Okay okay, I’m sorry about my lack of posting. I’ve gotten several comments on my MIA status, as well as musings as to whether or not it’s coincidence that my sudden slacking directly correlates to the date of The Major’s arrival here in South Africa…hmm…

I will write more about the past week, but for now I’ll relay the events of our dream vacation in Cape Town and Stellenbosch via a little photo montage…enjoy!

King and Queen of the World! (On top of Table Mountain)

Boating out to Seal Island (this one's for you Marie...;-)

Breakfast with a view (this is from our guest house, overlooking Hout Bay, incredible place!)

The Major tempting fate at the Cape of Good Hope...

Who said Cape Point would be crowded in December?? This was "our" beach and ours alone!

"Our" beach - quite a climb down (and up). The Major saved my life for the first time that day here at this beach...story to be told in person...

One of the many fauna we encountered...this image represents the second time that day that The Major saved my life...story to be told in person.

African penguin! They mate for life!

Revisiting the scene of the crime - this is the EXACT spot where my wallet was stolen more than 2.5 years ago!

Now onto Stellenbosch and wine country aka God's country...

The Major in Wine Country (it felt like we were inside a postcard!)

Hmm...could I somehow fit this into my suitcase???

My favorite wine...Pinotage...a South African original

The art of wine tasting...suck through the tongue to pull out the tastes of oak and cigar box...;-)

This is a post by our guest blogger, Mariska du Preez from MDP Marketing

Having spent close to five half decades in Stellenbosch and experiencing the Festive season here, I count myself as quite a fortunate individual. Nothing beats the beauty and energy of the capital of the Winelands during summer time.

Stellenbosch is renowned for its wine farms and with over 140 farms belonging to the Stellenbosch Wine Routes one could easily spend the whole of December and January just visiting wine farms. If one is looking for suggestions on what to do, check out the Summer in Stellenbosch section of the Wine Routes’ website.

Things to do this Festive Season in Stellenbosch:

-          Watch a show at the Oude Libertas Amphitheatre. On Sundays you can take your own picnic basket.

-          Stroll down the historic Dorp Street and have fabulous cake at Mila’s.

-          No visit to Stellenbosch would be complete without a visit to Hillcrest Berry Farm, conveniently located en route to Franschhoek.

-          For the nature lover, there is the Jonkershoek Valley, either to do  flyfishing or walking on one of the beautiful nature trails at the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve

-          The Stellenbosch Slow Market has become somewhat of an institution and should not be missed for the variety of fresh produce and gorgeous home-made treats.

-          A Stellenbosch legend is the carolers, who visit homes on the 24^th of December.

Decadent cakes at Mila’s

Oude Libertas Amphitheater

Fresh produce at the Stellenbosch Slow Market

Whatever you decide to do this holiday, have fun in our town, respect the residents, and share your experience with us!

I will not leave this country without seeing a male lion.

We’re down to the last few hours everyone! T-8 hours until The Major’s arrival in Pretoria. Is it strange that I’m a little nervous? It’s not like we haven’t been communicating – I think we’ve gone maybe one full day in 5.5 weeks without talking, and most of the time it’s even been with video too. Still, I wonder if it will be a bit awkward nonetheless.

I thought today would be a good day, since I can’t really focus on anything else, to tell you all about our holiday itinerary! Technically I’m not yet on vacation, but we are going to Cape Town this weekend, then back to work for  week before the true holiday. So here’s the plan for the weekend:

Friday, Dec. 11

• Depart early early for Cape Town
• We’ll be renting a car and staying at guesthouse in Hout Bay, which is quiet but scenic (really everything in Cape Town is scenic though so its not hard to get a good view). Originally a small fishing village, Hout Bay is now a favourite with visitors with its traditional harbour and many restaurants and curio shops. The beach is flanked by the harbour on one end and the cliffs of Chapman’s Peak on the other. It’s a favourite amongst windsurfers, paddleskiers and surfers and is ideal for walking.
• Options for our afternoon include:
  • Take a cable car to the top of Table Mountain
  • Drive through the city to the Waterfront
  • Check out Robben Island (where Mandela was imprisoned) 

Saturday, Dec. 12

• Early walk/run on the beach, breakfast
• Drive to Cape Point and explore
• Leisurely drive back from Cape Point around the opposite side of the peninsula
• Other options:
  • Penguins at Boulder Bay!
  • Seal Island!

Sunday, Dec. 13

• Early early checkout (good thing I’ve been doing the 5 a.m. workouts, so really I’ll be sleeping in this weekend!)
• Drive to Stellenbosch (aka wine country aka God’s country aka Nadine’s version of heaven)
• Spend the day driving (responsibly of course) through wine country and doing wine tastings and cellar tours.
• I imagine we’ll spend the evening wandering around the picturesque town of Stellenbosch, snacking on wine, bread and cheese (tough life).

 Monday, Dec. 14

• Early flight back to Johannesburg
• Work (blah)

So then we both have to work all week, which will be tough but still fun I’m sure to have The Major around. Hopefully he’ll easily integrate into my fun routine of early morning workouts and late afternoon smoothies. After that week, we go on vacation with Patrick, Marie-Luise, and her sister, first to Kruger Park (where I WILL see a male lion) then to Victoria Falls. Here’s an idea of what that trip will look like!

• Dec 19: leave Pretoria in the morning, drive through Blyde River Canyon area, stops at viewpoints and/or waterfalls, overnight in Sabie at the Hillwatering Guest House 
• Dec 20: leave Sabie in the early, early morning, drive into Kruger Park, early morning game drive, lunch and midday stop at one or several of the restcamps on our way, late afternoon game drive, overnight in Skukuza Restcamp
• Dec 21: early morning game drive, lunch and midday stops at one/several restcamps, late afternoon game drive, overnight in Olifants Restcamp 
• Dec 22: early morning game drive, lunch stop at one of the restcamps, leave Kruger Park and drive through Blyde River Canyon: stops at viewpoints, waterfalls, etc; overnight in Graskop
• Dec 23: drive through Blyde River Canyon, maybe visit Pilgrim’s Rest village, stops at viewpoints, waterfalls, etc., return to Pretoria.
• Dec. 24: REST
• Dec. 25: Flight to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe; visit Falls, markets, etc.
• Dec. 26: Raft the Zambezi River
• Dec. 27: Day hike and visiting Devil’s Pool (the closest you can get to the Falls)
• Dec. 28: Return to Pretoria

Then The Major and I leave the next day, headed back to Atlanta and reality. WHEW! I’m going to need a vacation from my vacation! I will definitely post photos as soon as I can!

I was privileged enough to visit the Devon Valley Hotel with my boss the other day, and what a lovely place it is! Being one of the destinations of either one of the 2010 teams, or the corporate side of FIFA, this hotel is unfortunately booked for the period of the Soccer World Cup. But still, this hotel is a must-visit!

The road to the hotel looks like something that should be on a stress-relief video, with trees and dams and the sight of vineyards creating a sense of belonging. Situated a mere 55km from Cape Town, this hotel is the perfect place to escape from the fast and ever-changing life of a city sleeker.

Arriving at our destination, a blanket of old trees embraced us with the greenest green leaves letting through only enough sun to manage the right temperature. With a view that I would like to die with (rather not for), making you realize that South Africa is blessed with the beauty of nature at our front porch.

With the friendly Simon assisting us, we ordered from the various foods on the menu. With detailed descriptions that make your mouth water without any image necessary, we chose to go the healthier way and ordered salads.

Bocconcini and Bresaola Salad

Roast beef salad with orange segments

Do I need to say more? As the pictures prove, the salads were divine! Compliments to the chef!

The Devon Valley Hotel is 62 years old this year and has recently undergone renovations and I can confidently say that this hotel can easily become a beautiful venue for any special occasion or even an outstanding conference venue! Partnered with SylvanVale Vineyards, it assists as being the venue that assists to all your needs.

If the interior is not already convincing enough, walk out to the patio and enjoy the breathtaking view: never-ending mountain ranges, covered with the distinguished vineyards of the Stellenbosch area, and to top it off, an eagle soaring over the magnificent valley. Sounds unbelievable? Well believe it, ‘coz it’s true! If you are still hesitant, visit the Devon Valley Hotel situated on SylvanVale Wine Estate, 6 km from historic Stellenbosch, and find out for yourself.

The view from Devon Valley Hotel

Sunny skies, 34°C, and the busy town of Kayamandi, just outside Stellenbosch, is buzzing with the excitement of the weekend that has started. Driving through the township you experience a whole new world with different circumstances and realize that none of us are the same.

When entering the town, we immediately noticed the man on the side of the road, selling a variety of secondhand products, including secondhand soccer boots. With the upcoming FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup just around the corner, this instantly made this “stall” more interesting.

With Stellenbosch hosting one of the teams for the FIFA 2010, this gentleman’s sales will help the town prepare for this great opportunity, especially in Kayamandi.

Looking across the road we saw a billboard, showing the future of the Kayamandi Sports Club Facilities. With some dirt decorations added to the billboard by some excited residents, it was clear to see that the township of Kayamandi will be made ready for 2010 and that facilities will become more utilizable for the residents of Kayamandi and the surrounding areas.

A Western Cape Tour Of Exciting Train Rides
Who will ever forget the first time they boarded a train and took a ride through rushing scenery and arrived at new destinations in something very different to a car? The sheer speed and power of the massive carriages and never having to stop until the destination is reached make train rides the great fun they are. Since most people on the planet are regular users of a car, the fun of train travel is unfamiliar to most. Regular transport trains for commuting on a daily basis to work, school, etc. can be crowded, but along the coast of the Western Cape, leading down to the Eastern Cape, train rides and services in the interests of tourists are fun. These train rides form part of an experience, instead of being a means to get somewhere. The rides journey through beautiful scenery and are a great way to see the sites of the Cape. A perfect way to take these train rides to explore the surrounding areas is to partake in a self driven tour and visit these exciting rides.

A typical tour of the sort would start in Cape Town, the Mother City of South Africa. The town has a lot of accommodation available ranging from five star hotels to comfortable backpackers. Trains are available for day trips through the Boland and wine country, one of the prime attractions of the Cape. The area has some of the finest wine establishments in the world and South African wines are widely considered to be of a very high quality. Cape Town also offers malls, a theme park, beautiful beaches, theatres, a cable car to the top of Table Mountain and many museums as the area is rich in culture and history. After two days in Cape Town, the tour heads to Stellenbosch, approximately a 40 minute drive away.

Stellenbosch is a historical town situated in the heart of the Winelands. The town thrives on its wine industry and farms as well as a world class University and breathtaking scenery. The Daisy Train is a local service running from various stations in Cape Town including Stellenbosch which travels to local towns of interest. Destinations for day trips include Vredendal, Darling and Botriver. The Daisy train is economical and fun and a great family outing. The accommodation in Stellenbosch ranges from B&B’s to hotels, to camping sites to guest farms. Other activities in Stellenbosch are of course, wine tasting, hiking, visiting the museums, playing golf, a crocodile farm, a giraffe reserve and butterfly world. After spending days three and four in Stellenbosch, the tour heads to Worcester for days five and six.

Worcester is situated in the Breede River Valley and is famous for its wine route, brandy cellars and Karroo National Botanical Gardens. The accommodation in Worcester is available as B&B’s, hotels, self catering, resorts and guest farms. The train rides available in Worcester are short day tours, long day tours and an overnight tour on the Hexpass Express, running on a railway which was abandoned and then remodelled for at train to take visitors through the beautiful scenery and historic sites. A tour guide accompanies visitors on the journey and explains the important historical facts of the area.

After spending two days and nights in Worcester, the tour heads for George. George is the ‘Capital City’ of the world famous Garden Route. This is an incredibly lush and beautifully vegetated area with the Outeniqua Mountains as a backdrop. George offers B&B’s, game lodges, hotels, guesthouses, backpackers, camping and self catering as accommodation. The train journeys from George travel through the Outeniqua Mountains. There are two train services which operate in the area, both available for day trips. The first is the Outeniqua Power Van which takes a gentle trip through the mountains, going through the various tunnels and scenic areas. The second is the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe, a steam train running between George and Mossel Bay, a 52km journey on the country’s only scheduled steam train. There is also a transport museum at the start of the Journey in George. After spending day seven in George on the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe or the Powervan, the tour heads back to Cape Town.

After returning to Cape Town, the final two days of the tour can be spent exploring the city once more. The local railway runs a train service between Cape Town and Simon’s Town which is a beautiful journey. There is also the option of taking one of the luxury trains departing from the station which travel across the country, one even travels to Cairo. After two more days in Cape Town the tour is over and instead of a trip spent sitting mostly in a car, most of the trip has been on luxurious trains exploring the beautiful surroundings of the Western Cape.

Want a great family fun day out in the Winelands in Cape Town? Then you have to try Eaglevlei Wine Estate.  Located on the Stellenbosch Wine Route, about 40 minutes from Cape Town, it is a truly family friendly destination. Enjoy a lazy afternoon lunch at the renowned restaurant while your children run riot in the huge play ground. They have the most amazing “Jungle Gym” area with swinging walk-ways, climbing frames, turrets, rope walls, tyre swings, see-saws – you name it they have it. On most weekends they have a bouncy castle in the grounds too. 

So, that’s the kids sorted out – what about you? 

Well, why not start the afternoon by enjoying a wine tasting of the excellent produce from the estate, before selecting your wines to compliment your lunch at the restaurant. The menu may not be huge, but everything on it is delicious. I enjoyed the homemade Hamburger with a million toppings but the fish and the salads looked equally good.   

They have a children’s menu with a few choices on it, but our little girl tried the cocktail platter which is a mini hamburger and a mini boerewors (local speciality sausage of South Africa) roll with special friendly face shaped chips. 

We sat outside on the terrace and viewed the spectacular vineyard scenery with the mountains in the background.

After lunch, why not peruse their local deli section and stock up on olive oils, olives, and estate wines. 

A wonderful way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon! The hardest part will be to try to tear your children away!

so this morning at church we had John Scott from Scotland (yes, i know) at Stellenbosch Vineyard morning service doing a good solid preach about dreams (having them while awake as opposed to analysing the ones that happen while you sleep) and then doing some ministry time (praying for sick etc) afterwards

now i arrived at church early and got chatting to him which was really cool and i shared some of my struggling-faith-with-healing-related-things thing and told how a week ago i basically watched as my wife, TBV, cried herself to sleep cos of extreme headaches that i had prayed a LOT of LOTS of times for with seemingly no positive results… and how i believe God can heal but not so sure i always believe He will, or maybe ‘ever’ as opposed to ‘always’

and the crazy thing is it’s not an outright lack of faith thing cos i have faith for money – i have seen on a bunch of occasions God’s provision in the area of money and finances and so i think i can trust God for a million bucks (saw Him provide more for uThando leNkosi safe house a few years back) but struggle in the area of healing – and i am super overly tired of hearing other peoples healing stories which are always a friend of a friend’s friend… their cousin… or something…

so he spoke to me a bit and it was very encouraging but as we ended he said cool you’re gonna come up today and pray for someone’s leg to grow… and i was like wo how about i start with a headache and we work towards leg-growing (Val has headaches way more often than she has uneven leg measurements to my knowledge) although that bit was only in my head and he wasn’t prophetic enuff in that moment to discern that (or was he?)

so he preached a good preach and called people up who have been struggling with back or neck pain for more than 10 years (apparently on this trip he has seen a LOT of healing happen in more than 15/20 years conditions so has been specifically asking for those) and a bunch of people (5 or 6) came to the front to be prayed for and he looked up and caught my eye and said ‘come here’ (but in Scottish so more like cam hieare) and i whispered ‘oh crap’ (it’s okay, Charis wasn’t there) as i made my way to the front.

He made the first dude sit down and took both his legs and showed me how the one was slightly longer than the other – was marginal let’s be honest, less than a cm – so he’s like ‘do you see?’ and i’m like ‘um not really, i mean yes yes cool’ and he started praying and speaking to it and suddenly there was a kind of shake in the leg and it did move down a little bit, and then it happened again and the two legs were equal and the dude was saying that healing had occurred.

So pretty cool, but also the kind of thing i know i’m going to be able to explain away cos he had his hand under the guys legs and i’m trying to watch if he is pulling or adjusting or anything (not that this guy is like that at all – totally trustworthy, totally non-manipulative but still i look) and then he makes hold the next one and pray and then i think he walked away – and i prayed, and there was nothing… and then there was something – a jolt and the leg moved and seemed to jump down – and i think it happened again and then they were straight (also not huge difference at the beginning but some) and the person claimed healing…

The next person i prayed for my friend K-A came and prayed/watched and we saw nothing in terms of leg movement but the person claimed some healing and we prayed again a few times and he said his neck was totally healed which he’d been struggling with for years and his hip stuff was a lot better – so some definite healing and we got him to do some stretch stuff he couldn’t do beforehand and so somewhat satisfying.

And then the next guy we prayed a long time for and nothing happened. And John came back and prayed with us for him and nothing. Well nothing observable and he said the same pain was there (although did move his arms higher than he had at the beginning but seemed to suggest nothing had happened) although the one word i got while we were praying was ‘stress’ and when i shared it with him he related to it so we prayed into that but didn’t really see anything.

And then the guy some other people were praying for with as huge gap in leg length nothing much happened for and so people healed with leg growth, people healed with no discernible change and people not healed at all.

One thing John said before he left was that we must focus on what happened and not what didn’t happen cos it’s easy to look at the stuff that didn’t happen and go ‘well what the heck?’ which is what i tend to do… but for some of the people there, there really does seem to be a change from how they arrived to how they left and if the pain they have carried for years and years has gone then maybe, just maybe, it’s worth dealing with the frustration of seeing a lot of people not healed for the ones that will be.

“I do believe Lord, help me overcome my unbelief.” Mark 9.24

We woke up to a perfect day – the weather was glorious as we ate our breakfast.  It continued to be glorious as we boarded our chariot for the Wine Country.  Our guide’s name was Issy and we shared our tour with Brian (Connecticut/England), Patrick (Ireland), Steffi (Oman) and Franca  (Dubai), Patrick and Veronique (France).  It was truly an international group.

Chris and Issy with the "gang" in the background

South Africa produces 900 Billion Liters of wine per year and 40 different varieties.  Our first stop was at Zevenwacht Winery where we sampled 4 wines (at 9:30 in the morning!) along with 5 different aged cheeses made by the winery.

The Vineyard

Our second stop took us to Stellenbosch in the Cape Winelands District.  We learned that they plant rose bushes at the end of every row of grapes for 2 reasons: aesthetics, but more importantly because the rose bush and the grape vines have similar physiology but the rose is more sensitive.  Any disease or insect manifestation will hit the rose bush before it hits the grape vines which is like a pre-warning system.  They can just look at the roses and tell what’s going on in the grape fields.

"I never promised you a rose garden...(sing with me!!)"

Chris at Rickety Bridge Winery

A rose between two thorns...Patrick, Tina and Brian at Rickety Bridge

We had extra time in Stellenbosch so we shopped at the local “flea market”.  We found some great gifts and two awesome paintings we are bringing home.  Chris was obsessed with finding a new pair of sunglasses since she accidently broke her diva red ones at the B&B.  We found a really expensive pair at the corner shop and after the exchange rate, they came to about $ 3.00!  Can you say “The Fly?”

April...start making space on the wall!!

This will go perfect with my international "decor" in my house!

After breaking the bank at the flea market our driver bought us fresh strawberries for the next leg of the trip.  Imagine how strawberries used to taste when you were a kid…. The best ever? Well that is how these tasted.  We stopped for lunch and our second wine tasting at “The Rickety Bridge” winery.  By the time we ate our lunch we had polished off 8 different wines and just to mix it up a bit, we ordered… wait for it… wine with our lunch!  We learned a new word from the Xhosa language “Mholowene” which means hello to a group of people.

Chris' lunch before...

Chris' lunch after...wine makes you hungry!!

Group at lunch

Before our final tasting, we stopped at Drakenstein, the third and final prison where Nelson Mandela served time under house arrest.  They had a beautiful monument in front of the prison in his honor.

Nelson Mandela monument

Our last wine tasting stop was at Laborie Estate in the Paarl Region.  We tasted 4 different wines plus 1 aperitif which was a blend of Brandy and one of their sweeter wines.  After 8 hours we had tasted 13 wines total and were feelin’ fine! Chris and I seemed to be re-living the “white girl dance” moment in our minds and could not stop laughing on the way home.  We were LOAO!!!

By the end of the day Chris was speaking in a Spanish accent for no apparent reason (actually I think it’s because she got hit on by a Spanish speaking Romeo!)  I had to get at least one dig in since I have been the victim for several days in a row now.

We had dinner at a great local restaurant called Beluga, had a deep conversation about the meaning of life and headed to bed so we can catch the first cable car up to Table Mountain in the morning.

Tina's pace...(note the glasses)

Chris' pace...can we say "lush?"

Hosted by Inclusive and Affirming Ministries (IAM) in partnership with The Rainbow Project (TRP) of Namibia from 2-5 November 2009, Stellenbosch.

The past few days 77 participants from 13 African countries met for the first time ever to dialogue about the issue of sexual orientation from a Christian faith perspective. The participants included clergy (pastors, Bishops, National Church Council leadership and Academics) and an equal number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and intersexed (LGBTI) people, of whom a few were also clergy. The countries represented were Botswana, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

During the Introduction we discussed Faith, Cultural and Human Rights issues that made this dialogue necessary: polarization in the Church, diversity in Bible interpretation, patriarchy, lack of knowledge, the fear of persecution of LGBTI people and all those in solidarity with them, laws criminalizing homosexuality in most African countries and right–wing USA groups influencing the agenda of Church and Politics, as in Uganda (read statement attached as appendix).

We introduced the method of DIALOGUE as the preferred Biblical way in which people of faith should discuss this very sensitive, and to many painful, issues – as opposed to DEBATE which only polarizes, rather than pull us together. During the very first session the participants grew to appreciate the safe space that this method of dialogue offered them and started to share freely and often very personally.

Participants moved from a place of fear to a place of empowerment and hope. LGBTI individuals were initially fearful, because of their history of rejection and persecution by the church or government laws, were apprehensive of their fellow clergy participants and on the other hand some clergy admitted that they have never before been exposed to LGBTI Christians.

We experienced dialogue as a way to grapple with the challenges we are facing regarding sexual orientation and our faith. We were able to listen to the stories and testimonies of painful and challenging journeys that touched us all, without fear of rejection and condemnation. The dialogue offered us for the first time to be hopeful of a journey that can bind us together as fellow Christians, rather than divide us.
We therefore affirm and call upon all fellow African Christians to engage in dialogue in finding our way forward, together. There is a great need for safe spaces for dialogue within our faith communities. We need to listen more deeply to all the diverse journeys fellow Christians on our continent are finding themselves on regarding their spirituality and sexuality.

We acknowledged that there are major stumbling blocks that hinder us from fully engaging in dialogue, these include:
· lack of knowledge about sexual orientation,
· scriptural interpretations,
· silence and often invisibility of LGBTI people within faith communities,
· taboo’s on discussing sexuality in Africa,
· hierarchical church structures,
· oppressive laws etc.

These stumbling blocks forced most of the Church into debate ABOUT the issue rather than engage WITH fellow brothers and sisters who happen to be LGBTI.
We entered into a hopeful journey of finding and discussing stepping stones for us in Africa to enable us to start a long and rewarding dialogue process.
· provide information to lessen ignorance
· commitment from participants to create safe spaces for dialogue in their countries
· reading Scripture inclusively that reflects the spirit of love and compassion of the Gospel
· In order to counteract stereotyping – training and education of the media
· Telling our stories through our culture and faith communities in order to bring more exposure
· The importance of self acceptance and affirmation of LGBTI people etc.

We believe God has gifted us with both sexuality and spirituality as aspects of our humanity. It is our duty and responsibility, as members of the same Body of Christ, to affirm amidst our diversity and differences that all of us are made in the image of God. We are equal in value and thus deserve to commit ourselves to this process of encounter, listening and sharing.
We belief that the Holy Spirit is guiding us through dialogue to find our way forward, even in the face of so much fear, anger, pain and even hatred.

APPENDIX
We have asked all participants to share the letter underneath from one of our Ugandan participants with their constituencies and call for more tolerance in their country.

We also submit this letter to this press conference for the notice of the wider public in the hope that the South African Council of Churches and worldwide Christian Bodies will give it their serious attention:

A CALL ON CHRISTIANS TO OPPOSE THE BAHATI’S HATE BILL WHICH HAS BEEN TABLED BEFORE THE UGANDAN PARLIAMENT

“Every day millions of Christians pray to be spared from being put to the test. This prayer is especially applicable for Christians everywhere in regard to the “anti- homosexuality bill”, which has been put to parliament in Uganda, by Member of Parliament Bahati. This extremely unpleasant proposed bill targets not only lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people but also Human Rights and HIV/AIDS prevention activists and people in positions of trust and authority. While some in the church are backing and propelling the bill, other Christians face a challenge to the principles at the heart of their faith.” This statement reiterates why all Christians everywhere should not support this HATE bill:

The bill breaks rather than build the family. It makes family members ‘spies’ of each other rather than “keepers” of one another. It turns parents into prosecutors of their children and siblings into accusers of one another.
It makes everyone suspicious of any kind of affection in case it is interpreted as intent to commit homosexuality.
It undermines and totally dispels the place of compassion, understanding, and love within the Christian Faith.
It totally undermines the pivotal role of grace in the Christian Faith. “While we were yet sinners Christ died for us…” The work of salvation was done for us before we were aware of it or even accepted it. God’s gift of love was not dependent on our identities or sexuality or even willingness to acknowledge the gift. It was just given. The Church has the duty to exemplify this understanding and demonstration of love.

The same scriptures that are being used to persecute and demonize LGBTI people are very clear on the duty of all Christians to bear with one another’s differences – to be tolerant, to desist from judgment, and to practice the golden rule where we give others the treatment that we would have

Some people think that being homosexual, we are sinners but many people know that we are children of God created in God’s image. Whatever you believe, we call upon you to appreciate that Bahati’s bill is not about any of this; it is not even about homosexuality. It is about politics. It is about hate. It is about intolerance. Among its draconian and hate-inciting provisions, the bill proposes that;

Any person alleged to be homosexual would be at risk of life imprisonment or in some circumstances the death penalty;

Any parent who does not denounce their lesbian daughter or gay son to the authorities would face fines of $ 2,650.00 or three years in prison;

Any teacher who does not report a lesbian or gay pupil to the authorities within 24 hours would face the same penalties;

And any landlord or landlady who happens to give housing to a suspected homosexual would risk 7 years of imprisonment.

Similarly, the Bill threatens to punish or ruin the reputation of anyone who works with the gay or lesbian population, such as medical doctors working on HIV/AIDS, civil society leaders active in the fields of sexual and reproductive health, hence further undermining public health efforts to combat the spread of HIV;

God calls on all of us to act with compassion, not to call for unfair treatment and oppression of those with a minority voice. God calls on all of us to build family, not to tear it apart by sowing seeds of discord, hatred, suspicion, and intolerance. God calls on all of us to understand and appreciate our differences not to use these to oppress one another.

Even if you think that homosexuality is a sin, we call upon you to oppose this bill.

Die gerugte is dat die Dorpstraatteater in Stellenbosch heel moontlik binnekort sy deure gaan sluit.  Ek was nou nie telkemale deel van die gehoor nie, maar het op die 19de Oktober ‘n musiekteaterstuk van John Henry Opperman in die venue bygewoon.

Die vertoning (Rock & Roll & Rolbal) gaan oor die gewone idees van ’n gewone ou op ’n ongewone manier.  Half-mens en half-musikant vertel hulle van ’n klein dorpie in die Vrystaat genaamd Parys, ’n 1987 rooibruin Honda Ballade en hoe om die perfekte aflewering op die rolbalbaan uit te voer.  Mens lag en sluk aan die knop in jou keel wanneer jy besef jy sal ook heelsekerlik eendag jou CD’s verruil vir wit rolbalskoene (http://www.rekord.co.za/story.aspx?lan=Afr&sid=34939).

Die Dorpstraatteater se drank is kak duur, maar sal tog hartseer wees as nog ‘n bastion vir aspirant en gevestige musikante hulle deure wel sal sluit.  Lyk my net die brannas en coke venues in Pretoria maak nog ‘n fatsoenlike profytjie…

Ek het die onderste foto tydens die vertoning geneem:  Nikon D300, 70-200 mm lens, ISO 6400,  focal-length 200mm, exposure 1/30 &  f/2.8

Die lig in die “teater” was weglaatbaar min, maar die ISO setting op die Nikon (ISO 6400) blaas net weereens my hare terug!

Marie-Lousie Pretorius op cello

I’ve been spending some of my weekends assissting the insanely awesome Wil Punt of Peartree (Check it out: http://www.peartree.co.za).  Here are some of the shots that I took at the past 2 weddings:

Mervyn & Glenmarie

 (Check out the rest of Wil’s pics of this wedding @ http://www.peartree.co.za/mervyn_glenmarie.html )

Oom Jannie & Tannie Debbie

(The rest of Wil’s pics of this wedding @ http://www.peartree.co.za/jannie_debbie.html)

The best way to explore Stellenbosch is on foot and currently there is a new dimmension with the outdoor exhibition of bronze sculptures by Dylan Lewis.

There are twenty three sculptures; nineteen can be viewed on foot.  Special sculpture maps and information are available free at the Stellenbosch information centre in Market Street.

Dylan Lewis, born in Johannesburg, spent the first 15 years of his career focussing on large wild cat predators.  He enjoyed international success and now it was time to give something back to the community in the form of an outdoor exhibition.  After gaining permission from the Stellenbosch municipality he financed and selected the appropiate sites for his bronze sculptures.

Depending on size and design a sculpture takes around three months to produce.  He works with the lost wax casting method; looking closely I could see his fingerprints on these final pieces.

Three months seems a relatively short period of time.   I need to mention the endless hours Lewis spends observing and drawing the animals, detailing their anatomy with accuracy.

A couple of favourites on route – above are the two buffalo in front of the Moederkerk (look for Lewis’s foot print).

Below is the rhino on De Braak, weighing in a one ton!

These sculptures will be on display until July 2010 in Stellenbosch when the exhibition moves to Kirstenbosch.

Thank you to Colette for this interesting educational.  Further information on these sculptures www.stellenboschsculpturetour.com

Murph

Sorrie swaer, ek kan glad nie onthou dat ek hoegenaamd so ’n sms ontvang het nie. Dalk moes jy gelui het.

Ek vermoed jy was hier in die winter, aka rugbytyd. Dan kry jy my nie met ’n zol chronic weg van my TV nie! Oor Dorpstraat Teater. Ons het egter net ophou gaan omdat dit eenvoudig te duur begin raak het en omdat daar wening nuwe shows verby gekom het. Toegegee dit was 4 jaar gelede, baie kon seker intussen verander het.

Bly steeds ’n jammerte as die plek moet sluit. Ek was toevallig deel van die patrons wat daar was toe hy in 1997 sy naam gekry het. Dit was mos eers Gi-Gi’s Bistro gewees tot Fanie-hulle die plek oorgeneem het. Daar het so ’n aanvallige dame genaamd Annelie Oosthuisen gewerk. Sy het die plek se naam verander en ook met die oorspronklike teater-idee vorendag gekom. Een van die eerste shows wat ek daar gesien het, was Gert Vlok Nel en so ’n teaterstuk met Jan Ellis-hulle in. Dié se naam kan ek nie onthou nie. O ja en Dowwe Dolla was ook daar.

Baie van my swaar verdiende cash is in die sakke van die onderskeie eienaars wat die plek gehad het sedert 1997. As jy weer die rigting kom, mail my dat ons plan kan maak.

Groete

Neil Kroese

ns. Gaan loer gerus ook op Bra Neil se Blog in.

- LitNet SêNet gedatteer 2009-10-16

LitNet SêNet

Markus (a.k.a. Bybelman)and Celeste got engaged a while back. They’re getting married in March 2010. We braved the rain and did a shoot in Stellenbosch.

Here are some of the shots

Rural Trading Store Near Pniel.

Pniel is a small village in the Cape Winelands with a big history – surrounded by orchards, vineyards, and mountains the Drakenstein Valley. One passes through Pniel as one travels from Stellenbosch to Franschhoek via the scenic Hellshoogte Pass.

1834 Slaves Are Freed in South Africa

Situated at the foot of the Simonsberg and set within easy access of town such as Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl, this picturesque little village was founded in 1834 when slaves were freed in South Africa and they were allocated land here on the Dwars River.

First Missionary of Pniel

At this time, a philanthropic organisation was concerned with the well-being of former slaves who had no fixed abode. Subsequently land was purchased and a mission station founded. Rev. Johan Frederick Stegman was the first missionary of Pniel, and served his community from 1825 to 1910 as spiritual and secular leader.

Former President Nelson Mandela was incarcerated in Victor Verster (renamed Klein Drakenstein) prison near the lower end of the valley for the last few years of his 27 years in prison until his release in 1990.

Rugby or cricket matches are held on a regular basis at the Sports Complex in Pniel. Visitors can also laze by the pool or work out in the gym or partake in hiking, canoeing, fishing, wine tasting, farmyard delights, cultural tours, Art and Craft tours, picnics, and gourmet meals

Wow. I’m having an intense photography weekend. It makes for a great break from learning about ‘diversity in the classroom’ (yawn). Anyhoo. Madi and I took some pictures of our friend Vernon who is quite the sportsman.  He also owns a nice pair of All Stars

The other day I was driving my motorbike around town when all of a sudden I got a puncture in my front tire. I tried to drive it to the bike shop to go and get it fixed but this was a bit harder and more frustrating than I thought it would be.
Now I was hot, because Stellenbosch weather had once again acted deceptively and I was horribly over-dressed. On top of the heat-irritation people would ride next to me and tell me that my tire was flat and while this would normally be considered a kind gesture I often responded with severe sarcasm hoping that my cries of cynicism would stay inside my helmet. Then a traffic cop told me to take a detour, and this made me rather piqued (ok so I would never use that word but Microsoft Word’s synonym function suggests it as a fancier word than peeved, even though peeved is quite a fancy word).

There are only two tires on a bike, and if one of them is flat you start bouncing around and I was nearly falling off every five metres. So after nearly falling for the 30th time (possible exaggeration) I eventually arrived at the bike shop and went to go get a quote and to ask the guy to fix my bike. When the guy told me to take it to the back of his workshop I asked him what I thought was a very reasonable question. I said ”so how long am I going to wait?” to which he responded, “ja, just wait”, to which I asked him again along with hand signals “how long will it take for my bike to be fixed?” hoping that the hand signals and re-phrasing of the question might guide him to provide me with the information I required. His response was both unprofound and meaningless; he said “ja, just wait” and then walked away. This led me to start thinking about nothing philosophical except whether my bike would be fixed. But what happens later in my story did on some philosophical level challenge me.

I only ended up waiting about 10-15 minutes which was quite relief because I was not sure if I’d ever see my beautiful bike again. She had a pumped up tire and looked just like I saw her on her first day except now she was a bit dirtier and not in Tableview.

I thanked the man and wasn’t sure what he mumbled to me but I think he told me to “just wait” again. I decided to leave this ever so slightly delirious man and drive home. As I started driving away I put my foot onto the footholds, except the one was much further down than it had been before. At first I was startled and then I remembered that that foothold that had been bent upwards when I’d previously fallen of my bike (sadly this fall had nothing to do with a flat tire and more to do with being previously bad at driving a motorbike. I improved after that fall). One of the assistants to the socially inept guy had bent my foothold correct, which I thought was quite a nice thing to do.

You know when something has been irritating you for a while and finally it gets sorted out and now you can just relax because its fixed…well this was not one of those times. Instead it felt weird. It felt awkward to now have to get used to how it feels when its actually working properly. I had to re-adjust from the slightly broken foothold to the way it was manufactured to be.
I think sometimes this mentality spills over into our lives. We can get so used to bad and broken things after a while that we stop noticing them. We entertain them for so long that eventually they become natural and we almost feel comfortable with them. Instead of choosing what is correct and better, sometimes it is just easier to accept and adapt ourselves to the bad situations.

The Greek word for sensitivity is the word algeo which means “to feel pain”. When we are able to perceive pain that is when we are sensitive. When we can tell that something is harmful to ourselves and to those around us, that is when we are truly aware. If we settle for destructive behaviours or destructive relationships we are not only selling ourselves short but we have lost the basic trait of being sensually aware.

I remember being young and asking my dad why people have to feel pain; why can’t we numb our bodies so that when we get hurt we don’t have to feel it. He went on to explain the disease of leprosy to me. Lepers suffer because they are unable to feel pain and their bodies do not respond to fix the problem. If they get a cut they do not feel it and their body does not send blood cells to form a scab and fix the wound. Pain allows their body to realize a problem and respond accordingly.

We live in a world of escapism where the aim is often to get away from pain and to find satisfaction elsewhere. We have bought into a lie that says that if we pursue pleasure that pain will disappear, and maybe the pain will disappear but that doesn’t solve or mean anything. Just because the leper can’t feel the pain does not mean the sore isn’t there.
Perhaps we are becoming a generation of escapists, insensitive to the pain around us and the pain we are personally experiencing? Is it possible that we are becoming emotional and spiritual lepers?

I say this all not as someone who lives outside of this leprous behavior, but as someone who doesn’t want to anymore and is starting to desire reality and the pain that is necessary to stay in touch with God, with those around me, and with myself.

The King at Rest

Many of you know I was in South Africa in April.  What a wonderful country with something for everyone.  The beauty of the tours below is that they combine food and wine with a sport.  Is that not a great excuse to indulge your passion for the finer things in life?  Food, wine, golf and lions!

These unique Ernie Els Signature Tours, with never more than eight people in the group, are made possible through the special relationship that top golfer Ernie Els and visionary wine-maker Jean Engelbrecht have developed over the years.

As a result, guests will experience private wine tastings and dinners with winemakers and proprietors that are otherwise not available through any other tours. The combination of some of the best five star resorts, intimate service and attention to detail at every stage of this golf and wine itinerary will ensure that each trip is the trip of a lifetime.

A Signature Tour highlight is to visit selected wine estates that showcase beautiful wines and great food in spectacular natural surroundings. As one of South Africa’s leading ambassadors and most recognised faces in the world of sport, it is only fitting that Ernie chose South Africa and Stellenbosch in particular to produce his wines.

The idea for the wine was born from the long-standing friendship between Ernie and Jean. When the expertise of their respective professions converged, Jean and Ernie set out to create extraordinary wines.

The aim of the wine is to capture everythingthat Ernie stands for : Big in stature and gentle in character.

In addition to showcasing excellent wines, the Ernie Els Signature Wine & Golf Safari Tour also highlights :

• Golf at Gardener Ross, the first Ernie Els signature golf course in Gauteng, South Africa
• a safari stay at the luxurious Tswalu in the Kalahari Desert – take in endless vistas, desert storms, breath-taking sunsets and huge starry night skies
• a sojourn in the cosmopolitan metropolis of Cape Town – breath-taking scenery, brilliant wining and dining, excellent shopping

For the even more discerning traveller, tailor-made itineraries can be created for your specific needs should you want to travel independently.
Each itinerary will still incorporate a touch of Ernie’s favourite golf courses, private game reserves and wine estates.