Something written a while back...

THE FOLLOWING PIECE WAS WRITTEN A WHILE BACK (2 JUNE 2013). JUST THOUGHT OF SHARING IT WITH YOU:

Good morning,

I hope things are going well that side. When you are blessed like me, one can’t complaint... but to pay honour and to count the blessings. We may not live in a mansion but we have a roof over our head; we may not drive a convertible or a luxury BMW but we have the ability to walk and move from point to point.

How blessed are we this morning that I am still able to write an email to you; how blessed are we that no matter what we may go through each day, God still come and say, My child take my hand and I will lead you to prosperity.

Yes I may have been hijacked a week ago; have lost my laptop, my account been emptied and for the past few days I have been stressing about how I will travel to work, how I will pay my rent and how I will survive throughout the month (those things are material and life is priceless). But then looking back in life; this have not been my first hijacking; it been my 3^rd. Yep, I survived 3 hijackings, 2 accidents and been held hostage once... I had endless episodes of bad health, been in and out of hospitals, operations and whatsoever; but God remained faithful. He protected me and He made sure that I fly from the storm to reach the rainbow.

He promised me in Jeremiah 29:11 that He plan a life of prosperity for me; and keeping that in mind, I can testify that the devil is a liar; my Father is mighty and will never bring harm over me. My Father have yet blessed and woke me up this morning.

More than anything else in this world; I wish to share Numbers 23:19 with you... the scripture itself is a not only a testimony but also a promise that our God is faithful, and like the scripture says: “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfil it?”

My dear friend, if I think of these two powerful scriptures, than I can promise you that Our God is able to do what He promised to do... In Jeremiah 29:11 He made us aware that He plan a life of prosperity for us; while in Numbers 23:19 we receive the calmness in knowing that yes, it may not be now but it forms part of his greater plan to take us and to give us what we want and need... Numbers remind us that our God is no liar, He does not go back on His word and whatever He promised, He will deliver.

Let us not give up hope, let us not dwell on what we don’t have, but let us be reminded of His great love and His ability to carry us through and when we fight some battles, let us call upon Him for help and let us continue to remember Him in our every walk, our every talk and thoughts. Let us free our minds from hate and pain no matter the pain caused by others and when we cry let it be tears of joy knowing that our God is mighty and He will carry us through...

Have a blessed day!

It makes you think...: Greatness beyond fear...

It makes you think...: Greatness beyond fear...: I walked into the office this morning after a few days of sick leave. As I make head way to the office; I bumped into a female colleague wh...

Greatness beyond fear...

I walked into the office this morning after a few days of sick leave. As I make head way to the office; I bumped into a female colleague who suggested a quick meeting…

So, as it is still early I popped in for a quick hello and to catch up on life in general. The strangest thing about the conversation is that this colleague doesn’t know apart of my life – of cause many don’t as I keep a subtle balance between my work and personal life.

Making headway through the conversation she raised the question… “Eduardo why are you scared?”, shock when through my veins as I am uncertain what she refers to, what is the intention of the question and what even made her to ask such thing.

“Scared?”, I could not help asking her with some sense of nervousness in my voices. And as we continue chatting about this and that I realize that the conversation is based on my personal and professional life.

The scariest part is that over the past few years, many people viewed and regarded me as a strong, independent and don’t-give up person. I have tackled and fought battles both from a medical and career perspective and somewhat managed to take the bull by the horn.

The conversation however took me back down memory lane when I was still around 20 years when I first started to work at WC NACOSA with Luann Hatane and Shirley Ilunga and how unexpected I been offered a position elsewhere; without an application and but merely and interview based on what been told about me.

At that point, moving to my second job; it brought a lot of challenges. I risk my permanent job for a 6 month contract position but with the hope to find a permanent position of which I did after my second month of employment.

This then led to some pretty bad challenges; my health went backwards. As a child I never been to a doctor not even for tonsils; there never been any need and suddenly when my permanent position came, I was faced with an emergency operation. It scared the hell out of me… but besides the fear it somehow made me to challenge my Maker in the greatest way. To me, the pain was too unbearable and I could not accept what I had to deal with. I was young, had my eye set on my career. I had plans for my life and saddest was that it all seemed to be ruined.

I remember after being discharged from hospital after the operation, a friend fetch me from the hospital and handed a letter over to me. At that point I have done anything possible to leave Cape Town immediately and to recuperate at home in Beaufort West. I told nobody about my plans and as the bus left Cape Town station I released the medical risk I put myself under.

That letter remained closed until I returned to the office after the 6 week six leave period. The first time I read it, it meant nothing to. It was just another piece of paper with letters on it – meaningless. Every time when I read the letter it end up with papers I planned to threw away; but it keep ending up in a place for me to read.

After my endless battle with God, my many days of “why me Lord…” the letter appear to me again and as usual read it again… this time I am reading and understanding it. This time the scripture Jeremiah 29:11 became clearer and clearer and the revelation of His love could be witnessed in my love.

The very same time when the scripture start to make sense to me; It reminded me how I worked at an organization where I had no benefits; but how God knew the plan for my life. He knew that sooner I will fell ill, I would need medical treatment and need to undergo an operation – something I would not have been able to afford with a NGO salary.

It became clearer that God’s plan was indeed much better than my dream…

Continuing the conversation, each word she spoke reminded me of something in my past; it reflected on the past pains but mostly the fear of the situation I found myself in… but the greatest of all was to be reminded of the courage and trust I developed in my maker. I survived three hijackings, two accidents, been held hostage in my flat and endless bad things – but He stood by me.

FEAR? SCARED? If I take this day as a lesson, I am reminded about my great potential, my gifts and talents but mostly challenged with the fact that I can achieve much more if only I have the COURAGE to do what is in my power…

Deep down my soul lies a gentle heart, a soul that long to do great but mostly a soul that lacks the courage and trust in him to do great. We are trapped in our comfort zones to work for someone… yet we fear our own greatness and too scared of taking up the challenge to be what we destined to be.

I am not who I am because of my inability; but rather because of my fear to stood above the rest…

Let the sun set on 2013 with the commitment to take on any challenge in 2014… And may we all enter the year FEARLESSLY!

Wednesday 11 December 2013

I woke up early with the buzzing sounds of military helicopters over the roof of my Pretoria CBD flat. Opening the windows I heard the sounds of joyous people with a sense of mourning and celebration.

Getting ready for work, all what is in my mind is whether I should not just stay home and join in on the activities...

Wednesday 11 December 2013 will remain a remarkable day... A day when I saw how history unfold infront of a young South African man who does not have much knowledge of apartheid but who have read and been told about it... Yes this day mark the first day for the public to view Tat Madiba's "body laying in state"...

What a remarkable morning... Local and International Journalists all over the streets of Pretoria, while every single person try to be caught on camera.

But as I walk through the people; a few things went unnoticed... The sense of ubuntu, the spirit of unity and reconcillation... The dream of being together just as Tata has fought for....

Yes I do not know much about apartheid, and what I do know is that what been told to me through history books, articles, etc. I do not know where Mandela's death will lead us but I can be for sure that I we continue with the spirit in which we celebrate his life, then certainly we can reach milestones as a nation and continent.

The early morning spirit of the people brought some joy to my heart and it immediate made me to rethink back of South Africa a few years ago...

1. I thought of how many South Africans fought against foreigners in our townships but as I dwell in my own foughts, I could not help to witness how a foreigner is hugged by a local. To me that brought a sense of reconciliation.

2. I dwell further in my mind and could not help how we at times discrimante against homeless people but was granted the opportunity to witness how a "black suit" reach his pocket and hand money to the homeless. That is the sense of true Ubuntu

3. My mind immediately told me how nice it will be when people do not judge me on my race but will include me based on what I stand for and who I am. A son of Africa... and this thought made me to realise how different nationalities appear on one picture... That definitely is Unity...

Reflecting on the events over the past week since the official announcement, I can not help be reminded that Tata stood for Ubuntu, Reconciliation, Unity and so many other things... and that it now our time to just our bit of what he stood for to keep the legacy alive.

South Africans, the world has seen us uniting in 2010... They once again witnessed how death brought us closer and how we irrespective of our racial and other differences we can still stand united.

Let us not fall apart after his funeral... but let us use his legacy to continue doing the most simplest thing he did: TOLERANCE!