God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

09/30/2010 • 1:00 pm Comments Off on 30.09.2010 Diversity

30.09.2010 Diversity

Diversity has always driven my life, and also this week it is not different:

The death of Fr Roland continues to give reason for many talks about life and death, but also normal life is going on: The new HOPE Cape Town feature is ready now for post production and tomorrow I will sit with the chairperson to see the footage and to decide on the “red line” for the feature.
Premier Seehofer from Bavaria together with Premier Zille and Mayor Plato plus a delegation met in Kalksteenfontain to hear from NGO’s connected with Bavaria what they are doing here in the Western Cape. It was an interesting gathering and it is always also good for the NGO’s to see that they have neighbours they could relate too. But I guess it is also important for the politicians to see what is happening on the ground.And it is good to see the partnership between the Western Cape and Bavaria so lively; it is good to meet the same people again and again to  know that we are indeed on the same page in developing this partnership.

Senior staff meeting, a preparation meeting for a farewell next week, dinner with friends and a meeting with the Archbishop of Cape Town – never a dull moment and all is important – but I guess the most important part is really the meeting of hearts and minds, the exchange of ideas and the openness for a frank discussion, where everybody is listening to everybody. This human aspect of a business meeting becomes for me more and more important, because it is the base for good cooperation and a successful development in whatever stands on the agenda.

Next week will see me again in Johannesburg for 1,5 days and then directly afterward to Durban for the same amount of time. And then it is not far before I am leaving for Europe again with lots of meetings and talks – my last big travel for this year. Such travel needs lots of preparation, not only logistic but also the contents of what I want to bring over to my audiences and meeting partners must be well prepared.  3/4 of the year is gone – I am looking forward to the rest of the year and I know I will meet exciting people, new ideas and enough food for thoughts for the years to come.

Filed under: General, HIV and AIDS, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Networking, Politics and Society, Reflection, , , , , , , ,

09/25/2010 • 10:14 pm Comments Off on Epistle 2010-25…

Epistle 2010-25…

…. and it reads: “Father Roland P.  died this afternoon at 3h45 at the Durbanville Medi-Clinic. His requiem Mass will be celebrated at….”

Pictures surface in my mind: the small talk with him during the opening of the Bavarian House during the soccer world cup. His smile which made you think twice whether he was serious or joking, a brilliant mind.. and.. and .. and.

A life is gone, a life came to an end and sitting in the evening in a restaurant with a friend having dinner, the question arose: Is that all what is left from him? Memories? Memories in those who have known him and which will definitely fade away in the then following generation…
A life is gone, a whole world is gone, because Roland was, like everybody else, unique: The way he experienced things will be gone for ever, and with it, everything he experienced: the first rain, the first steps, the first love, the way he worked as a priest and so much more. Gone for ever or taken up into heaven? What kind of heaven? Heaven with eternal praise or eternal love? Should not a priest know this best?

Not sure, but sure I feel somehow somber in this moment and my thoughts are with his family and with himself. It is like his death is touching my life for a while, slowing it down, commemorating it, and also questioning everything what I am doing and how I am living.

Yes, what is the meaning of life? Where do we come from, where do we go to? Philosophical question and very theoretical normally they are suddenly so vivid and alive. But is it really important to know where we will go when we die?  Not even sure about this – but what I know very much so: That I have to live my life as long as I can, that I have only one chance in life to live it to the fullest. And surely: That I don’t know when I will be called to higher services, it has an urgency to live, and to live it as complete and fulfilling as one can. And that means also to accept all grey shadows of life.
I said Mass this evening in Belhar for him and I am grateful for all the  moments, we shared when our ways crossed in the last years.  RIP we Christian say, but I would love to change it: Live in peace where ever you are now and thanks for being a reminder even in your death, how valuable my own lifetime is. I knew it, I know it, but still I need a reminder from time to time.

Filed under: General, Reflection, Uncategorized, , , ,

09/02/2010 • 7:11 pm Comments Off on 02.09.2010 Thursday…

02.09.2010 Thursday…

It is always difficult to adjust after travelling. Too much is sometimes waiting to be answered or acted on…
So the first day after coming back I usually sit in the office to get an overview what has to be done and to start sending out the necessary emails and replies.
Today I met after an early hour office session with the senior staff of HOPE Cape Town.  The variety of discussion points employees bring in is always amazing for me – and I like this frank and open discussion. Too often those sitting in the driver seat are in the danger to miss out on the realities at the bottom of the ladder. Therefore we encourage within HOPE Cape Town an honest and direct approach to avoid unnecessary struggle.
Since month we are working on our new website and it looks like we can get it “live” on the 1.10.2010. Hard work has been done by the people concerned and it takes real dedication to get a way through the different companies involved and their willingness or not so willingness to cooperate to get it technically done without flaws. Not sure how many gray hairs were produced in these months…

After a two-hour meeting then quick back to town to attend the meeting of the Rotary Club of Signal Hill. Catching up after being away for a while – it feels good to meet with people one is somehow connected for now almost 14 years. I am asked if I am prepared to give talks about HOPE Cape Town for other clubs – and yes, I am prepared to spread the word and to discuss the situation of HIV and AIDS in South Africa with my fellow Rotarians. Looking forward to it.

Back to the office then – Releasing transfers, again answering emails, preparing statements and proposals – it seems that the to-do list never ends but what for a feeling if one can scratch out one of the items: done! And after this blog entry: done for the day!
Wonderful 🙂

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

08/28/2010 • 11:23 pm Comments Off on 28.08.2010 A brief visit…

28.08.2010 A brief visit…

.. to the National conference of people living with HIV in Bielefeld. I have the honour to be part of a podium discussion about pictures, used in media about people living with the virus. Interesting two hours.. What kind of pictures are dominant? How do people perceive those pictures? How different are the pictures in South Africa and in Germany? How much of the pictures, real or virtual (e.g. by writing about HIV) from Europe filters through to Africa? The positive gay couple in the “big brother container”, the Nadja court proceedings, the dying African people, the big eyes of suffering kids, the report about bare backing on TV.. so many different ways to portray people living with the virus…
New AIDS and old AIDS, meaning: chronic disease (and all is normal) against death sentence (before HAART treatment) – what is the reality of people living with the virus and how to translate it via media into the public domain?

So many questions – and certainly a diversity of answers – important questions and important answers. An important discussion…

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, Reflection, Society and living environment, , , , , , , ,

08/23/2010 • 11:46 pm Comments Off on 23.08.2010 Two talks…

23.08.2010 Two talks…

… in a Catholic and a Lutheran Community in the last two days and I ask myself: Who will be sitting there in 10 years time when all the elderly faithful ones will not be able to make their way to the church and the church hall? Compared with South Africa the situation seems to be very scary… Not sure whether structural changes really address this problem. Where is the youth, the middle age?
More is not to say or ask this evening…

Filed under: Reflection, , ,

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