God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

06/14/2010 • 3:19 pm Comments Off on 14.06.2010 Raindrops keep falling on my head…

14.06.2010 Raindrops keep falling on my head…

Monday morning in Cape Town – and rain is pouring like it will never stop again. In the midst of all the rain and the cold wind we are standing in Blikkiesdorp and later in a neighboring township to shoot for the Mittagsmagazin of the ZDF, German Television. After a family visit and a walk trough the area I am completely wet to the skin, but the film crew is happy with pictures and content of the interview. Thanks to Angela and Yasmin for supporting this rainy adventure.

From there back to the office to organize myself for tomorrow – sports and HIV is the topic of a workshop. I met with Prof Juergen Beckmann yesterday already, Dean of sport sciences of the TU Munich. We spend the day partly with the Bavarian delegation visiting Manenberg and later Mfuleni. In the evening I join members of the Bavarian delegation at the Bavarian House (Artscape) to watch the soccer match between Australia and Germany. What a game.

In the moment we are negotiating still with Tygerberg Academic Health Complex the visit of a Isagauer Trachtengruppe wanting to perform for the patients at Tygerberg Hospital and then framing the signing of the memorandum of intent between the University of Stellenbosch, HOPE Cape Town and the Technical University of Munich. Dr. Pritzl from the Bavarian Staatskanzlei will also be joining us for this important occasion.

Lunch with a fellow priest in between to discuss certain matters arising for the more church related work. A video conferencing with Germany in the eve will end of this very busy day – and let’s hope for less rain for this eve when Italy is playing in Cape Town their first match.

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Networking, Reflection, , , , , , , , , ,

06/09/2010 • 10:55 pm Comments Off on 09.06.2010 Pain & Pleasure….

09.06.2010 Pain & Pleasure….

I did not even remember how it is when a tooth must be extracted… but today was the day when in the morning all the old and cruel memories of a dentist visit became reality again – deja vu…

But I did not have enough time to pity myself as I directly have to drive to Blikkiesdorp near Delft for an interview for the “tagesthemen“. Duty instead of laying down and simply indulge in the pain of losing a tooth.. 🙂
Back to the office then to prepare the first draft for an input, I have to give next week during an economic gathering at the Bavarian House.

Then drive to the official opening to the Bavarian House at the Artscape – it is good to see Minister Schneider, Helen Zille and for me it is indeed a great joy to meet the son of Piet Meyers, previous Minister of Health WC, who is now the MEC for social affairs. A brief contact with Minister Botha and Minister Winde and the Bavarian Delegation. All the well-known faces again – it feels good and somehow home to be amongst them.

The music group “Haindling” shows that Bavaria is more than traditional music and it is a pity that the pain of the morning prevents me from indulging too much into the delicious offerings of the reception following the performance. The Bavarian House is open – now the Soccer World cup 2010 may begin… 🙂

Filed under: Networking, Reflection, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , ,

06/07/2010 • 11:27 pm Comments Off on 07.06.2010 Website and more

07.06.2010 Website and more

At 9 am my first radio interview for the day with a broadcaster from Berlin about South Africa before the Soccer World Cup 2010.  Then meeting at HOPE Cape Town offices to discuss the layout for the new HOPE Cape Town website. We are living in a time where the internet presentation is of importance. The discussion goes around details in layout and how it will be maintained afterwards. It is a very intensive debate. From Tygerberg back to town for a meeting before heading back to be ready for the next interview – same topic plus additional information about HIV/AIDS and South Africa. In between emails and getting an overview over the weeks agenda.

In the evening then a house mass @ Resi’s place – a tradition of many years. 8 people around the table, a service and afterwards a meal and a lively discussion ranging from soccer to the state of affair of our church. It is one of the occasions where I feel what it means to be a priest, connecting to people in a way, which is becoming so rare with all the management duties, a priest of  our days has to perform.

When I come home I realise, that now the talk show is aired where I was participating last Monday – well, let’s see what the reactions are in the next days to come… AIDS prevention and the invention of “the pill” – topics where one as a priest has a difficult stand in our days…

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Networking, Reflection, Society and living environment, , , , , , , ,

06/05/2010 • 12:22 am Comments Off on 04.06.2010 Back to normal…

04.06.2010 Back to normal…

Arriving yesterday evening home again and unpacking – the usual after a week away. Today the morning starts with office work – so many email still to be answered, preparation for the weekend and sorting out all the commitments for the next two weeks. Then off to Tygerberg Hospital to attend the HOPE Cape Town management meeting, which takes most of the afternoon. Lots of interesting topics to be discussed surround new ventures, new approaches but also the consolidation of the existing: always that small little red line between conservation and new adventure, the proven ones and the trial phases as a consequence of new challenges. HOPE Cape Town is developing further and we plan a workshop in July to determine medium and long-term goals for the next years to come.

In the evening then farewell party for diplomatic staff – and it is good to meet and greet a lot of people I have not seen for ages. It is something I will never get used to: to bid farewell people you learned to like and to know and to work with and after a couple of years they have to move on as part of their profession. After 13 years it feels sometimes a bit tiring to befriend new people but I guess, that’s part of working as a citizen of this world.

A full day, and, as most days, too much is still waiting to be prepared, finalised etc.. Why days not having 36 hours is sometimes a mystery to me…

Filed under: HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Networking, Reflection, , , , ,

06/02/2010 • 8:05 pm Comments Off on 02.06.2010 Doha…

02.06.2010 Doha…

Arriving in Doha after leaving Hamburg this very early morning to fly to Frankfurt and to Doha on my way back to Cape Town. In Frankfurt I speak once again with the Station manager to assure that the airline gives me a hotel room as my transfer time is 11 hours.  Arriving in Doha I experience that the 5 star service on board does not apply to the ground staff. No hotel at the airport and yes, the IATA rules say that if the transit time is more than 8 hours one is entitled to a hotel room, and yes, Qatar Airways is part of IATA, but no, the rules do not apply to Qatar Airways. No hotel room – they actually don’t even care at all..

Well, of course I can apply for a visa, pay for a visa and then go in search of a hotel in Doha – assistance, no assistance at all – that is my problem.. . I guess, that this is the last time I use Qatar Airways… So I will sit now for 11 hours waiting for my flight.. what a delight..  😦
I got a frequent flyer card from Qatar Airways and I tried now twice to give it back.. but somehow nobody wants to take it here. Well, I will sent it back – so much for flying with arab airlines..

Besides the inconvenienced of not being able to sleep at all, the trip is has been a good one so far. The talk show went well, even I am not sure that my previous employer will be happy about my analysis regarding my “no-show” the last time I was invited.

The deal with the Udo Lindenberg Foundation, the contribution to the small 1-minute-movie-teaser regarding the Safehouse project, the meetings with Viola & Hermjo and Joachim & Sandra – all went well and hopefully the results are fruitful for HOPE Cape Town and the people we are looking after in the Western Cape.

Now I will start counting the sheep or the minutes.. 11 hours times 60 minutes.. a lot to count… hopefully I am falling not at the end asleep and miss my flight..

Filed under: General, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Networking, Reflection, Society and living environment, , , , ,

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