#1. you have a reason to go somewhere else – i understand for some people if they are living in fear and feel like for family and children’s sake that they need to be somewhere else then sure, maybe you need to do that. Val and i went to the Simple Way because we felt God was leading us there and we are now part of Relational Tithe/Common Change as we feel like it is a God thing to be doing – but apart from that, if it was solely up to me i would choose to be in South Africa and even now, the stuff we are involved in i know will benefit South Africa/South Africans [at first via internet/ideas/stories but hopefully directly at some stage]
#2. if you’re a whiner. i get SO tired of hearing people whine and moan about South Africa. If that’s you and it is the overwhelming sense of your current attitude or state of being, then maybe you need to leave and go somewhere else. Chances are you will find something to whine about there, but it may be that you can find a place where you won’t be helpless or paralysed because of all the negativity you see or experience.
Those are the reasons. For me, anyways, and i know other people may think differently and that’s fine, but i really believe that if you are not going somewhere else for a specific reason then stay in South Africa. But be part of the solution.
I really loved being back in South Africa for the last two and a half months even more than i thought i would. i was inspired by the churches i visited and the people there and hearing some of the initiatives that were being done. i was encouraged and inspired by meeting people like Marci and Nathalie from Common Good [NPO linked to Common Ground church in Cape Town] and by chatting to my friend Godfrey from TheatreSports and hearing about his involvement with Sea Point High School and the Darling Project as well as hearing what is happening with uThando leNkosi and iKhayalethemba and a whole bunch of other projects, initiatives, relationships and so on. all around me there are such tremendous signs of hope and so it bummed me out when everyone got so caught up in the Oscar Pistorius saga to the point of celebrity obsession when there is so much greatness happening to be able to put ones life into.
everyone doesn’t need to do everything. but everyone needs to do something. and if each person starts connecting to one person, or family, or a project or ministry, then suddenly the news starts to change. it really is possible and positive momentum breeds more of the same.
so if you are already part of doing something, invite someone else to hear about it, to come visit, to get involved. and if you’re not, then find a person or a place to get involved – something that connects with your gifts and skills or maybe just your heart and time…
but please stop the whining, or really, just go. this country needs to be filled with people who believe.
I would just like to put a word in about people who DO leave SA. If you leave and are now living in another country, but contantly moan about how you hate your new country of residence and wish you were back in SA.. PLEASE GO BACK!
I think it works both ways.. Wherever you are, make the most of it! If you do decide to move for whatever reason, don’t look back.. make a decision and stick with it, or at least revert back, but choosing to be somewhere and then wishing you were somewhere else, is not helping anyone!
absolutely Richard, great words, i wrote a blog on this before i think titled ‘Be where you are’ altho that might have been slightly differently focused but the idea of living fully where you are – you rounded off the post nicely with this comment, thankx!
“Where ever you are be all there” – Jim Elliot
I love South Africa … born and bred here, hope to die here, but … saying that, I fear the time to travel has arrived …
I have a need to see the world (except for america … not too keen on going there) before I die one day (hopefully in a reasonably well-matured age) … I want to travel to see other cultures, people, historic monuments, buildings and to do all those fun things like dive a blue hole cave, ride the longest roller-coaster in the world, sleep a night in an ice hotel in Norway etc etc etc …
I want to show my new wife to be the world to let her experience what I have seen so far in all my travels, the joy of meeting new people, the fun of exploring something different …
I am scared for South Africa’s future as I watch the new rulers trash the beautiful countryside (by allowing them danged yanks to go fracking in the karoo), waste our money on underground bunkers that are not needed (instead of building up our poorer communities) … buy new VIP aircraft when a good overhaul and service by the manufacturers will be 90% cheaper and allow more money for our defence force to be a DEFENCE force not a spare force … our country is run by thieves fraudsters liers and murderers … but its ok … as long as they remember I was also born in South Africa, I am also an African (albeit rather an albino one at that) … I see the economy spiraling downwards … everything goes up with the fuel price (but stays that way when it comes down and then goes up again the next time) … but my salary stays the same … I worry what to do with the failing medical health services as I see them treat my elderly family like crap and with disrespect that makes me wanna smack em …
BUT!!!!
I love South Africa … I was born here … I have lived here …I want to die here … I want my child to be blessed with a life here in South Africa … and for that reason … every day I pray that God brings His next revival here to Cape Town … that his love flows through our next leaders and that they bring Godly love, forgiveness, repentance and mercy back to South Africa so that we can be the light to the rest of the world … to shine and show them that WE … are SOUTH AFRICANS and damned proud to be one!!!
(PS: If I had to move … I’d move to Port Isaacs in Cornwall UK with my whole family)
🙂
May God Bless everyone who reads this !!! (a thousand-fold)
“My Jesus Rocks!!! – Come listen to His music”
Amen!!!!
Your writing has become too damn prolific Brett! Just poking fun cause I cannot keep up–when is a book coming out? Anyway, I love how you are prone to keeping things simple, no pun intended, and it is something I need more in my life. Case in point: “everyone doesn’t need to do everything. but everyone needs to do something. and if each person starts connecting to one person, or family, or a project or ministry, then suddenly the news starts to change.” That will work in SA, here in the US and well, just about everywhere so long as that “something” is focused on serving “The Kingdom.”
hey Steve, i have in fact written a book titled, ‘I kissed hating [the church] goodbye.’ but am yet to have any luck in getting it published and i may well have to self publish it at some stage due to the style but do feel like it has a lot of good stuff to say… so basically waiting for someone with a lot of money to think that’s a good idea or else some other creative way of figuring out how that goes – but hopefully now that we’re here with a little more time on our hands it might get some more focus time…
I am sure in chaotic times like these we will see more & more “running to & fro. “Very interesting take on reason #2. I have to agree with both being great reasons to leave anywhere.
Brett, the topic of “hating the church” intrigues me. I am dying to know what your spin is on it. Maybe you should consider the ebook option. Amazon has a solid platform set up for that. In either case, I would be interested in reading the manuscript just to offer a friendly opinion, since I go to church & have an interest in that topic & people’s physological reasons for “church-hating” today. It seems to be a rampant condition crossing at least my country and Europe to my knowledge. Do you think that our countries are falling behind in the Gospel race and that perhaps some 3rd world countries in Africa and South America are becoming the Revival centers of tbe world, as some have predicted? At any rate, I realize I’ve taken the thread off topic, so feel free to answer on a new post or something.
publish your book through fast pencil! amazing tool, user friendly and everybody can get it. good luck
LIKE isn’t enough….Love this. Please keep saying it.
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