Cameras  - 17 November 2007

Cameras

My thoughts are still with the people at Kwabadala Home in Nkandla, Northern Zululand where on Tuesday 6 November a fire razed an old age home and burned to death 12 old people.

Most probably I was not the only one to notice how politicians tripped over one another in the hurry to get to the scene of the tragedy. Who am I to judge people's motives? but facts are facts. High profile tragedies seem to attract high profile people - and cameras. Is it accidental that cameras are often turned to politicians, dwarfing everyone else?

The question that bothers me is when the cameras are gone who will be there for the survivors and the bereaved as they struggle to find their feet and march on?

My memory took me back to the early 70s. Our Dlangezwa High School Choir was one of the best in the country. We enjoyed music competitions. At the zone level which was hosted by Cwaka Agricultural College we would collect most or all the trophies.

Unfortunately, and unnecessarily so, by the end of the day the beautiful Cwaka campus would be littered with rubbish. As other participating schools left in their buses we had to stay behind. Our teachers insisted that we could not leave our host's campus in that state. So, there we were, clearing everybody else's rubbish. You can imagine how 'popular' that was with the students.

Do you think the cameras which had been flashing as we lifted the winners' trophies would be interested in yet another 'photo opportunity' of us doing the cleaning? Forget it.

As I look back, I treasure the cleaning moments even more. Trophies may rust or be lost but what we gained were lessons for life.

Leaders and victors must be servants too.

You do what is right not for the sake of cameras but for the sake of righteousness.

"and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:18)

Have a blessed weekend.
 
Pressing on!
 
In His love
 
Fano Sibisi