MADIBA

On the 5th of December 2013 we had a storm in Harare and when I got home from work I heard that a tree had fallen in the garden. Not only had it fallen but when it fell it fell with a large hive of bees. If that was not enough because of the rain we had an electrical fault and the lights went out. It was in the early hours of the morning of the 6th of December when i woke up around 1a.m that I learned from facebook about the death of Nelson Mandela. As I had no electricity i could not watch the news and I saw nothing on the TV for two days until power was restored. The death of Madiba caused an out pouring of condolences from all over the world with facebook posts coming from all over the world from Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Bishop TD Jakes, President Obama, Maya Angelo and people who had never even met him people like me.I began to wonder who was this man? How can the whole world be touched by him. He has brought Obama and Castro in one room, Blair & Mugabe. The whole world is setting aside their difference to come and honour this hero. So who was this man? He was the man we all want to be. The man who can say I forgive you, lets live together, lets put the past behind us. For some us us who were children of Activists we never really experienced the harrowing effects of discrimination because independence came while we were young and though we were exiles in the West we came home just after Independence. Growing up in london we had some friends who were from South Africa and I remember that the struggle they spoke about seemed like the struggle for one country. They spoke of Zimbabwe and Azania (Which is what they called South Africa before independence). I never knew that Zimbabwe was actually called Rhodesia until the Lancaster House Agreements. When we moved to Zimbabwe in 1983 we moved into a house in marlborough with a large garden. It seemed like a mansion because in london we had lived in a two bedroomed garden flat. I could not comprehend that only a few years earlier we could not have lived in this house beacause of the segretaion Laws. Even trying to explain it to my daughter that if people had not fought against white supremacy gone to war and died we would still have been segregated to this day. It is to the many men , women and children who took a stand and said no that many of us enjoy the previledges we have today.It is because of People like Nelson Madiba Mandela, Robert Mugabe, Martin luther King, Mahatma Ghandi, Winnie Mandela, Samora machel, Kwame Nkrumah, Wilfred Mubvakure, Nelson Samkange,Zebadiah Gamanya, Charles & James Chikerema, Kenneth Kaunda, Joshua Nkomo, George Nyandoro,ndambaningi & Vera Sithole and the many many people who took a stand for freedom. Many of them we will never know. After I read Madiba's Long walk to freedom a few years ago I remember saying to myself that I as the next generation still had a struggle to fight. Not an armed struggle but a struggle to improve the lives of our people, to fight against social ills. In particular I feel called to work in the area of education to build libraries all over the country. To give children the chance to better themselves through books. God has positioned me for such a time as this and He has prepared me over the last 11 years. Life is not about riches and power its about making a difference in the lives of others Its about being passionate about whatever you choose to do. As Madiba said no one is born racist we are taught to be racist. So if we can be taught to be racist we can also be taught to love and not be prejudiced. The many people who took up the armed struggle were able to make tough decisions and fight and kill because that is what was warrented but those same people where able to put their arms down and forgive. Tommorrow the world decends on South Africa to honour a man they once called a terrorist, a man who has now impacted the world. Thank you Nelson Mandela. We will carry on this legacy that you and many others have left for us. May your soul rest in peace.

EXPECTATIONS

Sometimes life does not turn out how you expected it to be. Sometimes we hope for something but the outcome is totally different from what we expected. What do you do when your hopes are totally shattered? I know for me I hang on to the scripture that has sustained me my whole life, "I know the plans I have for you declares the LORD. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, Plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 It gives me comfort to know that God is thinking of me and not only thinking of me but also planning a great future full of abundance and hope. I hold on to God because he can be trusted. Many times man will disappoint you but God will not because he has already laid out your path for you. Everything in our lives leads us to the path that God has set before us. Sometimes even a chance meeting or being in a certain place at a certain time will position you for your destiny. We must learn to see the opportunities that God has laid before us. We must learn to hear the voice of God. To follow his propelling and not shrink back. If God is for you then who can be against you! Prayer is a very important facet for God's will to be done in your life. Meditating on the word of God will also take you in the right direction. The LORD says that this is a spiritual battle and we must take up spiritual weapons inorder to suceed in Gods plans for us. We must learn to say God your will be done in my life. Sometimes that is painful because while our spirit may be willing the flesh is weak and not really ready to take the pain that we must sometimes go through to get to where God wants us to be. Prayer and bible study, start there. Even if its for a few minutes a day. Be in prayer and bible study everyday consistently and watch circumstances begin to change around you, watch doors begin to open for your, watch your destiny that was planned by God come to fruitation in your life. With God all things are possible.

Live today like its your last!

I saw a quotation today that said something to this effect...stop living like your life is a rehersal. I thought to my self for sure thats how we act like we are rehersing and if we reherse over and over again we will be able to get it right. Unfortunetly life is not a rehersal, with every heart beat you are living it, with every breath you take you are creating your history. A friend of mine past away last week and was buried yesterday.She would have turned 45 this month. When I heard of her death I was hurt and thought to my self is this it, is this all there is? Wow! But you know what this is it and we need to make the best of it. If you dont like your job or what you are doing now start making plans for a complete career change. What is it that you love to do. I made a complete career change from being a banker and then an HR Consultant to becoming an author and a bookseller. Words and books are my true love. Of course there is a bigger picture... I want to introduce books into schools. Not all children have access to books you would be amazed how many schools have nothing for the children to read. Books take you to another level. You can travel anywhere in the world with books. lets build libraries. You see how passionate I am about books I was getting carried away. Going back to the topic, I thought if this were my last day on earth what would I do? I would want to hug my children, maybe tell them how much I loved them and how much I believed in them. I would want to really look at them to remember them and maybe give them some advice. I would want to look back on the life I had lived and remember the good times and the challenges as well. I would spend some time in prayer and meditation with the Lord. I probably wouldnt go into work that day, lol. All I am saying is lets make our lives count. That thing that you love to do get into it, do it. It will make your life better and it may change someone elses life too. Have a wonderful day and live like its your last.

Be Faithful In Small Things

It was Mother Teresa who said "Be faithfull in small things beacause it is in them that your strength lies" Once upon a time business deals where sealed with a handshake, your word was your bond and you would rather die than break it. These days however, we are forced to sign long and detailed contracts because there is no trust. One of the parties may not keep their word. There is a chinese word Guanxi which means strong realtionships. In China many business deals are based on Guanxi. Strong relationships that see business growing together for years and years. A win win situation you could say. Yesterday we had an appointment to showcase some books to a high ranking official from the opposition Party MDC . When the time came the honourable Minister did not show. When phoned he said something had come up and he could not make it. If we had not phoned him would we have waited for him for hours and hours. Surely a phone call to us to apologise and reschedule would have surficed. It made me think his word meant nothing. If he could not be faithful in a small thing like that could I trust to give him and his party my vote in the upcoming election. Surely they would handle all things in this manner. We need to regain that ethic that if I say something that I will do it and if I cant I will communicate. If you borrow money pay it back. If you cant then communicate, say something dont just be quiet, communicate. Why do we have this attitude that its ok to treat people unfairly. I wrote a book a few years ago and published it with a Zimbabwean publishing company based in the uk. They did a good job but they never paid one single royalty. They continue to advertise and sell our books but pocket the rolyalties. How do they expect to survive in business if they are not faithful in the small things. Ones strength lies in your faithfulness in the small things because thats when you start to build relationships. Thats when you get a reputation of being honest and reliable. God help us to be faithful in the small things for therin lies our strength.

GOOD BYE MUMMY

I have been told that the number 7 is the number of completeness its been 7 months since my mother passed away and its time to say goodbye. At the funeral you are in a daze, you watch the coffin go down into the ground and its covered up with the earth. That should be the end but its not because its difficult to let her go. The children are so strong, I wonder sometimes do they cry in the night. They were her best friends, always there for her, listened to her advice, were told many secrets. We have had the priveledge of living in her house for the last couple of months,perhaps that gives us a chance for closure. The house I spent my teenage years in. How does one let go of those years. I always say thank God for memories. I believe that memories are one of the greatest assets God gave us. The ability to retain and recall experiences. I have also learnt in this time that blood does not always mean family. I have been able to let a lot of things go and its time to let you go too. Good bye mummy. You will be forever in my heart.

Behold I am doing a new thing!

My friend My best friend just phoned me to say she has been admitted into hospital for emergency surgery. Its at times like this that you reflect on life, you begin to think about what is really important. We cry for material wealth, looking for ways to make more money but when it comes to a time like this you realise that all those things are meaningless. What matters is people. What matters is the relationships you build in life, the lives that you touch and change. I first met my friend 15 years ago. She had just lost her husband and had moved to the capital with her two year old daughter to start over. I was working as a recruitment consultant and she came in to apply for a job and she did some temps for me and we became friends. I invited her to the church I was attending at the time and studied the bible with her. Little did I know that this was to become my solid and life friend. Together we endured so much, the breakdown of marriages, the birth of our children, birthdays of our kids, the loss of children, the loss of parents. New jobs, losing jobs, good health, poor health. We went through it all and somehow we were able to laugh through it all. We were always able to laugh until our sides hurt and somhow we were able to go on and excel. God said behold I am doing a new thing perceive it and receive it. This is not the end it is only the beginning. There are so many more memories to create. Thank you God for life. Amen.

HAVE FAITH LIKE POTATOES

My Sekuru (Uncle) Andrew who lives in London is on a six months holiday in Zimbabwe. He is my mothers brother. He just got up 3a.m to drive out to Gokwe about six hours away from the capital. He is going out to the rural areas to plant his potatoe seeds. Once in a while something touches me and I am propelled to my blog to write. Sekuru Andrew reminded me of Angus Bachan Man of God from South Africa who one year deciced that he was not going to plant the traditional maize but was going to plant a field of potatoes. Everyone thought he was mad but he decided he was going to have faith in God that his crop would come through. The problem with potatoes is that you cannot see them grow like Maize. Right now I have a field of Maize planted at home and I feel such pride as I watch it grow. Pride because I am really not much of a farmer but watching it grow makes me feel good. I doubt I could do potatoes because potatoes you dont know if you have achieved anything until its time to harvest and its only when you dig through the earth that you see wether you have a crop or your labour has been in vain. So there I stand as I watch my uncle drive of in this brand new year . Its good its a new year a chance to start again, a time to redifine your life. In 2012 Sekuru Andrew lost His Wife to Cancer in the same year He lost his Sister (My mother) to Heart Failure and He lost his mother who was 93 years old. He personally organised the funerals of these three instrumental women in his life. Repatriating the body of his wifo and best friend of almost forty years to zimbabwe so that she could be buried at home. Later my mother passed away in London while on holiday and he again had the ardeous task of repatriating her body to Zimbabwe for burial. And while he came for holiday at the end of the year to rest and recuperate from all his loses he faced yet another loss when his mother suddenly fell ill and died in Intensive Care. No one could blame him for falling into depression after such a year of loss but as I look at my uncle he gives me hope because he has remained positive, he has remained strong. He has faith that there is a better tommorrow and that life truely does go on. He has a smile on his face most of the time perhaps pain in his heart but he has decided to live. In life there are things that throw us off course. Obstacles we never expected that can drive us down but we need to make a concious decision to be happy. I read somewhere that happiness is a habit that needs to be cultivated. Decide to be happy today no matter what you are going through, plant those seeds of faith that tommorow will be a better day and even if like the potatoe seed you cannot see the fruit of your labour right away know that something is growing and you will reap a harvest. Remember life is just worth living. God bless.