God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

02/12/2010 • 10:56 pm Comments Off on 12.02.2010 Chamber’s celebration

12.02.2010 Chamber’s celebration

A full day today, this morning first some phone calls to clarify outstanding issues, then driving to the lovely wine farm of Blaauwklippen where the Southern African – German Chamber of Commerce and Industry celebrates the 10th anniversary of the opening of its Cape Town Regional Office. At first a formal meeting with the Senior Council, the Directorate and the Regional Council and you can see the difference: The people from Johannesburg are dressed nicely all in black suits – not very common in Cape Town, but it makes me feel a bit under-dressed in my Cape Town outfit.. 🙂
Nevertheless, the meeting serves also the purposes to present the proposal to form a national task force on renewable energy/energy efficiency and it is my task to present this proposal to the senior council. After a short discussion the proposal is accepted and after 80 minutes the meeting done.

The afternoon programme continues with the arrival of more guests on the wine farm, among them Helen Zille, the premier and the German Ambassador Dieter Haller as well as the German and Austrian Consul General.  The speeches are not too long and I am chuffed about the fact, that HOPE Cape Town is also mentioned from the premier as one of the outstanding German contributions towards South Africa in the Western Cape and Charles Scheltemacher from the Regional Council reminds the people that indeed I was the first customer of the newly opened office needing some donations in form of computers and routers. And I am amazed that out of this not only came the joined Ball of HOPE as the annual function of Chamber and church for HOPE Cape Town, but also a wonderful friendship with Anja, the representative here in the Cape. She is indeed the best girlfriend, a priest is allowed to have … 🙂 A wonderful afternoon, catching up with so many people, having to explain the concept of a Fidei Donum priest and my new role within the church – I really enjoyed the time and the chats and the food and the drinks and the weather – in one word: jolly good afternoon.

In the evening then home again and still some work to do, sitting in my little office and trying to get a bit of work done before chatting with friends in Germany via Skype for quiet a while. Also that so wonderful to be able to chat long without being bankrupt and seeing the persons on the other side. Technology can be a blessing.

So summa summarum a day with mostly positive energy and what I did not get finished this eve on work can also wait until tomorrow morning… 🙂

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

02/10/2010 • 10:49 pm Comments Off on 10.02.2010 traffic and township life

10.02.2010 traffic and township life

Rain in Cape Town this morning – and as usual the way the drivers of the various vehicles on the street try a great deal to proof, that they have never learned to drive a car in rain. It is one of these mornings where you ask yourself whether someone has a valid drivers licence. Crossings are blocked by cars which just took the dark yellow light to make sure that nobody else is able to cross when they have green light. And all that stop and go and change the lines and stop again… it would be amazing if one would have the time to observe it and is not due to be in time at a certain point.

Visiting of primary health care facilities was the major program point today and together with our compliance and trainings officer I visited 5 such so-called township clinics and spoke with our employee from HOPE Cape Town and with representatives of the clinic, assessing the work and trying to find out where we are with our outreach program. It is always an eye opener to be in these different communities, hearing the life stories of people, visiting also some sick people at home,  seeing the sometimes unbelievable circumstances, people have to live for years or even a lifetime.  I realise again how blessed my life is and how privileged I am.

And one comes home in the evening, full of impressions and with a whole bunch of requests and plea’s it takes time to digest the pictures in your head, but somehow I keep the people I met today in my heart for a while before it fades away to be refreshed the next time. I am grateful to touch township life. It helps me to re-define my life.

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

02/09/2010 • 11:44 pm Comments Off on 09.02.2010 Over the years…

09.02.2010 Over the years…

Sitting in todays HOPE Cape Town management meeting I do with interest following the discussions, comments, requests – it is amazing for me to see, how things, or should I better say, people develop, interactions develop, discussions arise – sometimes I think it would be nice to have filmed over the years some of the meetings to study the development of such a group of people like us from management. I guess, if one is sitting in such meetings for years, one develops a sort of relationship which includes to know and predict reactions but also has learned to cooperate and discuss in a way which is not hurting people. One knows each other – and still sometimes there is this moment of surprise.

I took time today to observe a lot and – and with no bad intention – after years of working together it is good once in a while to observe oneself and others and to sense the bond, but also some old behaviour patterns showing up again and again. But all has the feeling of belonging together and going for the same cause, even if ways sometimes differ and discussions are very intense.  And I still feel that tension between decampment and the longing to secure the achieved – and I guess, as long as I feel this two poles, we are on the right way.

Management meetings have become longer and intense as lots is to decide and consider and it is hoped, that with the new structuring process, more preparation work is done beforehand so that matters are easier to decide on the day. We introduced the so-called “champions” who look specifically after a portfolio and prepares facts necessary for decision-making.

I drove home with the feeling that after all the years we still have the right mix of people to tackle the challenges of the future. Good feeling.

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

02/08/2010 • 10:17 pm Comments Off on 08.02.2010 Monday blues again…

08.02.2010 Monday blues again…

Monday morning starts off with two doctors interested in the HOPE Cape Town project. Somehow an interesting dialogue between European and African thinking. For me amazing to see how people really try to get a grips on the HIV pandemic in Southern Africa and develop ideas how to minimise the transmission rate. Obviously also the stance of the Catholic Church is part of the discussion.

Thereafter a TV request and discussion with the producer what is possible on short notice. It is sometimes difficult to judge and see how we can get the legitimate request for information together with what we can render on possibilities to fulfill such requests. In the moment, lots of TV teams are searching for motives, interviews and stories around the soccer world cup 2010… People in South Africa are generally more sensitive about cameras in townships and I can understand it. For too long, townships have been used and sometimes abused to produce, what was requested, without really respecting the dignity of the people. Times have changed and I think it is good that they have changed.

CCMA next, the center for conciliation and arbitration has scheduled a meeting to discuss a case of dismissal, I have been involved with. Also here it is sometimes not easy to find a balance between the very different standpoints of view of the employee and the employer. But after an informal discussion a solution is found and the more legal ways avoided. I am quite relieved about it.

Then office work, emails – I think I did write about them a couple of days earlier – to answer takes time, a request for an interview tomorrow regarding Nelson Mandela and his release from prison has to be prepared, some phone calls and then it is time for a home visit with house mass. A good tradition to bring some families together to celebrate the Eucharist in their home and then to stay together for a decent meal and lots of chat and discussion. It is good to touch again the lives of people, talk about families, their joys and hard times, about any topic just coming up. I always find a house mass very intense as people are more participating, are more part of the celebration.

The evening ends with some preparation for tomorrow, some last emails to answer and reading the latest news on the internet.

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

02/03/2010 • 5:22 am Comments Off on 03.02.2010 Friends are there for…

03.02.2010 Friends are there for…

…letting thoughts flow. A wonderful and more spontaneous luncheon with a friend where I was able to take a breath and to talk about personal things which really moved me in the moment. It feels like a blessing to be able to share when heart and mind creates a rollercoaster situation.  🙂

Otherwise I spend the morning with young journalists from Germany – organised by the “Sueddeutsche Zeitung”. We went to visit a primary health care facility in Mfuleni, one of our patients at home and then went to Tygerberg Academic Children’s Hospital and HOPE Cape Town to discuss current issues. The journalists already had meetings with important people like the German Ambassador Dieter Haller and Premier Helen Zille. Their task is it to gather background information about South Africa before the Soccer World cup 2010 starts. And it is difficult. As I heard there is either painted a rosy picture of South Africa in anticipation of the sports event – and it seems that nobody is allowed to say a critical word about some areas of concern – or people condemn and warn of security failure and the horrendous crime rates. It seems in the moment, there is only black and white at our disposal – and I think, this is simply wrong. South Africa has, like all other nations a variety of gray – yes, we have crime and the statistics are shocking, but yes, hundred thousands of tourists are visiting South Africa every year  and most of them are going home with a positive impression and lots of good experience. Yes, there are concerns, also security concerns – but yes, there are also lots of efforts to make 2010 a success for South Africa and Africa. Yes, the price structure of some airlines and hotels are indeed rather reminding us of gangsterism, on the other hand – there will be enough good deals closer to the time. We have to be honest brokers of the realities of South Africa. I concede, the realities are not that easy to read and interpret often – but only if we see and communicate all the potential for success, but also not forget the pitfalls – South Africa is like any other nation made out of humans and human structures… Nothing wrong about it.

The stadiums are ready – the people get more enthusiastic, upgrades of roads and transport systems are driving us South Africans crazy every day we commute to town, the soccer world cup 2010 will be a success – the African way and that is indeed good so…  Such events also help to highlight the shortcomings of a country – but which country has no shortcomings??

So I hope that the journalists went back to their hotel with the impression, that they got an honest assessment of the situation without politics or diplomacy tainting the picture. I think there is no need. Looking back to the last years there is surely more sun than shadow – and the way, South Africa will choose will anyhow only decided after the world cup circus will move on.

One is for sure: the soccer world cup 2010 prevented South Africa and its young democracy to  dip deeper into trouble during the developing times, when we have to learn how to organise us as such a democracy. The soccer world cup 2010 was and is the necessary nail to stop destructive development. My South African part tells me that nothing is decided yet when it comes to the future of South Africa, but one thing is for sure: the potential to create a home for all and a stable democracy is at hand, but in our times, all countries are interdependent as the global recession has again shown. So the future of South Africa also hangs in the balance with the other states and nations of this world. I will remain optimistic and realistic. A realistic optimist or an optimistic realist.. whatever is necessary in the next years to come…

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

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