My dear students, readers, well-wishers and family,
I do hope, from the bottom of my heart, that you are all well and safe after the unrest we have experienced, the uncertainty of what lies ahead and the wonder if life will ever be normal again. It was, by far, the most difficult test we have had to endure. Our beautiful neighbourhoods were up in smoke; our predictable lives were at a standstill; our sanctuaries, our homes, were under attack. Our possessions were of little value in the face of the challenges we had to face. The fear of the unknown gripped us hard. We were, and some are still, in shock. We were fearful. No one knew what would happen next and, still, no one knows what tomorrow will hold. We had never dreamt of our beloved country being ruined in this manner.
Read below to find:
- Lessons from the university of life
- SSA’s way of giving back to the community
Lessons from the University of Life
We can view it at face value and say that while the pandemic taught us isolation, the civil unrest brought out our worst fears. However, as with all of life’s tribulations, the true test lies in the valuable lessons we take from it, and the good (sustainable) changes we make in our lives. There are many lessons we can take away from the recent events; we simply have to focus on the positives. The pandemic taught us who our neighbours are, while the unrest taught us who our communities are. We salute the men (and women) who were on the ground protecting their communities. Every single one of us were in the same storm, however not all of us were in the same boat. Each family had different challenges to deal with, but we were united in our suffering.
We were tested in our resolve; we were tested in our resilience; we were tested in every facet of our mental capacity… but we overcame it by standing together, seeing to each other and helping those in need. We overcame the anarchy with unity. We were living in the spirit of Ubuntu while the world burned around us… and we did it! If the recent events were not enough to build our level of spirituality, then what will be? It is only through prayer and belief that we can lay our trust in the Hands of our Creator and do the best we can with what we have. It was only with our increased level of hope that we overcame the challenges.
After the frenzy of buying essentials, we must now begin to focus on what we HAVE, rather than what we have not. Each amenity in our home is a blessing. Be thankful for the water we have, the electricity, the gadgets, our comfortable beds, and all the little things we usually take for granted.
Let us all start to make sustainable changes in our lives. If prayer is what got you through it, then pray more each day. If hope is what got your through it, then sustain your hope by thinking positively. If being hands-on is what got you through it, then work with your community to build a safer environment for all. We each got through it in our own unique ways. Let’s keep working together, in unity and love, to re-build what has been lost.
With the Grace of the Almighty we have lived to see another day. The rays of hope will seep through you as clean cool water enters a thirsty mouth, quenching the thirst of a dehydrated system. What’s done is done. It is now up to us to build a better life for ourselves. We have to use the past few days as a reminder of what we had taken for granted all these years, start appreciating what we have and not being sorrowful about what we have not.
GOD in HIS Wisdom plans, and we need to find the lessons in it. Let us take this disaster, turn it around and, in turn, become better happier individuals. Let us care for family and friends and mend broken relationships. Let us open our hearts to those lesson fortunate. Let us open our minds and seek the goodness of life.
I know, from experience, that some of us find it hard to forgive. We find it difficult to ignore, and more difficult to forget. I also know that some of us fall into depression because life becomes overwhelming and there seems to be no way of solving the problem. Well, there IS way of solving every problem. Either ignore it, solve it or change it. Decide who YOU want to be. Decide what YOU want out of life. Decide how far YOU are willing to stretch yourself.
When life throws us a challenge, we can choose to either FIGHT or FLIGHT. We need to remember that the grass is not always greener on the other side. We cannot run away from your troubles. Let us not be among the ones who run away, but be among the ones who stay and focus on rebuilding.
First, let us focus on rebuilding ourselves. We are hurting inside, we are afraid and see a bleak future. All we need is Faith in God. Have faith that the future will be better than the past. Have faith that tomorrow will bring new beginnings and a brighter future. Have faith that we will one day tell stories of past years to a new, bright-eyed generation.
Our way of giving back to the community
Each year, we allocate limited places in Module 1 towards empowering ladies who find it challenging to cover the costs of the course. If you, or anyone you know, is deserving of this placement, please reply to this email with a letter of recommendation and any supporting documents. Please note that this is managed with utmost confidentiality. Spaces are limited and we regret that we can only accommodate on a first come first served basis. You may make enquiries by calling or sending a WhatsApp message to Mrs. A (074 639 5353).
That’s all from me for now,
Mrs. A
