Prayer of Salvation

Father God I come to you broken, lost and a sinner. There is nothing I can do to save myself from sin or judgement to come, I need You Lord. Thank You Jesus for what You did on the cross of calvary for the world and especially for me. Thank You that You died and took my place. Father, I ask that You apply the blood of Jesus to my life, wash me with Your Word and fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Today I accept Your free gift of salvation and ask that You make me your child. I understand that becoming Your child is not based on what I’ve done or who I am but based on who You are and what You have done for me. I accept Your love, sacrifice, forgiveness and healing. Come take Your place on the throne of my heart and fill me, mark me for eternity. Transform me into the likeness of Christ Jesus my Lord. Sustain me with Your power and grace and enable me to walk in Your ways all the days of my life. I lay down my old life and I take up Your new life. I am now a new creation, a child of the most High God. I give You my heart dear Lord, I commit my life to You, empower me to be and do all you have ordained for me. Amen

TRAVEL WITH FAITH TRAFALGAR

Art, divinity and self-reflection combine on a religious holiday that lets you relive some of the world’s most prolific spiritual moments through a sensory experience that will open your heart and deepen your faith.

Make it all the more meaningful by taking a trip with like-minded friends and Trafalgar on a specially designed faith-based trip. Access some of the world’s most sacred sites, renew your faith and enjoy the rich historical sites across Europe. With Trafalgar as your guide all the logistics will be taken care of, giving you the freedom to let your faith be ignited through life-affirming experiences and profound connections to people and places.

DAYS OF DEVOTION THROUGH SPAIN, FRANCE AND PORTUGAL

Give thanks for God’s grace in sacred sites across Spain, France and Portugal. Trace the paths of pilgrims to some of Europe’s most important and sacred religious centres - a spiritual journey to Lourdes, Santiago de Compostela and Fátima.

Hop onboard Trafalgar’s Days of Devotion 12-day exploration of a selection of these holy sites. Priced from R35 300 per person sharing this tour is inclusive of accommodation with breakfast daily, four dinners including an exclusive Be My Guest dinner in Lisbon’s Terras Verdras, iconic sightseeing in Barcelona, Carcassone, Lourdes, Burgos, Santiago de Compestela and Lisbon plus all transport, airport transfers and the services of a Travel Director.

Your pilgrimage begins in Barcelona, a city that embraces religious tolerance and celebrates the Glory of God in some of the world’s most inspiring churches. In the company of a Local Specialist you will get to dive into culture by visiting the incredible La Sagrada Familia. This fairy-tale church of mammoth proportions is a highlight on your travels.

Step through the intricately carved doors and into the creative genius of Gaudí’s mind.

After the inspiring sights of Barcelona journey north, across the Pyrenees and Cathar landscapes to the fortified city of Carcassonne. View the Cité, said to have inspired Walt Disney for his Castle of Sleeping Beauty, and see the double-ring of ramparts and try counting all 52 towers!

Perhaps the most beautiful city in all of Spain, Santiago de Compostela’s winding cobbled lanes, vast squares and historic church towers are well-known the world over. Famous as the end point of the St James’ Way (an ancient pilgrim route), people walk for hundreds of miles to pay their respects to St James at the cathedral’s main altar.

Leave Spain behind and continue south to Portugal, to the site of Fátima. Walk the path followed by millions of pilgrims to the shrine where three young shepherds famously saw the apparition of the Virgin Mary.

End your journey of faith in Lisbon with a drive through the lush avenues of the Portuguese capital, past the black and white mosaic pavements, bound for Belém, a district on the River Tejo. You’ll see the Monument to the Discoveries and the Belém Tower before embarking on a visit to the exquisite 15thcentury Hieronymite Monastery. Share the end of your travels with a local Portuguese family over an exclusive ‘Be My Guest’ farewell dinner.

For more information contact Trafalgar on (011) 280 8440 or visit www.trafalgar.com

HUMAN RIGHTS

Now is the time!

BY TAMMY LENDORE

The national holiday is dedicated to commemorate the memory of those who defied and protested against the system of Apartheid and racism in South Africa. On 21 March the communities of Sharpeville and Langa townships embarked on a march to protest Pass Laws. The police shot and killed 69 protestors, many of whom were fleeing, in what became known as the Sharpeville Massacre. News of the Massacre filled the international media space and exposed Apartheid for what it was, an unequivocal violation of human rights. The day also celebrates the progress made towards the recognition of human rights in South Africa and all newly established freedoms such as our Constitution, which has been hailed as one of the most progressive in the world and is the ultimate protector of our human rights. These rights include Equality, Human dignity, Freedom of movement, the right to Life and the right to Language and Culture. The purpose of the holiday is to teach us to celebrate, embrace, respect and appreciate our country’s vast and diverse culture, faiths, beliefs and religions. For most of 2020 and the beginning of 2021 a number of our human rights and freedoms which we have enjoyed have been curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The celebrations, concerts, theatres and other spaces for education and entertainment have been closed to prevent social gatherings of large numbers of people in efforts to limit the spread of the virus. For the most part South Africans have been compliant with the Lockdown Regulations. However, there has been a growing sense of impatience, disillusion and discontent with some of government’s rationale. A popular point often brought up in faith based conversations: “Why can there only be 50 people at a place of worship but they must travel there in a full, sometimes overloaded taxi?” Now is the opportune time to reflect on these rights, which people have sacrificed their lives for and which we have enjoyed since the advent of democracy. Now is the time for conversations on how to protect these rights given the circumstance of the Global Pandemic. Now is the time to interrogate whether the ‘new normal’ which has infringed on our constitutionally entrenched rights is our acceptable way forward if we are to survive and thrive during and beyond the Pandemic .

ACTIVELY CHOOSING LOVE

About Us - We first met at a college party during Alisha’s sophomore year of college, then I (Dustin) reached out a few months later on facebook. We were 19 and 22; and have been together for almost 6 years, being married for 1.5 of them. We have two dogs, one angel baby (we suffered a miscarriage this past year), and we currently are on the journey of trying to conceive again. Alisha is deputy registrar for vital records at our local health department, and I am a youth corrections officer.

WAS IT LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT OR FIRST FIGHT?

Alisha: For me it was definitely love at first fight. I always cared a lot for him, however it wasn’t until we had our first major disagreement that I realized I actually did love him - the thought of losing him was unbearable.

Dustin: It was love at first sight for me, even if I was too proud to admit it in the moment. I knew, from the second I first laid eyes on her, that she was special. I was the first to strike a conversation with her - even though she may have acted like she was not interested. I kept the conversations going through facebook until she FINALLY agreed to go on a date with me.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE FAMILY, WORK AND MINISTRY LIFE?

Dustin: This is a difficult question to answer because, honestly, it is something we are still figuring out. I know for me, personally, there was a season where I was so devoted to working on ministry, on my calling, that I neglected nurturing our relationship. I think it is finding that special balance - of putting God first, but still cultivating your relationship with your spouse.

HOW DO YOU RESOLVE MARITAL CONFLICT?

Alisha: It just really depends, honestly. I want to say that we always sit down and effectively communicate but that wouldn’t be true. We’re human and sometimes we yell and have adult tantrums. Afterwards is what is key for us. We step away and process our feelings and do our best to validate each other’s views, even when we don’t understand. I always try to remember we have the same goal - a happy marriage and to fight for one another not against each other.

UNITY IS VITAL TO A HAPPY AND HEALTHY MARRIAGE. HOW HAVE YOU COME TO THIS POINT OF UNIFICATION? BASED ON THE PICTURES FROM YOUR FB ACCOUNT YOU SEEM TO HAVE A VERY GOOD UNDERSTANDING WHICH IS VITAL TO A HEALTHY MARITAL RELATIONSHIP.

Dustin: This was one of the most difficult things for us to come to as we are both independent people. What changed for us was the revelation of how important covenant is to God. That we were no longer two individuals committed to a relationship, but that

“LOVE IS NOT EASY, YOU DON’T FALL IN LOVE AND STAY THAT WAY. LIFE HAPPENS, SO IT’S ABOUT ACTIVELY CHOOSING LOVE.”

our rings symbolized two truly becoming one flesh! Also understanding the role that God intended for the household and each of us appropriately taking those roles; the husband as the spiritual head of the house and the wife as the support - the rib - the one who guards and protects. Once we gained this revelation, we realized we were not losing a piece of our old identities, but we were actually enhancing ourselves because we were coming into God’s pre ordained, divine alignment called unity!

AS AN INTERRACIAL COUPLE, DID YOU OR DO YOU EXPERIENCE CHALLENGES FROM SOCIETY? IF SO HOW DO YOU HANDLE IT AS A COUPLE?

Alisha: Unfortunately we do face a lot of scrutiny. It’s not always blatant but the whispers and stares do occur. I struggled with this in the beginning, but not so much anymore. We don’t allow our skin tones or cultural backgrounds to define us as a couple simply because God has aligned us so beautifully that those become the footnotes of our story.

MONEY IS OFTEN A MARRIAGE KILLER. DO YOU HAVE A SET WAY OF HANDLING FINANCES? WHAT WORKS FOR YOU AND HOW DID YOU GET THERE?

Dustin: This was always one of the biggest arguments we had in the beginning of our marriage. The argument always stemmed from different philosophies on how we should steward our money--I like to save, while Alisha likes to buy new shoes. We both paid bills, but would argue over who was spending more. Once we truly realized we were one flesh, we thought why would one flesh have two bank accounts? By simply joining bank accounts, we eliminated that fight of who’s paying of certain bills was more important. My paying of the house mortgage was not more important than her paying of the utilities because it all came from one account - our joint account. I think a joint bank account is a perfect reflection of the unity of two flesh becoming one! ANY WORD OF ADVICE FOR NEWLYWEDS?

Dustin: Fights are going to happen, don’t shy away from having arguments, but do understand that having open communication is essential to moving past the argument and solving the underlying issue. Listen to your partner and have the humility to understand that you may be doing something that hurts them without even realizing it, especially you men who are reading this.

Alisha: Love is not easy, you don’t fall in love and stay that way. Life happens, so it’s about actively choosing love. Always pursue your spouse. See what works well in your relationship and make it great, see what doesn’t work and find ways to fix it together. Most importantly build the foundation of your relationship on God because he never waivers even when emotions do.