“Maybe it is best explained by the traditional Zulu saying umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu – meaning, a person is only a person through other persons.”
REVIEWS
Dear Reader The irresistible revolution Twilight
DANGEROUS SECRETS
Are you honestly the same person in your secret thoughts as the person everyone else sees?
ISSUE O2
JUNE
FROM THE EDITOR 4 Pleased to Meet You. 6 Mashed Thoughts.
TRADEMARK YOUR BODY
IN DEPTH 13 Connection Failure. 16 Dangerous secrets. 22 Church Phobia. 24 Bittersweet symphony. 28 Life’s an essay. 30 Trademark your body.
FEATURES 10 The spirit of togetherness. 18 Unknown boy. 26 Homecoming. 36 Lovin’ the loneliness.
REVIEWS 25 Dear Reader. 38 Irrisitable Revolution. 39 Twilight.
30 CONNECTION FAILURE
FUN FACTS 8 The Human Body
GUYS & GIRLS 32 Cliché. 34 Authentic Man.
DIY 40 The Jesus Prayer.
GALLERY 42 Cornel van Heerden
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When we connect to each other, the life of Jesus within us flows and comforts others. That’s when the love of Jesus flows through us unto others. True love heals, brings connection and restores a broken heart.
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LOVIN’ THE LONELINESS
10 INTRODUCING UBUNTU. The spirit of togetherness.
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UNKNOWN BOY
39 HOMECOMING Moving away from home is one of the biggest markers in a young person’s life. There is nothing like the feelings of freedom mixed with the overwhelming anxiety of doing something you have never done before
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BERDINE LE ROUX
LISHA VAN PLETSEN
Loud. Energetic. Thinker. Creative. Dreamer. Extrovert with a dash of shyness. That’s me in technicolor. I’ve just graduated with a BA Journalism degree at the University of Pretoria. I’m 22 years old, felt some of the love and some of the pain that this world has to offer. There’s still a lot to be learned. My curiosity is over-developed and I want to know everything about anything. I’m passionate about the arts and to tell the stories of life, by using the arts as tool. I love people but mostly and above everything else I’m totally in love with my Creator, Jesus Christ.
Art in any form interests me. Anything from performing arts to simple structures and textures would catch my eye any time of the day. I have to be part of something significant in life and if I could surround myself with those things I am happy. People, my husband, spirituality and bags are the big loves in my life.
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I am a full time photographer and what ever is left of the day I use for dancing. I am a dance teacher, choreographer and performer. In other words, any kind of picture frame makes me tick and keeps my imagination going.
Photographs: Lisha Van Pletsen
FROM THE EDITOR
FREDERICK KRUGER
ELISCA VAN DER WALT
Focus, Ideation, Futuristic, Maximizer, are some of my key strengths. I flourish in an environment where new ideas are envisioned and evolved into something real. Typomash is one of those ideas, and my aspiration for this publication is to enlighten, educate, uplift and enrich peoples life’s with fresh, life giving content not found anywhere else.
I am a creative person with a love for people, music, movies, the arts and adventure. I enjoy doing anything creative and spending time with friends and family. I love to travel wouldn’t mind if it was my full time job ...maybe someday! I am passionate about talking about real issues, facing the truth, growing emotionally and spiritually and seeing these things in other people’s lives. I believe we all have something to offer and we should all aspire to living our full potential.
I aim to bring glory to my heavenly Father by using the talents given to me, and at the same time help those around me who aspire to do the same.
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FROM THE EDITOR
T
ypomash is now well launched and everyday the number of hits on the hit counter is growing. I never thought that a mere dream could become this much of a reality. A few months ago, Frederick, Elisca and I were just fantasizing about an online magazine that would be different, that would be honest and would reflect reality. And here I am, writing the second issue’s editorial. We as a team would like to thank you, our reader, for your support and feedback on the first issue. Typomash is your magazine and we want to publish relevant and honest content that changes lives and shed light upon hidden truths. So keep on sending your requests, your thoughts and your feedback. As I read through the articles, I just realize that none of us are perfect. The world is so driven by perfection. And the truth is, we’re not perfect. I think it’s time we get honest with ourselves, but most importantly, that we get honest about ourselves around others. Showing weakness is perceived as being a weakness in itself. But actually you are much stronger if you admit to who you really are. A friend and I have this joke between us. When doing something stupid, we would 6
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say: “Admittance is the first step to healing.” Maybe this joke isn’t so funny after all, but actually very true. By admitting your weaknesses, you no longer live in the dark place, but in the light. I’ve found that if you are honest about your weaknesses, people tend to understand you a bit more; they have a bit more compassion. There’s a lot of stuff in Typomash 2 that will challenge you to acknowledge the fact that you are not perfect and that the world around you isn’t any better. But consider this: Start being honest with yourself. And hey, the perfect “I-have-it-all-together” guy next door is probarly having trouble, struggling with a few unsaid weaknesses himself. So all you Typomashers, (he-he, that’s my new word for you all) enjoy the second edition.
berdine@typomash.com +27 83 983 2760
INFO GENERAL INFORMATION Frederick Kruger: Designer/Director Berdine le Roux: Editor/Director Elisca van der Walt: Designer/Director
CONTACT DETAILS
Editor: berdine@typomash.com cell +27 83 983 2760 fax +27 86 626 3123 Sales: sales@typomash.com Feedback: feedback@typomash.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Berdine le Roux Coert Geldenhuys Christelle Combrink Celinda Groenewald Almarie du Preez Rassie Fourie Pieter du Plessis Sarah van der Merwe Elisca van der Walt Mynhardt van Pletsen Bouwer Bosch Chris Holohan Lourens Snyders Michelle Fourie Pierre du Plessis
SUB-EDITORS Jaco Schoeman Pieter du Plessis
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FUN FACTS
A single human blood cell takes only 60 seconds to make a complete circuit of the body. When you sleep, you grow by about The next day you shrink back to your for� mer height. The rea� son for this is that your cartilage discs are squeezed like sponges by the force of gravity when you stand or sit. The focusing muscles of the eyes move around 100,000 times a day. To give your leg muscles the same work� out, you would need to walk 80km every day. 8
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The average person in the West eats 50 tons of food and drinks 50,000 liters of liquid during his life. The lungs contain over 300,000 million capillaries tiny blood vessels. If they were laid end to end, they would stretch 2400km. The largest organ in the body is the skin. In an adult man it covers about 1.9m2. The skin constantly flakes away in a lifetime each person sheds around 18kg of skin.
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THE MAIN LINE
by Mynhardt Van Pletsen
It was February 1990 and I was 15 years old. We were at home watching the live broadcast of the release of Nelson Mandela from the Victor Verster penitentiary in Cape Town, South Africa. We didn’t know what to expect. Anything from catastrophic unrest to civil war was a very real possibility. Some were stocking up on cases of canned goods and batteries for electrical appliances, while others were building reinforced bunkers in the basements of their three story suburban homes. Me? Well, I was just happy to not be a junior in high school anymore. It wasn’t until about a decade later that I first started to ponder the massive forces at work that brought us to such a watershed moment in our country’s history. I’m not talking about the forces that got Mandela released and started South Africa on the road to democracy. I’m referring to the
unseen powers that worked within the emerging leadership, convincing them that from now on violence had no place in the Rainbow nation, and that peace and harmony for all South Africans, regardless of ethnicity, gender or race, were our highest future priorities. After 27 years in a maximum security prison, and many more decades of discrimination before that, what was it that made a marginalized man rise to power and grant the same opportunities for equality and prosperity to both the oppressor and the oppressed? Introducing Ubuntu. The spirit of togetherness. Ubuntu is the idea that my humanity is forever wrapped up in your humanity, that my existence depends upon yours. Maybe it is best explained by the traditional Zulu saying - umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu – meaning, a person is only a person through other persons. Belonging to others is central in becoming JUNE 2009 TYPOMASH
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THE MAIN LINE ourselves.
But who didn’t choose to do any of that.
Nelson Mandela knew all along that if any new regime would dehumanize the 10% that for about thirty years tyrannised the other 90%, they would do it at all too great a cost to their own humanity. The only way forward for a new South Africa, would be to do it in a way that benefits every single person.
Instead they chose peace.
There were others who shared Madiba’s commitment to togetherness as well. In 1999, Nobel prize winner and fellow South African, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, explained the concept of ubuntu as follows: A person with ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper selfassurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed. Slowly, the world was realizing that at the very south end of Africa there was a whole nation of people who had every right to take revenge, to have their way and to reversely apply the process of apartheid.
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Knowing that if it doesn’t work for everybody, it doesn’t work for anybody. In Madiba’s own words: Ubuntu does not mean that people should not address themselves. The question therefore is: Are you going to do so in order to enable the community around you to be able to improve? Gradually people realized that they didn’t just belong to themselves anymore, but to each other, and that their own spiritual, emotional and physical survival depended on the wellbeing of each and every other person in the country. Ultimately, it was ubuntu that saved South Africa. At 15, I was just glad that I didn’t have to spend the next decade in my neighbor’s basement, surviving on canned meat and sweet corn.
IN DEPTH by Rassie Fourie
Connection: “To be, or become, joined or united or linked…” Connection is not an unfamiliar word in today’s technological world. Connect to the internet or connect the wires of a sound system and you have internet or sound. One of the most frustrating parts of my day is during a connection failure. When the internet is disconnected, I have to find something else to do while I know my e-mails are heaping up somewhere in cyber space. I once heard that you know you are a connection freak if you switch on your computer before you switch on the kettle in the morning! In the same way, connection between people is very important. Connection failure between friends or just people is such a common appearance today. What it means to be connected to someone, should be redefined. With the internet, no commitment is needed. No “life” is needed. In an SMS, you do not need to face someone. I find myself SMS-ing when I do not want to face a difficult situation and I comfortably hide behind the fact that it is cheaper to SMS than to call. The 21st century provided us with technology and ways to not interact personally with one another. Interaction and personal connection are the only ways you can truly get to know another person. Connection is also a place where something deeper is shared between people, something that cannot be recreated, a secret place where all masks drop and two persons meet each other in raw honesty, face to face. Life meets life and something special emerges where two lives pour into each other. Pain is everywhere. Most of us are not sure how to deal with a hurting friend, so we retreat, reprove and then refer. If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything else will look like nail. JUNE 2009 TYPOMASH
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IN DEPTH I find myself SMS-ing when I do not want to face a difficult situation and I comfortably hide behind the fact that it is cheaper to SMS than to call.
Cheap answers are always plentiful. Real, deep connections which require effort, are rarely to be found. A man once built an iron gate for his house, one of those that work on an electric motor. One afternoon, while he was busy welding, the gate slipped off the rail and fell on his 1-year-old baby. As you can imagine this event was devastating. People came with cheap answers like: “The Lord has a plan with everything” or “all things work together for a greater good…” Cheap, quick fix, non-connection answers, the great retreat! His best friend came to visit every evening, brought hamburgers, cried with them, sat in silence with them, and just shared in the sadness of their loss. Afterwards the man said that the friend who shared in their pain meant so much more to them….because it was real. We are not sure what it means to connect with one another so richly that life goes out of one person into the other, bringing peace, restoration and support. A baby that falls down and scrapes a knee runs to the mother crying! This little kiss on the forehead is not the magic potion for the bleeding knee. It is the comfort. The comfort dries the tears, and the kiss is merely the love – action communicating the intended intention. In that case… maybe we never grow up? All of us need comfort, and the magic kiss, or the “I am alright” mask, or the flowers. We got used to superficial comfort and love. Masks rule our society and lives, true comfort, true connection and love are too challenging to give and receive
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IN DEPTH because we might not understand intimacy and the life of Christ. Like Romans 5 says, the life of Christ within us, saves us, guides us. By the life of Jesus we believe His death. But it also means His whole life; He is still alive isn’t He? When we connect to each other, the life of Jesus within us flows and comforts others. That’s when the love of Jesus flows through us unto others. True love heals, brings connection and restores a broken heart.
All of us need comfort, and the magic kiss, or the “I am alright” mask, or the flowers
The crux is this. If there is no or little connection between us and God, there will be no or little connection between us and others. There will be no desire to connect, be intimate without running away. The life of Christ brings true healing and the connection to Him alone overflows our beings with LIFE, to touch and restore one another.
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IN DEPTH
DANGEROUS SECRETS by Christelle Combrink Are you honestly the same person in your secret thoughts as the person everyone else sees? The only one who will truly know what is in your thoughts is God, the judge of all things. What do your secret thoughts look like? Are they full of hatred and jealousy, lust, feelings of rejection and incompetence, pride? Are you constantly comparing yourself to others? Are you secretly lonely and unappreciated? Selfish and puffed up? It’s a hard question to answer, especially if you don’t keep track of your thoughts. And even if you do, it’s still hard, because you don’t necessarily like the answer. What makes these thoughts so dangerous is that sometimes we aren’t even aware of them ourselves. We then live in the bubble of the false self, the false walk and the false Christian, judging others who do the things we secretly think about. The other danger is knowing your dangerous secrets and keeping it to yourself. You’re setting yourself up for a life full of shame and lies where you might never reach your full potential. Shame holds us back from being the person we’re created to be. All thoughts pondered upon long enough bear either good or bad fruit. Along with secrets come condemnation, and it’s not from God. But awareness of sin is most definitely from God. Reason: so we can “become more holy”. I started to pray this prayer a long time ago and I still have to pray it every now and then. 16
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Ps 139: 23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” The first time I prayed this, I did it with all my heart, expecting God to show me whatever He wants to, but I didn’t expect to find so much dirt inside of me. I never thought shame and peace could be felt at the same time, but they can, and it’s all because of Grace. Shame, because of the realization of sin in my life and thoughts, of course. Peace, because I know God is helping me by showing me these things and showing me that it’s not entirely up to me to get rid of this dirt. Be honest about your struggles, because “the truth will set you free.” Anything in the dark is a foothold for the devil to keep on bringing you down. The truth is, everyone struggles or has struggled in some area of his or her life. Admitting it only makes you more authentic and relevant to a world full of hurt and lies. You know what offends God in your thoughts, but you just can’t make them go away. You think you don’t have control, but you do. Sometimes the struggle is just so familiar to you that you unknowingly don’t want to let go. You might even enjoy it, for some reason that God will show you. Spend time with God being real, shifting your focus from you to God’s Grace. Start speaking life and Word into your thoughts and fight the good fight. If you fall, stand up. And if you fall again, stand up again. Don’t just let things be the way it shouldn’t. Fight! Through Grace, you will have victory! Do you have any dangerous secrets? Choose carefully and tell someone. Find your healing, take control and live in your victory. Become the person you and God want you to be, both in your secret thoughts and in your public appeal. Take His hand and walk the walk. Ps 139: 23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
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Mpele, 9 years old . Died Saturday 17 may 2008. It’s just another ‘normal’ Tuesday morning visit to Sisters of Charity in the Northern part of Gauteng with the rest of the team. The children have gotten to know us by now and, as we enter the big blue gates, they excitedly and speedily come running up to us. We’ve gotten to know more of the children’s names, but there are still too many to take in and not be confused. And these are only the ‘normal, healthy’ ones; I only know a few of the 35 severely deformed children’s names. The sister, who cares for all the children, appears out of the ‘empty’ room and greets us, but not as usual. This time, she’s wearing latex gloves. She explains that a new boy has arrived and she is just busy cleaning him, but wants us to meet him when she’s done. So we continue on our normal routine – some go to the babies’ room and pick up the small ones, others go to the disabled ones to greet and stretch them, others pull out the carpet and toys and enjoy the outside with the ones that are able to be there. Later, the sister comes and tells me that I should come and meet the new boy. As I walked into the room, I wasn’t sure where to look, until the sister pointed to the corner. In the bright autumn sun a small boy sat on a pink plastic chair. I asked how old he was, ‘nine’. I couldn’t believe it…he looked the size of a 4 year old. Coming closer, I saw his arms resting on the chair and his hands lifelessly hanging downward. His skin was peeling off because not only does he have Aids, he has TB (most likely drug resistant) 18
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UNMUTED by Sarah Van Der Merwe
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UNMUTED and was severely malnourished. I knelt down beside him, very aware of his fragile body; I gently put my hand on his back, somehow trying to give comfort without hurting him. I greeted him with a smile and asked his name. A soft voice answered: “Mpele”. “How are you doing?”(Dumb question I know) I wasn’t sure if he understood English. “I’m fine” he answered in perfect English. I had no idea what to say next, so I just stayed kneeling next to him. All of a sudden, he just says: “I want pie”. As he spoke, he unintentionally spat in my face. This startled me, because for the first time I realized why people are scared to interact with people with Aids. I felt exposed. But immediately I was comforted by Jesus, who used to hang out with lepers, who even ate with them. Jesus was close to the untouchables. We left that day, and I could not get little Mpele out of my head. That Friday we made an unexpected visit and the first thing I asked, was where Mpele was. The sister had put him in another room, because he was so sick. When we walked in, once again I wasn’t sure where he was. There were 3 cots, 2 boys sleeping peacefully, and one cot in the corner with a couple of blankets loosely lying on it. What I didn’t realize was that little Mpele was sleeping under those blankets. 20
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When we got closer, I moved the blanket and saw him lying there. “I want pie” were the first words he said when we uncovered his face. This was a picture I will never forget. It broke my heart. I spent some time with him, but we had to leave again… As I left, I prayed that the next time we see him, he’d be able to come outside for a bit. Be touched. Be a child again. Play. Smile. Laugh. On Saturday some members of our team was there, and I got an SMS just after ten: “Mpele just passed away.” All the sister said was: “It is finished.” And indeed, it was finished. All the pain, all the suffering, and now his true life could begin. This was the second person in three weeks that we had met a week before they passed away due to the Aids epidemic. I think, for the first time, I started to see the dark reality of this epidemic. Not only that: for the first time I realized the reality of life in ‘Africa’. The truth of the matter is that the life I live isn’t the life many live. Once again, I stood before God, not sure how to deal with all that we saw and experienced. But it all reminded me of the psalms, especially the ones we’ve been working through at
3rd place the last couple of weeks. Like psalm 69, 70 & 71(you can check out the teachings on www.3rdplace.co.za) After all is said and done, I still don’t know how all these things work. We live in the tension where heaven and earth meet. And even if it seems like God is not present, or that He has forgotten, I am reminded of what He has done and that He also faced the words ‘It is finished” in His life. And so, I’ve once again come to this conclusion…. I don’t know……why…. But…..I know God is good…. And somehow we’ll be okay….
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IN DEPTH Have you ever met, or do you perhaps know someone who dislikes the church? Someone who quit church, ironically, because of the church? Perhaps you are that someone? Well, I have many friends, including Christian believers and non-believers, who experience what is called Church Phobia: a fear of church. Recent events made me encounter this fear myself. Let me explain. I have been a member of the church all my life and attended church as part of the tradition of my Christian faith. I never truly questioned this tradition until other people’s views, my own church experiences and knowledge about global church activities led me to a taste of Church Phobia. For example, some churches use marijuana as a sacrament and promote nudity as a demonstration of human equality. Others aim to provide pet owners and pet a church of fellowship, praise and worship of the Lord Jesus Christ. While these are less common examples, one can’t help but ask the question:
How much of what is going on in churches came from God and what came from men? 22
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CHURCH by Almarie du Preez
1 Corinthians 3:16-19 “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him, for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool” so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.” Somehow, it makes more sense that people might develop Church Phobia, than a love for the church if church institutions continue to keep man captive. This is done by manmade hierarchies, rules, rituals and by upholding their own wisdom about right and wrong. Can we admit that the church as an institution can destroy God’s temple (people) by not practising what they preach and by often making it about man, and not God? Jesus himself was very outspoken about the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. Matthew 23:5-13 “Everything they do is done for men to see…they love the place of honour at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues…Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces.”
PHOBIA
Isn’t it time for anyone who believes that people are God’s temple, to reconsider the purpose of church as an institution (building)? Are we members of church because that’s how it’s always been done? Is the foundation of church based on the fulfilment of our own desires, visions and agendas rather than making Jesus Christ the central focus? Can we claim to love the same God if each church is fighting for their unique views, traditions and rules about Christianity? Isn’t Christianity the belief that Jesus Christ came to set us free? Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” Let me be very clear. I am not judging any church or suggesting that church institutions should not exist. In fact, I found many of my best friends at church, and worshipping God in my church’s youth band is by far my biggest passion. I am just urging us to respect it as God’s sacred property. Perhaps it is time to acknowledge people’s Church Phobia and let their reasons guide us to better ways of managing church as an institution. “Christianity is the most perverted system
that ever shone on man” – Thomas Jefferson I view church as a base camp to worship God, have fellowship, regain strength, and deepen our understanding and knowledge of the word, experience support, love and serve fellow “temples” of God, people, all people. But above all I view it as a place where we can be mobilised to go shine light in darkness. Experiencing Church Phobia was an uncomfortable but purifying process for me. It challenged my core beliefs about church, and I’ve learnt that, just because I am attending church, does not mean I am being church. And just as no human being is perfect, there will never be an ideal church, as it remains under the management of human beings. But we can allow God to be God in His church, by loving Him with all our hearts and souls and minds. Then the heart of the church can shine through, being a light to the world. In order for this to happen, we should constantly evaluate our own hearts and our own reasons for being part of a church institution, instead of just being consumed by tradition for the sake of it. Maybe then can we expect people to become church lovers instead of church phobians.
“Going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than going to the garage makes you a car” - Dr. Laurence J. Peter JUNE 2009 TYPOMASH
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IN DEPTH by Berdine le Roux loving you and me more than ever. Once again you open your journal and start to scribble down your thoughts of pain and disappointment. Tears run down your cheeks, and your head and most probably your feelings move faster than your hand and you start to write in circles. The only reason why the pain is gripping you so tightly around the throat, is because the one you love so much, did it again. Once again you are broken, held-back and in the gutter. You’ve forgiven. You’ve set them free. But every now and then the one you love does the exact same thing that’s been hurting you for so long. The one you love might abuse you emotionally or physically and in that way the hurt is so much harder to deal with. The bittersweet symphony never ends. You ask yourself, how could you even love this person? Or you feel guilty for loving someone who is hurting you again and again. But you have no choice, because you truly love this person. Don’t you think that is the way Jesus feels about us? He loves us so much, but we’re only human so we sin again and again. Think of Judas in the Bible. He was Jesus’ friend. He was one of the 12 closest to Jesus. He betrayed Jesus with His life, how painful is that? Jesus is the most perfect being, that’s why I believe that Jesus still loved Judas after he betrayed Him. He only hated the sin, the betrayal. Jesus separates the sin from the person, still 24
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“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.” - 1 Timothy 1:15-16, NIV Maybe there’s a little truth locked up in this for us, in the midst of our pain and disappointment. It’s a hard thing to do, but maybe we should start to separate the sin from the person. Maybe we need to lay down our pride, step back and understand that it is the sin which is actually hurting us. Maybe we need to see the ones we love through Jesus’ eyes. God demonstrates his own love for us in this: “While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:8, NIV There will always be people out there, wanting to mess up your life’s symphony. And, sadly, most of the times it will be those closest to you. That’s why I call this life a bittersweet symphony. Love the person, see beyond the bitter parts, see him or her through Jesus’ eyes and enjoy the sweetness.
REVIEW
Dear Reader
by Pieter du Plessis For those of you who might be wonderingwho in the world Dear Reader is, they are the re-incarnated version of the band previously known as Harris Tweed, who had to rename their group after a squabble with the clothing company by the same name. I first listened to this album in the car, which turned out to be a good experience. Nothing of great note, though. The same evening, I tried it with some good noise-suppression headphones. Wow. This CD is definitely what Death Cab For Cutie refers to as a “headphones album”. It needs good sound. And a quiet environment, preferably. This is because the allure of the music is very much locked up in the nuances of the songs. The little squeaks in the guitar, the atmospherics of a choir’s harmonies and the soft effects in the background, all add something to the whole feel of the album and should not be discounted. The style of the music could be typed as newfolk. The sound is mostly acoustic, with violins and acoustic guitars used liberally throughout the album. But this does not mean that it is a simple strummer and strings. No, there lies a sense of humour within the songs, and the lyrics express a strange view of the world. Serious subjects, like failing relationships and racial understanding, form a big part of the theme of the album, but the lyrics are quirky and fresh. They express an off-beat view of the
world, often approaching things from an unexpected angle. And this is a huge part of the appeal of the music. It is creative and lively.
The instruments are very well used. The sound is mostly minimalist, with flourishes of instruments counterbalancing the quieter parts impeccably. The climax of “What We Wanted”, where the sound of the Wits choir can be heard, is brilliant. The use of the same choir on “The Same” is beautiful, with an a-capella sound accentuated with piano and some brass instruments. This, especially, should be listened to on good noise suppression headphones. “Great White Bear”, a song that has enjoyed a bit of airplay on the music channel MK, is also included. The production is very good (another thing you realise with headphones). The singing is crystal clear, as always. The instruments are slightly obtrusive in a few places, but this doesn’t happen too often and does not detract much from the whole. The drummer does not overplay, but supports the music with simple beats, becoming especially evident when they play live. For those who enjoy quirky and sensitive indie/ folk music, this is a very good album. It is well balanced, with upbeat and sad songs, with crescendos and pianos. If you like Death Cab or similar acts, this would probably appeal to you. Definitely worth buying.
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by Chris Holohan Moving away from home is one of the biggest markers in a young person’s life. There is nothing like the feelings of freedom mixed with the overwhelming anxiety of doing something you have never done before. To have a place to call your own is powerful. I remember moving away from home. It was August 1997. I was 18 years old and had graduated high school back in May. I was heading off to a town 5 hours from where I grew up. My little 1987 Nissan Sentra was packed as full as it could be, and I was off. I clearly remember driving the distance with a little smile on my face, being so excited about what was going to happen now that I was on my own. I arrived at my new apartment, unloaded, met my roommates and felt like an adult for the first time. Then the time came for my first homecoming: a part of growing up and moving away from home. The reasons for the homecomings change. Sometimes they are for times of celebration and other times they are times of tragedy. The trip home also changes as you get older. At first they may be more frequent, but they seem to be26
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come less and less as one gets older. Trips home from University for me were always exciting. I would go home to celebrate Christmas with my family or to go to a birthday party of one of my close friends. I can remember the excitement of going home, the feeling that everyone will be so proud of me now that I have grown up and wasn’t living with my family anymore.
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE
my mom, because we’d found out she had cancer. It was a homecoming that was completely different from those a decade ago when I was at University. Although the family mood was somber, it was the most time my mom and I had spent together in years. I drove us down to the beach so she could walk on the sand and hear the sea. We walked on the sand and spoke about life and my marriage and had a good time catching up. It was hard for me to see her struggling to catch her breath after walking a short distance, but that’s the nature of this particular cancer. This was a homecoming I know I won’t forget.
There was a sense of pride in that I had been able to cook for myself and that I had managed to keep myself alive, as many questioned whether I would be able to do it. However, homecomings aren’t always for celebration. The purpose of the last homecoming of my 20s was to spend time with
Becoming an adult is a lot of fun, full of adventure and new opportunities Becoming an adult is a lot of fun, full of adventure and new opportunities. But, take some time for homecomings, because we don’t know for how long home will be there.
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IN DEPTH
N
ot too long ago, I started working at a high school as a youth-worker. Part of my responsibilities at school is writing tests for students who cannot write for themselves, for whatever reason. A while back there was one young girl with damaged ligaments in her hand, for whom I had to write for about three weeks. Together we struggled through everything from Life Orientation to Math and Accounting.
how, we learn. Take math for instance: a test of our ability to apply the correct formula to the correct problem to find the correct solution. All through high school we add new formulae to our bag of tricks to help us find solutions to the problems we face. In every new test, you pull from the bag what is needed to solve x, and the rest you discard as superfluous.
I am also involved in leading a small group of grade 11 guys at another school, a process of so-called spiritual discipleship. During the same time I again became aware of how many of the young people involved in the discipleship process know so many of the correct answers, but live so little of what they know. All of this got me thinking about how we approach life based on what, and
How many of us approach life in much the same way? We memorise all the rules and laws and facts and figures that we need to know to make us look outwardly acceptable.
We memorise all the rules and laws and facts and figures that we need to know to make us look outwardly acceptable
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Our own little bag of tricks, filled with things to say and do, ways to act and react, depending on the situation we find
by Coert Geldenhuys ourselves in. We pull from the bag what we need and the rest, we discard as superfluous.
that will be understood by everyone; for the enjoyment and edification of all who read it.
What if life isn’t so much supposed to be likened to a maths paper but much rather to the likes of an English essay? In writing an English essay, much like in maths, there are rules that apply. Rules regarding structure, layout, spelling and conjunction and so forth.
What would life look like if our approach to it was less mathematical, with certain rules applying to certain circumstances leading to a single solution, and more like an essay, with rules that always apply, but leading to the liberation of imagination and the freedom to dream?
The difference, however, is that the rules aren’t there to limit your options in regards to what you write. They’re not there to lead you to the one and only possible outcome or solution to the given subject.
What would your story be?
We memorise all the rules and laws and facts and figures that we need to know to make us look outwardly acceptable
And they’re not only applicable in certain circumstances. They always apply in everything you write, to guide in the process of writing your best possible story in a way JUNE 2009 TYPOMASH
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IN DEPTH by Celinda Groenewald They were basking in all their four-eyed glory, perfectly purple and perched on a plastic jewellery card. The pair begged me (for a bargain price of course) to take them home, put them on and hang them out. My earlobes were throbbing with anticipation, for soon those button earrings would be mine. Why all this excitement over a pair of ear-button couture? They were just so unique. Making a statement with them would be easy. Even the plastic card, having had the privilege of carrying such sweetness, spelled out the brand’s mission quite clearly: Trademark your body. Whoa. I’m trade marking my body with this? The earrings are impressively cute and all, but they’re trade marking me? It’s not like I tattooed a silhouetted likeness on my flesh or specially had an obscure piercing to accommodate them. This had me thinking: how do we trade mark our bodies daily? How do we choose to define ourselves? The people we surround ourselves with, the habits we support and the ideologies we embody – it all fits into each person’s unique button-shaped desires. Trade marking would mean to give oneself an identity. This identity would place you in a certain context of existence. And existing in such a context, you would find yourself living for a specific purpose, a purpose that would finally define a person as a trademarked individual. In explaining this phenomenon, buttons are 30
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really quite wonderful. I marvel at their usefulness, because not only are they ornamental, but they are really quite functional as well. Buttons keep pieces of fabric together. These fabric pieces are mostly cut and sewed into human form. The shirt, trouser, shoe and dress can all be perfectly moulded and held together by this ingenious device. Are we thus held together by these buttons? Are our personal trademarked desires fitting life’s button-hole? At the same time, we are all so busy decorating, buttoning it up or leaving it undone in a desperate attempt to be different. Still, even a small child is first able to manoeuvre a button-tie before he can manage shoe laces. We’re making it harder for our lives to fit than it was meant to be. Sure, why use buttons when a zipper would do the trick? Well, buttons are what we were given, but we always yearn for more. We want our desires to instantly claw their way up but forget it’s just as easy for them to go down. Not everyone can relate to any old button, so maybe we should bring the subject closer to home, being as close as one could ever be - literally connected. Belly buttons – the only trade mark of a life once shared. It’s the lifelinescar of oxygen, food and blood. It was once the highway of our lives’ only desires. Do your buttoned-desires still fit into a hole of Godly life? What trade mark of a once shared relationship do you still see? Maybe it’s time to button it up?
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Cliché
by Michelle Fourie
True womanhood is uniquely locked up in each woman’s heart...
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GIRLS
Womanhood. For some, it’s long
lost in the idyllic 1950’s picture of pretty golden curls, flattering eyelashes and a twirling flowery dress. For others, it might be hidden in-between the bulges of a yelling cleavage, or under the layers of shamedisguising make-up. In more “spiritual” circles, you would be referred to Proverbs 31(how encouraging). To be quite honest, I would call it cliché. It’s mind boggling how something so divine and powerful can be smashed down to something so fake and superficial. Our sensation seeking society has stripped intended beauty and dressed it with lust found in anything under a number 8, over a 32b and in the color range of dark blond to peroxide. (Nothing against blonds – I’m one myself.) We try so hard to conform to the expectations of this culture, whether it’s in pant size, career image, spirituality or superhero wife, a la Duracell Bunny.
The sad thing is that in the middle of this ongoing pursuit of happiness, we find ourselves confused, tired and without our deep rooted identity that’s written in the palm of God – your name, who you are.
Every little piece of your existence is perfectly shaped to be His glory, to be His purpose, to be you. You cannot live your intended purpose if you can’t accept who He made you to be. Striving to be something or someone else than who you are, ends in frustration, confusion and discontentment with life. True womanhood is uniquely locked up in each woman’s heart. It’s the being of what your heart beats and staying true to yourself and God. God has given us great power to strengthen, encourage and nurture. The world uses these godly assets and teaches us to use them in favour of its foul appetite. We throw our pearls at the feet of the swine, and end up defeated and heartbroken. We bargain with our most prized possessions – our hearts, our honor and our purity.
Femininity is not how much you look and act like a woman, it’s how much you treasure and preserve your true beauty. So, next time you go shopping and after a few minutes’ exposure to number 6’s , 32c’s and edited guy-magnet posters, don’t go home and change your wardrobe or amplify your gym schedule. Whether you are in your tekkies wearing no make-up or whether you are da diva, let the woman in you be what makes the heads turn!
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GUYS
here are few things quite as useless as a book you never open. Throughout human history, the book of masculinity or manliness has been opened and closed repeatedly. It has been hated, loved, idolised and idealised, twisted and misunderstood, forced and forgotten. The majority of men were left out in the cold, where they still find themselves today, some not even daring to ask “Who the hell are we?” Men. What images does that bring to your mind? Lancelot? Casanova? Braveheart? Kamp Staaldraad?? Beer? Braaivleis? They all seem plausible, maybe even true, but definitely inadequate when it comes to the essence of being a man. There must be more to us than just being the guys. Maybe all of these things, these cliché stereotypes have become convenient fronts for men to hide behind, because they have no idea who or what they really are. Some have more complicated fronts like “CEO” or “Pastor” or “Band” to hide behind… 34
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It’s easier to live according to the fake labels society puts on what is manly and what’s not, than it is to pursue the truth. And have no doubt that fake, social taboos never last. They always change, intensify or disappear, often causing great pain in people’s lives. In a way though, I do not blame us. We are sent into the world when we leave school with little more than a “Go and do something with your life”. That’s great, but we don’t expect a loaf of bread when we simply throw flour, water and yeast into an oven, do we? Why on earth do we expect a man to come out of life with so little guidance? But it must also be asked why, when qualities like strength, passion, endurance, bravery and integrity (to name a few) are displayed in a man, does it resonate so strongly within us? And why do we hate it so much if a man lacks these qualities? Like when he is lazy or self-centered. Or when he is cruel or brutal? Which brings us back to the start: What is a real man? Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) there exists no “7 M’s of manlihood”, no rulebook,
by Lourens Snyder
no recipe, only a revelation. Yes, a revelation. A complete manifestation of what the author of humanity had in mind for who and what a man is, the true heart of what a man is supposed to be.
He was not the ultimate nice guy (as he’s often portrayed), but someone who hated hypocrisy, loved deeply, suffered greatly and sacrificed everything. Not a single superfluous word ever left His mouth… Knowing Him is knowing life. And living is what we need to do every day, as men (and as women). It’s an ongoing process; every day with Him is sweeter than the day before You are as much a man as you’ll ever be, even though masculinity might still be a conundrum for you. But you do need to decide who you will follow, lies or truth? JUNE 2009 TYPOMASH
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As I’m sitting here pondering on how I should say what is on my mind today, Brand New’s song “Jesus Christ” starts playing on my iPod and this time I really listen to what Jesse is singing. “Well Jesus Christ, I’m alone again So what did you do those three days you were dead? Cause this problem’s gonna last more than the weekend” After listening to this 17 times, I realised that everybody in this world struggles with some form of loneliness. Everybody has a need to belong and be accepted. I have friends that are followers of Christ and I have friends that are atheists, and they all, at some of point in their life, go through a state of loneliness. I’ve heard a lot of people say that “there is a Godshaped hole in all of us”.This always makes me wonder about my relationship with God, because when I get lonely I know it is not because God left my heart or my life. But then, on the cross Jesus asked God why He has forsaken him. Maybe God takes us through a state of loneliness sometimes, just to show us that no one else and no material thing on this earth will bring true satisfaction to the soul.
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INSIDE THE MOSHPIT
by Bouwer Bosch When I think of it now, maybe “being lonely” is not about being alone after all, but rather being tired of nothing giving you satisfaction or solutions to your struggles. I speak to at least two people every night after our show about “being lonely” and “feeling empty”. It is a common topic to talk about in a club, because I know that the majority of people there are there to look for fulfilment in some area of their lives. Luckily, I know
that Jesus is just as present in a night-club as He is in a church. So I know that He will come through to people who are annoyed with church and who don’t want to talk to the “typical Christian”, always ready with some judgment or criticism. We were created to be different, so that we can make a difference. You don’t need a degree in rocket-science to be different. You do, however, need to realize that God has chosen you as a disciple and that you need to take that responsibility and use it with integrity. Become friends with people that are tired of church and that are tired of talking about Jesus, it’s time to help people experience Jesus. JUNE 2009 TYPOMASH
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REVIEW
The irresistible revolution by SAR der Mer we
But Jesus wasn’t crucified for talking about the poor, nor for talking with the leper. He was crucified for joining the poor and touching the lepers.
an
v AH
Why are we so intrigued by large numbers, big crowds and huge “success”? We so easily get pulled into a way of thinking that we need to be producers of the best whatever and win crowds over so we can bring change in the world. Sometimes we even think, if we just say the right things, we’ll be able to bring transformation and healing to a hurting world. We get caught up in the new fashion that is ‘charity’ or ‘justice’. We are so used to the structures of the empires we live in that we forget that another way is possible, that another world is possible. We cannot image the beauty of God’s world…
‘Charity wins awards and applause, but joining the poor gets you killed. People do not get crucified for charity. People are crucified for living out a love that disrupts the social order that calls forth a new world. People are not crucified for helping poor people. People are crucified for joining them.’ [page 129] This is the irresistible revolution… living out a radical love in a very ordinary way. Shane’s stories from his own life, living and working with Mother Theresa in Calcutta for three months, living in the inner city in Philadelphia, inspires you into simple action. It will cost you everything to live out this outrageous way Jesus speaks about, but it’s actually so simple. Really love God and people – with your life, with your words, with your choices, with your actions. As Mother Theresa said: “I cannot do great things, only small things with great love.” This book will inspire you into living a life that truly makes a difference. It will move you into action without a definite 7 step plan of how to fix the world. Instead it will stir your heart into the place from which Jesus did everything – love for God and love for people. It will move you to do small things with great love. The world might dub you a radical, but actually, all you would have done is become an ordinary follower of Jesus…. If you are not ready for change, rather not read this book… 38
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REVIEW REVIEW
Twilight is based on the first in a series of 5 novels written by Stephenie Meyer. It tells a modern-day love story between a teenage girl (Bella) and a vampire (Edward). Bella Swan, played by Kirsten Stewart, is the lead character and the leading man in her life is Edward Cullen, played by Robert Pattinson. I loved the movie! It was so beautifully done. I like the whole mysterious feel they created with the amazing locations, music, lighting and a wonderful cast. The movie provides quite a different take on the age-old legend about vampires. The Cullen family refer to themselves as vegetarians, because they feed on animals and not humans. The sun is no threat to them, other than it exposing their true nature, for their skins shine like diamonds in the sun. The film taps into adolescent desire for a deeper romance, even if it seems dangerous to outsiders. The deep and dangerous romance between Bella and Edward, and the on-screen chemistry between the two, was done beautifully. One of
by Elisca van der Walt the most profound lines in the movie is said in the breathtaking meadow when Edward talks to Bella: “...and so the lion fell in love with the lamb...” There is something about a deep and true love, despite all danger and reason, that resonates with something in all of us. Bella is sure of herself, yet harbors insecurities about acceptance and belonging. She is willing to risk and love, even if it will cost her her life. Edward, despite all that is instinctively part of who he is, chooses something different, something of value...a life of meaning rather than destruction. Beyond good lighting and music and a wonderful cast, the story of Bella and Edward seems to take people into a deeper place of reflection on love and quality of life... I believe that without love we have nothing left and without choosing to love, you yourself will never experience a true and deep love. And a meaningful life with true and deep love, is something we all so desperately long for, even if it means risking our ‘lives’. JUNE 2009 TYPOMASH
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DIY
The
JESUS Prayer
by Pierre Du Plessis
The Jesus prayer is a simple prayer that has its roots in the ancient church. It helps us to keep God’s name in our minds and hearts throughout the day. On one level it can be understood as a literal form of ceaseless prayer. 1 Thes 5:17 “pray without ceasing” So how do you do it? Like all spiritual practices the how is not what makes them effective, rather your intent and your willingness to be changed by God. The prayer is repeated out loud, or just in your mind. Whenever you have time or you are busy with idle work which requires little or no concentration, like washing the dishes, walking to the corner shop or working in the garden. Any manual labour is a good time to practise this discipline and manual labour is good for you anyway. The more you practise the prayer, the more it will begin to stick in your head (almost like a
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song!), even when you are busy with complicated tasks. You can also set aside a specific time (5 or 10 minutes) to say the prayer in the morning or evening. It helps to breathe in between each line of the prayer, say the line while breathing out and so on. This way the prayer becomes a part of you even more. You can also choose to say the prayer a certain amount of times and use a string of beads or a rosary to keep track. It is very important that the prayer is always said with a repentant heart and in true humility before God. The prayer (any prayer for that matter) in itself does not have any power, it is not magic. It merely places you before God or creates a space for God so that he can do what needs to be done. He has all the power.
The Prayer:
LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, HAVE MERCY ON ME. OR
LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, HAVE MERCY ON ME, A SINNER.
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Cornel and a few other photographers are part of an photographic exhibition that will be held from the 11th to the 27th of June 2009 at Platform on 18th in Pretoria
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Photographs: Cornel van Heerden - BEELD
GALLERY
Cornel van Heerden
Cornel is a young on the rise photographer working at Beeld, a daily newspaper in South Africa. He was recently a finalist in the Mondi Awards in the Sport category. He is a confident self-taught photographer who attended the photography classes of life. He is passionate about simplicity and truly believes in capturing a moment with a less is more-attitude. He enjoys shooting and will always wait a little longer to get that unique shot which everybody else missed. He is a funky, professional photographer who sees the world through a lens and is eager to capture memories as they go by.
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