May 2014-CCK-8 o'clock News

The Eight O’Clock

News May 2014

8 am Service, Christ Church, Richmond Road, Kenilworth

Our Journey I do hope you had a very blessed and joyous Easter. Now we continue to move on in our Christian journey, travelling towards that wonderful, awe-inspiring time of Pentecost. We have the time to gather together each Sunday, to wait in our ‘Upper Room’ for Jesus to tell us what we are to do for Him, and be empowered for His work.

I have been reading a most interesting book by two young British men about the founding of the 24/7 Prayer Rooms for prayer and ministry—a modern monastic-type Prayer Room called Boiler Rooms.

There are a number in England: one in Reading and one in Manchester are mentioned, as well as several now around the world. The book has the delightful title of Punk Monk, and the following passage caught my attention: “Societies are fragmenting into tribal factions at the very time when our technologies purport to connect us together more than ever before. Humans clearly aren’t designed to be in any more than one place at a time! No wonder we find ourselves exhausted by e-mail and other technologies we expected to liberate us. And as for our quest for omniscience—the Information Age is arguably more chaotic and confusing with higher suicide rates than any previous age in human history. In such a frenetic context, the call to withdraw from busyness, to switch off our mobile phones, to ration our use of the Internet and e-mail, to swap DOING for BEING (Hallelujah!) is a radically prophetic one. As John O’Donohue says in his book of Celtic wisdom, There is an incredible, subtle and powerfully calculating industry of modern dislocation, where that which is deep and lives in the silence within us is completely ignored ... The inner world of the soul is suffering a great eviction by the landlord forces of advertising and external social reality.”

We try during Lent to ‘give up’ something, to ‘fast’.

It would seem we really need to block off in our diaries regular ‘soul’ times if we want to stay May 2014 Eight O’Clock News

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connected to Jesus in a meaningful way.

Phillip Keller has an answer (in his book, “What is the Father Like”): “God speaking: ‘It is heart-wrenching to be ignored. It is such sorrow to be forgotten and neglected by My children. I know all about the pressures of daily life. I am well acquainted with attacks and demands of your world. I am familiar with the expectations of your family. I am supremely sensitive to your struggle to survive.

I know all the reasons why you are so busy and stressed. Child, set aside time for Me. It stirs My heart to know you care enough to spend some of your day in serene solitude with Me. These quiet, gentle moments together can be very precious... very rich... for both of us.’ ”

“Lord, grant me the strength to do what has to be done today, and wisdom calmly to leave on one side what cannot be done.

Fill me with prayers, draw together my scattered pre-occupations, and help me to respond to every moment with my full attention; for Your love’s sake.”

(Angela Ashwin)

So, look after your self and be filled with His love, - Wendy Gunn

HAPPY SPECIAL BIRTHDAYS To

Peter Tomalin (4/5) Joy Smith (6/5) John Rogers (6/5) I am the Light of the world.

Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

- Jesus, in John 8:12

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Hope Link Library In October 2013 Lindy Tomalin interviewed Seung Young Jung (SY) about his Hope Link Library project at Jim se Bos squatter camp in Philippi. His plan was to create a library for the young children living at the camp where they would learn to read English books. She showed us some slides of the structures he had put in place. Four of us subsequently agreed that we would like to pray for SY and he sent us his prayer requests.

We were keen to visit the library but to get four women together at a time that would suit everyone didn’t materialise.

However, Wilma (Tindall) had visited the site when teaching in the area and Ruth (Watson) was recovering from surgery. So Kari (Middelkoop) and I decided on the spur of the moment to visit one Friday morning. I was sure I would easily be able to spot the site from the road because I’d seen pictures of the wooden structures SY had built. We stopped to ask for directions from two people—both of whom warned us that it was not safe to go into the squatter camp. However, we knew Wilma had been there and we were determined to visit too. We had left a message on SY’s phone to say we were on our way—and were still looking for the wooden structure that should be visible from the road when we met a young woman and asked her if she knew how to find it. Yes, she lived in Jim se Bos. Please get into the car and show us the way—and she obliged. We got out of the car after a short ride along a sand track, Di worrying if she would be able to drive back out okay.

We got out of the car to be greeted by several little children who were delighted to see us, as well as by Elton who assists SY on site. He phoned SY who arrived within ten minutes.

May 2014 Eight O’Clock News

He told us how they had cleared the site and used some of the rubble to create a paved circular area outside the library enclosure. There is a committee of men who make decisions at Jim se Bos, but often this process is too slow and indecisive for SY so on occasion he has taken matters into his own hands.

He then took us to his new home in Philippi—far away from the leafy comfortable abode in Kenilworth—and told us more about the future plans he has in mind for Hope Link. What absolutely amazes us is that he and his children are here in Cape Town while his wife is still working in Seoul as a banker to support her family. His son has gone into 4th year engineering at UCT and has been elected to the SRC (as a foreign student), while his daughter is in Grade 12 at Rustenburg and hopes to study music at UCT next year.

Di’s connection with Seung started some time ago when they met at the local vet and thereafter shared stories about their cats! What also amazes us is how his English has improved in the last few months. Maybe some of you know too that he has a Charity Shop in Broad Road, Wynberg where he is very grateful to receive donations of anything saleable—this is to help fund the Jim se Bos project. We know he needs customers too so do try to visit the shop and spread the word about what is available there.

This is a family who have made unbelievable sacrifices because God has given Seung Young a vision and a passion for His work.

- Di Hoffa

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Lenten Meditations

Easter Sunday

You’ve probably heard of the book Don’t just stand

The 7 am service started with the congregation in

there, pray something. While trawling the internet I came across another good one, this time for Lent, Don’t Just Do Something, Sit There!

Sometimes Lent can seem to be a burdensome time, starting with ashes and ending with a tomb.

It can have the heavy feel of dark duty, having to do something, or give something up. By the end of Lent one can be exhausted and aching for some decadent ‘death by chocolate’ dessert.

This year a series of meditations were held in the church very Tuesday, to help us come intentionally into the presence of God, while we sat !

Each week a passage from the Bible was read, to help us either focus on a word or phrase that came to us, or to imagine that we were present at an event with Jesus.

Sitting quietly in the church or the church garden, we had the opportunity to put our noisy, busy lives aside for a while, and focus on waiting on God, experiencing a time of quiet meditation, receiving His peace.

The hour of meditation ended with an invitation to share anything that God had given us during our time of quiet and, although one appreciated that for many people what they had experienced needed to be held close to their hearts in silence, it was also fascinating to hear how profoundly God had spoken into lives.

Simply sitting in silence was such an enriching time. God honoured the space we gave Him and filled it with His glory.

the courtyard, each clutching an as-yet unlit candle.

Rob Taylor lit a fire then the Easter candle from the fire. From this candle, the smaller candles were lit. [It was such a wonderful symbol of the spread of the gospel—the fire representing Jesus from whom the light was handed on to each of us, our much smaller flames representing the light of Christ spreading through the world.]

We then processed into the darkened church and took our places, Rob carrying the large candle and the rest of us following with our candles. It was a lovely way to start this day of celebration.

- Judy Sewell

May 2014 Eight O’Clock News

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Our own ‘Against All Odds’...

Many of us know or

he was sent to an aunt in the Transkei where he attended school. In 1972, aged 13, he decided to leave and look for his mother, whom he longed to see again. He walked the 100 kms to East London. When he eventually got there, he found her surprisingly easily considering that all he had was a little square of paper he had torn off a letter she had written showing the address of her employers. He was allowed to spend the night with her but was put on the train to Stutterheim (costing 53c) the next day and sent back to his grandmother.

He boarded at Thembalabantu High School,in Zwelitsha, King Williams Town but was expelled in Std 9 (1977) with a ‘red pen report’ after bunking out to attend a service held for Steve Biko the week he was killed.

Joy’s journey to faith took off when, as an unemployed youth, he came into contact with Operation Outreach, led by Revd Eric Pike (later to become Bishop). He saw the power of God through many miracles. He joined them as a member of the team in 1984 till 1988 when funds unfortunately ran out and Joy moved to Cape Town.

Joy, now married with one child, got work as an assistant mechanic where he remained for many rather unhappy years.

He then served as a much loved Advice Officer for the Feeding the Hungry ministry until he joined the Warehouse in 2003.

On his arrival in CT Joy and his family joined St Peter’s in Khayelitsha, later moving to St Michael’s in Khayelitsha. Here Joy was elected Church Warden and licenced as a Lay Minister. Revd. Rachel Mash, Minister in Charge, was very influential in their lives. She persuaded Linda to start a preprimary school at the church and encouraged Joy to follow his calling to the priesthood.

The following years were tough. Firstly, following John Atkinson’s advice to get his matric before starting at Cornerstone, and with his help, Joy attended night school while working at the Warehouse. He passed his matric in 2004.

It took him another six or seven years to complete his Community Development course at Cornerstone, his ‘fellowship of vocation’, and ‘ordinand’ years. It was a tough journey, but he was ordained in 2010.

Now in 2014 he is back at college to complete his studies and reach his life goal: to lead a church, putting into practice all he has learnt at the Warehouse, leading a church which serves and builds up the community.

have heard of Joy Klmbashe. He worked part-time at the Warehouse from 2003 until the end of 2013, and also served as Assistant Pastor at St Peter’s in Khayelitsha. Joy is an ordained priest, having studied Community Development at Cornerstone, but on a self-supporting basis; iow, he cannot earn a salary. He served as our first Advice Officer for our Feeding the Hungry ministry for a year or two prior to joining the Warehouse.

Joy has a huge heart for the poor. He longs to lead his own church and serve the community, putting into practice all he has learnt at the Warehouse. This dream is coming true.

The Bishop has given his approval for Joy to complete his ‘formation’ at the College of Transfiguration in Grahamstown over this and next year; this will enable him to be lead a church (and receive a salary).

The financial implications of this decision are serious—Joy has had to put his trust in the Lord to help him provide for his family. The diocese covers Joy’s expenses while studying but his family remain here in Cape Town. Linda, Joy’s wife, started and continues to run a very successful pre-primary school in Kuyasa, Khayelitsha but the family cannot meet its commitments on her salary alone. This is where we come in !

Between the Parish and a handful of donors (managed by CCK), we have committed a monthly contribution to Joy of R4000 to supplement their income.

To this end, the Social Transformation Committee are organising a fundraiser on Sunday 18th May—an exhibition (from 9.15 am to 6 pm) of Geoff Price’s paintings along with delicious refreshments. Geoff and Merle are members of Christ Church and he is a well known artist in the CT art community. They have very generously offered to donate - Jean Swan obo Social Transformation Committee 50% of his art sales to the Joy Klmbashe Fund and we also plan to ask for donations for tea and refreshments.

A Comforting Thought...

We would like to encourage you to join us and contribute to what we consider a most worthy cause. We honestly believe Older people do not decline mentally with age—it just takes them that Joy will make the most wonderful priest, spreading joy longer to recall facts because they have more information in their and the gospel throughout his community. He is certainly brains, scientists believe. Much like a computer struggles as the well named! hard drive gets full up, so too do humans take longer to access information, it has been suggested. Researchers say this slowing Read on to learn the outline of Joy’s interesting life story: down is not the same as cognitive decline.

He was born in East London and at the age of two weeks The human brain works slower in old age, said Dr. Michael was taken by his mother, a domestic worker, to his Ramscar, but only because we have stored more information over grandmother in Stutterheim. He never knew his father and time.

The brains of older people do not get weak. On the contrary, his mother was able to visit him only occasionally. He grew they simply know more. up with his granny, two older sisters and many cousins—a SO THERE!!

We Are All Brilliant! (And we all get an A !) large family; but he missed his mother’s love. At the age of 6 May 2014 Eight O’Clock News

- Origin unknown, sent in by Wilma Tindall

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Tim Smith

Words and Images I hail from Johannesburg, where I attended school and then Wits University. I studied English, Psychology and Geography—all of which were, in some way, to play a part in my future work.

I moved to Cape Town in 1984 to study English Honours at UCT and made Cape Town my home from then on. I joined Christ Church (from St Martins-in-theVeld in Rosebank, JHB where I was baptised, confirmed and married) when I arrived in Cape Town and have been a member ever since. I was a member of the choir for three years and after breaking from that felt I would like to contribute in some other way. ‘Projection’ presented a challenge and I was curious to learn what it involved. It also offers me a chance to serve in an unobtrusive way. I have also served on TLC for several years and continue to be part of that team. I work in book publishing (publishing nature and travel books), a career that brings many challenges but also enormous satisfaction and reward. I have two wonderful children, both currently studying at UCT (my son a philosopher in the making, and my daughter a budding scientist).

- Pippa Parker

A Sound Guy—Chris Beech I grew up in Yorkshire and was schooled in Norfolk in England. I qualified as a chartered quantity surveyor in 1971 but the last 30 years have been spent as a project and development manager in the property industry, building mainly shopping centre and other commercial buildings. I am a divorcee with two daughters, one is a doctor living in Sydney, the other is a head of department at a private school in Christchurch.

For most of my life I have been walking in the wilderness, but was blessed with a reconnection to God three years ago that led me finally in the middle of last year to walk through the doors of Christ Church. I have discovered a new life in the church, a beautiful connection to both God and the love and feeling of belonging that the congregation of Christ Church has given to me. I look forward to my growing in faith and service to God and the community in Kenilworth. Blessings to all.

Another Sound Guy !

My first contact with sound at CCK was in the early 1970s. There were three services at 8, 9:45 and 11 am.

I was involved with the 9:45 Family and Children’s service and apart from making sure the amplifier was ‘on’ and the two or three microphones in place, I then had to ‘play’ the BELLS May 2014 Eight O’Clock News

I grew up in church. My mother spent so much time there that you might say I literally grew up in church. I played under the pews as the sounds of the choir and organ wafted over me. I listened intently to the deep and reverent rumble of hundreds of voices reciting the familiar words of liturgy. From my mother's hip I peered with interest at the comings and goings of Holy Communion. And I soon learned that being Anglican meant drinking a lot of tea. My history is that of a born and raised Anglican, in all senses of that phrase.

How then did I come to join the staff of CCK as a worship pastor? Upon finishing school I enrolled in a three-year theological program at Cornerstone Christian College. It was during this time that my love and interest for the Church of God developed into a heartfelt calling to ministry. After graduation I spent six years serving as a youth pastor at St Martins, Bergvliet. After a rich season of youth ministry, I encountered an ordinary day with an extraordinary moment: I was shown the advertisement from CCK, who were looking for a worship pastor. I pursued it with all my heart and was overjoyed to be appointed shortly thereafter.

Almost in the blink of an eye, I find myself writing an article about my story after nearly nine years as a worship pastor!

It really does seem like just the other day that I began this journey with much fear and trembling. I have had the privilege of leading worship hundreds of times, with hundreds of talented people. It has been a deep and lasting joy to serve in such a vibrant, varied, and loving community of worshippers within this Parish. What began as a marriage to my lovely wife Nikki has blossomed into a beautiful family. Our girls, Beth and Mia bring us great joy. To watch them grow and interact is a delight, and I maintain that few things will teach a man as much about repentance as marriage and fatherhood do!

I give thanks to God for His many blessings, of which my family and this church have been the greatest. through the sound system which would peal from the tower through a large speaker. Ringing the bells involved playing a record (vinyl, of course) but not before 9:30 or else we would face the ire of the locals living nearby. I’m sure those bells could wake the dead!!

I did a spell operating the first sound mixer at the Wednesday 10 am service. As I am no longer a member of the choir, I have now volunteered to master the new ‘Beast’ with all the flashing lights. It’s not quite as daunting as it looks so hopefully we will cope smoothly with things when I am on duty. I enjoy serving the Lord in this way.

- Dareth Wood

Ex Dictionary Definitions YAWN: An honest opinion openly expressed.

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Marching to Parliament

Recently I was part of the Procession of Witness called by Archbishop Thabo, my first experience of anything of this nature. We walked from District Six to the gates of Parliament.

My strong awareness of the need for Christians to be involved in every area of society developed in the mid-1990s, so I was never part of any group that marched in protest against apartheid. This was a totally new experience.

There was a wonderful buzz as we arrived at the meeting point. What had originally started as an Anglican idea had widened to embrace people from other denominations and other faiths. Archbishops Thabo, Winston (Ndungane) and Desmond (Tutu), along with leaders from other faiths, addressed us and prayed before the procession started and set the tone for what was to come. What an interesting experience it was to walk alongside leaders and lay people from a variety of denominations—Anglican, Methodist, Dutch Reformed, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, as well as other faiths. What held us together was a common concern for the current state of our leadership and this democracy that was gained at such great cost to so many.

As we walked down the streets toward the city a number of topless tour buses slowed down as they went by. I would love to know what comments were being made as they saw so many clergy, archbishops past and present, people in Muslim attire and others walking in unity.

I chatted to people for whom this was no new experience, people who’d marched in protest during the apartheid era, had things thrown at them, been arrested. John Freeth was one of those.

When we got to the gates of parliament Archbishop Thabo delivered a speech to the people, addressed to the President.

He said his hope was that the President would start a national conversation around three essential points, namely that of (i) lack of transparency, (ii) the possibility that the levels of distrust in today’s leadership could be similar to the levels of distrust felt in the apartheid days, and (iii) the question of how we find ourselves in such a void of morality.

May 2014 Eight O’Clock News

He asked the President to think how he will be remembered in history. “All the nation wants is a leader who sets an example by taking responsibility; a leader who is transparent; a leader who acknowledges imperfection, and who in acknowledging imperfection commits to life as a values-based leader”. Nothing short of that will be enough.

In addressing the issue of Nkandla, he said he wanted to believe the President when he said he didn’t rob the national treasury, but wondered if he’d held the stepladder, and if he did, he’s as guilty as the person who climbed through the window. Those advising him to opt for silence have forgotten that silence screams the truth.

Finally, he said he spoke as a Christian leader, that Easter assured us that at the heights of pain and despair the risen Lord bursts anew into our lives to restore and transform them.

“May our walk today establish God’s shalom, his salaam, his peace… Let us pursue all that leads to trust, accountability and transparency”.

His final prayer was very meaningful: “God bless South Africa Heal her present wounds and of the past, Guide her with values-based leadership.

Lead her into the way of truth, Rekindle her levels of trust, Until all shall be equal And all shall flourish.

For Christ's sake, Amen.”

I was glad to have been part of the procession, along with friends from CCK, and to be in solidarity with others in the wider circle in mutual concern for our country.

- Jeanette Harris

He is the Living God Jesus died over 2000 years ago. Nobody has ever referred to Him as the late Jesus—not even the heathen. Nowhere in history, nowhere has He ever been referred to in the past tense.

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God of the Oceans - Daphne Burger

I confess to finding Revelation 21:1 (‘…and there was no longer any sea’) a great disappointment. Surely this cannot be? For a Capetonian and a naval lass, the idea is unthinkable. [I much prefer Ps 139:9-10: If I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength shall support me.]

Recently I gave myself one of the nicest birthday presents I could imagine—a 40 hour cruise ‘from Cape Town to Nowhere’ on board the MSC Sinfonia. We sailed 245 nautical miles in a wide circle from Saturday afternoon at 16h00, docking again on Monday at 06h30. It was all too short. The weather was absolutely perfect, food plentiful, and time to read inbetween gazing out to sea with not another ship in sight. I finished an entire Time magazine for the first time ever and find myself still thinking about the excellent articles I would otherwise never have got around to reading.

Sharing the time with my son as companion (he did not seem to mind not being my first choice) was very special. He too found the lure of the sea very compelling—his first experience of being on a ship. My first time was way back in the early

Gandhi—A True Story When Gandhi was studying law at the University College of London, there was a professor, whose surname was Peters, who felt animosity toward Gandhi, and because Gandhi never conceded to him in any disagreement, their ‘arguments’ were very common.

One day, Mr Peters was having lunch at the dining room of the University and Gandhi came along with his tray and sat next to him. The professor, in his arrogance, said, Mr Gandhi: you do not understand—a pig and a bird do not sit together to eat, to which Gandhi replied, You do not worry professor, I'll fly away, and he went and sat at another table.

Mr Peters, enraged, decided to take revenge on Gandhi in the next test, but Gandhi responded brilliantly to all questions.

Then, Mr. Peters asked him the following question, Mr Gandhi, if you are walking down the street and find a package, and within it there is a bag of wisdom and another bag with a lot of money; which one will you take?

Without hesitating, Gandhi responded, The one with the money, of course.

Mr Peters, smiling, said, I, in your place, would have taken the wisdom, don't you think?

Each one takes what one doesn't have, responded Gandhi indifferently.

Mr Peters, already hysterical, wrote on the exam sheet the word ‘idiot’ and gave it to Gandhi. Gandhi took the exam sheet and sat down. A few minutes later, he went to the professor and said, Mr Peters, you signed the sheet but you did not give me the grade.

- Sent in by Belle Divaris May 2014 Eight O’Clock News

1970s when I travelled from Cape Town to Southampton on the Edinburgh Castle. I suppose that was what set me up for a lifetime of sea-love. Operational trips during my naval career were enough to cement the relationship.

I remember one particular trip when I was the only female officer on board the SAS Tafelberg (a fleet replenishment vessel) with 218 crew (I rather enjoyed that ratio) when we went through a tropical storm.

I remember one of the other officers remarking during a particularly tense period that ‘you won’t find any atheists aboard right now’. It was an apt comment, because there were only a few steel plates and rivets between us and the depths of the ocean. I knew that God was with us through that storm and that I would always find Him in every sea of my life.

So whatever awaits us in the new heaven and the new earth, if there is to be no sea, it must be something unimaginably marvellous. I hope that there might be just a little one to sail on—because I will find God there.

Having the Right Connections…

- Origin unknown, sent in by Denise Wibberley

Ex Dictionary Definitions MOSQUITO: An insect that makes you like flies better.

DUST: Mud with the juice squeezed out.

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Keeping an eye on you…

Jill and Henry Stubbings have just visited the Central Kalahari where they came up close and personal with this lioness and her two cubs.

Getting into Heaven A woman arrived at the Gates of Heaven. While she was waiting for Saint Peter to greet her, she peeked through the gates. She saw a beautiful banquet table. Sitting all around were her parents and all the other people she had loved and who had died before her. They saw her and began calling greetings to her. Hello, how are you? We've been waiting for you? Good to see you.

When Saint Peter came by, the woman said to him, This is such a wonderful place! How do I get in?

You have to spell a word, Saint Peter told her.

Which word? the woman asked.

Love.

The woman correctly spelled Love, and Saint Peter welcomed her into Heaven.

About a year later, Saint Peter came to the woman and asked her to watch the Gates of Heaven for him that day. While the woman was guarding the Gates of Heaven, her husband arrived. I'm surprised to see you, the woman said. How have you been?

Oh, I've been doing pretty well since you died, her husband told her. I married the beautiful young nurse who took care of you while you were ill. And then I won the multi-state lottery.

I sold the little house you and I had lived in and bought a huge mansion. And my wife and I travelled all around the world. We were on vacation in Cancun and I went water skiing today. I fell and hit my head, and here I am. What a bummer! How do I get in?

You have to spell a word, the woman told him.

Which word?, her husband asked.

Czechoslovakia…

- Origin unknown, sent in by Geka Flegg

Lindy Tomalin sent this up-to-date photograph of husband, Peter, who is one of the Special Birthday People featured on the front page.

Congratulations, Peter, and may God continue to bless you and us as you journey alongside us.

How blessed is God !

And what a blessing He is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in Him. Long before He laid down earth’s foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love.

Long, long ago He decided to adopt us into His family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure He took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of His lavish gift-giving by the hand of His beloved Son… It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone.

- Ephesians Chapter 1, The Message

Painting by Berkeley Maytham

May 2014 Eight O’Clock News

Editorial Team Tel.

e-mail**

Ev Els

021 696 0336 emichael@iafrica.com

Cheryl Anderson

083 272 1530 canderson@beckman.com