Seënwense - Omgee
Dis die nuwe jaar 2014 en dis nou die tyd om mekaar toe te wens dat die goeie met ons sal wees; dat die Here se seëninge met ons sal wees.
My vrou sê ek is ‘n boekwurm, ‘n leesgierige wese, en rondom my lê: Christina Landman se artikel “Gee die aarde ‘n blaaskans,” WITS se artikel “Let’s talk about the weather,” enkele van ds. Johan Smit se dagstukkies en my vriend van meer as 57 jaar, Gerald McCann, se “Five-P Blessing” (wat julle hieronder kan lees). Daar is ‘n rykdom van materiaal wat ons in die nuwe jaar kan inspireer.
Maar laat ek eers vinnig verslag gee oor ons eko-gemeente, Die Strand, se aktiwiteite: Ons het teen einde 2013 meer as 3 ton herwinbare materiaal verkoop en ons 2 lewerings vir Januarie 2014 staan reeds op ‘n half ton. Die Strand se strande is baie mooi skoon gehou gedurende die feestyd, deels deur ons, maar veral deur die Stad Kaapstad se werkverskaffingsprojekspan. Die Lourensrivier vloede word tans deur ‘n ingenieurstudie ondersoek en ek beplan om die projekleier te gaan besoek met voorstelle oor bergopvanggebiedbestuur en gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid. Ja, wie het ooit gedink ek sal dit aanpak!
Dit het so ontwikkel (a la Christina Landman) omdat God my laat besef het dat Sy kinders nou, in plaas van ‘n "volmaak-rol", ‘n "heelmaak-rol" moet speel, want die aarde is stukkend. Ons wat vir die omgewing as God se Skepping omgee, is nou daartoe gedwing om ons hande vuil te maak sodat ons die aarde ‘n blaaskans kan gee.
In die WITS-artikel, waarna ek vroeër verwys het, bewys prof. Mary Scholes dat die mens reeds verantwoordelik is vir 75 % van die gebeure wat ons so maklik klimaatsverandering noem. Ons – ja ,ek en u ingesluit – is die primêre oorsaak. Die mens kan op aarde gerieflik bestaan teen ‘n gemiddelde temperatuur van 18 grade Celsius, maar die aarde se temperature styg drasties en kan binne dekades 1-6 grade Celsius hoër wees. Drastiese stappe moet ook in ons land geneem word om onleefbare toestande te verhoed. Ons aarde is nie eens instaat om die nodige diens te lewer sodat al sy bewoners ‘n gemiddelde klas van leefstyl kan beoefen nie. Ons sal net eenvoudig moet afskaal.
Ds. Johan Smit se dagstukkies gebruik Romeine 8:20 as basis:
“Teen sy wil is die ganse skepping in ‘n sinnelose kringloop van aftakeling vasgeval as gevolg van God se straf op die eerste mens se ongehoorsaamheid”
Ons kan net bid: “Here, red u mooi aarde. Doen dit dringend, asseblief,” en “Here, help my om ‘n bydrae te lewer tot die bewaring van die natuur as ‘n erkenning van U heerskappy oor die hele skepping. Amen.”
Dit is hoekom ek die “Five- P Blessing” van Gerald McCann hieronder insluit. Lees dit by die Engelse vertaling. Met so ’n seening van Bo sal ons eko-werk – ons aardesorg – ‘n betekenisvolle verskil maak.
We have reached the beginning of a new year – time to wish each other all the best and especially that blessings from above will multiply.
My wife calls me a bookworm; an avid, wide and regular reader. Around me on the table I have an article by Christina Landman of UNISA entitled “Give the earth a chance to recover,” a WITS Alumni article “Let’s talk about the weather,” a few daily devotions by rev. Johan Smit of Somerset West and the “Five-P Blessing,” compiled by my friend of 57 years, Gerald McCann, which I have added at the bottom of this month’s discussion. There is a wealth of material to rouse and inspire us in 2014.
However, let me start by giving a progress report on our Earth Keepers’ mission at Die Strand DRC. We achieved a delivery of over 3 tons of recyclable material to Wasteplan in 2013. Since the beginning of January 2014 we have already collected half a ton. The Strand beaches were kept clean during December, partly by us, but mostly by the City of Cape Town’s employment programme workers. The University of Stellenbosch has been commissioned to carry out a study with urgent recommendations about the ideal management of the Lourens River. I am going to make an appointment with the study leader to discuss community involvement and mountain catchment management. Like I said last month, who would’ve ever thought…
But one thing leads to another and God leads us to realise (a la Christina Landman) that His children must change their “take-it-all” role to a “let’s repair what we can” role, because the earth is in urgent need of repair. We, who care for the environment because it is God’s creation, are now God-empowered to get our hands dirty in order to rehabilitate the earth.
In the WITS paper I referred to earlier, prof. Mary Scholes proves that mankind (you and I included) is already responsible for 75% of the glibly called climate change phenomenon (as if it is something in the sky). No, we really are the culprits, but we are also the ones that can turn it around. People on earth can easily tolerate an average temperature of 18 degrees Celsius, but if it heats up by 1-6 degrees in the coming decades it will become really uncomfortable. In South Africa we need to take urgent and drastic steps in order to prevent irrevocable, unbearable conditions from developing. At present, the earth cannot even accommodate the kind of lifestyle that most of us are enjoying for every human being on earth. We have to downscale this kind of lifestyle.
The daily devotion by rev. Johan Smit uses Romans 8:20 as base:
“The created world itself can hardly wait for what’s coming next. Everything in creation is more or less held back. God reigns it in…”
We can fervently pray: “Dear Lord, save this beautiful earth. And please do it urgently,” and “Lord, help me to make a contribution towards nature’s renewal as an acknowledgment of Your reign over all of Creation. Amen.”
That is why I hereby conclude with the “Five-P Blessing” of Gerald McCann :
I bless you with...
THE PRESENCE OF GOD with you in every situation
THE POWER OF GOD ever active in your life
THE PROTECTION OF GOD to keep and deliver you
THE PURPOSE OF GOD to be fulfilled in your life
May the blessings of God flow like a River of Life from God to you.