Thursday, 31 October 2013
Tuesday, 1 October 2013
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“Although the world is
full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it” Helen Keller
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“The signs and evidence of pain and suffering are
everywhere. Sometimes it is close by while other times it hovers in the
distance, touching others.” – A.Jennings
This weekend, we were once again encouraged by the resilience of the human
spirit as fUSS delivered training session at the African Leaders Institute for
Community Transformation (ALICT.org) to students from 26 countries. During an intensive 3 month period, ALICT
students are trained in a variety of community transformation strategies.
Since 2010 fUSS has played a role
in addressing the impact of loss in the lives of ALICT students, helping them
on the journey of growing forward,
through their pain, incorporating the variety of experiences into their
lives. Thus aiding them to live, strengthened by the experience of pain,
rather than a victim thereof.
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When we experience loss, it seems impossible
that anything ‘worse’ can happen to us; it feels like the sun has set on
us. I listened as a young man, through
waterlogged-eyes, explained to me:
‘When my family (parents, three siblings and grandfather) was killed
in the civil war, I only had my baby brother with me. At times I felt ‘why didn’t they kill us too?’
– not because I didn’t want to live; at 13, I just couldn’t bear the
responsibility of caring for my little brother. Years went by, the war ended,
I got married and even my ‘baby’ brother started a family with a wife he
loved. Sadly, they both died in an
accident, and their little baby became our child…”
I listened as he talked, and after he
finished his story, we investigated some of the ‘happier’ memories he shared
with his brother as they were growing up, the struggles they overcame, and the
happiness they shared as they started their families. Once again, the tears flowed over his
cheeks. This time, with joyful
memories. “These aren’t sad tears.
Yes, I miss him. I miss feeling like we’re a big family. But I have such love
and joy in my heart when I talk of him. I know that I can deposit a memory
bank of good memories into the lives of our children. And they can also feel part of our family
legacy.”
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Growing through pain takes
time. When we build a house, we build it
brick-by-brick. When we learn to live
with a loss or life-changing event, we rebuild our lives ‘brick-by-brick’
too. Patience and persistence are two
key-words in re-adjusting our ‘new’ lives as we learn to live with the
change. We need: Patience to grow slowly.
Persistence to keep going.
When we experience a big loss in our lives,
it is normal to feel that our life has fallen apart. As you embark on the
growth-journey, it can however be helpful encouragement for our journey, when
we look for some good things; we might find some good that has come from the
situation.
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Among
other things, here are some resilience-characteristics we have been fortunate
to observe in the lives of those that we work with:
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They are strengthened as they grow through their experience;
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They come through the experience whole and focused;
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They have a clear plan for their lives and have not allowed their
loss to stop them from having hope for their future;
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They become a person who is an inspiration to others.
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They support other people to help them through their experiences.
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They share their growth-journey, in order to give hope to those who
face similar situations.
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“The sun will come up tomorrow. Bet
your bottom dollar there’s tomorrow!” - Annie
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If you are going through a
time where you feel live is ‘squeezing’ you, may you be like a sponge and
bounce back as the ‘squeeze’ is released. And remember the cheerful song of
the little-curly-red-haired-rosy-cheek-orphan-girl Annie as you grow one
step, one day at a time.
Be encouraged by our
foundational biblical verse that says:
Be brave. Be
strong. Don’t give up.
(Psalm 31:24)
Psalm 34:18
“If your heart is
broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, He will
help you catch your breath.” – The Message
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PO BOX 14, HOWARD PLACE, 7450 Fax: +27 (0)86 762 5024
Directors: Dr. SH Walsh, Mr. IS Smith, Mr. E Lombard
www.facingupsa.org
/ www.lostandfoundnow.org
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