Extract from an old post

There is a blog post taking shape in my head, but I will need to refer to this extract from a previous post.  With Easter around the corner, this is also very relevant.

The quote underneath is from a book, written by TL Osborn.

“Let the cross be raised again at the center of the market place, as well as the steeple of the church.

Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves – on the town heap, at the cross roads – so cosmopolitan that they had to write His title in Hebrew and Latin and Greek.

The Son of God was crucified at the kind of place where cynics talk smut, where thieves curse, and where soldiers gamble.

Because that is where Christ died, and since that is what He died about, that is where Christians can best share His message of love because that is what real Christianity is all about.”

World Day of Prayer for Zimbabwe, Sunday 27 April 2008

This is a call for Christians of every denomination and of every nation to focus their prayers in churches, halls, homes or elsewhere on Sunday 27 of April 2008 on the critical situation in Zimbabwe, a nation in great distress and teetering on the edge of human disaster. Let the cry for help touch your heart and mind. Let it move you to do what you can immediately to ensure that this day of prayer takes place in your country and neighbourhood. Please pass on this message right now to churches, organisations and individuals anxious to rescue Zimbabwe from violence, the concealing and juggling of election results,deceit, oppression and corruption and to bring about righteousness,joy, peace, compassion, honesty,justice, democracy and freedom from fear and want. This call to a Day of Prayer for Zimbabwe was initiated by a small group of Christians only a week ago. It is now very widely circulating throughout the world. Please join us in praying for repentance and the restoration of justice and righteousness; that it may flow through our land like two mighty rivers. (Amos 5:22)

South Africans who do

In my Afrikaans post on Deon Maas, I made mention of people who do things for others, the poor, the underpriviledged.

Do you know of anyone you want to mention? Add them in the comments, I'll regularly update the blog.

Anyone, from celebrities right through to the neighbour.

Deon Maas, Denkers en Vryheid

(To my English speaking friends reading my blog, my apologies for not writing in English this time, but this is an Afrikaans matter).

Teenoor die Afrikaans sprekendes moet ek erken, ek is nie ‘n geoefende rubriek skrywer nie. Aan die datums hier sal julle sien ek is nie eers ‘n geoefende blogger nie. Dus is my idees dalk nie so heeltemal goed saamgesnoer nie, plus 'n paar spelfoute. Maar dis my seepkassie die…

‘n Persoon het iets in ‘n koerant rubriek geskryf waarvan mense nie gehou het nie, hulle het beswaar gemaak, die koerant het die skrywer afgedank. Nou huil almal oor vryheid van spraak en persvryheid wat aan bande gelê is.

Ek sê: Freedom rules.

Deon Maas het sy vryheid van spraak gebruik en sekere dinge gesê in Sondag koerant Rapport. ‘n Sekere klompie mense het eksepsie geneem oor wat hy gesê het, after all, almal het mos reg tot opinie en spraak, nie waar nie? Rapport het hulle vryheid van keuse gebruik om te besluit hoe belangrik die beswaardes vir hulle is en besluit om Maas nie meer as rubriek skrywer te gebruik nie. Rapport kon besluit het om vir die pro-Maas ouens te staan ongeag die gevolge.

Ons as Suid-Afrikaners het nog lank nie besef hoe absoluut vryheid is nie. Elke persoon is geregtig op sy opinie, ongeag aan watter kant hy staan. En om baie eerlik te wees, dit lyk vir my soms of die “verligtes” liberales” en “post-moderniste” dit net so min verstaan as diegene wie hulle etiketteer as outyds, verkramp en onverdraagsaam.

Raai wat was my reaksie toe ek die gewraakte SMS kry om Rapport te boikot? Rapport moet geboikot word oor Deon Maas, full stop.

Was Deon Maas se uitlatinge in Satanisme die rede vir die aksie? Of was dit die strooitjie wat die kameel se rug gebreek het? Is mense nie dalk moeg vir bitsige denkers, wat sg. debat probeer uitlok deur te vertel hoe hulle 20 jaar gelede hulle vriende se meisies “gespyker” het nie? Afrikaans sprekendes (Christene of andersins) loop heeldag deur onder almal, vanaf die regering, regdeur tot by hulle mede-Afrikaanse rubriekskrywers, oor alles, godsdiens, kerk, die kar wat jy ry en die blomme wat jy plant. O ja, die alewige drama rondom rugby. Is genoeg nie dalk net genoeg nie?

Heeldag word ons blootgestel aan hiedie “moderne denkers” wat veral die Christene bydam met veralgemenings en etikette. Volgens hulle en hulle navolgers word alle Christene aan die neuse rondgelei en kan glad nie dink nie. Sommige van die denkers dink dat hulle idees is so nuut. Lees maar die ou geloofsbelydenisse. Die goed is “old hat”. Tot jou verbasing mag jy dalk uitvind dat Christene baie meer oor sake dink as wat jy sou wou weet. Plus vele mense wat nie weet wat die binnekant van ‘n kerk is nie, maar nou sg. nie so intelektueel is nie. As hy net durf waag om ‘n meer konserwatiewe siening te hê, dan is hy nog op die ossewa kis. ‘n Moderne vryheid van spraak en denke word hom nie gegun nie. Ons het geen idee wat vryheid is nie.

Ten minste is Koos Kombuis eerlik as hy sê:

Afrikaanse denkers van my generasie – en nou dink ek veral aan my mederubriekskrywers soos Deon Maas, Max du Preez, selfs Anton van Niekerk – is geneig tot ’n sekere klas denkfoute. Ons is suspisieus oor alles wat hoegenaamd ruik na breëborspatriotisme. Ons is so vrot van die humanisme, outydse liberalisme en moderne sinisme….. (1)

In ‘n ge-google oor Deon Maas kom ek op ‘n webwerf af, en die persoon is baie openlik dat hy nie een van Maas se bewonderaars is nie. Nou is ek ook nie ‘n Steve Hofmeyr fan nie, nommer een omdat ek nie regtig vreeslik musiek luister nie. Nou sê Steve ‘n paar dinge waarmee ek nie saamstem nie, maar hopelik sal ons twee in absolute vryheid kan aangaan. Maar terwyl ek hier of Steve se webwerf ronddwaal, onthou ek darem die dinge waaroor Steve in die nuus is. Maak vrede met Anton. Help vir Oom Fanus. Haai hier lees ek, empatie teenoor Oom Edwill. Betrokke by proteste oor misdaad, diskriminasie teenoor ‘n taal. Miskien is Steve nie ‘n denker nie. Miskien is hy. Maar hy doen.

(Nog ‘n ou wat darem ‘n inskrywing in die Engelse Wikipedia moet kry is die. Kyk wat doen hy. Ek het lank ge-google en niks oor sy gedagtes oor kontroverisele onderwerpe gekry nie. Lank na sangers en rubriekskrywers vergete is, sal hy onthou word ver buite ons land se grense: http://iafrica.com/news/features/925631.htm)

Is ons in ‘n situasie om heeldag te kan debatte te voer? Word ons so besig gehou met denkers dat ons meer begaan is oor die spreekwoordelike “hoeveel engele kan op ‘n speldpunt dans”? Vele mense het gekla dat die SMS’e oor die saak se kostes baie kon gevoed het. Nou waar is die pro-Maas veldtog? Jy weet, stem ja vir Deon, SMS’e kos R1-00 of R5-00, geld word geskenk aan ‘n opheffings projek?

Ek is bly Rapport het verwys na die situasie waar Britse koerante besluit het om nie die spotprente oor Islam se Mohammed te plaas nie. Dit is vir my so ironies dat ek baie keer hoor dat as ander gelowe iets doen is hulle toegewyd. ‘n Christen wat dieselfde doen is onverdraagsaam. Dis mense wat elke dag die denkers se rubrieke lees wat dit sê.

(Bygevoeg November 19: Drie hoera's vir Hennie van Deventer vir sy kommentaar, sien: http://www.news24.com/Beeld/My_Storie/0,,3-2053_2223422,00.html)

Ek is ook bly dat mense hulle vryheid gebruik om ‘n opinie te lig (ek maak tans geen kommentaar oor die SMS’e en interpretasies van die artikel nie, wyser mense het dit reeds beter gedoen as ek.) Doet so voort. Gebruik jou vryheid, en ja so verantwoordelik as wat jy sou wou die ander moes.

Miskien moet mense soos Deon Maas en soortgelykes besef, mens kan net soveel van skeermes tonge hanteer. As die koerante jou nie wil hê nie, daar is ‘n wonderlik uitvindsel – mens noem dit ‘n blog. Jy kry hulle gratis en verniet op die Internet. Jy kan selfs die vryheid gebruik om die kommentaar wat op jou seepkis toesprake gepos word te beheer. Wel, in ‘n wêreld van spam, help dit nogal.

Ek het gewonder as iemand bitsig is, kan mens sê dat hy bits? So ek het twee dinge om te sê:

Enigeen wat koskook weet, hoe warmer die pot is wat jy roer, hoe groter is die kans dat jy kan brand.

En as jy wil bits, moenie vir die maan gaan huil as jy met/deur ‘n koerant geklap word nie.

Ek sluit af met ‘n aanhaling van Mahatma Gandhi:

Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err. It passes my comprehension how human beings, be they ever so experienced and able, can delight in depriving other human beings of that precious right.

1. http://www.news24.com/Rapport/Rubrieke/0,,752-801_2205412,00.html
Rapport artikels oor Deon Maas kwessie: http://www.news24.com/Rapport/Nuus/0,,752-795_2222898,00.html Deon Maas se artikel: http://www.news24.com/Rapport/Rubrieke/0,,752-801_2214403,00.html

Easter

This song is not one that was included in the hymnals of the church I grew up in. I heard it a couple of years ago, and it is beautiful, and says what Easter is about.

Here is love, vast as the ocean,
Lovingkindness as the flood,
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom,
Shed for us His precious blood.
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten,
Throughout Heav’n’s eternal days.

On the mount of crucifixion,
Fountains opened deep and wide;
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide.
Grace and love, like mighty rivers,
Poured incessant from above,
And Heav’n’s peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love.

No boxes!

First of all, I'm back to blogging! Initially I started this blog because I was so tired of stereotyping. Since earlier this year I have been attending a Christian counseling course.

Now who has not been through some sort of a personality type analysis? Astrological type according to the zodiac or Chinese horoscope? Ten point quiz that tells you all about your self? Using your favourite colour/season/car/animal? DISC and several others?

One aspect that the presenters of this course do not believe in this, and that God has created humans with so much variety, that we can not be put into boxes. Of course it appeals to me. Is this not quite different from how many people see God and Christianity?

WWWHD

The government did this. What would we have done?

In October, I attended a conference of the organisation my church belongs to. Several churches in South Africa form part of this circle, as well as churches from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Malawi. When it was the pastor from Zimbabwe's turn to tell us about their church, his words were: "I am not going to say who is right and who is wrong…….It is no secret that certain structures were demolished. This affected some of our members". Furthermore, since September in the country, there are "assemblies" to seek the guidance of the forefathers" to "heal the land".

Last weekend our pastor went to Zimbabwe to visit the churches there. I'm posting some excerpts from his report.

After arriving Friday afternoon, I preached on 1 Peter 1:3-9 that evening. There were about 75 people from a few different churches in the area present. We were very well received and made to feel at home immediately.

Sunday morning we walked 1-2 kilometres to al church where I preached again. That afternoon I preached at…... They meet at 14h00 because they use a room at the Red Cross that is only available after 13h00

The Pastors
Pastor R: He … was sent out nearly 1 year ago to start a in Chimanimani (about 300 kilometers east of Harare). The church meets in a school hall with 20 adults and 15 children. R and his wife have no source of income as the church people themselves are unemployed or in extreme poverty. When I asked him how he eats, his answer was that he often has to beg for handfuls of mealy-meal (maize meal, corn meal, which is a basic food).

Pastor E and his wife T have 1 child who is 3 years old. He has been sent out about 300 kilometers to the NW of Harare to Rutenga where he has been labouring for a month to start a church. He currently has about 10 people who meet in his home for Bible Studies (no Sunday services yet). E and T are also without any income.

Pastor J and his wife, P have 7 children (3 married) and an orphaned nephew 16 they look after. J's home is very small with virtually no space for study. He built a little office out back, but the municipality came and tore it down. All but 2 of their married children live with them so 4 children sleep in broken down vehicles outside. 2 of the children are employed and sometimes must help out financially.

L and his wife, V have a daughter, S (3 yrs) and 4 orphaned relatives that stay with them. L did all the translating for me at all 7 sessions over the weekend. He ministers at a church in Harare in preaching, teaching and administration. Their vision is to do more training for pastors in a facility of their own one day.

W and his wife, L have 4 girls:. He also ministers in Harare in preaching and administration. L has a thyroid problem that often troubles her, but the medicine she needs is not available. The plans for W are to operate and teach at the pastors' training centre along with L.

The Vision
I must say, that none of these men asked for a thing. All the information about their finances came in answer to direct questions I posed to them. Their humility and joy in the midst of severe poverty was amazing. The financial situation is not good in Zimbabwe with bread going up to Z 60 000 (less than U$1-00) a loaf and no petrol to be found except on the black market for R100 (approx U$ 15) per litre. These oxen are muzzled tightly, yet they carry on and have vision.

What moved me? That people, in spite of utmost poverty, are willing to work for God. Some of the pastors left other churches where the gospel was not preached correctly, and took on these unpaid commissions.

A pastor begging for food - this is something I have never seen. Still they carry on. They also provide for others.

Then one hear how little they need, ZAR 2000 (approx U$300) a month, covering their cost living, as well as the expenses of their churches. Pastor J will need ZAR 4000 (U$600).

Our pastor shared that lunch at one family consisted of 3 slices of bread and a cup of tea. What do they eat when there are no guests?

Please pray that God will supply for these people. Thank God for the example of faith we have here. Pray that we may have the same sustaining faith, and dependence on God.