God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

Enjoy the flight

Ticket for the first leg of the trip

Ticket for the first leg of the trip

Flying seems to trigger all kind of emotions and it seems that there is always an expectation to like jumping on a plane and going somewhere far away. But I guess  growing older one realizes more and more that the best place to stay is home 🙂 and that learning to know the world can make life sometimes more complicated. Why? Well, because traveling opens mind and heart to possibilities and develops views not seen by those staying home all the time.  Travel broadens the mind and the choices one have in life – and can be perceived as threats by others. But the perceived danger of terrorism and the break down of civil rights, once hard-fought for to achieve them, makes traveling across borders more and more a pain in the neck then a pleasantry. Nevertheless it is necessary and so I try to enjoy my flights which brings me again to people I never have seen before, but they are connected either by my faith or by the HOPE Cape Town project. And I surely will come back enriched and with new friends and acquaintances and hopefully more dedicated supporters and sponsors for HOPE Cape Town.

 

Sam Tuntubele - Vice Chair of HOPE Cape Town Trust arrives in Frankfurt

Sam Tuntubele – Vice Chair of HOPE Cape Town Trust arrives in Frankfurt

Even in the days of SKYPE and other tools, the personal contact remains the most important tool to introduce my work to other people. Talks, workshops and various encounters are bringing together the different worlds we are living in and try to create an understanding of each other. And this is by no means a one way road. Not only I want to secure support for the project, but also those working for the project here locally should understand the people feeling connected even thousands of km away. Two years ago, Pauline, our outreach officer was even able to visit Dresden on the occasion of the HOPE Gala – and last year our trustee Sam Tuntubele was part of this very same HOPE Gala in Dresden. So it is not only me, but there will be more ambassadors on both sides trying to bridge the gap between our worlds. And yes, this thought of bringing people together to join the good cause, that makes the time of traveling enjoyable, despite all the hassles of cramped planes, crowded airports, unfriendly custom staff and all the dressing and undressing for security reasons..

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

Every 10th South African is HIV positiv

The publication of the newest statistics in South Africa makes it clear: There is no real relief in South Africa when it comes to HIV and AIDS and there is real concern looking at TB. The figures in the Western Cape around HIV and AIDS are showing in increase instead of the aimed decrease in numbers. To put so many people on treatment means that adherence and compliance are not controlled and resistance is growing amongst those being newly infected and detected. We still pay the price for the denial of the government of Thabo Mbeki and his famous minister of health, known to be connected to beetroot and other veggies. And as long the social system of South Africa does not support those on treatment, but pay grants for those who are sick we have the perverted situation that sickness pays the bills and brings food on the table. Together with the social problems of South Africa including crime and unemployment – there is still a long way to go to get back to a healthy society. HOPE Cape Town is committed to assist on this long way provided that government on all levels learn more and more to collaborate with NGO’s and accept their own rights and their own standing and ability to contribute. Also in terms of the relationship between local, provincial and national government and the NGO sector there is more to learn in the years to come. But as usual, there is always HOPE 🙂

Visit -  Ithemba Ward

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

Bridge between grass root and sciences

Civil and state flag of Brandenburg.

Civil and state flag of Brandenburg. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today HOPE Cape Town is graced by the visit of a delegation from Brandenburg in Germany. 55 delegates will come and hear about our work, but also the work, the University of Stellenbosch is doing. More and more we discover how important it is to connect sciences and grass root and create a synergy which is beneficial for both sides. Prof Erasmus, Prof Wolfgang Preiser and myself will present this afternoon and the accompanying minister will then visit the Ithemba Ward. So for HOPE Cape Town an exciting start into the week. Other developments are also to be reported: We welcome our new two doctors and with Izane Reyneke we also have now a program coordinator on board to oversee all our working arms, assess and streamline them. We also bid farewell to Prof Bernd Rosenkranz, who resigned from the Board of the HOPE Cape Town Association and thank him for all his good work, support and advice. It is always sad to let people go, but there is, as Kohelet in the bible already said, a time for everything in life. During the Ball of HOPE Monika Rosenkranz as well as Ryan and Dennis presented each their donation result about the support projects they had run till now for HOPE Cape Town. Also here a word of thanks for the creation of wonderful trappings with the mummies for hope and the hard work of running for HOPE. As one can see, there are so many ideas how to support the good cause and there is no limit to creativity in doing so.

Filed under: HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Reflection, SA-German Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thank you for your support of HOPE Cape Town – Ball of HOPE

After the ball is before the ball – but first thank you to everybody who supported the Ball of HOPE in Cape Town last weekend. Here some pictures of the event and for those who still want to donate, the link of our online Web Donation page:

 

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Filed under: HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Networking, SA-German Chamber of Commerce & Industry, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ball of HOPE and bridging the gap

Sitting in Venice at the airport waiting on my flight to Cape Town via Frankfurt and Johannesburg I realize that in one weeks time we will have the Ball of HOPE . Being on a ship means also to be exposed to a different kind of crowd – often people who have never seen the realities of poverty and disease but on TV. It’s not their fault, it never came up and doing a cruise means often to pick all the beauty of every country and not being able to see behind the curtain of real life in the respective countries.

Being a bridge between worlds as a chaplain is one important task besides saying Holy Mass and attending to the needs and problems of those on such a cruise liner. It would be false to compare the needs in the township of Cape Town and those I hear about during such a journey. I have to realize that for problems and needs are very subjective and therefore to the person concerned equally important and to be taken serious. Maybe it is indeed a grace to be able to live in both of the worlds without comparing, but with the clear intent to bring those worlds closer together.

Bringing worlds together is also part of the mission when it comes to the Ball of HOPE. Yes, it is about charity, about raising money but also about bringing worlds together. May it be only a couple of kilometers – in Cape Town worlds are living very close together without having the chance, sometimes without wanting the chance to meet each other.

Let’s hope that the Ball of HOPE serves it purpose: to bring together people who realize, that we all have the right to live a decent and dignified life.

 

Filed under: HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Networking, Reflection, SA-German Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Society and living environment, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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