Some people are finding it hard to believe in God at the moment. During a pandemic that is threatening to wipe out so many people and cause a trail of destruction the notion of an all-loving, all-powerful God can feel completely absurd. Others are preaching that this is God's punishment on a world that has largely rejected God. Which is also a bitter pill to swallow. i have been wrestling with my faith in [...]
i was given an opportunity to visit the Strandfontein site yesterday where around 2000 homeless people are being held. On Good Friday i had written this post about Strandfontein which had gained a fair amount of traction. Based on stories i had heard from people who are very well connected to some of the people who were at the site and also some articles i read and videos i watched. So when a friend [...]
So how is your pandemic going? i thought it might be helpful for a bit of healthy perspective. Meet my friend Uel Maree [some of you may know him from this piece i ran a long while ago [which exploded on here - go and check it out!] Uel is consistently one of the most upbeat, hope-filled, compassionate people i know and every interaction with him somehow leaves me feeling better about myself and [...]
These are some ideas i have about surviving the first three days of hometivity! And just like that, South Africa was in lockdown. Today is Friday, and my advice for the first three days is quite simple. Let today be a day of slowing down - it's likely been a bit of a hectic week with rushing around and trying to get everything ready for the next few weeks. Be gentle with yourself and [...]
There is a new group on Facebook that i am a part of called Conversations for a Just South Africa. At the moment there are around 1500 people in the group and climbing every day. Which may not seem super exciting to many people when a group like #ImStaying arrived on the scene just a couple of weeks ago and is on the way to 500 000 people. Conversations is not a group that [...]
A new Prayer of Lament Yesterday i was invited to attend another prayer vigil at the Clareinch Post Office where a man killed Uyinene Mrwetyana. This time it was in my role as a volunteer with the Peace Justice Witnesses which i haven't done since #FeesMustFall days probably about two years ago. It turns out we weren't really needed because nothing out of the ordinary happened, but i felt privileged to be able to [...]
40 Tips for Men: Tip #1 Respect a woman's 'No!' This should be an easy one. It should be an unnecessary one. It should not have to be said, right? Except that, having been married for ten years, just the stories i have heard from my wife, in two different countries [USA and SA] in bars and in the street and in living rooms and in restaurants and in churches and in spaces of [...]
Her name is Uyinene Mrwetyana. Or is it was? Already? Has it changed from an 'is' to a 'was' in just the few hours since they found her beaten and broken body? i didn't know her except for the missing posters all over social media and it didn't take long for that deep-knotted feeling in my gut to emerge. It feels like it's too late. We would have heard something by now. But you [...]
Why does it seem to be such a fine line between the extremes of what brings me great joy or incredible anger? The Art of Traffic'ing Take traffic for example. You want to bring me deep joy? Offer me a space in front of you when i am trying to make my way into a busy road. Or even just wave a thank you or flash your lights at me when i have made [...]
2019 has been a little bit rough for these Andersons. It started in January when the day after my birthday i tapped a BMW with our Getz which did R12000 damage to our little Hyundai which pretty much folded up and the people with the BMW even remarked when they sent me the picture of the back of their car that you couldn't see the damage in the photo. Their insurance company thought differently [...]
