Logic vs Faith

It seems to me that so many times that my faith is diametrically opposed to my logic. The voice of faith constantly reaches out into the unknown the unseen and calls things into existence that are not currently. Faith simply says if God says it then it is real.

However, the voice of logic is at work around every one of these faith thoughts. I’m good at thinking things through and finding the logic path to a conclusion. That ability made me a good computer geek but it seems to cause me to stumble in the process of growing my faith.

I look at what Jesus has done through Susan and me in Africa as I contemplate this battle. The one thought that comes streaming to the front of my mind… “What if we didn’t obey the voice of faith”. We had so many logically reasons to stay in our comfortable suburbean life but for some reason the voice of faith kept stirring in us. As we continue to seek Jesus about what that “something more” was it became apparent that the Lord was asking us to make a very illogical leap of faith into the life of missions. Leaving behind everything known to go to a place on the planet that everything seemed exactly opposite of everything we knew and had experierened.

I’m so thankful for the grace that God gave us to make that leap. I see the love, the cycles of hopelessness broken, the transformation happening because we won that battle. Now our family faces another faith vs logic battle as we re enter life in the United States to share the story of how Children’s Cup is breaking into the hopelessness of thousands of children to bring a ray of love and hope that leads to transformation.

As my father-in-law Dave Ohlerking would say “Hope’s name is Jesus”.

A scripture I keep chewing on as I face the battle between logic and faith is found in Corinthians 10:4-5

For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,

⁵[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),

I hope by reading this you will be encouraged to let the voice of faith overthrow and destroy the strongholds of reasoning and fear that keep you bound. God has plans for us that far exceed what we can come up with on our best day. They are huge.

GO FOR IT!!

Mauritania - 100 Ouguiya 2008 Hybrid

One Hundred Ouguiya, Dated 28.11.2008 PNLReverse

ICC Cricket World Cup

Last month the ICC Cricket World Cup was played in India (as you undoubtedly already knew). Living amongst South Africans, Indians, and British I had the incredible opportunity to throw myself into the world's most popular sport.

Upsetting as that last statement may be, I really do believe it's the most watched sport but I don't understand why (and I really tried). The South Africans love the sport as indicated by all the TVs in the office tuned to the tournament all day. Furthermore, my client counterpart plays for the South African women's national team and my Indian colleagues wouldn't even pretend to work when the Indian side played, their chairs would be turned towards the TV for the duration of the game... and its a 6-8 hour game. Lastly, to top it off, I had a cricket fantasy team. How's that for getting involved?!


In the spirit of cricket I found an especially British narrator explaining how they invented the sport: Cricket Explained. The game is so English its scary, there are even defined breaks for tea. Contrary to popular American belief most of the current versions of the sport are not played over multiple days. The World Cup and Indian Premier League (IPL) are both shortened and last the course of an afternoon or half a day. The athletic principles of the game are very similar to baseball but the rules are very different (Google the longer explanations if you are still interested).


Although I won't be a lifelong cricket aficionado, I have a new respect for the sport and it was another authentically South African experience. I had a great time talking the game, knowing the players, and I even got 2nd in our fantasy league (I didn't have the bias of some of the other players as I was definitely the only team with both Pakistani and Indian players). I have even been invited to play in my coworkers' Saturday pickup game which I am sure will be humbling.


I had boasted that this year's Super Bowl was the most watched sporting event in history but it appears that the India vs. Pakistan semi-final definitely surpassed that mark with an estimated 1-2 bil viewers (Wikipedia: Most Watched Television Broadcasts). That's impressive even for a baseball fan.


Bonus knowledge:
In the top 45 prime-time network telecasts in the US are 22 Super Bowls. After this year's game, the 49ers vs Bengals in Super Bowl XVI had the most viewers. 49% percent of American households tuned in.

Hlengiwe Mazibuko

Hlengiwe Mazibuko is a sweet spirited young lady who is a very hard worker. She lives in the “I Am Not Forgotten” orphan home in Mpolonjeni because she has lost both of her parents to HIV.

Hlengiwe is 13 years old and in the third grade. She is ranked number 4 in her class out of all the students, and she is very proud of her accomplishments so far this year. Even though she is one of the older girls in her class, it doesn’t bother her because she is very thankful that she can even attend school and receive an education. Because life was very difficult for her growing up, she was not able to attend school every year……the school fees were to expensive. Therefore, she values her education and knows how important it is. When asked what she liked most about school she said, “School helps to give me an understanding about life and how to cope with things that I face on a daily basis.” She said when she grows up she would like to be a teacher. Hlengiwe has a real love for learning and wants to be able to teach others everything she has learned.

Thank you for investing in Hlengiwe’s education and helping her to accomplish the goals she has set for her future.

Help Send a child to school by getting involved in our Back2School Project at:
http://childrenscup.org/get-engaged/back-to-school-bags/

Statement of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Swaziland

Statement of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Swaziland, 8 May 2011

The Central Committee of the Communist party of Swaziland met in Mpumalanga Province in South Africa over the weekend of 7-8 May for its first session since the founding conference of the Party on 9 April this year.

The CPS reviewed the process of building the party’s structures and the work of its office holders, the current situation in Swaziland and the state of the broad movement for democratic change.

The CC of the CPS welcomes the growing unity within the trade union movement in Swaziland shown by the merging of the two union federations to form the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland. The CC noted that this is the result of persistent efforts to achieve unity within the Swazi labour movement and is an important advance for the working class. This will allow greater coordination among workers and their unions in fighting the efforts of the Mswati regime to slash wages and impose worse working conditions in an effort to stave off its economic collapse. It will also enable the working class to mobilise more effectively on the broad political agenda of democratic change in Swaziland and to increase the militancy of the working class against Mswati and his corrupt and useless government.

The CPS will work hard to help build TUCSWA to achieve the strongest possible base of unity within the organisation.

The CC discussed the state of the pro-democracy movement in Swaziland and the need for a more concerted socialist perspective and agenda within the movement. The CC noted that recent and past protests in Swaziland on labour issues and for democratic change were carries first and foremost by the working class and the poor. It is their representation within the broad movement for democracy – including within PUDEMO – that needs to be strengthened.

The CC discussed the growing efforts internationally to draw attention to the callous and wasteful behaviour of the Mswati court and welcomed calls by the ANCYL on artists to boycott the celebration of Mswati’s birthday. The CC further calls for a comprehensive commercial, cultural and sports boycott of Swaziland. Much of the campaigning work of the CPS will be devoted to raising support for such a boycott, in addition to stepping up the use of border blockades to disrupt the economic lifelines of the Mswati regime.

The CC noted that the increased attention on the behaviour of the Mswati regime internationally needs to be augmented by more information on Swaziland’s political and economic situation. The tendency in some sections of the international press simply to present Mswati as a buffoon masks the hard realities facing our people and the struggle for freedom and democracy in our country.

The CC examined the development of the CPS’s work and discussed how to make it more effective despite the situation of scarce resources. The Party is in the early stages of its development and needs to work simultaneously on a number of fronts to build its capacity while advancing the form and content of the struggle in Swaziland – principally among the working class and the poor – and in cooperation with key structures of the pro-democracy movement. The CC also looked at the efforts of the CPS to develop its international and solidarity work and information work, as well as the organisation and work of the CPS commissions on women, workers, peasants and land workers, and youth.

Members of the CPS based in South Africa will assist the SACP and the Alliance movement as a whole in ensuring a robust ANC victory in the local government elections on 18 May. We view the success of the ANC-led Alliance in furthering the National Democratic Revolution as being crucial not only to progress in South Africa but ultimately to the progressive development of the Southern African region, including Swaziland.

Long Live Socialism!

Long Live the CPS!

Long Live working class internationalism!

Down with the Mswati regime!

Yes to a Socialist Swaziland!

Contact the communist party of Swaziland

General secretary: Kenny Kunene

Cell: 072 594 3971

Email: **ken.manze@gmail.com**

International organiser: Felix Mabaso

Cell: 074 922 8277

Email: felixmabaso@yahoo.com

NEIL!!

Just to set the record straight before any of you start making judgments....


- It's true, I went to a Neil Diamond concert at Soccer City.
- Heck no I didn't tell anyone I was going.
- Somehow I knew EVERY song but definitely did NOT sing. (Are we born with the lyrics to every Beatles, Phil Collins, Bruce Springsteen and Neil song ingrained in our minds??)
- Fact, Neil and U2 are the only two concerts to sell out the massive stadium.
- Okay, I sang along to Coming to America and Sweet Caroline and Song Sung Blue and Shilo and Brooklyn Roads, but that was all!
- No no, I did not purchase the tickets... they were a gift... to Willem... from his dad (AHHH now it's all coming together).
- ...and Cracklin' Rose and Forever in Blue Jeans, but no more. Swear.
- Neil is ancient.
- ...possibly Soolaimon too, but I don't really remember clearly.
- Did we have a good time? No comment.
- ...and Kentucky Woman