Being a blessing

Dear friends,

I woke up in the wee hours of the morning thinking about how it can be so easy to be a blessing to the lives of people around us. I was thinking about he various situations that I have gone through in life and how at each of those opportunities it was going to be easy either to say the right thing that lifts someone up or say the opposite that leaves a person with a heavy heart and negativity.

We are all created uniquely and it is through this uniqueness that we should be able to complement each other across gender, race, colour or even ethnic divide. I always say that there is more that unites us as human beings than what divides us. The challenge is always then when one person sees himself or herself more highly than the other people or a case of the Animal Farm where some animals are more equal than others.

A few days ago whilst sharing with some colleagues at work, I mentioned that all it takes for the human race to advance in a manner of dignity and respecting other people’s rights is when we all decide to love the next person. There are various arguments that people put forward as to why inequality exists but outside these reasons we should all be able to assist the person next to us, be able to reach out to the poor people and be of good cheer.

I have come across people who find it very difficult to give something! Whether it is giving off of your time, paying for education, giving food, advice, mentorships etc. We all have something to give and through giving we will be unlocking great value not only in ourselves but in those people that we are reaching out to.

This morning I was also reflecting on what kind of trail I want to leave behind on the people that I meet on a daily basis…what sort of impression do you leave? Are they going to be happy or dejected? Whether you're on the phone or on the Internet with them, or you're in an appointment, or whether it's a casual contact, or it's with your mate, or your roommate, or your son or your daughter, or you parents, what kind of gift could you give them on this occasion? Too often we look at it the other way, "What gift can they give me?" We go looking to them for some attention, or information, or affection. What connection does this person have that I could use? What promotion could they give me? What money could they give me? Well, this doesn't talk about living for you to impart to me. It's about me imparting to you.

So friends, we are out there to impart something in the lives of others. Rekindle the dying flame. Many people are suffering, outwardly they may look fine and that all is hunky dory but deep down they are hurting etc…it thus is important for us to be able to speak into the lives of people and leave them better off than they were.

Friends, find an excuse to be a blessing in the lives of people around you!

 Be blessed!

 Until next time,

Patrick

Romans 1:11: Apostle Paul says to the Roman Christians, "I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong."

Zim elections-Moving forward

Dear friends,

This post comes after our much awaited harmonized elections that saw the electorate voting for their ward councillors, members of parliament and president. The hotly contested election came after 4 years of a government of national unity in which the former opposition had joined forces with the long serving party in Zimbabwe. Though at times dysfunctional, this unity government managed to bring a lot of stability into the economy, health, education and other sectors. The general populace began to put some faith and trust into the systems of government and this led to peace prevailing in the country.

The elections have now come and gone, results favour one party whilst losing parties are crying foul of the results that obviously did not go the way they thought. I was terribly surprised at the results of this election, judging by the mood, hype and excitement that the electorate had, I was bracing for a radical change in governance and with keen interest awaited the future that lay ahead for the country. The doom and gloom that has characterized the country in the past few days post the elections is evidence of a people whose hopes have been dashed.

Those who have followed the Zimbabwean story, know that the past 13 or so years have been very tough for the ordinary Zimbabwean, particularly when we look at the macro economic environment prevailing at that time. Bread and butter issues have been on the mindsets of Zimbabweans on a daily basis and hope lay in the election of a fresh government, untainted by corruption scandals, patronage systems and abuse of institutions of government. Therein lay the hope of the masses, that a new government would restore their dignity, restore the country to be a breadbasket and that the former glory of the country would be revealed once again.

Well, that did not happen as envisaged and a dark cloud hovered over the country as election results were being announced. Was this the will of the people? Where is God in all this? How are we going to survive the next five years? These are questions I heard many a Zimbabwean postulate. I, too have had so many questions, many of which remain unanswered. Zimbabweans are a docile lot, why don’t they take to the streets to protest, why don’t they unseat the elected government? These are some suggestions that I have heard from various ones as they ponder over the Zim electoral crisis as it were.

I humbly submit here and now, that Zimbabweans are not a docile lot, Zimbabweans know too well that taking to the streets will lead to the governing party unleashing various arms of state security onto the people, killing, maiming and torturing them in the process. Zimbabweans know too well that the end is in sight, that whatever repression they face has an end date, that the answer to what is being called a crisis lies entirely in the hands of our Creator and all will be done to glorify Him. In God we trust!

Until next time,

Patrick

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.
-Anne Frank