Making memories

This weekend was a gift to our family! Since all travels have been halted until after Courtney's surgery we enjoyed a rare weekend at home without any commitments!

We slept in, went to the beach, rode our bikes in the back yard, went to Church and also drove through to beautiful Hermanus to see the whales.

Megie and I needed the 'space' and time to catch up with one another and chart the course ahead. We are both feeling bruised and a little weary. And of course our hearts are very tender for our little girl and what lies ahead for her (see this and this for details). However, we are encouraged and strengthened by God's unfailing love and mercy! We have experienced His love, mercy and grace through to kindness of so many friends and family.

Both Courts and Liam are getting healthy again. Liam may return to school after his bout of tonsillitis, pneumonia and ear infection (which all seem to be clearing). Courts won't return to school until after her surgery. However, she will participate in the school concert this week and also in the guitar concert on the 20th.

Thank you for all the love and support we've received!

This weekend was a chance to make memories. These are a few pictures from the weekend.

A quick update on Courts and Liam 10 September 2010

It's Friday! Megie, Courts, Liam and I were supposed to be in JHB this weekend for a family celebration - Megie's brother Craig and his fiance Kath are out from England as well.

Alas, that was not to be. But, at least we have the weekend together at home! Which is a rare event in itself! We're looking forward to some quality (and quantity) time together this weekend. I have taken a day's leave today to be at home with Liam and Courtney since Megie has to get back to her office to get some work done for the Lausanne Congress for which she works.

I have also cancelled my trip to Hong Kong next week. So, I look forward to being home with the family for the week ahead as well. I am truly grateful to my friend Graham Power who amended his INCREDIBLY busy schedule to fly to Hong Kong in place of me and spend two days there handling the speaking engagements that Michelle Harding and I were to do. Thanks Graham! Of course if the truth be told I know that our friends in Hong Kong would have loved to have Graham from the very start, but he is just so busy. I know that they will be incredibly blessed by him and our team on this visit.

OK, update time.

First, Megie, Courts, Liam and I want to say how grateful we are for all the messages of encouragement and support. We have been so blessed by your care. Friends have called, sent text messages and posted messages here on the blog and on facebook and twitter. We also had meals dropped off (yum, yum!) Thank you so very much!

The picture below was taken last year (some time towards the end of summer) at our local beach (Strand beach). Happy times, ice-cream, sunshine and sea! We're looking forward to getting back to these joy filled days soon!

Yesterday one of Courtney's previous teachers (Mrs Bev Austen) dropped off two little books that her class of 3rd grade students made for Courtney. My goodness, these little kiddies have such a wonderful grasp of care and compassion.

Here are two pictures from the one book. Wonderful!

And here's another one with a little prayer.

So, our two little 'patients' are both doing better. Courtney will see her doctor today at 12.45 to check on the infection in her eye. I am pleased to say that the visible swelling is almost completely gone. She will still go for a CAT scan next week some time to be sure. But, she is in good spirits. As mentioned in a previous post she will not go back to school (probably until some time in early to mid October). However, since her surgery has been shifted to the 23rd she will get to participate in her school concert on the 13th and will still do her 'solo' in the guitar concert on the 20th. She is very excited!

As for little Liam - well, I think we just underestimated how vulnerable he still is to infection (even after all these years!) Having him at the hospital to visit Courts was obviously a little too much for his immune system. By Wednesday morning the doctor diagnosed him with tonsillitis, a double ear infection and pneumonia... But, I am pleased to say that he too is looking so much better. The fever has all but gone and we have him on a nebulizer and various medications. So, he too should be well by early next week.

My friend Cois sent me a very encouraging verse from scripture earlier in the week. It has been a source of great comfort.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. A Simple Guide for Behavior ~ Matt 6.34 (MSG).

Today is Friday, and that means that Megie and I will be fasting and praying again. This has been our spiritual discipline for the past four years (almost). As we pray and fast for children and parents. Today this journey takes us in another direction.

So, we appreciate all of the care, love and support! Indeed, we know that we are held within the loving and gracious hands of God; we hear His loving encouragement through your words, and feel his gracious power through your care.

God bless,

Dion

An update on Courtney 8 September 2010

A quick update on Courts.

We’ve just arrived back from the hospital – Courtney has been discharged!

Her eye is looking so much better. We saw the neurosurgeon. It was an emotional meeting. He was very calm and explained everything to Courtney and gave her a chance to ask questions etc. He showed her the ‘acorn’ in her brain and explained why it was giving her headaches and making her a little clumsy. He also showed her how he will remove it and told her that once we have it out we can see what the next step will be.

Of course she is a little scared and quite emotional, but we have assured her of God’s power and love. Also, we have great trust in the doctor’s expertise and skill. We know that the Lord will use every means at His disposal to restore her to full health before we know it!

The surgery has been scheduled for the 23rd of September – as we had thought the 15th is a little too soon. They need to be certain that the infection from the eye is completely clear before trying to remove the tumor. The risk of cross infection and meningitis is too high for an earlier surgery. The neurosurgeon feels comfortable with this new timeframe. We will see her other doctor on Friday and then go for a cat-scan before the surgery.

Courts will not return to school for the next while (perhaps mid October). We’ve met with her teacher and have their full support.

I’m afraid to say that the devil is still trying to break our resolve – last night Liam fell ill again! Can you believe it? We had him at his doctor this morning. The doctor has diagnosed him with tonsillitis, pneumonia and a double ear infection... He is on a bucketful of medicine! We would appreciate your prayers for his swift recovery as well.

Well, that is our news for now. Thank you so much for your prayers and care. We all appreciate it a great deal! Courts sends her love, as do Megie and LtG!

News about Courtney's health - please pray with us

Dear friends,

Megan and I wanted to write something to explain what is happening with Courtney's health. Rumors tend to fly thick and fast. We would rather that our friends know the truth, and in doing so hold Courts, Liam and the two of us in prayer.

What has happened so far.

On Sunday the 5th of September Courts woke up with a very swollen right eye. She had a bad cold the week before. Megie took her to our doctor - he later admitted her to hospital. Essentially it seems that an infection had spread into her sinuses and when she was blowing her nose it spread behind the right eye which caused her eye and face to swell up.

On Monday the 6th of September, after spending the night in hospital, Courtney went for an MRI scan to ascertain exactly where the infection behind her eye was, and if there was any damage to the lining of the ocular cavity that would need surgical repair, or if there was an abscess that would need to be drained.

While examining the MRI our doctor discovered a tumor of about 2.5cm in height, and 1.5cm in breadth in the fourth cerebral ventricle of Court's brain.

A few requests from our side.

Naturally this comes as a great shock to all of us. Here's what we would like to ask of you.

1. Please pray for Courtney. Naturally we are asking for God to heal her completely. We believe God is able to this in many wonderful ways. We are blessed with a wonderful team of doctors, but please pray specifically for our neurosurgeon. 2. Tomorrow (8 September 2010) we will share the news with Courtney as we meet with the neurosurgeon again. Cancer can be a very scary thing for a little girl! We have told Courtney that the doctor has discovered the reason why she has been getting headaches and been a little 'clumsy' over the last while. 3. Please silence any rumors that you may hear about Courtney's condition. We know that she will receive the best treatment possible and that she will be completely well. We are trusting God to use every means at His disposal to work this wonderful miracle! We are taking the journey one step at a time. First the infection in her eye needs to settle so that she can have the brain surgery. Then once the surgery is done we will know what kind of tumor she has and can decide how to proceed with treatment from there.

Please pray that she will be shielded from fear and that Megan and I will have all the wisdom, love and courage that we need to support her, Liam and one another.

The way ahead (as we see it today).

As of today Courts is in hospital receiving antibiotics and cortisone to clear the infection in her eye. She cannot have the surgery for the tumor until the doctor is certain that there will be no cross infection. Her eye is looking so much better today and so our neurosurgeon has scheduled to meet with the three of us tomorrow morning at 9am and then to do the surgery on the 15th of September.

Naturally an oncologist will do tests to determine what further treatment is necessary (if any). It is difficult to say what that treatment will involve. It may be that the surgery is enough, it may be that she needs radiation treatment or something else.

God's faithfulness.

We are so grateful for God's abundant mercy and grace. We know that we are experiencing what Romans 8.28 says, "In all things God works for the good of those who love Him". If Courtney did not have a cold, and did not pick up the infection behind her eye (as painful as it is), she would never have gone for the MRI and we may only have discovered this tumor too late.

Now, we have a great sense of God's love and peace. An abiding scripture over the last few days has been Lamentations 3:21-25 which says:

"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him". The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him..."

Thank you for your friendship and care! Please remember to pray for Courtney and for us. I'm afraid that we don't have the time to return all the calls and text messages we receive, please do feel free to leave any messages here and we will make sure to share them with Courts at the appropriate time.

God bless,

Dion, Megan, Courtney and Liam

Daniel conference / konferensie 2010 - just what I needed!

Just like a motorcar needs a 'tune up' from time to time in order to run well, I have discovered that I need constant reminders of what matters most in life - a spiritual and emotional 'tune up' of sorts! A renewing of my faith in community!

The speakers at this year's Daniel Conference / Konferensie included Braam Kloppper, Alan Platt, Jannie de Beer, Stephan Joubert, Peet Grobelaar and myself. Lious Brits took care of the worship in such a magnificent way!

Last week we kicked the conference off in Cape Town - it was such an incredible time! We had about 600 men together of all ages and races. I was reminded of my need for a deep and intimate spirituality. I was also reminded that as a father and husband I have a great responsibility to care for the needs of my family and reach out to the community in which I have the privilege of living.

My own talk focussed on taking up the responsibility of being a faithful Christ follower in the work place - I am convinced that as Christians we have such incredible opportunities to 'touch' the world with God's transforming love. Not only can we reach people through God's transforming love, we can also encounter systems with God's justice, mercy and grace. On Monday at work you can do as much to declare God's worth by changing a policy that causes pain and suffering for people as you can by declaring God's worth and glory in song, prayer and liturgy on a Sunday.

Your interactions with people can create great blessing and joy for those around you. Work can be worship (Col 3.23).

If you are interested in reading moreabout the practical ideas and scriptures that can inform you to turn your WHOLE life into an act of blessing and worship then please take a look at the book that Graham Power and I wrote together called, 'Transform your work life: Turn your ordinary day into an extraordinary calling'.

Please see http://bit.ly/transformwork for all the details about the book. Just to mention that the costs from the sale of these books go entirely to the Unashamedly Ethical campaign.

So, if you purchase a copy you're not only learning about ministry in your work life and work place, you're also supporting a good cause! You can also download the first few chapters of the book at the top of my website.

Today I will be speaking at the Daniel Conference in Pretoria. I am a little nervous (to say the least!) there are 3500 men gathered here. Please pray for these men, and also for me!

If you attended the Daniel Conference in Cape Town, or here at Moreleta Park, please share a testimony, some feedback or your thoughts! I'd love to hear from you!

I am humbled to have the opportunity to share with these men and I pray that God will use them and bless them to achieve His perfect desire to transform our nation!

The breakdown of social control and the democratization of intimacy

I remember when I was conscripted into the army more than two decades ago. I went into social isolation - it was long before cell phones and the remote military base where I was trained only had one working public telephone for the few hundred troops stationed there.

I forgot my birthday that year! The 14th of January came and went... It was some days later when I met the only other guy from my town at the dining hall when I realised that I had turned a year older.  Because I was completely cut off from my regular social circle during my basic training I had no concept of the social milestones of life.

This is an extreme example, but in reality contemporary society is shaped towards social control.  Pre-schools for infant children are little more than places in which children are lovingly (I hope!) taught to endure longer and longer periods of isolation from their regular social circle.  The children learn to be away from their families for extended periods of time.  They also learn to perform tasks that will make them a productive part of society at some point. Primary and secondary schooling takes this a step further (children dress in a uniform to differentiate them from home, they are ranked in classes and groups according to their language, age, and even intellect - all the while they are punished for using cell phones to phone or text friends and parents). Of course the workplace is another setting that enforces social control.  How many companies do you know that do not allow social networking technologies, such as instant messaging, skype, and facebook and such tools? With the advent of separate working and living areas people often leave their familiar surroundings behind for hours at a time (perhaps most of their waking hours) to enter into an environment that is not geared towards social support and intimacy.  The workplace is intended to restrict such distractions.  Sometimes there are safety concerns, but most often it has to do with productivity and finance.

However, with the rise of accessible social media technologies I have seen a remarkable trend towards the democratization of intimacy - what does this mean?  Well, let me give you an example.  This morning I arrived at my office at 5.45 AM.  I had an early meeting - however, at 7.30 AM I pulled myself aside and used my cellular phone to call my wife and children at home to 'connect' with them and wish them well for the day.  I was taking back my need for intimacy with my family.

I frequently travel (this weekend I shall be in Johannesburg, and in just over a week I shall be in Hong Kong and China for a week).  Skype makes this much more bearable!  It started for me back in 2005 when I was on a sabbatical in America.  While staying on the Duke University Campus in North Carolina I would connect my Apple Powerbook via wifi and use iChat (I have of course since moved onto Skype) to connect with my wife and infant daughter back in South Africa.  We would leave the video camera running as I worked, ate my meals, watched TV etc. My wife and daughter would go about their daily tasks.  It was almost as if we were in the same room!  We could see and hear one another, yet we were separated by thousands of miles!

More recently since my son was born I have truly come to appreciate this technology anew - for some years he was too young to talk on the phone.  Video conferencing (that is mostly FREE!) is an incredible way to cultivate and sustain a relationship when one has to be away from home - particularly when your son is too young to talk.

Of course there are many other ways in which people are subverting social control and 'taking back' intimacy! Text messaging is perhaps one of the most pervasive forms of 'communication technology'.  It is affordable and has a very broad reach (most people have cellular phones). For the wealthier population, facebook, twitter and other such social networking tools seem to be mechanisms of choice.

I wonder how long it will be before corporations realise that you can't stop people from connecting with one another; soon we will move from separating workers from their lives, towards integrating their intimacy needs with their family into a healthy working environment. I know that Google, for example, provides on site child care, flexible working hours and other such benefits to help staff deliver their best work while keeping this social balance.

The sociologist - Stefana Broadbent - did an amazing talk on this topic of social networking and intimacy at TED. It is well worth watching.  Her research shows how people are taking back intimacy in a world of social control. 

I'd love to hear how you keep contact with your family and friends in spite of the constraints of social control. What works best for you?  Is it the trusty old phone call, or do you use text messaging, skype, or even Apple's 'facetime'? I know a few people who have turned to Blackberry Messenger of late, and of course for those of us in the iPhone 'Whatsapp' is a great IM alternative!

Another article published (Lausanne World Pulse) - Business as Ministry

It is always humbling to have an article published! I am particularly grateful that my article on Business as Mission was published in the September Lausanne World Pulse!

It deals with a subject that I am passionate about!

I'd be grateful if you'd read it here and encourage others to do the same.

Thanks!

Dion

Two beasts in my garden!

[This post was roared last week Sunday, but I never got to post it. Tonight I am relaxing in Johannesburg, missing my wife, kids (and bicycle ;-). So I thought I'd post it]

Behind the tree is my friend Percy's Scott Ransom 30 downhill bike. This is a mean machine! He kindly loaned it to me so that a friend from the US (Nathan Wendorff) who is visiting us here in Cape Town can ride.

The Ransom is a very versatile bike, although a bit on the heavy side. But it does have lock out full suspension. It could work as a cross country bike if it is the only bike one has. However, it comes into it's own on fast, technical single track.

In front of the tree is my 2008 Mongoose Canaan Comp. It is the entry level full suspension bike - I would love an 'Elite' or a 'Team' (the new black and red ones are awesome). However, my bike has been fantastic! I've done close to 3000 km on it in the last three years and had a few spectacular tumbles! Yet, it just keeps on keeping on!

It is always in full suspension mode so one looses some energy on the flat and the climb. But on the downhill, single track and rough climbs it simply sticks to the track. It is very forgiving. I often manage to get over obstacles that more experienced riders on hardtail bikes struggle with. Partly it is comfort, partly it is confidence.

I was speaking to my friend Philip today and saying that I mostly ride for the pure fun of it. Of course I am pleased with the resultant health and particularly how it keeps my weight down and manages my stress. But most of the time I will wake up early, on sunny days and rainy days, just because I know that I'll have fun on the mountain.

Indeed, this is my 'otium sanctum' (Holy leisure). What do you do for fun and relaxation?

If you desire peace...

Indeed, this is true.

If you desire peace, cultivate justice, but at the same time cultivate the field to produce more bread; otherwise there will be no peace. - Norman Borlaug from his Nobel Lecture

Peace, justice and empowerment go hand in hand.

Making the moments at work count.

Over the years Graham and I have spoken to many deeply-committed Christians who have never considered that God may actually have something for them to achieve between Monday and Friday.

We tend to place our lives into two boxes, a sacred box (everything we do for God), and a secular box (everything else we do).

Very often business people think of their ‘God stuff ’ as worship – and worship only happens in certain places (like church buildings) at certain times (like on a Sunday, or on Christmas and Easter). Everything else is simply ‘my stuff ’ and it has very little to do with my worship. So, my work, my friendships, my community relation- ships, my sport – all of these ‘other things’ are outside of the sacred.

The reality is that everything that we have, all that we are, and all that we do should be done for God.

From God’s perspective there is no separation between work and worship. I once heard someone explain it in this way – imagine that you have a ‘big worship switch’ on your back. Each time that you enter into worship the switch is flicked on. Do think that God is honoured when your ‘worship switch’ is flicked off? Surely we should never stop worshipping God – even at work.

God has a perfect will for every person, for every situation and every place. When you begin to look at your workplace and the people that you work with from God’s perspective you can see that He may just have an incredible mission for you to perform right where you are from Monday to Friday.

A few points to think about

• Please read Colossians 3:23–24.
• What is God’s attitude to work and labour?
• If Jesus had your job, working among the people you work with, doing the things you do during your workday, what do you think He would want to achieve? How different is that from what you are striving for?

Christian and positive - when Christ's Body has HIV AIDS

Today my friend Grant Russell alerted me to an article posted in the Guardian Online Newspaper entitled Pastor's 'Jesus had HIV' sermon angers South African Christians by David Smith.

I can understand why the preacher in question, Xola Skosana, would preach such a sermon.  However, I can also understand why South African Christians may take offense to both the title of his message and the sermon's title.

First, let me say that I agree with Rev Skosana - the body of Christ does have AIDS!  

In an article that I have just published in the Epworth Review, Vol 32, No 2, 2010 (a theological journal that is published in England) I made exactly the same point.  You can read the article here: The Church has AIDS: Towards a positive theology for an HIV+ Church.

Here are two excerpts from my introduction to the article:

One of the most controversial statements in the contemporary Church is surely the assertion that ‘The Church has AIDS’! This statement challenges Christians to recognize that it is impossible to do theology and engage in Christian life and ministry without taking into account the impact of HIV and AIDS on the world...

Within the Church – the Body of Christ – there are many persons who are HIV+. This reality changes not only who we are as a Church, it also changes how we are the Church. In our creeds we affirm that the Church is ‘One’ – this unity is more than just a structural unity. Solidarity is central to the unity of the Church. It was out of this reality of true solidarity that the Methodist Church of Southern Africa adopted the following statement at its annual conference in 2005: ‘The Church has HIV/AIDS: We care. “When one part of the body is affected the whole body suffers” 1 Corinthians 12:26.’

This image is a photograph of a poster that was circulated in Methodist Churches in Southern Africa.  It bears the bold, and true, statement "The Church has HIV/AIDS - we care".

The point is this, Christians believe, according to Paul's theology, that the Church is the "body of Christ" (see for example 1 Corinthians 12:12, Colossians 1:18).  If there are members of the Church that are HIV positive then the Body of Christ is HIV positive.

That is controversial, but it is true.  If one part of the body suffers the whole body suffers 1 Corinthians 12:26.

In my article I argue something similar to what the Guardian reports on Rev Xola Skosana - we are responsible for one another, and as such the whole Church (all across the world) must consider itself HIV +.  The HI virus infects the whole of the body.  Unlike cancer one cannot remove the ailing part of the body.  The virus affects every part of the body.  

Here are some statistics about HIV from the article in the Epworth Review:

South Africa’s HIV/AIDS statistics are fairly well known.6 Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest precedence of HIV infection in the world. Where it is left completely unchecked the HIV infection rate has risen to as high as 1 in every 2 persons (50 per cent of some population groups in Botswana).7 Of the estimated 33.2 million persons living with AIDS globally, more than 22.5 million live in Sub-Saharan Africa – that amounts to 68 per cent of all HIV+ persons in less that 10 per cent of the world’s geographic land mass. Each day more than 1,600 persons are infected with the virus. In most government hospitals more than half of the patients are HIV+. By 2009 the life expectancy of a person living in Swaziland8 had declined from 60 years of age to just 32 years.9 Compare this to the United King- dom where the life expectancy of the average person born in 2009 is 79 years.10 Approximately 4,500 people in Sub-Saharan Africa die of HIV/ AIDS-related medical causes each day.

In a chapter that I wrote for a forthcoming book entitled Alienation and Connection: Suffering in a global age. (edited by Lisa Withrow and Joerg Rieger) I developed this argument in a slightly different way.  The chapter is entitled Empire, economics and apathy: A theological reflection on suffering as a result of HIV AIDS.

I introduced the concept with another rather controversial statement, saying that any Southern African Church that does not have an HIV AIDS ministry cannot be a Christian Church!  [yes, I know that I will get into trouble for this one!]

My contention is this - if 68% of all HIV+ persons in the world live in this region, then the Church has a massive responsibility to see that God's loving will is brought to bear on this situation.  God cares about every person!  The Church is God's instrument, the instrument of the mission Dei (the mission, or work, of God).

So, yes, I agree with Rev Skosana - the Body of Christ is HIV+.  Perhaps I would have titled the message slightly differently.  Instead of saying 'Jesus had HIV', I would say that 'The body of Christ is HIV+'.

As a result I can understand how Christians may respond with shock at the statement that Jesus HIV.  That statement is not accurate.  But, I do believe that the point is well made.  As Christians we need to understand that we have a critical role to play in ministering to God's World.  And since this world includes HIV positive persons it is not a matter of 'us' and 'them'.  Rather it is a matter of 'us'.

Here is a video reflection that offers some further thoughts on this very important issue!

The body of Christ has HIV AIDS from Dion Forster on Vimeo.

I'd love to hear your thoughts, reflections, and ideas!

You can find the Guardian article on Rev Skosana here.

In you alone do I have all!

Our family has been through a few challenges this last week. My wife went for surgery and at the same time our son Liam was extremely ill.

I am grateful for the comfort that comes through the support of friends, the knowledge of God's love and care, and for the recovery that we see in both Megan and Liam.

This quote meant a great deal to me this week. It may offer you some encouragement and inspiration as well.

God, of your goodness give me yourself for you are sufficient for me. I cannot properly ask anything less, to be worthy of you. If I were to ask less, I should always be in want. In you alone do I have all. - Julian of Norwich

Indeed, "in you alone do I have all". Have a blessed week!