UNEARTHED ...go on and sparkle
WHEN LOVE HAS GROWN COLD
BUILDING A LEGACY JUBY PEACOCK
Edition 1 July - Aug 2017 diamondunearthed@gmail.com
MANAGING YOUR FINANCES WELL: THE SECRET
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Inside
UNEARTHED July - Aug 2017
Cover Stories
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28
RELATIONSHIPS: How to respond when love has grown cold
12
COVER STORY: Juby Peacock building a legacy of access
20
DECOR: Back to Vintage
10
FINANCES: The Secret to Managing your Finances
features 26 HEALTH: Heal thy self
22 HAIR: Taking care of your hair this winter 27 EDUCATION: The real deďŹ nition 24 EMPOWERMENT: LoRen One Burroughs making
a difference through Her Story
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UNEARTHED diamondunearthed@gmail.com
FOUNDING EDITOR
Nompendulo Shabangu
PHOTOGRAPHY LAYOUT DESIGNER
Scale Media/ Tinashe Gonyora
EDITOR & COVER GIRL WARDROBE
Open Bu on
COVER GIRL MAKE UP ARTIST
Botlhe Mauchaza
CONTRIBUTORS
Dr. Pearl Kupe Mmakgosi Tau Pule Ntsepe Gofaone Moyo Botlhe Mauchaza Mass Bokamoso Lydia Mosimegi
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" Âż z Due to the birth of this project, my level of respect for processes has gone higher. I also now have greater respect for people who have initiated projects and seen them through as a result of a response and accountability to the call of God. This magazine has been a faith journey, all the way from its conception to its birth. I dare not speak of sacriďŹ ces when the One who calls us portrayed the ultimate sacriďŹ ce. I will say, however, that it’s been incredibly worth it. Andy Stanley says people do not subscribe to a person, but rather to a vision. And I am deeply humbled by all those who have come alongside me to help bring this vision to fruition. To the DU contributors, thank you. A special word of gratitude to my mentors, it is because of all they have sown in my life that the concept of this magazine was conceived. I’m grateful to those who work on the background. I don’t see Christianity as a religion, but rather a relevant lifestyle, hence the concept of a lifestyle magazine. To Juby Peacock, thank you for agreeing to be the ďŹ rst cover girl of Diamond Unearthed. I dedicate this special ďŹ rst edition to my Heavenly Father, and my earthly father, Paulus Paris Shabangu, my ďŹ rst mentor. I am excited for the journey that lies ahead.
Nomps
PEARLS OF WISDOM
Pearls of Wisdom Seasons of Life: Winter Season
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hat an honor and great privilege it is to be writing for the maiden issue of the Diamond Unearthed magazine. This is a great initiative and congratulations are in order for its Founder and Editor, Ms. Nompendulo Shabangu! We look forward to the coming editions of this groundbreaking magazine! What to do when going through the winter season In this issue, we are talking about spiritual seasons and focusing in particular on the winter season. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 tells us that there is a time and season for everything. Seasons are therefore biblical and they occur in both the natural and spiritual realms. In the southern Africa hemisphere, we have
1) Stay connected to God The harshness of winter can provoke an individual into withdrawing permanently and giving up on life; never allow this season to lead you into doing this. There are times when
season is defined by the cold weather and barrenness.
i may be necessary to withdraw and if the it Spirit of the Lord should lead you into a “winter” or “wilderness” time of withdrawal, be sure to come out again when the season is over.
What Is Winter?
Do not reside permanently in the place of withdrawal. Understand that this temporary
Winter is defined by a particular dryness and stillness. Wintertime also speaks of dormancy
season is merely to allow you to rest and recuperate and you will need to come out again to engage in springtime activity of fruitfulness.
as nothing much grows; this is when animals will go into hibernation and into hiding because of the extreme cold and dryness. We will all experience winter seasons in our spiritual lives. This is when we go through
Winter is also defined by barrenness. Even though it may look like you are going through a season of barrenness, do trust God for the coming season of fruitfulness. Read Habbakuk 3:17-19 and meditate on it day and night, allowing it to minister to your
a season of dryness and spiritual stagnation. During this period, nothing seems to be growing nor progressing. If we do not recognise
soul and spirit. Although the fig tree may not blossom and things may appear barren, trust God to be your strength
winter as a necessary time in our lives, it can be a very frustrating experience.
and to make your feet like hinds feet and cause you to walk upon high places.
just entered into our winter season and this
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PEARLS OF WISDOM
2) Take time out to rest and recuperate, your body, soul and spirit We serve a triune God: God the Father, God the Son and God, Holy Spirit. Man is
c) Resting Your Spirit Worship is great way to rest one’s spirit . We were
also a triune being made up of Body, Soul and Spirit and each part needs to experience
great thing to intensify our worship experiences as this is what will encourage and feed our spirit man
a Sabbath time of rest. The winter season is a time of rest that allows us to be restored, revived, refreshed and ready for a fruitful, productive and active springtime. As we rest in wintertime, know that we are called to rest in Him and to rest using Kingdom principles.
created to worship our Father. Worship must be a lifestyle choice and during the winter season, it is a
most. Worship is not only through singing and dancing, but can also be expressed through giving and other ways of serving God. Purpose to intensify your worship to God during this winter time and you will witness a revival in your spirit man as you come out of the winter season.
a) Resting Your Body Learn to rest your body. Engage in a thorough detoxification and cleansing
3) Prayer Take time out during the winter period to intensify
of the Holy Spirit. Do the same for your soul and for your spirit man by spending time in worship, reading the Word of God and meditating on the word of God.
in tongues daily and exhorting your spirit man and soul. Many of us do not appreciate wintertime and yet, if we understood that this is a season during which
b) Resting Your Soul b) Our soul is made up of our mind, our
appreciative of this season. app
your prayer times, and also add fasting to your programme for your body to eliminate toxins prayer time to ensure that your body, soul and spirit that are weighing you down and causing you derive maximum benefits from this time and to be fatigued and weary. Take time to re-order prepares you for the coming springtime! your eating program and eat healthily and When we add fasting to our prayer life, it helps budget time for exercise. Purpose to do this climate the spiritual toxins that weigh us down in frequently throughout the rest of your life our lives. ou remembering that your body is the Temple Learn to encourage yourself in the Lord by praying
we can reflect, meditate and prepare for the coming springtime season, we would be much more
emotions and our will. Take time during a
Embrace wintertime as a time of preparation, to winter season to feed your mind with the prepare your body, soul/ character and spirit man Word of God and let it be enriched and nurtured for the coming springtime, a season which is during this time of rest by the life transforming characterized by buzzing activity. Word of God. Our emotional response is also determined by the company we keep and the environment we create for ourselves. Use this time of resting to allow Holy Spirit to define the relationships that you need to keep to ensure that you are always provoked TOWARDS God With Agape Love, and not away from Him. Dr. Pearl Kupe
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POETRY
WHAT REMAINS By Drea Chuma ©
There is a flower that blooms Right in the middle of a field where her house burnt down Some say it wasn’t her house but her heart Some say what burnt down was the hurt she hoarded through the years Some things she didn’t know she owned There is a man who lives down her street He witnessed the fire Spoke these words to her: “Do not be fearful Let everything burn What remains will be what You must keep.” When he chops wood Psalms bloom at the pith Leave a sweet fragrance in the morning air Once he caught her staring He smiled and said to her curious eyes “That sweet fragrance is Christ; What happens when you’re living right.” On some tough mornings She picks Psalm 91 like the most Beautiful and delicate lace Stitches it to her dress as an armour The reason she wasn’t in the house The night it burnt down JULY AUG 2017
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POETRY
There was a night before the fire She didn’t feel alright. She felt her heart bleed Said a desperate prayer that . Rumbled through her rib cage Rumbled through her rib cage She heard her answer come Wrapped in the fragrance She knows too well: Christ “You keep holding too tight to things that belong to me Your hands have callouses like you’ve been to war Battles you should never have to fight Look again; She heard her answer come Wrapped in the fragrance She knows too well: Christ Chris “You keep holding too tight to things that belong to me Your hands have callouses like you’ve been to war Battles you should never have to fight Look again; It’s not your heart that bleeds But your hands Let go. There is a flower that blooms Right in the middle of a field Where her house burnt down She says a young man gave it to her On the edge of spring With a note she still keeps in her purse It reads: “When you walk through the fire, You will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.” She now realises she is the flower that blooms In the middle of a field Where God’s grace and love met her Everything that burnt down She was never meant to carry
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FINANCES
Managing Your Finances Requires Discipline
I
t’s your finances, at least care about them, right? Life offers a beautiful pedestal of success that all and sundry can climb to lift a banner of their existence. We see this through opportunities that present themselves to everyone under the sun to grab on a daily basis. The opportunities present themselves in various forms and shapes, linking to a life that has been defined by set goals. If successful people have the same number of hours to achieve their goals as the average person, then the average person should live to realise their dreams in the same 24 hours. One distinguishing contrivance may be realised, however, which differentiates the successful from those who are not. It’s called Discipline.
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FINANCES
While all and sundry desire to achieve their dreams and goals through which money may
A typical story would sound something like this between you
be contained to multiply after its kind, the sole pre-requisite lies plainly in investing in discipline. Everyone wakes up with dreams, wishes, hopes,
and your friend called Petty:
and desires to achieve and realise various exploits in their daily lives, which if analysed, are all noble and plausible. The main issues dwindling each and every one’s effort to achieve even the most diminutive of tasks is lack of discipline. Don’t we all talk of how good and well our bodies will have changed by the end of the year? We go on and paint the fanciest and rosiest of dreams at the beginning of the year, or we commit to a budget plan perhaps until the second month of the year. The framework undergirding the perennial failure in achieving our goals boils down to deficiency in discipline. I concede, life has a terrific tendency of throwing the worst hurdles our path and testing our durability in various and diverse ways. It could be through an upsetting life experience, a natural activity such as the recent Dineo tropical cyclone, or anything else beyond b our control. If I could, I would ensure that everyone doesn’t have to work too hard to achieve anything, simplify life to curtail pain and struggles. Unfortunately as much as you might be having it hard and deliberately choosing to quit and never commit, the most successful people equally had hurdles they had to overcome. At some point you will fail, but fail fast and get back up again. Why is it that others who might have had life come down hard on them have succeeded amid challenges? They exuded discipline in the face of hardship. Excuses are for weaklings who are committed to not no achieving their goals. JULY AUG 2017
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You: Why are you still broke? Petty: I am taking care of my whole family at home. What can I do, friend? You: But friend, do you spend all your money on your family? Petty: Huh, friend, I must also live! How is it that one continues to blame their family for why they are not where they had wished to be? Most breadwinners find that as the greatest excuse to not institute discipline in their finances. Maybe you are Petty. Petty, you and I need not be oblivious in our reasoning and excuse punting. The internal turmoil of achieving the most miniature of goals daily presents to us an opportunity to assess our very goals, their rationality and achievability. Why is it a struggle to wake up and commit commi to one thing and attain it? It is ill discipline. Because discipline is internal, private and personal, it is often easy to fail dismally to hold yourself accountable. Whenever one is budgeting, a sure thing sure to achieving your budget is discipline. Do not spend what is not in your budget. Often times the major challenge with setting a budget is you must stick to it, you must execute its outlined contents, and you must draw it up. It’s all you. If your budget doesn’t shake your discipline, then it is not designed to change your financial wellbeing.
By Pule Ntsepe
DIAMOND UNEARTHED
Building a legacy whose heartbeat is people JULY AUG 2017
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+
uby Kgomotso Peacock irst came onto the public scene as the Miss Botswana First Princess in 2003; a year later she returned to claim the Miss Botswana title and has remained one of Botswana’s most esteemed beauty queens. most es Little did the world know that the young lady, 18 years old at the time, had of icially stepped into the building and had no intention of backing down.. Her resilience, perseverance, and patience to make it as the number one beauty queen of the nation are traits that beauty queen of the nation a distinguish this tenacious and magnetic soul.
COVER STORY
We are giving them handouts, but they never said they wanted handouts. They want opportunities to be able to sustain themselves, and to be as competitive as they could be in other parts of the world.That’s why I want to work with people who are from rural communities, because they are as talented and intelligent as people who are living in talen the cities. I want to leave a legacy of that, that anybody, anywhere, should be given an opportunity to develop themselves and to succeed so I like to bridge those gaps and to give people those opportunities to develop themselves.” “I want to have a legacy of access, that anybody can access.”
No doubt winning the c No doubt winning the crown was a triumphant moment, but it wasn’t without its challenges. Juby attributes her exponential growth and maturity to some of the hardships she faced as the queen of the nation: “My reign as Miss Botswana was very controversial; I didn’t get a lot of the things that I was promised and I had a lot of backlash from…people who didn’t think I should backlash f Fast forward 14 years later, Juby has proven have won – but 14 years later what I took away that she wasn’t in it just for the supposed from that is you take an opportunity and you glamour and fame – she is a lover of people, make it what it should be because despite (the fact) a problem solver, and an authentic woman that I didn’t have the right wardrobe or the right who walks daily with God. platforms, even some of the money I was promised, I still pushed very hard to do exactly what Peacock, a Clinical Social Worker by profession, I said I would do with the little resources I had I said I lives to empower, transform and inform. and a lot of people took notice of that to an extent “I think in Botswana particularly I want to have that when I inished my reign, I got head hunted by a legacy of access, that anybody can access” an international diamond jewellery company who she says, “that’s why I work with people with wanted me to be their face. And because they disabilities, because they are not given enough were a Jewish organisation, they wanted a girl leverage; we haven’t built enough infrastructure who was very active in the community, and I was that allows them to access school facilities (and) that all doing a lot of community work so for me it taught doing a lot of community work opportunities…we are treating them like me that it’s not about the platforms or the titles, they’re beggars, you know. but it’s about how much you put into it and if you sow into something you will reap; it doesn’t matter who is standing against you and who is making sure you don’t succeed…” Written by: Nompendulo Shabangu Photographer: Tinashe Gonyora Stylist: Botlhe Mauchaza JULY AUG 2017 13
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COVER STORY
“You take an opportunity and you make it what it should be.”
The third person she says has positively impacted her life is a passive mentor, Oprah Winfrey, “I’m a person who works a lot
One needs tried and tested coping mechanisms
in the realms of restoration and I’ve seen how her life
to keep their head above the waters that threaten
has helped restore a lot of people.. I’m a communicator
to drown them in diverse circumstances.
and I see how she has mastered that art and she is also
“I talk to myself,” she says about dealing with
a person who believes there’s space for all of us because a person
dif iculties, , “I was reading in psychology that
most of the time we live in a space where – even in
you believe more the things you say about yourself
Botswana – people believe in scarcity; everybody is
than the things you hear from other people. than the things
holding on to their own corner and…people are being
So even if someone offends me, even if someone
very competitive but here’s somebody who’s saying
says something that hits my spirit, I always go
there’s enough space for all of us to succeed and
and look myself in the mirror and correct that thing.
she’s always trying to ind some deeper meanings.”
Let Juby speak to Juby. I talk to myself and I pray a lot.”
“There’s space for all of us.” “Let Juby speak to Juby.” Peacock is a breath of fresh air; she’s living proof that there is such a thing as beauty, brains, and Juby looks up to her mother and speaks highly of her,
God-fearing. As a teenager, Juby had a peculiar
indicating she’s a giant upon whose shoulders she
interest in the scriptures, although she didn’t profess
stands: “My mother is a very extraordinary person stands: “My mother is a
to be a Christian. She took a particular interest to
and I think I’m an extension of the person she is.
the stories of King David. One night, at 16 years of
She reads a lot; she mentors a lot of people.
age, Juby and Sangesta Bwendo, a school colleague, age, Ju
She’s a community builder; she’s a social developer.
stayed up until midnight arguing over the scriptures,
And naturally I think I live in an era where I’m able
until Sangesta made the connection of Jesus being
to have a larger territory so I think I’m building on
the Son of David, “I think something switched…
something I’ve seen…she’s extremely eloquent (and)
I got saved that night.”
competitive in her own way, and she’s continually competit developing herself as a person. I think it’s even more
Peacock’s love for God runs deep; her relationship with
exciting since she’s given her life to the Lord and I’ve
Him is exemplary and attractive. “I think you see hints
seen her grow faster in the things of the Lord more
of God’s character when you read the Bible, when you of God’s cha
than anybody I’ve ever met.” Juby also mentions a
meet people who are like Him, when you see fragments
cousin of her’s, Lima Isaacs, as someone who’s played
of His grace. I’ve also personally made some traditions
a pivotal role in propelling her further into her destiny.
that help me grow, that keep me refreshed in the
Lima, upon realising the potential that lay within Juby, Lima, upon
spirit (and) help me remember how far I’ve come
encouraged her to join Miss Botswana.
with Him because its very easy to forget. I have put remembrances to Him in my life to always remind myself why I’m here, why I’m saved and what it means.”
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COVER STORY
he laughs out loud when asked whether or not she has a signi icant other in her life, “No, there’s no Mr. Juby Peacock…I am looking for a man who fears God, for a family man who will play with his children, a man who’s willing to be a father. I am in a place of self – or God – discovery.” One of the concepts she is currently working on is called Back To Eden; it centers cur on trying to discover God afresh, and in that sense, discover what God had in mind for the woman when He irst created her. “ I am trying to return to the image that God had in mind for me as a woman,” she continues, “and I want a man who’s also searching for that journey, to return to that place, where God has really called him to and I know nobody’s perfect and grace covers imperfections, but I would really like a man who’s wanting to resemble Christ in his life and be that in the lives of other people. I want a strong man, I want a tall man, I want a man who’s attractive in person and in character and I think sometimes you have to be very honest about what you want from God. I want a courageous man, a humble man, I want a kind man. cou And I’m not short of that. I’m ready to serve him, I’m ready to submit to him.”
Juby has an unexplainable depth that can only be understood and captured in person. She walks gracefully, with a con idence that can only be given by the King. Through it all, she has also learnt to be her own friend, and to trust the God who has been walking alongside her all her life. Looking back, she says she would tell a younger Juby to trust she s her instincts and discernment, “I would tell younger Juby to believe in what God tells her and to believe what her spirit tells her and let that be my guide because I think sometimes I’ve wasted a lot of time in the wilderness of other people’s thoughts and perceptions. So I would tell younger Juby to focus, and to believe what God says, and what my spirit is telling me.” DU
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DIAMOND UNEARTHED WORDS: NOMPENDULO SHABANGU. STYLED BY: OPEN BUTTON. PHOTOGRAPHER: TINASHE GONYORA. & MAKE UP: BOTLHE MAUCHAZA
SCENTS SPEAKS
Infallible Vibrations
Scents Speak
S
Gifts during the Biblical times were in the form of fragrances. Philippians 4:18-19 states “…They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God
cents speak. They communicate, and send signals that can either identify with the negative or the positive. I submit to you that there exists a physical scent as well as a spiritual scent. Spiritual scents are observed by the heart, and the gift of discernment is the overarching pinnacle discernmen that decides which odour is unbearable to one’s soul. From as far back as the age of Ancient Egyptians, fragrance has epitomized
will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Genesis 8:20 -21 says, s ”Even when Noah built the ark he then made a sacrifice to God that made Him merciful unto men. God was pleased with the aroma from the sacrifice which Noah dedicated to him which made God merciful to men.” Have you identified the cause you are called for? Is your time meant to educate the nation or
the class and essence of grace. Persians used scents for political status and the Greeks and Romans are believed to have used scents
counsel widows? Whatever you identify as your purpose here on earth becomes the sacrifice which summons the mercies of God.
for art. God, the all-knowing Father of creation is the inventor of perfume. There are scents
Have you identified
specific to God’s children, scents that God responds to.
the cause you are called for?
The Bible in James 5:16 reads “…The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
The scent of obedience is embellished in Psalm 45:6-9. In verse 8, the Word of God says that He loves righteousness and hates
So there is a condition in order for one’s prayers to be answered. A lifestyle that needs pr to be honoured in order for one to receive grace
wickedness. This Psalm speaks to the Royal Daughter; the Bride of Christ whom
and a criteria that God uses to identify His righteous people. The scent of sacrifice is an offering which one takes to the throne of the Father. Ephesians 5:2 says, “And walk in the way of love,
we know to be The Church. God has the power to remove garments of shame and replace them with garments that reek of
jus as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for just us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, offered Himself as a sacrifice, the greatest of them all
garment can attract them. He asks only that we obey Him. That we walk according to His truth. Deuteronomy 28 encourages us
that made mercy abundant for us. JULY AUG 2017
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gorgeous perfume. A garment of shame can block all your opportunities but a perfumed
to be obedient in order to experience the fullness of God’s God blessings for us. DIAMOND UNEARTHED
SCENTS SPEAKS
God has the power to remove garments of shame and replace them with garments that
Judas rebuked it because perfume was so expensive and he loved money. He was angry
reek of gorgeous perfume.
because the very perfume that was poured on Jesus could have made them 300 denarii richer. Jesus in turn said to him,
The fragrance of knowledge is a gift from God. Upon giving your life to Christ you receive the gifts of the spirit. One of these gifts is that of knowledge as stated in 1 Corinthians 12:8. When you define yourself through Jesus Christ you take in the fragrance of knowledge. He teaches you through Holy Spirit what is right and wrong. He gives you insight. A woman under the influence of Holy Spirit
“She has prepared me for my death.” Even Nicodemus brought perfume and oils for Jesus’ burial. You envision and bring to life your fragrance of destiny with the choices you make today.
can never be foolish. 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 reads, “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ
There are types of perfume ranging from
among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are an aroma that
True perfume at 40% concentration. There is Eau de parfum pa which is 20%, all the way
brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?”
down to the more commonly used Eau de toilette which is 15% concentrate. My question
In the book of Ruth 3:3, we meet the fragrance of beauty. Naomi asked Ruth to wash herself and anoint herself (perfume herself) because perfume
to you is: which one do you want to be? There is a value added to how glorious your spiritual
had a way of provoking the senses of a man. It communicated to Boaz that Ruth had put in some effort when she went to see him. It set her apart at that moment and offered him an exciting rhythm that his heartbeat was unfamiliar with – something fresh to ponder on and get lost in. Even Esther was prepared for her office as queen
scent is. There are levels of spiritual maturity and only God has the ingredients to make your aroma the perfect fit for your destiny.
By Mmakgosi Tau
by undergoing a preparatory process of 6 months myrrh and 6 months perfume. Attaining a state of beauty in Christ is the process of meditating upon the Word of the Lord, worshipping in truth and in spirit, embodying the Word of God and following the commands God has given us. You envision and bring to life your fragrance of destiny with the choices you make today. It is the scent desti that determines what you will be remembered for. In both the book of Mark and John, we are told of the anointing that took place at Bethany. When Mary broke an alabaster jar with perfume to anoint Jesus, JULY AUG 2017
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BACK
Written by Nompendulo Shabangu Photography by Tinashe Gonyora
T O
VIN TAG E
BACK TO VINTAGE
O
n the 22nd of March 2017 Vintage in the Delta opened its doors in Maun, and along with it, a whole new shopping experience. The unique store is located at an old power station turned mall. It fits right into the beautifully crafted metallic architecture, providing shoppers merchandise that is pleasing to the eye along with a rather distinctive taste. The store sells a number of indoor and outdoor household items, all well arranged, providing customers with an intimate feel. Stepping inside Vintage In The Delta feels like you have walked right into home, with their creative display of garden furniture and kitchen ornaments. They have flower pots in varying enamel, copper, and porcelain finishes, hooks, baskets, and traditional tea pots and cups. Vintage In The Delta is the sister store to Vintage On 14, located in Unit 14, Broadhurst, Gaborone. Naturally, this one has been dubbed Vintage In The Delta due to its Maun location, a prime area for tourists en route to the Delta. Both stores are owned by Lesley Bradley, a Motswana business owner. Through these beautifully blossoming franchises, one of the aims is to help generate a greater sense of appreciation for vintage, especially among Batswana. The seemingly archaic store is managed by a bubbly and welcoming Juliet, who serves customers delightfully and patiently, ready to give information on what’s in store. With Batswana still warming up to vintage, Vintage In The Delta is definitely a catalyst for the process. Juliet has a beautiful smile, and a warm nature that does wonders to draw people in the store, and keep them lingering a little longer.
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HAIR
Your Hair Will Thank You Fros are in this season and during the winter season it can often seem like maintaining one is a bit unrealistic. The first thing to remember is that natural hair thrives on moisture. Protective styling is always a go-to option but not everyone can pull it off for three, no or sometimes even four, whole months. An important question most people tend to ask themselves is, "What about the in betweens?" Here are a few tips to consider when handling your hair this winter… JULY AUG 2017
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1. Pre-shampooing Oil Treatment Coating your hair with a healthy oil (olive is my fave) prior to shampooing will protect your hair from drying out and serve as another conditioning treatment. If you want to get fancy, coat your hair and then sit under a heating cap or dryer for a few minutes for a deep condition. dr The oil will seep into your hair shaft, which is a good thing. 2. Double Up On The Conditioner Most girls with natural hair already use a deep conditioner or a leave-in treatment, but you may need to use both during the winter, especially those living in colder areas. If you are afraid of build-up, the trick is deep conditioner first, then shampoo, then leave in. With this, you get the benefits of a deep condition, your scalp is cleaned, and the leave-in can do its work on clean hair. 3. Protective P Styles Winter is not the time for wearing your hair out daily. Of course you can once in a while, but your default should be a protective style until warm weather returns. Braids, twists, top knots, and bantu knots will keep your ends hidden away from cold winds and lessen the amount of styling you have to do on a daily basis. A bonus, you shave time off of your morning routine. That's always a benefit. DIAMOND UNEARTHED
HAIR
4. The Food You Eat Matters You are what you eat and that goes for your hair too. Eating foods rich in vitamins and minerals is a sure way to keep your hair follicles happy and hair growth consistent. And since we are all about hy hydration, don’t forget to get your eight glasses a day. What I have found usually works is carrying around a water bottle everywhere you I go so you remember to drink water. If you forget, trust me, there's always someone to remind you; usually along the lines of: "Have you
6. Guard From Hat Damage Hats can be a girl's best friends, but knit caps are natural hair’s worst enemy. The cotton or wool caps will draw all that hard earned moisture out of hair and some even create tangles – and that's tragic. The key is a thin silk cap between your hair and the hat. Pick a cute hat option, or a silk head wrap, so you can wear it all day. 7. Seal Your Hair (Especially Ends) At the end of any wash styling session, make sure to coat your hair with a sealing product
touched your water today?"
to lock in the moisture. The sealant creates a barrier between your hair and the elements, barrie
5. Just Say No to the Shower Cap If natural hair could talk, first of all, that would be really weird, but it also would
like a sweater for your strands. Since shea butter and coconut oil, two popular sealants, are solid in cold temperatures, try an oil that is
say how much it loves steam. Curly hair eats steam for breakfast. So, treat your hair to a steam therapy every morning by ditching the shower cap. And don’t worry, it will dry by the time you leave for work. If not, use an old t-shirt to gently dab away the wetness (a towel will drain too much moisture from your hair).
liquid at room temperature like olive oil, almond oil, or jojoba oil; I personally love almond oil. These can be found in pharmacies (and even at your local grocery store). 8. Let Your Fingers Do the Work Give your comb a winter vacay and rely on your ten digits to detangle. Finger combing decreases the stress on your delicate tresses... and is just plain easier. As you run your fingers through your hair — wet hair only, no natural hair combing when dry — check for knots and tangles which can be pulled apart with the help of a little conditioner. 9. Get A Pre-Fall Trim Trimming is nothing to be afraid of and should be done periodically throughout the year, but a pre-cold-weather trim gets you off on the bu right foot. Trims aid in less knotting, easy detangling, and better styling results, so it will make your hard winter’s work that much easier. By Botlhe Mauchaza
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HER STORY
Her Story Loren “One” Burroughs
Twenty-six year old LoRen Burroughs from Mobile, Alabama, USA, is a Peace Corps Volunteer stationed at Bana Ba Letsatsi (BBL), a rehabilitation centre that offers a place of safety for orphans and vulnerable children in Maun, Botswana. LoRen, or One (her Setswana name), has a Masters Degree in Community Development, which is what drove her to Botswana and work with an NGO. Through Peace Corps, she works as an implementer imp for Adolescence Sexual Reproductive and Health Rights Education in Maun Schools. The Peace Corps is a volunteer program run by the United States government to help tackle the most pressing challenges of the current generation, with some of the top two being fighting world hunger and HIV.
The Trend On a daily basis, One encounters many young girls through the Gender Empowerment sessions at the schools she works with and she usually takes time after the sessions to have casual conversations with the girls. She began to notice a disturbing trend in the girls similar to what she had seen in the children she worked with back in the States, “I would say things like, ‘O montle (You’re beautiful)’.” and the little girls would either respond in surprise, or completely negate the compliment. These instances took LoRen back to when she herself was an adolescent and some of the struggles she faced, “I remember being in middle school and all day thinking I was ugly,” she says, “when I got home I was thinking that I wasn’t good enough; if I could look like this or like that, if I could take this inch away from my stomach – just always comparing myself and not being satisfied with who I was and knowing that I was enough.”
iWhen you re trying to deal with a Goliath, the key to being David is knowing your enemy, knowing what you re up against,w A major downfall in the fight against HIV has been lack of gender specific information, “It’s very tailored to a general audience,” she states, “Women have a larger sexual surface area so when it comes to contact, women of course have a higher risk of contracting HIV; if women knew that, their confidence gets built.” Her Story aims to provide a platform for girls and women between the ages of 5 – 25 years where there will be gender and age appropriate interventions. The common thread through all these interventions is the sisterhood to be built among participants of Her Story. The project will take place in Maun, Botswana, as well as two other villages yet to be identified post-assessment. The 5 – 10 year old age groups will have friendly and fun workshops, as well as black Batswana dolls of all shades of colour and story books that link the dolls to the stories and the characters.
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HER STORY
For the 11 – 16 age groups, the intervention will depend on assessments, as to whether they are of doll or conversational intervention age. For the 16 – 25 year olds there will be community sessions taking place regularly where specific vulnerabilities will be discussed and there can be a creation of sisterhood and a feeling of mutual accountability. The aim is to discuss and celebrate the beauty of Batswana women in various ways such as music, poetry, and book reading and the sessions will continue to entail conversations surrounding specific social and biological bi vulnerabilities that women in Botswana have. There will also be stakeholder trainings for those who support the core group, so the project can only truly be a success through the involvement of parents, Civil Society Organisations, Social Workers, and teachers. Loren wishes to engage not only her profession, but also draw from her own experiences and encourage other women to do the same. “It’s important that women are vulnerable and allow themselves to be vulnerable; so many times I see women get to a certain point in life and they don’t want to tell people how they struggled to get there because it makes them seem weak.” The title itself, Her Story, is from the idea that each person’s story belongs to them and its different and unique in relation to HIV, self-confidence, and self-esteem. The incredible thing about Her Story, set to run from August 2017 to August 2018, is a trait possessed by successful projects – it centers on locals and has been built to be sustainable even beyond One’s service through the Peace Corps.
Loren “One” Burroughs
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HEALTH
Heal*Thy Self “To thine self be true” that’s one of my favourite quotes in this life because I believe it captures the essence of what we all need to do as individuals to live fulfilling lives. With that said, there is no way we can talk about a fulfilled life without including/ addressing
Once we understand this, we can own our health and only then will we be able to achieve our health goals. This is because health is not a certain weight, running a certain number of kilometres weekly,
the issue of health.
being popular, having a lot of money or merely not having a disease. me
Health, oh! What a simple word with many interpretations. The WHO simply states that health is a “state of complete physical, mental,
Being healthy is understanding how to tend to your temple. It means being aware of your physical and spiritual needs.
and social well being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” This purely highlights to us that in no way does health only mean being a
Understanding you might need to exercise more than the next person
certain weight (which let’s face it, the world thinks it is) or merely not being physically sick. Being healthy takes into consideration our mental wellness and how we are doing socially. Because of the above-mentioned pointers, I have since concluded that health is a personal thing. Being healthy in my perspective will never be the same as yours. This is not an excuse for anyone to be obese or not exercise because they think they are healthy; this is to say we need to understand our bodies and realise that they are temples.
or that you might need to work on controlling your emotions a bit more. cont It also means not comparing yourself to the next person because we are all different. At the end of the day being healthy is looking at one self and asking, “How do I tend to my temple?” and then going on a journey with God to healthy(self). My hope is that this segment will encourage you to look at where you are in terms of health and set some honest, individual goals. On my end, I will make it my priority to continuously provide you with information that will make achieving these goals easier. By Gofaone Moyo
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EDUCATION
Educate Yourself and Become…
W
e all grew up being told that education
is the key to success. For the longest time we have believed this statement to be true. In recent years, however, this statement has been called to question, mostly by graduates who are not entirely sure how to even spell the word success…metaphorically speaking, of course. THE ARGUMENT Not too long ago, I found myself in a passionate conversation with my students; they were convinced that the door to success has gradually changed, and contended that education is no longer the key. Their argument was based on the fact that there are a number of successful people in the world, school dropouts, even. They mentioned the obvious Bill Gates and Donald Trump, among others. I must admit, for a minute there, I got a little scared for my country. I thought to myself that its future appears to be swimming in the kiddies’ pool by adults who appear convinced kiddies that they are actually in the ocean. This is what happens when one looks at just one part of the picture, without taking its entirety into consideration. To be honest, I am not any better because once upon a time I was in their shoes; just like them, I used to think education constituted a classroom and a syllabus. Upon further study, I gradually realised I actually had no idea what education really is. As I continued studying, my understanding of education changed altogether. I have come to learn that education can in fact have absolutely nothing, or absolutely everything, to do with school.
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WHAT’S EDUCATION? What is education? I have come to find it to be, “a lifelong process that provides an opportunity to become.” “To become what?”, you may ask. Well, anything God has placed on your heart really. These days, information is scattered sca all over and you can literally educate yourself on anything you have an interest in. To use an age old cliché, “The ball is in your court.” Do not make the grave mistake of handing the ball to someone else with hopes that they will do everything for you. You are the only one responsible for your education to help you achieve your goals. This goes for both formal and non-formal education. Formal education is classroom education whereas non-formal education could simply be described as education by self out of the classroom. I do hope by now it is safe to think that we both believe there is no way for one to be successful without an education. Oliver Mtukudzi, the famous Zimbabwean musician, did not just one day wake up, grab a guitar, and start playing beautifully. First, he had to educate himself on how to play the guitar, and that is how he has grown to become the success we know him to be today. I can bet you the same goes for everyone you deem to be successful. They all had some form of education one way or another. So, take responsibility, educate yourself, and become. DIAMOND UNEARTHED
RELATIONSHIPS
When Love grows cold “You are the sunshine of my life…”; “You are my bright and shining morning star…” These are words of yesterday. The sunset has come and the sunshine has disappeared
Change can be an awfully scary thing, but where there is growth, there has to be learning, discovery and wisdom.
into the abyss. A time of reckoning is here and it cannot be avoided.
This is experienced by all manner of life including man, and woman, and their relationships. All relations between human beings do
Relationships at a one undetermined stage get into a winter season. Winter is generally a time where life comes to a standstill – quite literally. The winds of change are blowing and the clouds move towards the sun and cover its face. The loving spring and idyllic summer have passed and change is inevitable. This is a time of metamorphosis of life and
go through a dry spell; this is not only limited to relationships between men and women. The dryness in a relationship can also be experienced by a parent to a child, sibling to sibling, between friends
relationships as they stand, and one has to take a long, hard look at their journey. Change can be an awfully scary thing, but where there is growth, there has to be learning, discovery and wisdom. Any healthy relationship has to come to a time of introversion, contemplation and evaluation of past hurts, failures, lies, deceit, suspicions, accusations, cover-ups and pretenses. Everything that has been held inside has to come out now because there is no beauty anymore and the heart has hit freezing point. JULY AUG 2017
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or relatives, or even between man and God. Entering a spiritual winter may cause us to hibernate, thereby moving away from the set plan of God on how we should love one another and Him as the Creator of the heaven and the earth which we inhabit. The greatest commandment from God is “to love”. He does not attach any conditions to this love; He gives man a verb without an adverb. ad This is captured so beautifully in the famous Bible scripture in John 3:16; “ For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” [John 3:16, KJV] DIAMOND UNEARTHED
RELATIONSHIPS
In this profound scripture, Jesus unfolds the mystery of God’s love; in that while we were yet sinners, we were given the one thing that He cared about the most: His Son. This speaks of the giving nature of love, its forgiving nature, its patient natu and how non-judgmental it is. nature This kind of relationship therefore is not seasonal, it is not dependent upon sentiments, it does not count the number of mistakes or look at the flaws; it does not give terms and conditions for it to be offered. These are virtues that man struggles with and achieves achi very little of. It goes without saying, therefore, that the absence of these qualities would then be responsible for spurring our relationships into the hardness of the winter, the dry, cold time of deprivation of love, one towards the other. God gives us a simple instruction, as captured captu in Mark 12:31. “ … ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” It is clear that man ought to love one another, regardless of the type of relationship or what season of their lives they might be going through. OVERCOMING THE WINTER OF RELATIONSHIPS REL How then do we weather the storms of relationships? How do we get out of this dormant, stagnant and lifelessness that comes with the seemingly dark season of problems? Trials and tribulations were never meant to kill us. They need not lead to the “passion” murders of this generation and they need mu not cause despair and hopelessness, if we know who and Whose we are. We need to understand some key points for us to be able to cling on to the hope and belief that the ice will begin to thaw and the warmth restored: JULY AUG 2017
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• God is the creator of the seasons and He wants every man and woman, boy or girl to grow into a fuller knowledge and understanding of His love. He created the times and the seasons and He expects the leaves to turn brown and when the time is right, to get fresh new and green leaves that boast life exuberantly. “He changes times tha and seasons, He sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. ” [Daniel 2:21, NIV] So it is in His nature to make things new. But they need to die first. In order to get renewal, regeneration, fullness of life, and the spring back in to our lives, some things have to die first. We need to li go through that time of uncertainty so that we may begin to interrogate ourselves whether it is all worth our while. • Storms do not last forever; there is a great calm after a great storm. This we know because the Author and the Finisher of the association and connection between bet two or more people, is a calmer of storms. He pronounces peace over the lives of believers and urges us to be at peace with one another. “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” [Mark 9:50 NIV] Seasons come to pass. Winter has to give way to spring. There is hope in every rickety relationship. Yes, work is required, but nothing beats hope. “See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.” [Song of Solomon 2: 11-13]
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ADVOCACY
Purity Revelation Ministries RESPECT IS VITAL FOR SIDEWALK ADVOCACY
A
are willing to venture to stand on the public property of a sidewalk, in extreme heat (120+ degrees[Fahrenheit]) or cold like conditions, to be cursed at, given ugly looks, or worse. Yet, these innocent children are being taken in, having appointments for the ending of their lives. As we all know, there are millions of hurting individuals who have yet found freedom in Jesus and gained His healing from the agony of what abortion brings. It is estimated that per one abortion, there are at least pe 49 people who will hurt as a result.
s we stand on the sidewalk, we witness car after car pulling into the Glendale, Arizona Planned Parenthood facility. With outside music blasting, the doorman does anything he feels necessary to lessen our prolife voice. We have about five to ten seconds to grab and hold the attention of this anxious mother, and guide her to a plan of life, all the while meeting her needs, concerns, and answering her questions.
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This is intense; sidewalk advocacy is difficult! And, here in the Phoenix area, not too many
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This is a mission field! I stand there on the sidewalk with our free blessing bags, on “abortion days,” ready to stand for hope and love. Woman after woman, I smile and say, “I am just jus here giving these bags away, may I bless you with one?” You can see the wheels turning in their heads, as much as prolife advocates have been portrayed as hateful screaming hypocrites. DIAMOND UNEARTHED
ADVOCACY
It is so very sad because some women are so zoned into the thought process of “I have to be strong” and “I can do this,” talking themselves into this abortion process. After exiting their vehicles, they look down towards the ground the whole time, quickly walking as fast as their little legs will carry them over to what they want to think is safety; the doorman. However, because of our free mommy bag distribution, fathers, mothers,
One week later, I received a phone call from Wes. He expressed the PHENOMENAL news that they had chosen life for their child, and they were going to take advantage of the benefits we provide! I was elated that God did this! There is really no other feeling like it! Recently we learned that Wes and his girlfriend are having a little girl as her due date is fast approaching. They also accepted Jesus to be their Lord
grandparents, and friends have chatted with me.
and Savior!!! Through our other ministries offered we are directing this couple towards
One conversation I remember having is with a father named Wes. His pregnant girlfriend was
God’s plan for their lives, with marriage and raising their daughter with the knowledge
inside the abortion centre as he stood in the parking lot smoking a cigarette. Obviously Wes and I disagreed on much and yet one thing that we did share was a basic respect. It seems based
and love for the Lord. We have seen other babies’ lives saved as well; it is truly a
off of my experience in this type of situation, and in most cases, reverence is earned back to us through intense listening towards those who find themsel themselves at abortion facilities. I must build a quick rapport to be able to be taken seriously and for our loving message to be received. After about 30 minutes of guiding Wes, he wrapped up the conversation and we left him with a “blessing bag” for his girlfriend (consisting of women centered items, stories of others that have been in crisis pregnancies, life affirming resources, our contact information, etc.), and stood on the sidewalk and prayed fervently.
remarkable miracle that God allows us to be a part of. The issue of life versus abortion is very much a spiritual battle. God, the Creator of life, knits us together in our mothers’ wombs (Psalm 139:13), having a purpose and plan for all He forms ( Jeremiah 29:11), never intending His creation to be destroyed. You know, the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy ( John 10:10). Please help us create a culture of LIFE for all, signifying basic equal rights for mankind. By Dawn Guevara
Dawn Guevara and her husband, Julian, are the Founders of Purity Revelation Ministries Website: http://purityrevelation.org/ Facebook: Purity Revelation Ministries, Inc. JULY AUG 2017
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Listen to and download Ms. Gee's new single on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/user-911796819 Email: msgeebw@gmail.com Facebook: Ms. Gee BW
Mentorship:
MENTORSHIP
Always about Christ When I got the revelation that discipleship and mentorship are synonymous, It completely revolutionized the way I view mentorship. That, and coupled with with what I knew personally regarding how mentorship in all its forms had changed my life. We just recently celebrated Father's Day, and even though my earthly father transitioned out of this world a decade ago, it's a day that I will celebrate all my life 1), because I came to realise that my earthly father really was my ďŹ rst mentor, and 2), God has placed people in my life to remind us that we will never be orphans, regardless of our circumstances. peop We all have goals, and since I was 18 mine has been to walk out Matthew 6:33, that is, to "Seek ďŹ rst God's kingdom and His righteousness." God, ultimately, is our mentor, and because He values relationships, He places people in our lives to help us become the best version of ourselves. That is, to be transformed daily into the image of Christ. Many are not too fond of the idea or concept of mentorship, but God-inspired mentorship seeks not to point people towards the mentor; the end result never is ourselves. The end result should be becoming mo and more like Christ; being conformed more and more into His image. Ultimately, this is more what godly mentorship should be about. Many of us do not like the idea of mentorship for a number of reasons, one of them being not wanting to have to answer to anyone. Accountability, however, is a godly concept. I urge you to pray and ask God for a mentor who is after His heart and whose ultimate concern will be you becoming all God has called you to be. Love, Nomps
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