Monday, March 22, 2010

Coming Together!



Where is the place and space for people to be people? In a world filled with orders of state, and social realities of race, class and gender, which results in a society of have and have nots - one has to wonder if there is a place and space where coming together can be realized without social dictatorship.
Bonheoffer would advocate that a place and space where social equality and fairness in engagement is possible. Bonheoffer would suggest that such a place and space is a dialogical place where the I and the other choose to move from their place of social comfort to a place social risk. The risk is stepping into a common place without a desire to control the other.
Over the next few days I will be working alongside Rev. Dr Curtiss DeYoung to propel a place and space where people can come together. This coming together will be injected by spells of keynotes, preaching, teaching and insights offered by Curtiss DeYoung, in various places and spaces across Johannesburg. It is an honour to work on propelling a project that will allow people to come together and address matters of inclusion, diversity, race, class and gender, leadership and organizational change etc.
Curtiss has just released his latest book entitled, “Coming together in the 21st century”, and whilst moving from one place to the next in the coming week, it is my hope and prayer that our project:”Coming together”, will inspire, lead and surprise people as they discover and arrive at insights that will aid a brighter future for South Africa and our global community.

Schedule of engagements and comings together:
• On the Date: 23rd March 2010
Time: 10am – 11am (Coming together – a dialogue on reconciliation in the workplace)
Venue: Young and Able offices,
Office 160, Dunkeld West Centre - 281 Jan Smuts Ave, Cnr Bompas - Dunkeld - 2196
Host: Buhle Dlamini
Contact: info@youngable.com - Phone: 27 11 341 0190
• On the Date: 23rd March 2010
Time: 6:30pm – 8:00pm (Coming together in Alex – a service and preach)
Venue: Stand No 2561 – Laduma Street, Extension 7 Far Eastbank, Alexandra Township.
Host: Pastor Charles Mokoena
Contact: 084 423 7735
Email: efm2030@live.co.za
• On the Date: 24th March 2010
Time: 9am – 11am (Coming together in an age of diversity)
Venue: Liberty Church, Discovery campus, 51 Celeste Crescent, Discovery
Cost: FREE, coffee & muffins will be served
RSVP to ed@libertychurch.co.za ASAP
• On the Date: 25th March 2010
Time: 10 am – 11:30 am (Coming together in the 21st century: “Woman in ministry” {keynote, followed by discussion and dialogue, q & a})
Venue: Church of the Nazarene, Penguin Street, Extension 1 , Lenasia
Host: Pastor Russel Abrahams
Contact: 011 852 5219
• On the Date: 26th March 2010
Time: 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm (Coming together in the 21st century: “Non- racialism as an ideology, a consciousness and way of life for the future” {keynote, followed by discussion and dialogue, q & a})
Venue: 57 Twin Centre, ANC Lenasia
Host: Mickey Padiachee
Contact: 011 854 2745, mickeypadaiachee@yahoo.com
• On the Date: 28th March 2010
Time: 9am – 11am
Venue: Jeshua, Reformed Church in Africa, 613 Greenwich Street, Lenasia South,
Contact: Rev. Seth Naicker 079 482 7445
It is wonderful to see these wonderful opportunities come together. It is my honour to facilitate and realize this moment, when my mentor, friend and Doctor Father of Reconciliation studies and ministry will speak from various spaces and places including the pulpit at the local church community that I am serving. Let’s come together in the 21st century!
Rev. Seth Naicker

Monday, March 8, 2010

Football for Hope in the township of Alexandra, South Africa!


I have been reflecting upon the awesome opportunity I have, in being a part of the festival organizing team of the Football for Hope Festival 2010. I work in operations and have the responsibility to manage procurement and services. In and amongst my everyday work there are those most inspiring moments. One needs some inspiration when you see the social realities that exist in and around Alexandra.

I am a patriotic and hopeful African, and one who has chosen to wrestle with social change as a life mission, so I propel the spirit of Ubuntu- a spirit of togetherness. I am a firm believer in Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu (A person is a person through other people). I believe whole heartedly in “I am because you are.” But while I am hopeful, I am also realistic. In Alexandra while there are wonderful narratives and testimonies of people like President Nelson Mandela, who once resided in Alexandra and journeyed from prisoner to president, we cannot ignore the continued struggle of hundreds upon hundreds of people who live on in the tiresome and socially depressing ethos of Alexandra.

In the social realities I see and observe, I wrestle with my own middle class South African Indian existence, and that of my fellow South African brothers and sisters. In my work and core responsibilities I count it great joy to advocate, represent and be a driving agent on the ground for a movement such as Football for Hope. Football for Hope and the ideologies that underpin it, present many inspiring moments as I go about securing service providers and negotiating for spaces and services according to our development budget restrictions.

It has been an awesome experience through meetings and presentations to remind fellow South Africans and others of a social change agenda, which we must propel in our work and delivery through the platform provided by the Football for Hope Festival 2010. It is most inspiring to see people responding positively to a social ethic and concern, which seeks to serve others before serving ones’ self:

A social ethic and concern which seeks to rectify the wrong-A social ethic and concern which seeks to resist being entangled by self interest and greed-A social ethic and concern that serves the agenda of social change in a local and global focus.

I am perplexed at times by the hurdles of our everyday work. I am conflicted at times by the self centred interests that seem to dominate and suppress social change. I am at times furious and angered by the continued injustices I see in my everyday world.

But let me tell you: I am able to keep on keeping on with a fierce urgency when I think of the bigger picture and the amazing work that we collaboratively will achieve when it has all been said and done. When that day arrives I hope that my contribution will be measured by my actions and not just my words, in propelling social change and my operational delivery in the Football for Hope Festival 2010.

Operating in excellence!
streetfootballworld
development through football
Seth Naicker
Football for Hope - Festival Organising Team
operations coordinator


e-mail: naicker@streetfootballworld.org | www.streetfootballworld.org