Oop deur

Weereens, die afgelope maande het ek ervaar hoe dit die Here is wat deure oopmaak en ander weer toe maak.  Net na my terugkeer na SA in Julie 2011 was ek baie bewus van die nood in Helenvale en het ek ervaar dat daar vir my 'n roeping van die Here daar is.  Tog het die Here vir die afgelope amper twee jaar aanhoudend ander deure oopgemaak vir my om in te beweeg.  Tot nou toe.

Die Acvv Poplarlaan se area strek tot by Helenvale en daar is kinders ook daar wat lees en basiese wiskunde probleme het.  Dit sou finansieel baie kos om hierdie kinders met hulle versorgers met taxi's daarheen te vervoer.  Dus het ek voorgestel dat ek daarheen gaan.  Om 'n lang storie kort te maak: Ek het Ds. Hendry Tromp van die VGK Gelvandale genader of ons hulle kerkgebou kon gebruik en hy en sy kerkraad het met entoesiasme daartoe ingestem.  Hy het my egter uitgedaag dat onderrig en voeding saamgaan.  Dus moet ek nou weekliks 4 brode se toebroodjies en koeldrank se fondse of skenkings bybring.  Enige donasie hiervoor sal baie waardeer word.

Die vrywilliger wat ek glo deur die Here gestuur is net op die regte tyd, is 'n meisie met baie potensiaal, self ook van die Noordelike Areas.  Ek onderneem in die geloof om haar en 'n vriendin, wat die kinders sal verwelkom, voed en inspireer se vervoer onkostes te betaal.

Dit is dus met opgewonde verwagting dat ek hierdie nuwe oop deur betree.  Indien iemand betrokke wil raak, kan hulle my by sophakama2012@gmail.com kontak.

Seen,

Evelyn

April Update

Ryan Johnson and I called the phase that Sophakama is going through at the moment: “Labor pains”. We are busy finalising the constitution and thinking through the values and principles that the organisation will operate by.

The Tutor Program is growing at a steady pace and we have already 9 volunteers that are working with 32 children on a weekly basis. We are encouraged by the progress that we can see in these kids abilities. Only yesterday the Headmaster of Diaz Primary School surprised Bongiwe and I with a thank you on behalf of the school and a confirmation from the teachers, that they are seeing progress in the kids that we started with last term. This is good news for us.

Ryan is planning a community workshop in June on the subject “Saving”. Other than that he is concentrating on his studies in Stellenbosch.

 Bongiwe got married to Bongani Robin on 23 March. We congratulate them with this big step and wish them a beautiful future together.

I went to KKNK during the Easter holidays and came back with an interest in Adam Small's writings. Here is a quote out of Klein simbole nommer 20: “As daar nou wit en swart en bruin bly, dan is die grootste hiervan die liefde.”

Around the Table Dialogue - Personal impressions

It is nearly 20 years since the democratisation of  South Africa and the euphoria around what was seen as the birth of our rainbow nation: unity and richness in diversity. But increasingly in recent years people have been asking what has happened to those ideals, the hopes, the boundless potential? Are the various cultures and races in our country growing in our interaction and understanding of each other, and drawing energy from it, or is there increasing tension, alienation, distrust?

Against this background and our concern about it, my wife Alida and I jumped at the opportunity to host Sophakama's first social meeting to revive those ideals.And what a hope-giving event it turned out to be!

The guests, a good cross-section of our society, must have decided not to buy into the Africa time thing and started arriving just after the appointed time of six o'clock.The weather played along beautifully and the colourful spread of snacks and drinks on the stoep immediately created a relaxed, convivial atmosphere, giving people the opportunity to try and remember each others names.

Half an hour or so later it was time for the eleven of us to move inside. Everybody had been asked beforehand to bring along a piece of art, a book, a poem or music and to say something about it when introducing yourself. It was during this session that I started realising it was a very, very special bunch of young people who had gathered in our house. As one after the other got up, I was amazed at how well they were able to express themselves, and at the depth of what they were saying. My impression was further strengthened when the evening's topic, stereotyping, was introduced. Taking into account that many of us had only just met each other, the frankness and ease of all conversation was remarkable. For people to really get to know each other and for mutual trust to develop obviously time is needed, but what I saw was that we all felt the space was safe enough to be open and honest. It is possible over time that more critical viewpoints may come to the surface, but I am positive that this group has the capacity to handle such situations gracefully.

We are privileged to have been part of the start of such an exciting initiative. May it grow from strength to strength and, who knows, multiply in Port Elizabeth, the Eastern Cape and the country! There is much to be done.





Stephan Bothma

Around the table dialogue.

Sometimes we can be so stuck in our comfort zones, be it eating out at the same restaurant, taking the same route to work, or spending time only with people who are just like us. I agree that such a predictable routine can make one feel safe and in a sense in control of their environment. 
 We at Sophakama decided to venture to the unknown, this past month (11 January) by hosting our first ‘around the table dialogue’.  The purpose of this event was to bring together people from different racial groups not just to get to know each other but also to engage the topic of racial reconciliation in our country and the world.
As each person shared their views and experiences it became evident that the work of racial reconciliation cannot be left to chance, but needs effort, hard work and committement from those who have been called to move our communities and perhaps nation towards healed and mutually respectful relationships. 
Considering that talking about race relations can be a weighty issue, the evening was filled with some fun activities that included poetry, fine art and music.  And our guests did actually exchange phone numbers.

Bongiwe Magongo

Expanding our vision.

On the 3rd and 4th of December 2012 Sophakama had their first official planning meeting.  We also wrote a constitution for our organisation, during these two days.

Quite a chunk of the time we spent together, was given to formulating the vision and mission of that what we are passionate about and would now like to give legs to.

Evelyn, shared her expanded vision as follows:  In stead of only taking kids on 4 camps a year, she would now meet with kids twice a week and then take them on two weekend camps during the year.  It is therefore absolutely necessary to get other volunteers in order to multiply the number of kids that are being helped.  (For more information on how the volunteer tutor program will work, please see the blog posts in December 2012.)

Bongiwe, shared that she is passionate about social cohesion in our society, be it racial, economic or gender related.  She would like to do more research on these topics in the coming year.  She will also organise four “Around the table dialogue” evenings in this year.  The aim of these evenings will be to start with a process of listening and learning.  A report of the first evening that took place on 11 January 2013 will follow soon.

Ryan, shared his passion for bringing information to communities that will give them tools to self empowerment.  E.g. He would like to do workshops on saving in poorer communities.  Ryan will also engage in research this coming year in the field of economic community development.

Sophakama therefore has a new expanded vision with three branches:  Development, Education and Reconciliation.  Our main purpose remains the upliftment of our community as our name Sophakama (We shall rise) clearly calls out.

Calling for volunteers!

We are all aware of the situation the Eastern Cape education finds itself in. Sophakama Tutor Program focusses on helping children to get a grip on reading and basic maths. The more we speak to schools and other institutions, the more we realise how great the needs are in these two areas of learning.

During the past 18 months we have compiled a program from a variety of different resources that we tried out with great success. We are convinced that this program would be a very handy tool to help rectify this need.

We are therefore calling for volunteers to commit themselves for one school year, one hour, twice a week, to tutor three children with reading and basic maths difficulties.

The volunteers does not have to be qualified teachers. Training will be provided in order for them to preform the role of a parent helping his/her child with homework. Volunteers will serve at schools and institutions where Sophakama is asked to help.

The volunteers must also be willing to go on two weekend camps with their kids. During these camps other developmental areas such as, social, emotional, physical and spiritual development will receive attention. (A Sophakama ministry team will accompany volunteers on such camps.)

Volunteers will be responsible for their own funds for the training, tutor kit and transportation to and from their place of service. (The tutor kit includes all the material that the tutor will need for the whole year.) Volunteers are welcome to receive sponsorships from their congregations or other institutions.

If anybody is interested or would like more information, they can contact me at Sophakama2012@gmail.com.

My hope is that you will consider this prayerfully for the sake of the future of the children of the Eastern Cape.

Evelyn Lotz

Vrywilligers word opgeroep!

Ons is almal bewus van die situasie waarin Oos Kaap se onderwys homself bevind. Sophakama Tutor program fokus daarop om kinders te help om lees en basiese wiskunde te bemeester. Hoe meer ons met skole en ander instansies praat, hoe dieper kom ons onder die indruk van hoe groot die behoefte vir hulp in hierdie twee areas is.

Ons het die afgelope 18 maande 'n program saamgestel uit verskillende bronne en met groot welslae beproef. Daarom is ons oortuig dat dit 'n baie handige instrument kan wees om die nood waarvan ons praat, sinvol aan te spreek.

Dus roep ons nou vrywilligers op om hulself vir een skooljaar te verbind om 'n uur twee keer per week met drie kinders wat sukkel met lees en basiese wiskunde, te werk.

Die vrywilligers hoef nie opgeleide onderwysers te wees nie. Opleiding sal voorsien word sodat vrywilligers basies 'n ouer wat help met huiswerk se rol aan die kinders kan vertolk. Hulle sal die diens doen by skole of instansies wat ons (Sophakama) vir hulp genader het.

Die vrywilligers moet ook bereid wees om op twee naweek kampe met hulle kinders te gaan. Tydens hierdie naweke wil ons ook ander areas van ontwikkeling bv. sosiaal, emosioneel, fisies en geestelik, aanspreek. ('n Sophakama bedieningspan sal vrywilligers op sulke kampe vergesel.)

Vrywilligers sal self verantwoordelik wees vir die kostes van hulle opleiding, tutor knapsak en vervoer na en van hulle plek van diens. ('n Tutor knapsak sluit in alle materiaal wat nodig gaan wees vir die jaar se tutor). Hulle kan natuurlik hulle gemeente of ander instansies nader vir donasies.

Indien enige iemand belangstel om 'n vrywilliger te wees of meer inligting verlang, kan hulle vir my by Sophakama2012@gmail.com kontak.

My hoop is dat hierdie oproep biddend oorweeg sal word, vir die kinders van die Oos Kaap se toekoms se onthalwe.

Evelyn Lotz