Devoted magazine#18 for web by James Hendricks

Angus Buchan still going strong

Bible is Jesus in printâ&#x20AC;Ś

The simply

From Kenya with love... Be still in the presence of

GOD

Are we too connected to connect?

Wouter Snyman: more than just a financial guru!

Christian education provides a solid

foundation

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Issue 18

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FORD FIGO

Vanaf

R158

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900 Opsionele bykomstighede nie ingesluit nie.

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McCARTHY FORD PTA OOS Ettiennestraat 1, Equestria, Pretoria-Oos

McCARTHY FORD PTA OOS

Tel: 012 809 6600

Johan 079 884 8494 / Kleinbooi 072 573 6394 Rodney 083 228 9385 / Hennie 076 644 1217 Theo 072 522 1340 / Jappie 076 340 6563

Go Further

From Angus’ desk…

Bible

The is simply Jesus in print… It is with much joy that I can report to you that our devotional Bible has finally arrived in South Africa!

ithout exception, this is the greatest event in my Christian walk thus far. In fact, I don’t think that anything will surpass this joy and honour that we have received from our heavenly Father. I know you do appreciate and understand the importance of God’s Holy word in these last days in which we are living. We are living in perilous times where people are twisting the word of God. They are leaving scriptures out and many of them are actually putting words in! I need to reiterate the absolute importance of getting God’s word into your spiritual man. It is the only thing that will sustain us in these last days. We know in Psalm 119:105 (NKJV) the Bible says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”. As the world becomes darker, we need more light and His name is Jesus Christ. Yes indeed my dear friend, He is the word in print. 1 John 5:7 (NKJV) says, “For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit…” So that is why I am so ecstatic and humbled by the fact that we have now received this beautiful devotional Bible. It will have our devotions running right through it, from the beginning to the end, 366 brand-new devotionals and there will be thoughts for each day. It will be in the New King James Version and it will also be printed in Afrikaans in the New Living Translation. I also like to take this opportunity to encourage you to dream your dreams and to see your vision to completion. Two years ago when CUM Books approached me and said they are going to do a devotional Bible for us, I could hardly contain my joy and unbelief (I am supposed to be a man of faith). God is so faithful and He says in Matthew 6:33 (NKJV), “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” I don’t know what it is that you are expecting to receive from God, I’m not sure of your prayer requests, and I am not even sure whether they have been answered yet, but one thing that I do know is, “God is not

a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19, NKJV). As we see things getting darker in the world, indeed they are becoming much brighter in the heavenlies. A short while ago, just about the whole world saw the moon change colour to blood red and if you look in the word of God, the Lord mentions in the Book of Revelation and in the Book of Acts that in the last days the moon will turn to blood red. My dear friend, I do not know when Jesus Christ is coming back again, but I know that He is coming very soon. In fact, Jesus said that only His Father knows the day and the hour, but all I say is let’s be ready, because if you or I had to meet the Lord face-to-face tomorrow, that is going to be the most important day of our lives. When we stand before Him, it will be an awesome occasion and there will be no time to repent, there will be no time to rectify things. So let’s rather do these things now and be ready for His coming. May God bless you in this month as we see Christmas literally just around the corner. Let us love one another. You may ask why? Because Jesus said so. The legend has it that the disciple John was the last of the disciples left alive and he grew so old, that he used to be carried into meetings on a stretcher. He would always say, “Little children love one another!” and they would respond and say, “John, why do you always say that?” Then I can imagine he would have said, with tears in his eyes, that’s what the Master always said.

Let us love one another. Let us get the word of God into our hearts and let us be prepared for the coming of the Lord. Hallelujah! May God bless you richly. (Uncle) Angus Buchan www.devotedmag.co.za

Ed’s Letter

ItCelebrating is time to connect with

family

The year is almost gone, and when reflecting on achievements, the Devoted team experienced an awesome year! We can only thank the Lord for His wonderful blessings and for allowing this magazine to grow stronger and stronger with each issue!

remember, a year ago when I went to Kenya to relax from a chaotic and extremely stressful year. My energy levels were low, and so was my spirit. My team and I (only three devoted people back then) struggled to meet deadlines and the financial challenges of the magazine. None of us receive reimbursement for any of our efforts and the personal costs, sacrifices and ever-increasing costs of maintaining a magazine became too much to bear. Despite all my efforts to grow the magazine, it just felt like we were not making any progress! I felt like giving up … even though I knew it was never an option, because I was called to do this. The Lord encouraged me to keep on keeping on and convinced me that my efforts would eventually pay off. I handed out a few hard copies of Devoted in Kenya and I attended a sermon on Christmas day where I asked the local priest to pray for me and for Devoted… We both needed it so desperately! And, praise the Lord, since January 2015 I have seen a huge difference in all those areas that I asked the Lord to help me and the team with. The rest, as they say, is history! Yes, Devoted has been blessed abundantly. We have now also launched Devoted Kenya through our strategic

partners on site. We welcome them on board and are excited to work with them for the benefit of the kingdom. I also had my first television appearance, talking about my journey with Devoted. This was an awesome experience! Our beloved preacher, Angus Buchan, has also accepted me as his spiritual daughter and I feel so honoured! There is no doubt that this relationship will most definitely help me grow in my spiritual life – which is also for the benefit of Devoted and its loyal readers. We are also obedient by supporting the Keeping God in Schools campaign. Public schools are not religion-free zones and will remain places where children of all faiths come together. Parents have the right to have their children educated according to their moral values, also in public schools. Manifestations of discrimination and intolerance against the Christian faith merit the full attention of all Christians who stand strong and united in their love for Jesus Christ, our Lord. We want to encourage our readers to connect with loved ones, especially family, this coming holiday season. Angus Buchan also reminds us about the importance of family. He says, “Nothing is more important than the family”, and we could not agree

KENYA

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The best Christmas gift ever - The Bible with Grassroots reflections by Angus Buchan. Get yours at Cum Books, I already have mine!

with him more. To have him grace our front cover is a great honour and we could not have selected a greater example of a family man with his priorities focused on Jesus. The Devoted team and I wish all our loyal readers, our family of advertisers and supporters the best Christmas ever! May you and your family be blessed abundantly! Use this time to reflect on your blessings, count them all and give thanks to Him that made it all possible. I hope our articles will motivate you to take the time this coming festive season to reflect on the busyness of your busy life… With much love,

Gerda

www.devotedmag.co.za Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/devotedmagazine Follow us on Twitter @DevotedMagazine Follow us on Instagram: devoted_magazine

Angus Buchan is still going strong. His devotional Bible has finally arrived in South Africa and he now has a regular column in Devoted. (Read pages 1 – 7)

I n t h i s i s s u e

(Photograph by Marcell Erasmus from “See what I see…”)

FROM ANGUS’ DESK The Bible is simply Jesus in print 1 ED’s LETTER It is time to connect with family 2

“But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8)

COVER STORY Angus Buchan: still going strong 4

Credits

REVIEWS Spending quality time with Angus Buchan this holiday season! 7

MANAGING EDITOR Gerda Potgieter E-mail: editor@devotedmag.co.za

CAMPAIGN Christian education, a foundation for good values and morals 8

LANGUAGE EDITOR Mignionette Fair

INSPIRATION Wouter Snyman, more than just a financial guru!

ASSISTANT EDITOR Devereaux Morkel

INSPIRATION What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

CREATIVE AND DESIGN TEAM Annerine Lubbe (Square d’zign studio)

THEME Are we too connected to connect?

STANDING TALL Communication that brings connection

LIVING FOR JESUS How to be godly in an ungodly world

HOPEINACTION More about addiction

ATTITUDE Be still in the presence of God Changing your life

22 24

FROM KENYA WITH LOVE Raha Kids: A place of love and support

INTERNATIONAL FLAIR An officer and a gentleman in Africa

TESTIMONY A God of restoration

WELLNESS Christian counselling

BUSINESS How to run a successful closed door sale

FAIR FLAIR The fruits of the Spirit: Love

CONTRIBUTORS Angelique du Toit • Angus Buchan Anna-Marie Russell • David Angango Dr Halie Meyer • Janny Djan Fergus Ferguson • Hykie Berg Lele Khumalo • Mignionette Fair Suzette van Huyssteen • Wim Fourie David Angango (Kenya) PRINTERS SA Print Group (Bloemfontein) SALES AND MARKETING Alicia Potgieter • Cell: 074 460 4123 E-mail: aliciajorge26@gmail.com sales@devotedmag.co.za WEBSITE DEVELOPER Tony Hendricks

Contact Details Editor: Email: editor@devotedmag.co.za

Sales:

Content disclaimer: Devoted is published by DeVine Publishers. All rights reserved. While every precaution has been taken to ensure accuracy of information, the managing editor, Devoted and the publisher cannot accept liability of whatever nature arising out or in connection with the contents of this magazine. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of any of the Devoted team and remains the sole responsibility of the writers. Plagiarism disclaimer: It was confirmed by our writers and contributors that no part of the written submissions has been copied from either a book or any other source, including the Internet, except where such sections are clearly shown as quotations and the sources have been correctly identified within the text or in the list of references.

Book your advertising space for the next issue, contact Alicia Email: aliciajorge26@gmail.com 074 460 4123

Angus Buchan: Uncle (Oom) Angus Buchan, as he is fondly referred to by so many people, is an ordinary and likeable man, but with an extraordinary soul. You must have a heart of stone not to like this humble man and to not fully appreciate his legacy. The mere fact that he is such an approachable, but inspirational person makes him one of the most – if not the most – lovable and successful preachers

www.devotedmag.co.za

By Gerda Potgieter

riving back from his farm in Greytown, I wrote down a few words that describe him. I asked my brother Tommy which words he would use to describe the preacher. While Tommy agreed with me that a few words could not even begin to describe this mighty man of God, he shared a few simple words that sum him up. It was no surprise that we came up with exactly the same words: very humble, honest, down-to-earth, genuine, friendly, the salt of the earth…! This is also how I would describe the Shalom farm and its facilities, including the ministry buildings. No glamour, glitz or “show off” there… just wonderfully neat, workable and well-ordered facilities – all built and maintained for one reason only… to advance the kingdom of God for His glory only! Even though he never received formal training to become a preacher, his pure passion and love for Jesus, combined with his deep knowledge of the Bible as his first source of information, makes him one of the most knowledgeable and believable preachers of all times. It is no surprise to hear that he starts each day with five hours in the presence of the Lord. He wakes up at 4am and has his first meal for the day at 9am. It is only with diligence and compassion that

you can build a relationship like his with the Lord. And this relationship is evident in everything he does. Uncle Angus is never seen without his Bible. When I held his Bible in my hands and browsed through it, it becomes clear that it is not a part of his life, it is his life. He calls his Bible his agricultural manual. It is full of notes, which are silent reminders of the time spent with the Bible as the foundation of everything he does. It is no wonder that Christian Art Distributors recently honoured him by launching a special Angus Buchan Bible (see insert). Uncle Angus aspired from a very young age to become a preacher, but many years passed before he finally took up his calling. He first started preaching to the workers on his farm, but he always dreamed of preaching to thousands of people. He says he is a very shy man and therefore he practised his preaching to thousands of mealies on his farm from the back of his bakkie! It is hard to believe that this wonderfully talkative man is actually an introvert and found it hard to talk in front of people! He says that it is only with the help of God that he is able to do that. When he opens his mouth… it is God in action. In 2003, the Lord called him to mentor men so they could become the prophet

(the man who leads his family); and the priest (the man who heads up his home spiritually); and the king (the man who provides for his family). He says that he only sent out one e-mail and 230 men attended the first Mighty Men Conference (MMC). By the grace of God, this number grew to thousands the next year. The estimate for the last MMC that took place in 2009 was attended by hundreds of thousands of men. The official figures said 90 000, some estimated more - but no one actually counted! It is hard to imagine such numbers on a farm as well as the logistics; but many men who attended one or more of these famous gatherings assured me that the presence of God that was present at the conferences changed the lives of the men who attended it. Also the lives of their families and loved ones with whom they shared this experience. But, who is this man behind these amazing conferences? Who is the man behind the passion and diligence? He calls himself an ordinary man, but we know that God recognised his extraordinary soul long before anyone of us noticed... Uncle Angus was born in 1947 to Scottish parents and started his life in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. They moved to Zambia when he was only six years old. He did his agricultural training in Scotland, travelled to Australia and moved back to Zambia. He married the love of his life, Jill, and the couple started their life together in Zambia and soon bought their own farm. In 1976, the young family moved to Greytown in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa where they built a successful farm and the Shalom Ministry from scratch. They still live there today, although the Shalom Farm is now run by his sons. In 1979 Uncle Angus and his family attended a local church service where their lives changed forever when they gave their lives to Jesus. After that he started doing what he loves most, preaching to others. And, as they say… the rest is history! He spends a lot of his valuable time recording Family Time and Grassroots, the television programmes that reach thousands of people all over the world in their homes. He has also written several books and produced two films, Faith like Potatoes and Ordinary People.

Sample Text

The best gift ever…

… The Bible with Grassroots reflections by Angus Buchan...

In 1980, the Lord gave Uncle Angus a clear vision through His Word, which became the vision for everything that is done under the Shalom umbrella: The Great Commission (Mark 16:15); Caring for Orphans and Widows (James 1:2)7; and Equipping Saints for the Work of Ministry (Matthew 28:20). Shalom Ministry is also custodian of a children’s home, BethHatlaim (House of lambs), which opened in 1995. The Shalom Fellowship started with locals who came together to worship God and has grown into a forceful congregation, now attended by communities as well. They meet on Sundays and during the week; and all are involved in various community projects and outreach programmes in the area. Jesus Christ is the first focus in this great man’s life, and his faith has carried him through the difficulties and hardships of his life. His family plays a very important part in his life. He is husband to Jill, father of five and grandfather of 10… it is clear that family means everything to him. He is also the spiritual father to many. He no longer farms as his sons took over the farming so that he could be allowed to travel nationally and internationally to do best what God has called him to do… spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ – our Lord and Saviour. But, great things are still to come and it is clear that Uncle Angus will not be slowing down any time soon. My last question to him was “What is next - after the Mighty Men phenomena?” There was an immediate spark in his eyes and with a quick jump he took me to a picture against the wall of Yankee stadium. “This is where I want to stand, right here on this exact spot (centre field), to preach the Gospel to thousands of men. My work is still not done; there are millions of men out there who need to hear how awesome our God is. Like never before we are in REVIVAL! It is not coming or going to happen, it is already happening!”

The Bible with Grassroots reflections by Angus Buchan combines the insight of 366 selected devotions with the complete text of the New King James Version. Readers can now walk through the Bible with Uncle Angus. In truly Buchan-style he challenges readers to grow and live as God has destined them. Believers are guided in their Christian walk. This devotional Bible includes: • A one-year Bible reading plan • A list of Bible promises for tough times • Scripture verses for specific needs Daily readings of this Bible will encourage readers and strengthen their faith as they walk with God.

Hardcover price: R459-95 LuxLeather price: R559-95 Meaningful gifts are rare – here you have one! Get yours at Cum Books – I already have mine!

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Mighty Men Phenomena The

The famous MMC conference grew from a humble 240 men in 2004 to hundreds of thousands of men at the 2010 event. The following interesting facts of the logistics of the last two events will blow your mind! • The biggest tent in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, was used for the 2008 event. It was transported by a convoy of 18 trucks and once it was erected it was about three storeys high; covering an area of about three rugby fields. It took three weeks to erect and another two weeks to take it down. However, the world’s largest tent was not big enough to accommodate the thousands of men who flocked to the farm to attend the conference. The tent could ‘only’ host 30 000 men, with another 30 000 gathered outside! • Camp sites, meal tents and the big tent were situated on Shalom Farm and extended to two farms whose boundaries bordered the farm. Instead of the usual commercial crops, grass was planted on the sites! • Over 60 000 men (some estimated more) streamed to the event from South Africa and overseas. • Ablution facilities were erected to cater for these men and showers (in the shape of cattle spray dips) even allowed for hot water heated by enormous donkey-boiler systems. • The Shalom farm provided three meals during the event, while the attendees used opportunities to take out their braai gear and to do what South Africans do best! • The atmosphere at the event, according to the attendees, was electric and many testimonies were received about lives that were transformed forever! • It took more than two hours for the cars to depart after the event! • The 2010 event, the last one held on the Shalom Farm, was an open-air event and an estimate of more than 300 000 men attended. This time, three farmers opened their farms for campers, resulting in a camping area of 2 700 000 square metres. Grass was planted again and roads were built all over the farms to carry the huge volumes of traffic! Sources: MMC 08, Dying to live and MMC 09, Men of promise – both by Angus Buchan.

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Reviews

Spending quality time with Angus Buchan this holiday season! As a special treat to our readers, we are giving you a synopsis of six of Angus Buchan’s DVDs. What I know for sure after watching every single one of them, is that all these DVDs will help any believer in their walk with God. Treat yourself this holiday, purchase them and watch it with your family FOLLOWING JESUS

“I really hope that this DVD will enrich your life, and not only your life but that of your family as well. We are living in perilous times and we really need to get back to basics and trust the Lord Jesus Christ for every aspect in our lives. I’m thinking particularly of being Christian examples to a world that is absolutely desperate. They are trying to hang onto the last straw and there just doesn’t seem to be any hope for them, but I know that through your example and your love and your trust in Jesus Christ, their lives will also be transformed. So I trust that you will enjoy these four sessions and that you will be able to hand it on to many of your friends.” (Retail price R 79-95)

ON FREEDOM

“The Lord impressed upon me, very heavily, to speak about freedom. Wherever I go, I find there are people that are struggling with the truth and with freedom. In my travels I have seen so many people that are in bondage. Probably one of the worst forms of bondage is to self. I really believe that as you watch these messages you are going to be liberated by the Holy Spirit to live the life that God meant for us to live. I trust that they will bless you and your family and I believe that through the union of the Holy Spirit they will help to break the shackles that are holding you back and you will start to walk a life of freedom and liberty, a life of purpose.” (Retail price R 79-95)

STARTING THE JOURNEY

“We are so convinced that now, like never before, the plain undiluted Gospel message of Jesus Christ needs to be told. These days there are so many different opinions about what it means to become a Christian and this very concise and to-the-point DVD will explain in a simple way what it means to know Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior; how to grow in stature as a Christian in a world that has very few remaining moral and ethical standards; how to share the wonderful good news with people; and who is the Holy Spirit, and as a believer in Jesus, how do we allow Him to fill us with this love and his power as we continue on this journey”. (Retail price R 79-95)

ON THE BIBLE

ON FAMILY

THE HELPER ON MARRIAGE

“The Bible is the ultimate authority for any believing Christian. I cannot stress enough, how alive, how real, and how important this book is in these last days. The Word of God is more precious to me than anything else I own. I believe in this book from cover to cover and hope it is the same for you. The Bible give me clear direction, it picks me up when I am down, it tells me what to do, how to do it and when to do it. The Bible is a personal book and if I obey the Word, I may be perceived to be a wise man! It worries me when I see men and women in the church, disregarding the Word of God. It really concerns me because the Bible is our compass. We need to get back to the Word of God – when we do that we will see the power of God manifest in our lives. Maybe you are at home and you are feeling down and out – my prayer is that these messages will encourage you to read this Book and you will find that God will rejuvenate you from the inside out.” (Retail price R 79-95)

“People often ask me what my qualifications are as a preacher and I always say. I’m the husband of one wife, five children, ten grandchildren and twenty seven adopted children. How are things with your family? It concerns me that the family unit is disintegrating before our very eyes. Family is everything to me and do you know what, It’s everything to God. So I trust that you are going to enjoy these messages and that they are going to make a difference in your family”. The DVD contains three sessions, and the underlying message in all these sessions are, “the Christian family is and has always been the strength of a nation.” (Retail price R 79-95)

“… at the moment marriage is under so much strain and pressure. Some first world nations even call it old fashioned. We know that the sanctity of marriage was, and still is, God’s idea. When the marriage is suffering, it works its way through the whole family. After all, a nation is only as strong as the family unit. There is no such thing as a perfect marriage, but when we do it God’s way, it brings order in the home. It brings security to our children and peace in our homes. They say ‘it takes two to make a marriage a success but only one to make it a failure’. A godly marriage takes perseverance from both the husband and the wife”. (Retail price is R99-95)

Available at Cum Books, all leading book stores. Tel: 0860 110 321 www.cumbooks.co.za www.devotedmag.co.za

Campaign

Christian education a foundation for good values and morals By Anna-Marie Russell

In South Africa it is believed that state schooling, for privileged white children, as we used to know it under Apartheid, was Christian. It was after all called: “Christelike Nasionale Onderwys” However, I believe that true, authentic Christian education is a pedagogical paradigm different from any other form of education and very different to what we still perceive as “Christian Education” in our country today. Christian Education is not the reading of Scripture, the singing of a Christian Song and prayer only.It includes these activities, but it is so much more…

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ll education claims to dispense knowledge; however not all education professes to deal in both wisdom and understanding. The real difference between Christian education and ordinary schools is primarily going to be the character development of the child. Christian teachers approach the subject matter from a different point of view. They come from a basic understanding that God exists, that God has created and that God has left us with revelations. Christian education deals with the morals of the faith and influences students’ total behaviour pattern. Christian education brings the biblical viewpoint to bear on every subject and activity in the school programme and it is not denominational; it is Bible- based and emphasises Biblical worldview, Spiritual formation, knowledge as well as skills. Christian education aims to make students become devoted followers of Christ, while answering to the calling in their life! The boldest distinctive of Christian schooling ought to be in the declaring that it is in the business of extolling the wisdom of God as its highest priority; but God also invites us to master and enjoy the full panoply of human knowledge - every topic, every curiosity is available for us to discover, observe, examine, analyse, synthesise and evaluate. Christian schooling is more than excellence plus Bible. It is schooling centred in Jesus, whereby the curriculum

is transfused with truth and Biblical values that are in conflict with the world. The significant end is its unique product – students who do not fit the world’s mould.

Christian schooling is not a refuge from the world - it is a resource for the world; it is about embracing and pursuing the mind of Christ. Christian education is not about avoiding the world. Rather it seeks to engage with the culture and prepare students for lives that reflect, serve and honour God. It is about pursuing the real understanding of what it means to be salt and light, about transforming by the renewing of the mind. It is about the development of fruitful bearers of the image of Christ. It is about preparing young people for the kingdom of heaven and the market place of ideas. It is about preparing young people to carry out the work of our Heavenly Father, partnering with Him in His great plan, rather than being content with hunkering down in a sheltered spiritual environment and simply attempting to ward off the attacks of those who relish the demise

Campaign of godly thought, influence and leadership. It is about every child reaching their full potential in Christ. Christian schools in South Africa should be viewed as essential within the Christian community as well as outside the Christian community and should be recognised as contributing to the public good. To accomplish these matrices of effectiveness we must be seriously intentional about Christian education.

Authentic Christian education means that the whole curriculum is immersed into God’s word: “Curriculum emerges from an orientation of who and what we are, where we come from and where we are going.”(Society of Christian Schools in British Columbia, Canada 1998) “ Curriculum should be purposeful: The intentionally, Christcentered planned instructional program that is to be delivered to the students, the course they will follow through your school. Curriculum is intentional: A designed sequence of learning experiences and content in the areas of instruction chosen by the school. Curriculum is NOT bought or borrowed. A great benefit to the Christian school is the development process. It reflects your schools, your students and your mission. Curriculum also is NOT textbooks used in schools; these are only tools in the hands of the teacher and components of the curriculum.

Keeping

The teacher in a Christian school is the living curriculum, who should be a believer: Frank Gaebelein says: “The worldview of the teacher in so far it is positive or negative, influences the worldview of the child.” The teacher in a Christian school must be someone who is able to guide a child in such a way that what has been implanted in that child by God can be drawn out with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Such a child will then be able to reach their full potential in Christ. Christ-centred teachers want to allow our students to explore and discover God’s real, observable world gaining an appreciation, awe and wonder for our God and who He is. As our students’ knowledge grows and becomes more focused and detailed, so our vocabulary, skills and abilities are sharpened in an orderly way. Within our students’ hearts (moral warehouse) we have made deposits of moral values which will enable them to be good stewards of His creation (people, resources, living and non-living things). Christian education matters, in South Africa we need Christ -centered schools but this can only be successful in partnership with Christian parents. And, if our government will not continue to provide us with the opportunity to have Christ in the classroom, then we need to make this possible for our children’s sake and for the sake of our beautiful country. Christian Education gives students a strong foundation in a world of shifting values and morals. Is this not exactly what we need in South Africa at this time? (Note: Anne-Marie Russell is the Director: Southern Africa of ACSI)

God in Schools

eeping God in Schools is a campaign that is run under the auspices of HopeInACTion, Random moments of Faith (RMOF) and RealWomenForGod, in collaboration with the Hou God in skole campaign of AfriForum. The Hou God in skole campaign is resisting the Organisasie vir Godsdienste Onderrig en Demokrasie (OGOD) or loosely translated, Organisation for Religious Education and Democracy. The organisation is taking schools to court for having a Christian ethos. The legal framework of the opposition against the court case is, among others, the fact that the right to freedom of religion is enshrined in the Constitution of South Africa. Chapter two of the Constitution of South Africa (which contains the Bill of Rights) states that everyone has the right to freedom of religion, belief and opinion. Section nine, the equality clause, prohibits unfair discrimination on various grounds including religion.

If you, like Devoted, want to support the campaign, SMS “Berg” and your NAME to 38313. This way you are contributing R10 to a cause that needs millions to advance the kingdom.

How to transform your inner self by transforming the outer you

Janet Potgieter, Mrs. Africa Globe Classic for 2015 shares how she could participate in the international Mrs. Universe beauty pageant during August 2015 with confidence, being the best version of herself… and all with help from Needleless to Say! “The greatest honour you can give back to your Creator is to take good care of your body on all levels, including your inner self. With the technology available, such as the anti-ageing and slimming procedures at Needleless to Say, you don’t have an excuse to not be the best physical version of yourself - at any age. By transforming my body, my soul was also transformed and it showed on the outside!” Needleless to Say specialises in anti-ageing non-surgical facial treatments; centimetre loss; weight loss; toning and firming; wrinkle treatment; hair restoring; and we have a needle-free baby clinic.

Phone: 076 288 4310 • Website: www.needlelesstosay.com www.devotedmag.co.za

Inspiration

Wouter Snyman:

more than just a financial guru!

By Gerda Potgieter

The focus in this issue is on family, the most important God-created unity, but one that is increasingly under attack. Men have a huge role to play in keeping the family together, not only as husbands, but as fathers and leaders within the communities they live and work in. Wouter Snyman is a serial entrepreneur, author and highly sought-after speaker and mentor – but most of all a family man

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“Y

our life is limited, so do not waste it living someone else’s life. Do not be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Do not let the noise of others’ opinion drown out your inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become… everything else is secondary!” This quote is from his favourite business mentor, Steve Jobs, and it pretty much sums up Wouter Snyman. He is known for his passion to reach out to others in a caring and authentic way. He enjoys sharing his knowledge and experiences with others so that they can become a better person, or rather a better version of themselves. He strongly believes in the benefits of mentorship to make a difference in the world. An authentic human being is hard to find, but in Wouter I found someone who is true to himself; someone who has the ability to genuinely share his inner self selflessly. I asked him what makes a good mentor, and he was quick to answer: “Mentoring has never been more important. Every one of us has the opportunity to be a mentor and to help a less knowledgeable and less

experienced person - to help that person to grow to become a better person. A good mentor has the ability to help others feel good about themselves, to motivate them and to help them grow to become a better version of the person God has meant them to become. Not to become a better someone else! Mentoring has something to do with leadership. Angus Buchan is a good example of an excellent mentor and his legacy will have an impact on individuals and will continue to make the world a better place long after he is gone.” Wouter is clear that he gets a lot of satisfaction from watching someone reach their full potential and succeed in life. He astonished me with his understanding of the use of mentorship to change the world for the better. He believes that we were all born to fulfil a special purpose – and that we were all created uniquely and therefore should make our contribution that we are meant to make. He believes that God has blessed us all with talents and gifts and that we should use it to live the life He intended us to live. Wouter has more than four decades of experience in the world of finances and he has founded more than 14 companies over the last few years, including Attooh! He diversified financial services with a national footprint. This group of companies

Inspiration has recently been awarded the coveted title of the Number One Discovery Financial Group in South Africa. Wouter has also recently been rewarded the Building Nations award in Business and Professional Services from Titans Africa for being one of the influential business leaders. What struck me most during our interview is his love for Jesus and his love for knowledge – in this order. And being a book lover myself, his private collection of books (mostly motivational, inspirational and self-help content) really impressed me. Having read more than 3 000 books, it is no surprise that he would eventually write a book himself, and his pocket-size little book, Would driving a Porsche change your life? is now part of my own private collection. Not only does it sum up this inspirational man’s attitude towards life in general, but it also reflects how he regards wealth (read our review of the book in Issue 17) and his selfless desire to help others to live wealthy and abundantly! He continuously challenges and motivates others to become engaged in the process of developing the very best version of themselves! Wouter is married to Annelie and they have two children, Anschen and Wernu, and they are clearly the lights of his life! He is a family man and a great example of a man who knows his place in the household and one who has his ducks in a row. “I must admit

that at some point in my life I overdid it a little bit and neglected my responsibilities in the process of providing for my family. With the grace of God I came to my senses early enough to realise that the time spent with my family should take priority in my life. Children grow up so fast, and I want to make sure that they know they are so important to me, that I love them and that I will always be there for them. Not many of us had the privilege to grow up in a functional family with a present, and involved, father. I want to be that father!”

Yes, it is clear that this man has his priorities straight! And he still finds time to get involved in building the kingdom. Wouter has joined Devoted and HopeInACTion to create awareness for the Keeping God in Schools campaign in collaboration with AfriForum’s Hou God in Skole (Keep God in Schools) campaign

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Inspiration

you stronger

What doesn’t kill you makes

By Mignionette Fair

Isabella Makuta is the director of Group Corporate Affairs at one of the top five construction companies in South Africa. However, this title does not define this amazing woman. Perhaps the following titles are more fitting: Supermom, Proverbs 31 woman, God’s prayer warrior, Queen of God and builder of God’s kingdom

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sabella came from a family of seven siblings and she was raised in a devout Catholic household. Her parents were both teachers and believed in the importance of the church of God, education, strong work ethic and good character. She was born again in 2003 and got married at the early age of 22. But her life took an unexpected turn when her husband passed away after 10 years, leaving her with a five-, seven- and nine-year old to raise. Within the following eight years she also lost both her parents and parents-in-law. “I used to cry myself to sleep for many nights when my children were not watching, wondering how we would survive. I worked for a government department at the time and struggled to make ends meet. Despite the darkness in my life then, God’s hand was still on me as I had this fighting spirit that propelled me to want to do my very best for my three little boys.” Isabella took on multiple part-time jobs to ensure that her boys could continue with private schooling. During the same period she also decided to study part-time to pursue post-graduate qualifications. She kept close to God during all of this by attending church and teaching her boys to pray every day. “Within a year of juggling jobs and studies I was blessed with a great job opportunity at one of the country’s largest state-owned enterprises and I was appointed into a

senior position where I was one of the only three top females in the organisation. I have truly seen the grace of God in my life – in my darkest moments and in my happiest moments. One of my greatest blessings is CRC, my local church, where I continue to grow and get direction for my life.” Despite going through these hardships, Isabella did not become a cynical person. She says some of the highlights in her life include being a mom to three boys who are now fine young men, her career and her decision to be born again. “I know God is still working on me and has a lot yet to do through me. “I believe that God equips us, not just once, but throughout our lives. We must therefore remain teachable and receptive of His guidance always. “My own life experiences have strengthened me and made me as resolute as ever in my devotion to God and His work on earth. They say that what doesn’t kill you can only make you stronger. I believe that. Through all the highs and lows of my life I have not caved in – I am still standing and pursuing my God-ordained purpose for my life. I have seen the faithful and loving hand of God in many situations intervening in my life when on my own I could have been destroyed by the enemy or gone insane. I can truly say that ‘no weapon formed against me shall prosper’ and ‘what the devil meant for my destruction God meant it for my good’.”

Inspiration Her dream is to be aligned to God’s plan for her life and to achieve all that He has predestined for her. She also wants to make an even greater contribution to build God’s kingdom; use her career and business platforms to glorify His name; and to raise a godly family that is faithful and part of God’s agenda on earth. For the younger generation, Isabella has the following encouraging words: “We are all God’s children and have been created to fulfil a unique purpose. So do not let anyone reduce your worth just because of your age, or because you are different from them in whatever way. Have confidence in yourself and in what the Almighty God has deposited into you. Hold on to the truth that God’s destiny for your life will not be disrupted. The word says ‘No one can curse who the Lord has blessed’. You are blessed and highly favoured. Surround yourself with people who assist you in building not only your skills sets, but most importantly your character. Respect yourself and others; be authentic in your dealings with people. Prayer, hard work, faithfulness, humility and integrity will take you far.”

“Respect yourself and others; be authentic in your dealings with people. Prayer, hard work, faithfulness, humility and integrity will take you far.” (Isabella Makuta)

Team Chris AS A YEAR END A NEW ONE BEGINS… We are looking forward to many NEW adventures, causes, records & ventures!!!

A big thank you to McCarthy Ford Silver Lakes for your loyal support during 2015 and a great welcome to our New partner Harley Davidson Zambezi. A busy season with Team Chris, Sport against Crime and Harley Davidson lies ahead. New events that can’t be missed • 28 November – Wonderpark Multi Records and Food collection for Gracia Children’s Home • 3 December – Charity Jail a Victim for food collection • 5 December – Sink shack Bronkhorstspruit Toys hand out • 11 December – Jail a Victim for food collection • 18 December – Tyre Flip Run with sport against crime and Harley Davidson Zambezi

DEVOTED SUPPORTS TEAM CHRIS, YOU CAN TOO!!! CONTACTS: Chris Liebenberg - 083 396 0115 • Chris Batts - 072 026 7862 • Facebook: TeamChris

Theme

Are we too connected to connect? By Gerda Potgieter

“It is one thing to FaceTime into a child’s first birthday party. It’s another to actually taste the cake, hold the little one, feel her breath blowing out the single candle, and hear her laughter in your ear as you hold her close” (From: #Stuggles by Craig Groeschel)

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ecently I stumbled upon a blog where the question was asked: “Are we too attached to our cell phones?” This really struck a chord with me as I have noticed how more and more people have become too addicted to their cell phones and other gadgets. They can hardly operate without it. Cell phones, and other electronic gadgets, have taken over our lives to such an extent that people have lost close contact with each other. Electronic devices, which are supposed to connect us with the world out there, have disconnected us from those closest to us. It is concerning how WhatsApp messages, SMSs and e-mails have taken the place of telephone calls and face-to-face conversations… Gadgets have indeed transformed our lives. In the 1990s, cell phones were the mainstream, but in recent years they have become a key essential in our world. In this high-tech world we live in, it has become more and more difficult to live without them; and little monsters are continuously created that eat away at our valuable time and our relationships. And then, when we are in the company with others, we use the little monsters to stay in touch with the outside world, so that we do not miss out on anything that is happening out there! We have become so busy that communication through electronic messages has become the only way we communicate with people. Let’s be frank… These days it is not uncommon to sit in a restaurant and watch families interact with each other while their cell phones take centre stage. They are, supposedly, out on a date with the purpose (I assume) to spend some quality time together. However, they are constantly busy

with their cell phones. In most cases they are keeping the cell phones close by… with one eye looking at it all the time, checking when the next message is coming in. And when it does, the conversation and meal is interrupted to quickly check what is going on. Nobody wants to miss out on what is happening out there. But, nobody thinks about how much time is spent on the cell phone – time that could have been enjoyed with loved ones. Nowadays there is even an illness to describe being too connected. It is called Dependence Syndrome, and it is a modern illness that affects more and more people every day. It is related to addiction or habituation. Wikipedia points out that “some mobile phone users exhibit problematic behaviours related to substance use disorders, such as preoccupation with mobile communication, excessive money or time spent on mobile phones, use of mobile phones in socially or physically inappropriate situations such as driving an automobile, use thereof leading to adverse effects on relationships, increased time on mobile communication, and anxiety if separated from a mobile phone or sufficient signal.” Studies have shown that especially teens and young adults have become emotionally attached to their phones and they consider their phones as part of their self-image (Walsh, White, Cox and Young, 2011). They will easily interrupt a life conversation to respond to a text message, and they will go nowhere without their phones. Some people would argue that you cannot become too connected, but I think that – as it is the case with everything in life – one can overdo it. Cell phones are no longer only a way to communicate with others. It

has become an accessory – part of an outfit in some cases, where the cover must fit the rest of the gear. It has also evolved into a gadget of entertainment, something that keeps you busy and will allow you to kill some free time! But cell phones do have value when used appropriately. It connects us with important people in our lives. Cell phones can have a good place in our lives in every season of our lives. When you are younger, it connects you with your friends and the things that matter to you at that stage in your life. When you start a career or business, cell phones help you to run your office or business if you are not there in person. As you grow older, I assume that the security and safety value of it increases because then, hopefully, one can get help faster in an emergency. When you become a grandparent, you appreciate the quick access cell phones give you, because it helps you to be part of the grandchildren’s lives. You are able to see the first smile… the first step… the first tooth falling out… and you become part of the many memorable moments that help you to be part of their world. However, when we have become too connected to really connect with our loved ones, we are missing out. We are missing out on the world’s natural beauty… we are missing out on the good life out there… Let’s reconnect with each other again: Instead of sending a SMS to a loved one to wish them a happy birthday, wonderful Christmas, etc - let’s get on the phone (if distance is an issue) or get in your car and deliver your message faceto-face. No cell phone or iPad can take the place of good old-fashioned contact. The process starts with YOU!

How to claim your life back from your cell phone

• Spoil yourself by reading a real magazine and relive the authentic feeling and smell of the paper and ink as you page through it. • Do not use any electronic devices in a social setting, such as during a meal or at a party. • Put your gadgets in another room so that you can connect with yourself, family, friends and with the real world. • Keep your phone on silent after office hours and especially in church! • Delete all the applications that you are not using; and your device will also work faster. • When you spend time with family or friends in a restaurant, leave your devices in the car so that you cannot be distracted while you build memories that will last forever. • Have control over your cell phone: Know when to use or when to turn it off, and what to do if someone calls or SMS you too often.

#STRUGGLES By Craig Groeschel

The book Struggles (written by Craig Groeschel) fits in with this article as it also highlights the negative effects of the overuse of electronic gadgets. Groeschel writes, “But if we’re honest, we all admit that while technology greatly enhances our ability to stay in touch with people in our lives, the contact is not the same as actually being together and sharing the important events.” We all know that too much of a good thing is not a good thing. Issues such as a lack of connection with others, decreased life satisfaction, more young people viewing pornography and a lack of empathy are just some of the negative things that are mentioned in the book. “We still have the age-old struggles with comparison, envy, jealousy… only now we have new ways to escape from those ‘real life’ struggles, even as we create new battles in the virtual worlds we inhabit,” Groeschel writes. Based on his own experiences, as well as those of his 70 000 church attendees, Groeschel diagnoses the problem with our ever-increasing reliance on technology and suggests a better way forward. Using biblical references, insights from psychology and social science and stories from more than two decades as a pastor, he explores technology’s false promises as well as the legitimate needs people have and are trying to meet via smart phones and social media. Things like contentment, authenticity, intimacy and worship. His digital Ten Commandments includes statements like, “Do not post out of emotion,” “Turn your virtual other cheek,” “Do not use social media to fuel temptations” and, “Love others as you want to be loved”. This book is an excellent read and will help you to be connected with those who matter most without being too connected.

OVED R P P A EDITOR

Standing Tall

COMMUNICATION THAT BRINGS

CONNECTION By Angelique du Toit

One of the most healing human acts is also one of the easiest to accomplish. The act is one of listening. Listening creates relationships; it helps us connect to others. People do not always need an answer; they sometimes just need to know that someone cares enough to listen. The individual with the greatest influence will be the greatest listener. (John Paul Jackson)

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oday’s world is a pace-driven, everything-in-a-second world. Communication seems to be the name of the game, with eyezapping, flashing, luminous billboards, televisions with fridges wrapped around them bellowing out the world’s dreary news while we cook our meal in a minute. Teens are zoned out, in tune with their iPods and out of tune with their studies, and the day’s bull or bear financial trading happens at the push of a button on our laptops or mobile phones, causing one’s day to rise or fall, depending on the performance of the markets. Not to mention a quick SMS to someone special who has a birthday, or an e-mail to your neighbour who you know has not been well. There is no denying that technology has made our world an easy place to communicate and to transfer information, but it certainly hasn’t facilitated relational communications. Personal communication, which should be face-to-face, eyeball to eyeball, in honesty and openness, has been hidden behind typed and veiled messages, leaving the recipients to wonder if they ever knew what the sender meant at all. Who cares what your spouse has to say, anyway? Dinners around a dining table are almost unheard of today, because after all, what would we say to each other when technology has been saying it all for us? When last did your eyes engage with someone you were seriously and attentively in conversation with? …A conversation that has the richness of contribution, learning, listening and responding. …A dialogue that went beyond giving pat answers and the glib “yes” and “no” at the places they were expected. When last did you really take an interest in what your spouse was so desperately trying to share with you? When last did you meaningfully ask a question with genuine interest, and not just because it was the required

thing to do? If you have ears to hear in this cluttered world, relationships can become far more meaningful, mistakes will be avoided and you could find yourself exploring the depths of conversation and communication like never before. Sound, fruitful relationships are built on learning about the people in our lives and the way we learn about them is to ask questions about their lives. It astounds me how little people know about their partners. It is no wonder that they have no idea where to start working to salvage the relationship. They have never taken the time to understand why their partner reacts a certain way. They do not stop to ask what, where, when, how and why? They are in a marriage, but not in a relationship. When a marriage breaks down it is often first a communication breakdown. It stems from living in the same house with someone who you really don’t know because you don’t communicate. Oh, you talk, but neither communicates to learn about the other person or to try understanding who they are and how they came to be who they are. Sadly, no one takes the time to find the best way you can communicate with each other to bridge the great divide. Communication involves your spirit, soul and body. Love is expressed through relationship. A relationship is supported by communication and the relationship can only grow to the degree you spend time communicating and sharing. The truth about relationships is that a time will come when the ecstasy phase is over and there will be conflict along the way. However, you have the choice whether you will communicate destructively and eventually head for the divorce court, or if you will communicate with restoration in mind. Where good communication is lacking, there is no closeness. Where there is no closeness, there are no grounds for conflict resolution. There is

Standing Tall no middle road in relationship communication. Break the connection through destructive communication and you will break the connection of intimacy. Constantly reacting in a destructive manner will cause serious damage to your relationship. Disconnection in communication births disunity. “The disunited household will collapse.” (Luke 11:17) When you have been hurt by your partner’s lack of sensitivity in communication, you close off your soul – your mind, your will and your emotions - which results in detachment and withdrawal. This ultimately turns into a lack of sexual intimacy and connection. Affection is the barometer of the condition of a relationship. Love as you want to be loved. Sow love to reap it. Sow good communications to reap the same. Regain hope for your marriage today because you will have to live through it tomorrow. When people complain about a lack of communication, they are also saying that there is a lack of understanding. It’s not necessarily what you tell someone, but more how you say it. What is the emotion behind what you are saying? A person of understanding holds their tongue. Remember this life-changing truth -- when someone can cause you to react, they have power over your life! Never complain about someone or a situation unless you are prepared to confront them. The written word and the spoken word are the most powerful human forces on the earth. You are best received when you present yourself with a warm and welcoming attitude. Make people feel good about being around you. Remember that communication is 80% listening and only 20% speaking. When you ask a person you meet for the first time a number of interesting questions about themselves, they will regard you as one of the finest communicators and most wonderful people they have ever met. Such is the power of interested listening! NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: Read the full article in STANDING TALL IN A FALLING WORLD. Website: www.angeliquedutoit.co.za • Website: http://www.annique.com/ Website: www.devotedmag.co.za (Read Issue 16) Website: http://thelegacyproject.co.za/459-angelique-du-toit-interview-speakerauthor-businesswoman/

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Living for Jesus

How to be godly in an ungodly world By Lele Khumalo

The first and most important commandment is: “Love your God with all your heart, soul, intellect and strength.” God’s main objective is to save people and not to destroy them. You can always see yourself as righteous, because that is exactly what you are in the Creator’s eyes. An important key is to be in the world, but not of it. To always be a shining light in this dark world

lways be friendly, be a blessing to each and every single individual that you come across. All around you there are people who are hurting, people who need your love and people who need your encouragement. Let God use your gifts and talents to bless them. But most importantly, be bold and serve God like you really mean it. Take full responsibility for your life or someone else will. We should always strive to make God proud of us. What many people fail to understand is that God will not bring up your past. We need to get rid of self-condemnation! The devil is the accuser and he makes us feel unworthy and undeserving and we need to remove that mind-set, because Jesus paid the full price for us. Never ever get discouraged or tired

of doing good. You will surely reap the rewards when the time is right. Don’t ever limit God! Don’t try to figure out what He’s doing and what He’s thinking… just trust Him all the time! Another thing people tend to do is compare themselves or their progress in life with those around them. Once we realise that God has a specific plan for our lives, we’ll stop measuring ourselves against each other and surely jealousy will end. Never let what is happening in the world influence you or pollute you. God is our Protector. If God is for us, then who can be against us? Forget about everything happening around and keep your eyes on Jesus. This is the only way you will be able to be a godly person in an ungodly world.

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HopeInACTion

More about

addiction By Hykie Berg

“The task ahead of us can never, ever be greater than the Power behind us.” – Author unknown This series aims to bring hope and solutions to people concerning a wide variety of society’s worst community and social problems. Here at HopeInAction we make it our priority to seek solutions and educate our readers by showcasing national as well as international professionals, distributing their invaluable expertise to those who are in desperate need of hope and restoration. We connect people. We educate our readers by providing them with the most effective solutions to their problems without them having to search for it. The first part of this series puts the spotlight on addiction

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egardless of who we are, where we come from, or what we have accomplished; addiction does not discriminate. Whether I thought I was some hot-shot, corporate recreational user or a down-in-the-dumps, low-life junkie… it is my experience, and that of billions of people worldwide that addiction is a progressive illness. The progression may be rapid or slow, but it is always downhill. I proved this to myself over and over again. As long as I continued with my destructive behaviour, my life would steadily get worse. It doesn’t matter how much or how little I used previously, staying clean is my daily objective. Not picking up again… Not acting out! I had to realise that I cannot use drugs, alcohol or any other mood-altering substance and still wake up and successfully live the life that I have built. I simply cannot use drugs or drink alcohol successfully. It’s not part of my make-up. It will always bring me down. Like many others, I stepped over that golden thread and am now an addict. This means that I will never again be able to control the use of drugs. There is no turning back. Addiction is a physical, mental and spiritual disease that affects every area of our lives. The physical aspect of our addiction is our inability to stop once we have started and an irrational impulse to continue using - no matter what the consequences. We just can’t stop. It is never our intention to take it that far, yet we always end up in the same place.... worse off than we were before. The mental aspect of our disease is the obsession, or overpowering desire to act out, even when we know that what we’re doing is wrong and that using is completely destroying our lives. The spiritual part of our illness is our total self-centredness, our pride. We act from selfcentred fear. This part of our disease affects us so profoundly, so personally, and so intimately, that we hate ourselves for what we have become. Bottom-line… Our disease wants to kill us! Its only mission is to keep us from seeing the truth and being set free. No one has ever truly recovered from addiction or any uncontrollable destructive behaviour without the help of God. Sure, many people have achieved sobriety, but few have been set free from their fears and their thoughts to go on living a life of victory and peace.

We can’t fight our flesh with our flesh. We need more, much more, than just our own limited, muddled understanding of who and what we are. Our will is not, and will never be, strong enough to overcome our addiction. We have proven over and over again to ourselves and everyone around us that we are masters at successfully messing up our lives, doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result every time. And each time we climb back in the ring believing that this time we’re not going to get knocked out. We want to inspire and help people restore and improve their lives. The world does not need us to play small anymore. Our ambitions should go beyond ourselves, and our ability to bring hope, inspire and change the world should be our primary aim. I love doing this. I love walking a journey with people, communities and organisations and assisting them in discovering who they are and what their greater purpose in life might be. Make sure you grab your next Devoted so that we can help you with your struggles and challenges.

Special note: Remember to register on www.HopeInAction. co.za for your free gift. Addicts cling to the same thoughts and ideas for as long as they can, it keeps them in denial; it protects them from the truth. Some of these thoughts are: • The idea that someday, somehow they will be able to manage their drinking and drug use successfully; • The idea of avoiding the hard work to become, and stay, clean and sober; • The idea that they can change other people, places and things; • The idea that they can control the outcome of events; • The idea of having it all together someday; • The idea of being free without commitment; • The idea of not being vulnerable; • The idea of never coming clean with all their secrets; • The idea of entitlement. Thinking that they deserve more than they got; • The idea that they can stop on their own; • The idea that they don’t need anyone in their lives to help them make something of their life; • The idea that life revolves around them and them alone.

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Attitude

Be still in the

presence of God By Suzette van Huyssteen

“Pause a moment, Job, and listen: consider the wonderful things God does.” (Job 37:14) There is no denying that we have become so busy that we find it harder and harder to become still in the presence of God. We can become so busy that we will not hear God when He speaks to us

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e sometimes get so consumed with our daily lives, tasks and duties that God features somewhere on the border of our day, instead of being the centre of it all. We forget that each day is not a given, but a gift. It is important to become still before the Lord and wait patiently on Him because He needs and wants your undivided attention to speak His purpose and will for your life into your heart. Like with any relationship, if you do not spend time with someone, how will you get to know them? If you do not give your undivided attention to someone, how will you hear what they are saying to you? It is the same with our relationship with God. If we do not make time to just be still in His presence and seek Him, we will not be able to hear His voice. In our crazy busy world, we have this idea that if we are not doing something, we are not being productive. The best way to test if your busyness is real, ask yourself, what am I busy with? Does it have eternal purpose or value or is it merely something that will fade away? Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance form the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving”. We strive to be successful in the world, forgetting about our eternal life that is to come. We should remember that everything we have is the Lord’s and merely a blessing in our lives. In 1 Corinthians 10:26 the Bible says, “for the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,” and again in Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in

it”. So if everything we have is the Lord’s, should we not become still before Him and rather become busy with things that have eternal value in the eyes of God? To really become still in the presence of the Lord takes discipline, commitment and dedication but the reward is ultimate peace and happiness in your inner being. God will meet all your needs: “Come near to God and He will come near to you,” (James 4:8). Here are a few tips on becoming still in the presence of the Lord: • Set aside a specific time each day. Do this so that you will be dedicated to spend that time with God. Early mornings work best as you are rested and more focused. Take a cup and dedicate it to God. Whenever you drink out of this cup make a point thereof to become still and wait on the Lord. The idea is to have a cup of coffee with God, like you would with any other loved one. • Go sit in the garden or wherever you will not be distracted. Devote this place as the place where you will wait on the Lord and become still in His presence. • Close your eyes and imagine in your mind’s eye that God is sitting next to you or in front of you. Start a conversation with Him, share your heart, like you would with a friend and listen to what He is saying to you. • It is wise to have a notepad nearby. Write everything down - what you think God is saying to you. Because, sometimes what God is telling you now only makes sense in two weeks’, or a year’s, time. Write it down to get it out of your mind and regain your focus on God. In Philippians 4:6-7 God tells us that we can

Attitude share our whole heart with Him and He will give us peace. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”. There are also things to consider when evaluating what you have heard. Here are five basic tests you can apply: • Is it Biblical? Does what you thought you heard line up with scripture? The word of God is the final standard of what is true and what is not. If what you heard causes fear and anxiety, it is not from God. God has not given us a spirit of fear. His word tells us to be anxious for nothing. • Is it convicting or is it condemning? God may convict you of sin in your life, but condemnation is never from God. We worship a God of forgiveness and love. God is the forgiver. Conviction comes from God and says that you have sinned, so repent. God corrects us in love. Satan on the other hand is the accuser. Condemnation comes from him and says that you have blown it and that you are worthless. So when you hear that inner voice telling you that you will never be loved or win or you might as well give up, reject it, because it is not from God. • If what you heard revolves around a major decision, ask God for confirmation. It is wise to also seek council from mature and fellow Christians. • Do you sense God’s peace about what you heard? 1 Corinthians 14:33 tells us that God is not a God of disorder but of peace. So if you are confused or feel disoriented, wait for God’s peace, clarity and spiritual confidence. If you have peace and what you have heard is in line with God’s word, you will gain spiritual confidence and know that what you heard is from God. In John 10 Jesus uses the parable about the Good Shepherd and His sheep. In verse five He says, “But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognise a stranger’s voice.” In verse 14 he says, “I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me.” If we never make time in our busyness to become still in the presence of God, how will we get to know our Shepherd and hear and recognise His voice? The closer you walk with Jesus in an intimate and personal relationship, the more you will listen to His voice and the easier it becomes to recognise His call on your life. I pray that each of you will become still in the presence of the Lord and that you will enjoy this special time with God. I pray that God will speak into your heart, give you guidance and bless you with everything you are busy with and that you will be busy with eternal matters rather than earthly things that will fade away. May your personal relationship with your Creator become so intense that discernment will come naturally and that you will always recognise the voice of God, your loving Shepherd.

OVED R P P A EDITOR

ANGUS BUCHAN ON BEING STILL “The world that we are living in today is so muddled and upside down. If we don’t find the peace of God that passes all understanding, we are not going to make it. Psalm 46:10 says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’ Friends, how are you feeling today? Are you feeling at ease or are you feeling tense and so tightly wound up that you feel like you are going to explode? We really need to learn how to hear from God. We need to spend time in His presence. When we learn to spend time in His presence, we start to hear correctly. Jesus said, ‘Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ (Matthews 11:28) Jesus continually told his disciples this, and then we should do the same. We need to learn to listen to God’s voice. I really believe that God wants you to hear this word at this time. May the peace of God be your portion as you watch these four messages!”

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Attitude

Changing your life

and making a difference where it counts

Where we were born, our ethnicity or gender; the size of our bank accounts, biceps and the “hairdo” or tattoos on our bodies do not matter and will not cause us to achieve significance in life. It all boils down to our mind-set and the accurate interpretation and understanding of the purpose for specific times in one’s life. We too can achieve great things if we set our minds toward the process of understanding significance and purpose, and then focus our attention on God’s intended processes in our lives in order to become all He created us to be

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aving turned 41 this year, I looked back at a number of things that had transpired and the most significant for me yet, has been the shift that occurred for which I had been prepared for over a season of 14 years. It seemed prolonged, yet when the shift happened, it moved me from a place of purpose into a place of significance and I realised “why” the foundations had been dug so deep. I remember recalling just before I had turned 31 when the Holy Spirit spoke a Word into my Spirit. Early one morning during my devotional He softly said: “Things will significantly turn when you are 40”. This immediately reminded me of Moses. However, the prospect of not entering my promised land lingered in the back of my mind yet, and cautioned me to introspect more than the average person. My father fell away from God and never got back to Him until we finally found him 20 years later on his death-bed; and I certainly did not want to fail in life. It has been a very tough journey to say the least; but looking back and knowing what I know now; will I do it all over again I ask myself as I type this article for Devoted and I can only come to one answer and it’s a Bold, “YES”. This very Word kept me on my knees, despite having experienced the turbulence of divorce, then failing at yet another business venture, and ended up on the street with nowhere to go for a second time in my life. Then, if not having had a bad enough journey, my own decisions that I acted upon during tough times, called for me to “fight a significant battle” in order to overcome choices I had made to get back to the place I am called to walk in God’s kingdom. However, in hindsight, I’ve come to realise that the level of leadership God called us as builders in His kingdom, is developed daily

By Wim Fourie

and not in a day; it is here where we are required to commit for the proverbial longhaul, placing emphasis on self-discipline which will bring us to the realisation that the secret to being great in His kingdom is found in daily routines. It is in this season stretching 14 years, where much of who I was before, had been reshaped and remoulded to an imperfect, yet willing and obedient, vessel. A painful season in my life, I must add, or I am certain I would have followed my natural father’s footsteps without doubt. Had God not been gracious to call me without repentance to His side; I mean, so much ignorance, rejection, low self-esteem and pride which led to addiction for 14 years prior to my conversion had to be dug up from the root, the soil of my heart and mind, then reworked and new seeds had to be planted. It was only ”time” that could bring about the germination of those significant seeds and generic growth linked to “time” in order for me to bear fruit and walk in the favour where I am now. However, the responsibility was up to me to develop my personal leadership skills which incorporated aspects such as understanding of God, respect, emotional strength, people skills, discipline, selfdiscipline, timing, momentum, vision and much-much-more; all necessary for where I am today. This process of the last 14 years required me to trust God to do heart surgery within me in order for me to “be” the new-man the Word speaks about after meeting Jesus. I have had to come to a place of uttermost, instinctive trust and faith in Father God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit and more than that, my understanding of God’s Heart as ‘The Father’ towards us, has brought about “a Father’s Heart” within me for seemingly “unsavoury” people. I’ve come to realise that we simply cannot

Attitude read the potential wisdom contained within a book, merely by staring at the cover, nor by reading the preface alone. We have to engage in the story from cover-to-cover; a full 360 interpretation of that which is encapsulated between start and finish. As “builders” in the part of wall in which God called us to build, we have to recognise that we form a significant part of the wall on a global scale, yet we are a part of the local wall and in order for us to become builders, who with sword in one hand and building with the other, we have to be willing to engage in the dirty work of getting involved in the lives of people who may or may not be as charismatic as us. Perhaps even more liberal; yet unrefined and ignorant to not only know “what” building the kingdom actually means; but even to “how to” and “what” it takes to walk the walk of faith. Being unwilling to engage in the “dirt” in people’s lives will not bring about lasting change within them and possibly leave an unattended part in “The Wall” which will adversely impact generations to come. We should not be a hindrance to their discovery of purpose, destiny and significance as a result of our lack of dirty-

hands in their favour. I’ve come to learn that somebody is waiting on the other side of our obedience to the acceptance of the call God has placed on us before we entered earth and it’s our responsibility in this foreseen season to build productively; ready to war and build, not allowing mindsets, attitudes or even knowledge attained in our years of walking with God to allow us to build inaccurately or half-heartedly. Had it not been for Him believing in me, when no one else would, “where would I be?” It is now a season to build people!! Build where you are at; we don’t have to wait for the perfect climate, temperature, conditions and opportunity to arrive; as we execute Godly instruction by means of a willing heart, obedient mind and body, God will do massive things for, in and through us and I believe so-much-so that if our obedience is to the point of death to self, then only can we become who He called us to be. Embrace your seasons with confidence, knowing that you are here for a reason, and if God said “YES”, nobody can say no. You are called to build accurately in every season of your life and so am I.

“I see myself much like the pecan nut trees we have here at LifeCenter, which took between 8-10 years to grow into maturity, then only to bring about its first proper crop. Although I’ve been born with natural gifts of leadership and always exerted it and made it visible for the world to observe in my ‘Egypt Days”, I have had to embrace the process in order to develop the seeds of leadership that had been deposited in my Spirit-man prior to entering earth”. – Wim Fourie, founder of the Life-Center, with his wife Madelein.

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From Kenya with Love

Raha Kids:

A place of love and support Kenya is a popular tourist destination, but like many countries, it also struggles with a number of social challenges like abandoned children, orphans and street children. As part of our vision to grow Devoted globally, we found a strategic partner in Kenya that is now part of the Devoted team who work to win souls for His glory... one soul at a time! It is therefore with great excitement that we welcome our new partner in Kenya, David Angango, who acts on behalf of West Kenya Good News Publishers from the capital, Nairobi. From now on we will be publishing regular articles relevant to this beautiful country from his professional pen…

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aha Kids is a children’s home in the largest informal settlement in Nairobi, East Africa. The population which has never been determined ranges from between 170 000 to 600 000 people. Kibera is home to some of the most disadvantaged people in Kenya today. The most common definition of poverty is living off $1 or about R13 per day. Many people in Kibera survive on a dollar per week. It is estimated that there are currently over 60 000 street children in Nairobi alone, which represents a fifth of the total number in Kenya. There is little doubt that a big fraction of this number will be found in Kibera. Incidentally, Kibera has very little facilities to care for homeless children. Kibera is all but neglected by the “big” groups that minister to Kenyan children today. But that picture changes dramatically when one walks along George Padmore road in the upmarket Kilimani area of Nairobi and stops at a gate with the sign Raha Kids. A Coptic sister, working under the auspices of the Coptic Orthodox Church’s humanitarian arm, has taken over 2 000 boys between the ages of 3 and 17 years old under her care. Her humble bungalow is dwarfed by the massive Nairobi skyscrapers. Child delinquency is a serious problem in Kenya’s urban centres. Poverty and the AIDS pandemic has exacerbated the problem. According to the sister in charge, the children find their own way to her facility.

“They are the abandoned, the abused and the orphaned boys of Kenya. Many times, due to severe poverty, they come to our gates, alone, or they are brought by neighbours, guardians, or single mothers, who can no longer provide for them.” Raha Kids is a unique home. Apart from catering for boys only, it is a home combining both academic and extracurricular activities in her syllabi. It’s 6pm, and all you see is a long line of boys clad in reflector jackets walking in a single row along the main road making their way back to Kibera. Since sleeping quarters are stretched to the maximum at the children’s home, there are those who have alternative sleeping quarters away from this property. They come in the morning, partake in all the activities and walk back to the informal settlement for the night. The prayer of the sister is that she will be able to accommodate them all one day. Her prayer is that she will have upwards of 2 000 boys on her compound every single night.

The key strategy of the home is simple and straightforward: “As they receive and experience God’s love through those who serve them, they are transformed so that they will fulfil their human potential, morally, physically, and academically”

From Kenya with Love This becomes clear as one walks around the property. There is a class where the boys produce beadwork for the local market. The beads are small and multi-coloured. They join the beads one after another to create magnificent patterns: a beauty to behold. In another room, budding artists are at work with pencils, paint and brushes. The walls of the room are adorned with some of their intricate works. Outside there is an acrobatic troupe going through their steps. And in one corner of the crowded compound there is probably a little one who would one day be a Kenyan football star and who would testify of having begun his career at Raha children’s home. Raha Kids is a place for education and transformation, where the boys are taught core academic subjects, and participate in extracurricular activities such as soccer, acrobatics, drama, film, music, art and computer technology. The scripture that is the guiding principle: “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) In order for the boys to maximise the fulfilment of their human potential, learning obedience, respect, responsibility and resiliency is an integral part of the programme. According to the sister, it is only through Christ, who is the unseen, but ever-present Teacher; that the children at Raha have been transformed. She says, “He is the model for us all, and the ultimate inspiration for the children”.

Understanding the issues at hand The term street children is used to describe homeless children – children who live on the streets of a village, town or city. They are often referred to as thrown away children. There are many reasons for streetism as they call it, but the cruel and sad reality is that these children are in general inadequately protected or supervised. Therefore, they are often subjected to hunger, malnutrition, abuse, neglect, exploitation of various kinds, and murder – in extreme cases. This social ill is not only present in so-called third world countries, but it is a global concern. Noone can plead ignorance, and the guidance on how to deal with these issues can be found in the Bible: “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:15-16). Visit http://Kenyachildrenofhope.org/the-streetchildren-of-nairobi/ for more information.

From the editor:

“For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.” (Psalm 27:10) “You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.” (Exodus 22:22-24)

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International Flair GO TO: WW

W.SITJOUV O

ETNEER.CO .ZA.

An officer and a gentleman

in Africa By Janny Djan

Goma is the capital of North-Kivu, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is located on the northern shore of Lake Kivu, next to the Rwandan city of Gisenyi and sits above a subterranean lava bed 1km deep in areas, known as the Albertine rift, that is one of the most volcanically active on earth. The recent history of Goma has been dominated by the eruption of the active Nyirangongo Volcano in 2002 leaving the city in devastation, as well as the Rwandan Genocide of 1994, which in turn fuelled the First and Second Congo Wars

Inter

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ional Flai

r wi

nat

he aftermath of these events is still having effects on the city and its surroundings. It was captured by rebels during the M23 rebellion in late 2012 and it has since been retaken by government forces, but the conflict continues. In between the volcanic rock and dusty roads with spectacular views over Lake Kivu, I met two extraordinary men. Although they are worlds apart in background and appearance, they have the same golden heartbeat for Africa’s suffering children.

The officer

Captain Mogale Tshidi is a South African who works as a dietitian in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). He is currently deployed in the DRC stationed in Sake, about 30km outside Goma. This loving father of a three-year old boy was shocked by the conditions he had to face and he described it as “The worst in South-Africa is not the same as the worst here”. As Gender Advisor and Civil Military Coordinating Officer, his focus is mainly to assist the vulnerable and build good relationships between the community and military. The projects they initiate include the building of structures for those who do not have houses and to take care of the needs of the orphanages in the area. They also protect the community from the rebels. But his heart is with the orphans and he feels that the definition of the word “orphan” needs to be redefined. Orphanages in South Africa are formed as a result of unfortunate domestic situations. In Eastern Congo they are formed mostly because of one thing, post-conflict effects. Villages that are torn apart by conflict go through very serious difficulties and children are not only left without parents, but without anybody or anything they can call their own. Despite these unthinkable

situations, the children go on with their dayto-day activities that consist of playing and standing next to the military base begging for money and food, not caring about what tomorrow will bring. Becoming child soldiers and human trafficking are realities in their everyday lives. The lucky ones end up in an orphanage. The captain initiated a project called Clothe the DRC child and his plea is for any kind of clothing, blankets, toiletries and stationary, even if we think it is only fit for the garbage bag. During my last visit, he introduced me to New Chance Orphanage and I experienced the desperate need firsthand. As a fellow South African, my heart is bursting with pride about our captain changing lives in the second worst waraffected place on this planet.

The gentlemen

Philippe Martou is immaculately dressed with piercing blue eyes, a neat haircut and a Belgian accent. You can tell he is professional and has a no-nonsense attitude from the first firm handshake. But you can’t expect anything else from the man who heads the regional office of the World Food Programme (WFP) in Eastern DRC. He previously worked with the Belgium Air Force and has seen the most devastating situations on this planet in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Somalia, Haiti, Myanmar, Sudan and more since he joined the WFP in 2001. When you ask him what the worst is that he has ever seen, he answers without hesitation “Darfur, Sudan”. More than 11 years after the start of the Darfur conflict, as many as 300 000 people have been killed and more than 2.3 million displaced, remaining dependent on humanitarian aid for survival. The WFP is the food assistance branch of the United Nations and the world’s largest humanitarian organisation addressing

International Flair hunger and promoting food security. According to the WFP, it provides food assistance to an average of 80 million people in 82 countries each year. From its headquarters in Rome and more than 80 country offices around the world, the WFP works to help people who are unable to produce or obtain enough food for themselves and their families. We were sitting in his organised office in Goma with the smell of freshly brewed coffee in our noses. He had just returned from Nepal where an earthquake killed more than 9 000 people, injured more than 23 000 and made hundreds of thousands of people homeless with entire villages flattened across many districts of the country. He flew in a mere day after and had to organise the food distribution in impassable areas. He calls Goma home for now, but he faces challenges surrounding 57 displacement camps in North- and South-Kivu.

He is passionate about nutrition, health and food security and the aim is to develop small farmers and to buy food back from them to distribute in emergency areas. This way they can ensure a continuous market for the upcoming farmers and assist these families who lost everything during the conflict, on their road to recovery. While walking through the impressive storage facilities of the WFP I learnt that he loves South African red wine, that he has two lovely teenage daughters and a contagious laugh you can hear from miles away. He treated me with the utmost politeness, charm and manners that would have impressed my grandmother, I can’t imagine him in an emergency area covered in dust while working. But one thing I know is that with caring, brave men like him in this world, there is still hope.

FACTS ABOUT THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME (WFP): •

• •

• • •

•

If women in rural areas had the same access to land, technology, financial services, education and markets as men, agricultural production could be increased and the number of hungry people could be reduced by 100 to 150 million. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that the food produced but never eaten would be sufficient to feed two billion people. The latest estimates of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Multi-dimensional Poverty Index reveals that almost 1.5 billion people in 91 developing countries are living in poverty with overlapping deprivations in health, education and living standards. Malnutrition affects one in two people on the planet. Of these, 165 million children under the age of five are estimated to be stunted (i.e. low height for age). The WFP distributed 3.2 million metric tons of food in 2014. The WFP bought food from 93 countries worldwide (75 developing and 18 developed countries) valued at $1.26 billion (2.2 million metric tons) and $575 million of goods and services. The WFP has greater logistical power and operates a larger transport network than any other humanitarian organisation. On any given day, 5 000 trucks, 70 aircrafts and 20 ships are delivering food across the globe.

Janet will collect all donations for the WFP and it will be flown to Captain Tshidi by the South African Air Force. For more information, please contact her on janet@latlongcongo.com.

DID YOU KNOW? • •

• •

The conflict in the DRC has claimed more than five million lives - making it the planet’s deadliest conflict since World War II. Although the conflict has officially finished, the country remains desperately poor with horrific levels of sexual violence and millions of people displaced from their homes and schools. Continuing fighting and widespread sexual violence in the eastern regions make it one of the most dangerous places on earth to be a woman. It remains Africa’s forgotten war and rarely makes the headlines of the world’s media.

Sources: www.warchild.org.uk • WFP Facts Blast Sept 2015

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Testimony

A God of

R estoration

By Mignionette Fair

R The 6th of December 2014 was a wonderful day for Rebecca and Tyrone du Plessis. It was the baby shower for their beautiful twins, Hannah Grace and Joshua Luke. It was a beautiful, sunny day with 120 people attending and at the end of the day, five cars filled with gifts!

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ebecca and Tyrone dated for 10 years before getting married. She was 15 when she met Tyrone and her dad did not allow his girls to start dating before 16. Tyrone even had to write a special letter to ask permission! They were married for two years before they decided to start trying for kids. Rebecca says: “My biggest fear as a little girl was that I would not be able to be a mommy. All I ever wanted to be was a mom and a teacher.” And so a year went by with no baby. Their tests all came back normal and they were told to relax, go on holiday and not worry about it too much. So that is what they did… “I very firmly told Tyrone we are to listen to the doctors so we went to Mauritius, Bali, England, Amsterdam, Prague, Berlin, Munich, Switzerland, Paris, Venus, Rome, Florence, Maldives and Dubai, but still no baby!” With their five year anniversary, after praying and fasting, they decided to go for in vitro fertilisation (IVF). They didn’t tell many people about the process as they didn’t want unnecessary pressure. It was a costly process, but on Rebecca’s birthday, God told them during a church service

that it was done and told Tyrone that their child would bring thousands of people to Christ. That week they found out the IVF was successful and soon they found out they were expecting twins! “I had the most incredible pregnancy. We were told that with twins you should experience double morning sickness, but I felt incredible the whole time,” Rebecca shares. However, the afternoon after the baby shower, Rebecca’s water broke. She was six months pregnant. She recalls: “The moment my water broke, I just said ‘Jesus, Jesus, Jesus’. I have never experienced the peace and presence of God the way I did when I said His name.” Rebecca was going into labour and the doctor’s tried everything to stop the contractions. Finally, they gave her medicine which seemed to stop the contractions, but in actual fact it just stopped the pain of the contractions. By the time they realised, she was already 9cm dilated and had to go for an emergency caesarean. Rebecca says when she was in surgery, she asked the doctors and nurses if they could pray first, but everyone ignored her. “Eventually,

I just screamed at them to stop. I asked them to form a circle around the bed and to hold hands. I prayed for God to guide the surgeon’s hands and for His peace. Tyrone said he could feel the tangible presence of God as I prayed. We were blaring ‘It is well’ and ‘You make me brave’ by Bethel Music the entire time.” Little Hannah was born first, weighing 580 grams and then came Joshua, weighing 660 grams. They were perfectly formed, except for the fact that their little eyes had not yet opened. Even though they couldn’t open their eyes, the moment Hannah and Joshua came out, they covered their eyes against the bright lights in the surgery. Tyrone started speaking to Hannah and she immediately reacted to his voice. The doctors tried everything to resuscitate her, but she grabbed Tyrone’s finger and breathed her last breathe – and went to be with Jesus after two short hours on this earth. Joshua fought like the little warrior he was for 38 hours, but then he also went to be in God’s presence. At their memorial service Tyrone said, “a short life does not mean it is an incomplete life”. These two little miracles touched so many people’s lives, including the lives of the doctors and nurses at the hospital. At their memorial service, seven people gave their lives to Jesus and since then, their lives have led many others to Christ. Many people who visited them in hospital said that it felt like walking into a vacuum – God’s presence and peace was so tangible. But what now? The miracles Rebecca and Tyrone had waited and prayed for were

gone. At the memorial service, Rebecca’s mom said: “Do we have questions? Are we angry? Are we confused, shocked? Yes of course we are… but not at God. And that’s okay, God understands.” Rebecca says, “Our hearts were broken and our minds were wondering, but our souls were at rest knowing all was well. I remember asking God what exactly He was doing. We had testified to people about our miracles and now they were gone. The only answer I got was that God would restore and I had a peace that surpasses all human understanding. “We decided as a couple that the devil was a liar and that he could not steal our joy. We declared God’s faithfulness, continued serving at church every Sunday and dived into God’s word to remind ourselves of all His promises. “Our church, CRC, held revival services for two weeks with evangelist Rodney Howard-Browne. We decided that we would do the Daniel Fast and travel through to Pretoria every night to have a personal encounter with Jesus.” Rebecca told God she was going to press in like the woman with the issue of blood at the revival services. “I asked God how He was going to call me out in a crowd of almost 7,000 people. The next minute Pastor Rodney looked directly at us and called us out by saying there is a couple who have been trying for a baby. All the way down to the front I heard God say, ‘You’ve been faithful. You are not alone. I will restore.’” Pastor Rodney spoke to them in front of that huge crowd in CRC Pretoria, but

Tyrone said all he could think was that this man had no idea how they felt. As he was thinking it, Pastor Rodney looked at Tyrone and said, “I know exactly what you feel like. I lost my daughter too”. What a God of detail! Two weeks after this encounter, Tyrone kept telling Rebecca, “In Jesus’ Name, you are pregnant!” Eventually she retorted with, “Now’s not the time to be super spiritual!” But… not even a month after this one-on-one with God, they found out they were expecting! Hailey Grace was born on 15 October and her name means “hero, victorious one, freely given, unmerited favour, to bring honour”. And she is all those things and more! Tyrone also received a word from God that Hailey will walk in the glory of God all the days of her life.

Rebecca says, “We serve an incredible God who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, far more than we can ever hope for or imagine” We hope the Du Plessis’ testimony will encourage many others who are going through similar situations to look to God and to trust that He will restore. To know that He only has the best for us in mind and that He knows us intimately. He is our Comforter and to always remember that death is not the end – heaven is our final destination.

A God of

R estoration

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THE WAR ROOM CAMPAIGN… TEACHING US THE POWER OF PRAYER! The military term “war room” refers to a series of strategies that are used to plan and fight battles. In the context of the War Room campaign, it refers to strategies and tools that a Christian can use to enhance their prayers and to make it an integral part of their everyday life. It teaches us how to pray with faith and with diligence. Most of us are stuck in a rut as a result of our too busy lifestyles. It seems that it is becoming harder and harder to make faithful prayers part of our lives. Christian Art Distributors are making it easier to go back to the drawing board as far as our prayer lives are concerned. They recently announced the War Room campaign that will see a number of War Room products released into Africa that will be of enormous help for Christians in their walk with God. We took the liberty of asking a few people how the War Room tools helped them in their prayer life

WAR ROOM – THE BOOK BY CHRIS FABRY

Tommy Roux said the following about the book: “This story of one of my favourite writers, Chris Fabry, is about a couple with successful careers, their dream house and a beautiful, intelligent daughter. But their lives are falling apart due to a failing marriage. While Tony enjoys the success and benefits of his glamorous career, his wife, Elizabeth, faces increasing bitterness. “In a nutshell the book is about a marriage in trouble and the day-today challenges the couple face. It is something that most of us can relate to. When things become almost unbearable, their lives unexpectedly changed when Elizabeth meets a new client through her estate agency

business, an old and wise widow, named Clara. Her new friendship with Clara taught Elizabeth how to fight within and for her marriage with the right weapons. “This is a must-read story that demonstrates the power that prayer can have on careers, relationships, marriages, dreams, and every aspect of our lives. During my journey through this book, I have learned that we don’t have to understand everything. “Prayer can easily become a shopping list of things for God to do. Throughout this story you realise that prayer strengthens the muscles of faith. This is a wonderful faithstrengthening story.”

WAR ROOM – THE MOVIE Ann Steicher says, “I’m very thankful to have received this opportunity to enjoy this inspirational Christian drama. It is an extraordinary, powerful film about the power of prayer. The movie reflects the many issues in our society today and shows how we can become distracted by worldly pursuits, rather than focusing on our relationship with God. There wasn’t a dry eye in the theatre as all the emotional strings were pulled: joy, anger, sadness. It is a film with heart, humour and wit. We all need a Miss Clara in our lives who will inspire us to be serious about our prayer life. This is a positive and wonderful story and an inspiring message on prayer.”

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Gerda Potgieter says, “We live in a broken world where the power of prayer is often doubted. However, many of us – at the same time – can testify to prayers of faith being answered. “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to the mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20). “Miss Clara, the supporting character in the movie, is a passionate woman - a woman with a child-like faith. She does not shy away from interfering, but does it in such a caring way that one cannot be offended. She insists that prayers should not be an afterthought, but part of one’s life, and

Review that a special room (or closet) should be kept for daily prayers. In her efforts to help a younger woman save her marriage (which is on the brink of a break-down) she demonstrates how powerful prayer can be in everyday life. I loved what she said during the movie ‘You need to plead to God to do what only He can do, and then you need to get out of the way and let Him do it!’ “Whether you doubt the power of prayer or not, the War Room – through Miss Clara - reminds us that God indeed answers our prayers if we pray faithful and constant prayers. This inspiring movie from the Kendrick Brothers will talk to you in a very special way. Some call it a faith film, some call it a Christian film. I call it a good old-fashioned family movie with a good mixture of humour, sadness and drama… A family movie with solid foundations that will hopefully remind you how wars are won… with the right strategy in mind”.

THE WAR ROOM CAMPAIGN “We want to empower people to have powerful prayer lives, because it is what we as individuals, we as a society and we as a nation need. We need to admit who the real enemy is and where the battle is fought. People need to know that one of our most powerful weapons in this battle is prayer, and they need to know how to use this weapon,” says Karin Venter, Marketing Projects Manager from Christian Art Distributors. In South Africa alone, the previous Kendrick Brothers’ releases, Courageous, sold over 123 000 units in the campaign and Fireproof over 209 000 units. The War Room campaign will encourage one to see prayer as your first wave of attack in every undertaking.

War Room novel by Chris Fabry

The Battle Plan for Prayer: From basic training to targeted strategies; War Room: The Bible Study God Hears When I Pray by Stephen & Alex Kendrick (Children’s Book) This Means War – Prayer Journal (Age group: 12-16) Prayer Works – Prayer Training (Age group: 8-12) Fervent: A women’s battle plan for serious, specific and strategic prayer (author: Priscilla Shirer) Available from October 2015

War Room – The Movie Soundtrack Die Oorlogskamer van Chris Fabry Available from November 2015

Strategie vir gebed

Die oorlogskamer: Die Bybelstudie ’n Vrou in gebed van Priscilla Shirer God hoor as ek bid van Stephen en Alex Kendrick (Kinderboek) Age group 5-8 Available from December 2015

War Room the movie on DVD

101 War Room Prayers (Boxed Prayer Cards) Prayer Journal Available from Early 2016

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Wellness

Christian Integrating scriptural truths and scientific proofs in - Part 3 By Dr. Hanlie Meyer

Before we integrate the information we have gathered, we need to take one last look at the neurobiology. There seems to be a mirror neuron “system” in our brains. These neurons appear to allow us to determine other people’s intentions as well as their actions. Different areas in this system show greater activation when the same action – i.e. picking up a stick - is performed by someone else but for different reasons – to throw to the dog or to put it on a campfire. This system also appears to enable us to receive and interpret facial expressions. Whether we observe someone making a facial expression or make it ourselves, the same regions of our brain become activated. This indicates that the mirror neuron system plays a key role in our ability to empathise and socialise – as we communicate our emotions primarily through facial expressions

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his seems to indicate that infants do more than just watch their caregivers and imitate them. The infant is also trying to interpret the intentions of an action. In the previous article, we learnt about the role of the hippocampus as a temporary storage system of information from various parts of the brain. We learnt that this is the area where context would be added to content – including emotional content received by the warning system – the amygdala. We learnt that if the emotional intensity of a stimulus is overwhelming, circuits to the hippocampus are deactivated and a purely emotional response ensues. What also needs to be taken into account is that the hippocampus is not mature before the age of five. In contrast to this, the amygdala is mature eight months after conception. Thus, there might be a strong interaction between the amygdala and the mirror neuron system. The question is what does the infant brain mirror? What intentions does the infant brain “read” from the more mature brain: rejection, love, overindulgence, danger, anxiety, anger, fear, violence and selfregulation?

What messages will be “cemented” into memory circuits depend on repetition, intensity and importance of the situation, the incident and the “mirror” (the person who is observed and/or who takes care of the infant). These memory circuits get activated every time new stimuli are received by the amygdala and the hippocampus. Feedback from different parts of the brain thus plays a very important role in choosing responses to stimuli. If a memory of a certain person acting in a certain way is formed and it is positive, the feedback from the different brain areas including the prefrontal cortex – the seat of judgement – to the hippocampus and amygdala will be positive and a positive response can be elicited. However, when an extremely negative connotation has been formed regarding the person and their action, a danger signal will be fed back to the amygdala, the thalamus and other emotional centres. In the case of an extremely negative feedback, the hippocampus will be deactivated. An emotional fight/flight response will ensue and the person might act without realising what they are doing or why. Explicit memory will not be formed, only emotional

Wellness or implicit memory will be formed. This type of memory cannot be accessed by conscious thinking as it has not been stored in the autobiographical memory system. It can only be triggered by incidents that resemble the original scary/ bad incident. If this process continues over a prolonged period of time, the individual will become chronically fearful and anxious. New people and new situations will become “unsafe” in the mind of the victim. The victim’s brain will scan the environment for cues that resemble the stored information and the individual will respond in the old ways. God created the human brain so He knows the intricacies and complexities thereof. In my journey to healing there were two pieces of scripture that changed my life: • Romans 12:2–4 in the Amplified Bible says “but be transformed by the entire renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude]”. For years I could not understand why this command made so much sense, but I could not change my mind. Fear and anxiety seemed to take control despite my best efforts and fervent prayers for the Holy Spirit to take control. When I came to understand the formation of relational templates, it was the first clue to healing: the inferiority and threat to my safety that felt so real was not an objective truth, but a learned template caused by interaction with broken caregivers. Being only a template and not the “gospel truth” about me, I had the option to recognise it for the lie it was and let go of or hang on to it – and continue suffering. Yet, years of reinforcement of the negative responses and application of the old template like a mould to new situations without insight was what kept me trapped. God had to get me to a point where I was willing and ready to choose to believe God above all. This, however, is one of the greatest challenges: the relational template is not only applied to broken people around us, but also to God as a Protector, Caregiver, Provider and Father! Knowledge of the fact that warning signals from the amygdala overrides the contextualising function of the hippocampus and the pre-frontal cortex made it easier to understand and buy in on the fact that what felt true about God was also a lie – and even worse, causes rebellion against God and judgement of God. It becomes a conviction that God is actually also not trustworthy, loving, protecting and providing – after all if

He were a loving God, why did He allow or not prevent bad incidents, trauma or loss? Because it feels true, we actually become God’s judges. I had a humbling revelation – I had to acknowledge that I ascribed intentions to God as a result of the mirroring taking place in the interaction with the broken people around me! This is where the second piece of scripture became a revelation to me: • 2 Corinthians 3:14-18 in the Amplified Bible says “But whenever a person turns [in repentance] to the Lord, the veil is stripped off and taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom). And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendour and from degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.” From these two scriptures I got a few steps to healing (which incidentally sounds a lot like the steps the prodigal son had to take!): • I had to become aware of my brokenness stemming from the relational templates and accept that it is my responsibility. I had to stop blaming myself, others and God; • I had to make a decision to grow; • I had to ask God to reveal the roots of the emotional memories; • I had to confess the hurt and the depth thereof; • I had to confess to God the Father that I projected the relational template on Him as well and sat in judgement of Him as a Father – with all that the Name of God entails; • I had to ask God to break the trauma bonds; • I had to confess that I forgave those whom I mirrored and whose brokenness led to the forming of the relational templates and the forming of the emotional memories; • I had to ask God to remove the effects of these and to lead me into the truth and reveal the truth about Himself to my heart; • I had to ask God to fill me with His Holy Spirit and guide me; • I had to accept and choose who I am and the life He has given me – not the abuse or neglect – the LIFE; • I had to make myself available to grow and to resist the old thinking patterns and responses; • I had to start the process of the renewal of my entire mind – including

the amygdalin memories under the constant guidance of the Holy Spirit; This means that those memories have to be brought to conscious awareness and the hippocampus has to be employed to add context to the emotional content so that the emotions can lose the hold they have and integrated cognitive-emotional information can be transported to the prefrontal cortex where it can be stored as explicit memories that cannot trigger the individual’s old responses. But how will the newly gained information make a difference? How will it enable me to change my mind about God and accept Him as a Father instead of the warped image I believed my whole life? • John 3:1–11 now gained new meaning and importance: unless the knowledge about God that I have cognitively does not become revealed by the spirit and experiential, it will remain just that: cognitive information. This means that a new life of constant commitment has to be embarked on to mirror the image of the Father as revealed in Jesus in 2 Corinthians 3:17 – instead of falling back on old mirror images and deductions from warped relational templates. Does this solve all my problems? No. But it changed my life and gave me new tools to handle situations that trigger me without there being a reason for my heightened emotional response!

Most importantly, it put me on a journey of entering into an intimate relationship with God who is the ultimate reality! This enables me to face new challenges and take risks that I could never take before For the first time, I don’t have to feel guilty!

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Business

How to run a successful

closed door sale By Fergus Ferguson

The big retailers have great success with closed door sales. An example that springs to mind is The Body Shop, which invites loyalty card holders to special after-hours events where they can shop in peace and access discounts and special offers. Yet many small businesses haven’t considered hosting a closed door sale. Here’s a quick guide on holding successful closed door sales

1. Pinpoint the reason for wanting to have a closed door sale There are many reasons you might consider a closed door sale: quickly boosting your sales for the month; offering your customers a reward or treat for their loyalty; drumming up referral business (i.e. the price of entry to the sale is to bring a friend who has never bought from the store); or simply clearing old stock. Your reason will affect how you run the sale (e.g. if you’re wanting to boost sales, you need to focus on profit margins; If you want to get referrals, you need to communicate that clearly to your customers). 2. Pick a time – not just any time Customers are more likely to attend your sale if it’s convenient for them. Think about who your customers are. Do they work during the day; are they likely to be busy on specific nights; are they able to get to your business more easily at certain times than other due to traffic? Select a time that will suit the bulk of your customers. Most people are less likely to have plans during the week than on weekends. Wednesday evenings seem to work well for most closed door sales. If, however, most of your customers live far away but work nearby, you might want to run a lunchtime sale. 3. Decide what to offer Do a stock-take and sacrifice things that have been hanging around for too long at cost price and not to buy those lines again. If you only offer deals on unpopular lines, your sale will flop. Think past reducing your prices. Think about added value that doesn’t cost much. For example, you could give each customer a goodie bag. You could also package items together for a more marketable combination. Instead of discounting, use bonus offers. Run a buy-threefor-the-price-of-two offer or offer a free extra item when customers spend more than a certain amount.

4. Do a break-even analysis You need to understand what your closed door sale is going to cost you so that you know what you need to achieve to make sure it’s worthwhile. Work out the total fixed costs for your campaign (everything from staff overtime to snacks and prizes, etc.). Then work out your profit (the average Rand value of your sale minus the variable costs) and figure out how many responses you will need for your sale to be a success. Divide this by the number of people on your database who you’ll contact and you’ll have a percentage response rate you need to achieve. Anything over 15% is stretching it. If you need a 40% response rate to make a profit, you might want to rethink your sale. 5. Craft the invitation For a successful sale, you need to entice your database to attend. Your message needs to be quick, targeted and clear. Your headline or subject letter needs to explain the benefits, e.g. “You’re invited to our customers-only sale – up to 75% off!” Your e-mail or letter should include a strong call to action, e.g. “Call Joe Soap now on 086 5555 555 to reserve your place at the sale!” Include a map. And use a P.S. which is often the most read part of a letter. For example: “P.S.: Spot prizes worth R2 000 up for grabs!” Don’t ramble and don’t make the layout so busy that people have a hard time reading the invitation. 6. Get the most out of the sale on the day It is one thing to attract hundreds of people to your closed door sale, but quite another to actually get them to buy on the day. Plan ahead and get your staff on board. Consider providing some basic snacks to encourage customers to stick around for longer. Think about whether you need someone on security duty to manage the crowd (if your sale is truly going to be a frenzy) or just look out for shoplifters. Don’t waste the opportunity you’ve created – make sure you are prepared and that your sale will run smoothly.

Fergus Ferguson is a franchisee of the global business coaching company – ActionCOACH. He is an accredited business coach who assists business owners to significantly grow their profits and develop their entrepreneurial skills. Main: +27 12 460 9769 • Mobile: +27 82 650 0867 • Email: fergusferguson@actioncoach.com

Website: www.actioncoach.com/fergus-ferguson

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Mini-Me

Mini-me Academy Academy / Akademie

Where Learning is FUN

Mini-Me Academy/Akademie is a registered nursery school in the East of Pretoria. Mini-Me Academy/Akademie strives to provide quality education, care and security in a loving and nurturing environment.

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Extra mural activities presented at our school: Computer classes Swimming Ballet Y sports Dance mouse Action ball Soccer Graphikid Little chefs Language classes Childhood is a gift from God, and therefore, we use our Christian principals to teach the children self respect and respect for others.

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For more information Contact Jeanette and Dalena • 012 753 0082/ 083 964 4335

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Fair Flair

Love

The Fruits of the Spirit:

By Mignionette Fair

As a tree grows and matures, it bears fruit. Just like that, we as Christians should also bear more and more fruits of the Spirit as we grow and mature. Our lifestyle should be as God desires it to be... not what the world wants it to be. So, why do we sometimes feel that we have to act and look like the rest of the world? The world should want to look and behave like us as Christians. Over the next few issues, we will look at the different fruits of the Spirit and how we can apply them in our lives to bring glory to God through how we live. After all, the fruits of the Spirit is the characteristics of the Holy Spirit in a believer. The next characteristic we will discuss is love...

he passage of scripture that probably describes love the best is 1 Corinthians 13. In verse 4 to 8 it describes love as “patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” And again in verse 13 the Bible says “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” People attach all sorts of meanings to love these days… People love rugby. They love coffee. And then they also love their children… and God. But people’s love is not lasting and it can be fickle. What are the differences between these types of love? In the Greek language, love is described with four different words. The first is agape – this is God’s unconditional love. Loving someone regardless of their flaws. It is all about sacrifice and giving without expecting anything back. The next type of love is phileo. This refers to a platonic love – a warm and tender love. Then there is also the storge type

love – this is the love parents normally feel for their children and the love families feel for one another. The last type is eros love. This a passionate and intense love that arouses romantic feelings. It is an emotional and sexual love. God is perfect love and He “so loved the world that He gave His only son”. (John 3:16). It is important to know that the closest we as humans will ever get to God’s kind of love is the love we feel for our children. Now imagine that love – to infinity and beyond! In 1 John 4:7 the Bible says “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” Let us strive to love people like God loves people… with an unconditional, overwhelming, all-consuming love. For it is only through loving people that we will be able to show them a glimpse of God’s love for them. Our prayer is that you will experience God’s love like never before during this Christmas season! “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (2 Corinthians 13:14)

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Unchained An African Blessings initiative

I need your help!

With your help we aim to provide every township dog with proper collars and leashes, one community at a time. We will discard of all chains, ropes, string and various materials which are currently being used as collars and leashes. For more information on African Blessings Community Critter Care visit our website. 083 389 6917 frances@africanblessings.co.za www.africanblessings.co.za

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