed, just took it one day at a time. They enjoyed everyday, made the most of every moment. There was no regrets of the past, and no worries of the future, they were fully present in the now. Of coarse the most exitng aspect of these peoples lives was their need to give.

"Our whole live we work hard to gather, then just before we die we worry about how much we have given" Mcmanus.

How long have you got to live? How long before you start living, one day at a time? I am challenged to live differently! I would like to give rather than recieve. The end comes suddenly. Should'nt all of us live as if we are terminal. Maybe then we will stop existing and start living.

Sandrah...

2004-09-29T10:54:00.001+02:00

I met Sandra the first time she sat in my office, very bright girl, well spoken, an openness and a beautiful smile. Sandra was in my Accounting 1 class in 2003 and one of my top students. I reliazed she was a very special girl when I saw that she was pregnant more towards the end of the year. She always smiled. I asked Sandra to write her story for us to read. I realize how much we do take for granted and how so many people succeed in life by their will and not by their circumstances.

Her story....
My name is Sandrah Mugari. I am married and have a 9 month old son. I grew up in Zimbabwe, my parents separated when I was in Grade 4 and I stayed with my mother from then, who helped me and my little sister with money. I did my primary education at the following schools and I stayed with my grandparents because my mother went to college to learn:
Gr 1 to Gr 6 I went to St Faith primary and Maboleni Primary and Gr 7 Muchenurwa Primary. I walked to school every day for 5 kilometers. I did my secondary education at Chibi High School, a boarding school. All these schools were in the rural areas.

I went to Bulawayo Polytechnickon in Zimbabwe to study Industrial Metallurgy. I then came to Wits in 2003 and started with a B.Com first year. I was 8 months pregnant when I wrote my first year exams. I got three awards in my first year:
1. ABRAM-LILLY SCHLOSBREG PRIZE for best first year Bcom,
2. THE ARNOLD DAGULT MEDAL for best student in Economics 1
3. The Wits Merit award for getting A's in all the courses.

Reflection...
I did not want to change how she wrote and what she wrote. When I read her story I realized that she does not seek sympathy for any of her circumstances...

...Sandrah had to stay with her grandparents and almost never saw her mother. This was during her crucial developing phase according to educationalists. Paradoxly she does not have a drug problem, eating disorder, depression or Identity Crisis which a lot of our young adults do struggle with today in our society...

...Sandrah walked to school for 5km, that takes me 30 minutes to jog, how long do you think does it take a 7/8 year old to walk in a rural area...

....Sandrah did not go to a Private school, which caters for children whose parents can afford it and who want to give their children the BEST EDUCATION. However she was the TOP BCOM student in her first year...

Do you also see the pattern I see in these type of stories of people who struggled and had it hard but did not allow their circumstances to drive them, they let their ID in God drive them... they believe that they are in this window of history for a PURPOSE!!! May Sandrah's story be a challenge to all of us who HAD opportunities and wasted them, who TAKE things for granted- a car to drive, eating out at a nice restaurant, holidays at nice resorts, warm water to bath in, opportunities to learn, a family, a house -

MONO

2004-09-27T17:54:00.000+02:00

Mono is a value based band that is kicking ass in South Africa. Check them out!

Purpose.

2004-09-27T17:23:00.000+02:00

This weekend I taught at a retreat. I taught on calling and finding your life mission. It was facinating to see how many people want to live with purpose. People want lo leave a legacy, people want to be remebered, people want to feel that life was worthwhile.

We were challenged by a quote of Erwin McManus: "Those of us who live in this window of history must consider ourselves uniquely appointed by God.”

Could this be true? Are we here with a purpose? We love looking back to the faith hero's of yesteryear, but who are going to be the hero's of today. May we accept the responsibility that God has given us for this window of history!

Don't look around, you are called to be a change agent!

Holiday.

2004-09-14T10:46:00.000+02:00

Adel and I went to Sun City for 5 days. Sun City is a holiday resort in the Pilansberg in the North West province of South Africa. It is renowned for its Golf Courses and Casino. Up to 1994 gambling was illegal in SA. Even though this was illegal, gambling was allowed in the black home states of the apartheid era. This included Boputhatswana and Transkei. Sun City was situated in Boputhatswana.

Back then thousands of people would travel from Johannesburg every weekend to go and gamble at Sun City. This included cabinet ministers of the time, who where supposed to be opposed to gambling.

It strikes me that so many people in authority set up rules, which they themselves can't follow. Why do we do this? Paul confronts Peter about the same issue. Don't set up laws for others that you don't keep. This might be true in the church today?

How much of what we teach, do we actually live? We give people good advice, lifechanging sermons, but what they really need, is you and me living the good advice and the lifechanging sermons.

Adel and I have many conversations about living rather than teaching. May our lives teach the lifechanging message of Christ.

Learning and Teaching in Adulthood

2004-09-03T10:30:00.000+01:00

I have been an Accounting 1 (Acc 1) lecturer at a University for the past two years. We have had between 750 and 1 000 full time Acc 1 young adult students with set beliefs every year. I worked through a setout curriculum for Acc 1 at tertiary first year level with my learners.

The average pass rate for Acc 1 over the past ten years was below 50%. I believe that the reason for this low pass rate might be because the curriculum has not changed dramatically over the past 10 years. However our student profile and their cultural models changed dramatically. The socio-cultural background of our country’s students today in South Africa’s is different than the socio-cultural background of our students 10 years ago. Today the majority of the students at most Universities are English second language and either black or colored. 10 years ago the majority of students at Universities were English first language users and white.

The administrative-legal context for school education changed from Christian National Education, which were enforced by the Apartheid Government to Outcomes Based Education (OBE). There were enormous changes in the context of education. However, the curriculum of Acc 1 did not change to accommodate these context and cultural model changes.

I am therefore very concerned about the format, language and methods I use to teach the Accounting content to my students. Accounting is a different language on its own. To read it and hear it in a language, which is not your mother tongue and to learn it and to be taught by educators in the wrong way makes the process of understanding the subject more difficult. Some of my students could not even conduct a normal conversation with me in English and that made it clear to me that they would struggle as well in class.

The history and culture of education in South Africa before the implementation of OBE, the way individuals acted and interacted at schools and believed, felt, experienced and thought of the schooling system (“micro level”) is the way the South African Culture of Adult’s attitude towards education (“macro level”) has been created today.

I have a history as a rote learner and a cultural model of banking education - passively and mechanically reading the text (Freire, 1985) searching for answers rather than for questions. Trying to memorize text without understanding, consuming as much information within a limited period without recreating the information to fit in my frame of reference (Freire, 1985) - . I faced the challenge to change my holistic way of teaching about learning, taking into account my learners’ cultural models. But this was not an easy task as I fell back into my old way of thinking.

We as educators of this era must become part of the community of followers of the Education Equation (EE):

Education = Thinking + Being + Doing + Feeling

We must aspire to be teachers who understand and are committed to experiential learning. We must further aspire to in-form our learners and motivate them to become part of the Lifelong Learning process.

May we always stay teachable even though we are teachers! Let’s apply the EE in every dimension of our lives…

a True Hero!

2004-08-31T09:33:00.000+01:00

Adel and I attended a conference about a week ago. It was a conference with Gary Thomas and we were truly inspired and challenged to grow closer to Christ. Gary is truly a great messenger, but we learned more from his lifestyle, that his words. His humility gave him authority. We had the privilege of having coffee with him and just talk for a couple of minutes. He is a wonderful husband and dad. He never stops talking about his family.

What struck me more at the conference, was a conversation that I had with one of my friends Morne. Morne is the financial manager of a building company. He identified a young black man working in the company. The man's name is Thembi. Morne thought that this young man truly has potential and he decided to empower Thembi. Morne and Thembi started a company together. Morne put up the money to buy a light pick-up van and they started advertising to do deliveries. The first couple of months went slow and Morne graciously kept the company afloat. Thembi's turnover however grew to R 18 000 last month. Thembi is now employing two men to help him with the deliveries. Morne is a real inspiration in my life. He guides Thembi and helps him with bookkeeping and financial mannagement of their company, even though Thembi is the only beneficiary. Morne sees himself benefitting, I agree as I can see the fullfillment it brings to his life. I pray that more people like Morne will rise up to look beyond themselves and see the need to empower Africa. Morne is a true hero and a true disciple of Christ!

And the blind can see

2004-08-24T11:17:00.000+01:00

Let me introduce you to Jeffrey Phahlamohlaka, born in 1980 in the Mpumalanga area, a rural area in South Africa. As a young boy Jeffrey’s toys were oxen made of mud, cars made of wire, and a soccer ball in the open field. He had a normal life for a black rural boy until 1993 when his whole life changed. Jeffrey lost his sight in both eyes. His parents sent him to Siloe School for the Blind in Polokwane, Limpopo in 1994. He was faced with the challenge of learning a new way of writing and reading in Braille and had to cope with his visual impairment emotionally.

Jeffrey passed grade 12 in 2002 with university exemption. He decided to study further at the University of the Witwatersrand because of its excellent Disabled Students Program (DSP) for students with disabilities. Jeffrey applied and was accepted at the DSP and had to make a choice between a B.Com degree and a Law degree. He chose the B.Com degree and was awarded a bursary by the Department of Labor to fund his studies. The Department of Labor’s Green paper on Employment Equity and the Basic Conditions of the Employment Act, recognize the rights of job seekers and workers with disabilities (DSP, 2003:2). Therefore the Department of Labor gives financial aid to students with disabilities if they want to further their studies.

I met Jeffrey in February 2003 being his Accounting 1 lecturer. I have been touched by Jeffrey’s courage and positive attitude. I felt that I have a duty to help someone who do not have the opportunities and abilities I have. Mother Teresa (1997) once said:

”It is very possible that you will find a human being, surely very near to you, needing affection and love. Do not deny these. Show them, above all, that you sincerely recognize that they are human beings, that they are important to you!”

Unfortunately Jeffrey did not pass Accounting 1 in 2003. He did however decide to change his degree to a LLB degree from 2004. Jeffrey enjoys his new degree and is doing very well. I do not regret the opportunity to have spent time with Jeffrey in 2003. I have learnt so much! Jeffrey, you helped me with my selfish view of life. I have learned how much I have taken for granted and what a responsibility we have as educators of this era.
I close with the following words of Mother Teresa. I believe that we as educators need to consider this on a regular basis in our lives.

“At the moment of death we will not be judged according to the number of good deeds we have done or by the diplomas we have received in our lifetime. We will be judged according to the love we have put in our work.” (1997)

This makes helping others tough!

2004-08-18T19:48:00.000+01:00

Sipho is a good friend of mine. We have started a church together and he has since started a community centre in the squattercamp(infomal settlement) where he lives. He raised funds and bought a farm house next to the camp and transformed it into a community centre. The problem is that Sipho really tries to help his people, but they don't come to the party. The community has decided to steal electricity from the community centre with illegal power lines being connected to the tranformer on the land of the community centre. This caused an very high electricity bill and it caused the electrical appliances in the community centre to fuse. Since the illegal lines have been removed, Sipho has had various threats that they would kill him. Now they have also started dumping all their rubbish into the land of the community centre. Sipho treid to stop them, but again they threathened to take his life. Sipho is contemplating leaving the community. Can we blame him? The community centre takes care of educational, medical, recreational and spiritual needs, and this is the thanks that he gets? He really fears for the lives of his son and wife.

Is there any chance of helping people who have fallen so far behind? Is the new goverment to blame, for ten years have passed, but life has not changed for these people? Or are we to blame, for not contributing to the poor so that progress could be more rapid?

Newcomers!

2004-08-11T14:36:00.000+01:00

Hallo people! Still figuring out the whole blog experience! Please be patient, well be fully functional by next week!!! Really!!!

New Beginnings.

2004-08-05T20:12:00.000+01:00

Hallo folks! Speak to you soon!!

Cheers!