REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY 2016

The annual Remembrance Day Parade was held at the Cenotaph in Cape Town on the 13th of November. This was my input for the Parade.

INTRODUCTION

The Deputy Mayor, ambassadors, military guests, military members on parade, military veterans, ladies and gentlemen. Today we come to commemorate those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, those known to us and also those we don't know. Today we remember those who died in the clashes that occurred right here in Cape Town when the first settlers from Europe arrived. We remember those who died in the Frontier Wars, those who gave their lives during the wars between those who moved northwards from the Cape into the interior, those who died in the Anglo-Boer Wars, the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, the Border War in Namibia and more recently those who died on peacekeeping missions in the Central African Republic, in the DRC and in South Sudan. We remember also those innocent people who died as a result of war, remembering especially those who died in cross fire, those who died fleeing from war, those who were interred in concentration camps and especially those who were killed in the death camps of the Second World War. The red poppy is a stark and powerful symbol of the blood that has been shed and of the many lives that have been shattered as a result of war.

As we remember those who have died, no matter the side they fought for, we are reminded that war is a blight on our social order. Those of us who have witnessed first-hand the horrors of war know that war is to be avoided at all costs; that even though wars are fought and won, in reality everyone loses. Wars fought in the name of religions that preach peace and love are especially heinous. So today we come also to commit ourselves to finding and working for peace and reconciliation instead of war. Today we come to stand against the glamorisation of war and to say no to all war talk rhetoric that we hear from some of our politicians - at home and abroad.

Today also we come to remember those of our own National Defence Force who are on duty today in peacekeeping missions on the African continent, those at sea, those deployed along our border line and those deployed in the Kruger National Park. Today we remember all the innocent victims of war, especially the wars that continue to ravage our continent.

Hymn:       Abide with me

Input from the Muslim chaplain

READING

Matthew 5

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
⁵ ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
⁷ ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
⁸ ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
⁹ ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

PRAYER

O God, forgive us for choosing war instead of peace. O God, forgive us for glamorising war instead of facing the horrors of it. O God, forgive us for choosing revenge instead of reconciliation. O God, forgive us for fighting instead of loving. O God, forgive us for alienating ourselves from one another instead of finding our common humanity. O God, forgive us for our policies that divide us instead of uniting us. O God, forgive us for conquering instead of negotiating. O God, forgive us for wounding instead of healing. O God, forgive us for choosing war instead of peace.

Today O God, we pray for peace. We pray that you will raise up peacemakers amongst us that peace may become a permanent reality in our world. We pray for all our leaders, that you may grant them wisdom, that they may be guided to find ways of peace and not war. We pray for the victims of war, both past and present, that they will find healing and wholeness in their suffering. Today we remember all those who have died in armed conflict, no matter which side they were on, and pray that you may grant them eternal rest.

Today O God, we pray for peace. We pray that peace will start with us. We pray that we will find new ways of loving, healing and reconciling.

We pray this in the Name of the Prince of Peace.

Amen.

Hymn:       I vow to thee my country

BENEDICTION

May the blessing of God go before us.
May God’s grace and peace abound.
May God’s spirit live within us,
May God’s love embrace and enfold us.
May God’s blessing remain with us always,
May we walk on holy ground.  Amen

THE MEMORIAL LECTURE THAT NEVER WAS

Recently I have been thinking back to last year’s Chaplain General’s Conference in Pretoria, and specifically to the inaugural memorial lecture that was held at that Conference. One of our Reserve Force colleagues had passed away suddenly after our previous Conference and that was deemed the reason we from henceforth would hold a Memorial Lecture in her honour and memory at all our Conferences. We were not told why she specifically was afforded this honour. I had reservations about why she and not another more prominent and senior chaplain had been honoured in this way, but the decision had already been made.
 
To my understanding, a memorial lecture commemorates the life and work of a person who made a profound and important contribution to society through his or her academic field or professional life. A memorial lecture, again to my understanding, explores academically how the life and work of the person being commemorated continues to make an impact on society and how we are continuing the work of that person in ways that are relevant and meaningful.

We assembled dutifully for the memorial lecture, and were informed that the chaplain’s previous Commanding Officer would present the lecture, but no title for the lecture was given. The family of the deceased chaplain was present at the front of the auditorium. In spite of my reservations, I was looking forward to something more academic and substantial in our otherwise rather mundane conference. I was disappointed. The lecture was nothing more than a glowing tribute, a eulogy to the chaplain who had passed away. It was a tribute that would have fitted in perfectly at the funeral or memorial service of the deceased. It felt like this for the family too: they were moved emotionally by what was being said. The lecture was concise and to the point – the speaker had made his point about the chaplain. There was a brief vote of thanks to the speaker and then the most bizarre part of the lecture that never was, happened. A Scottish piper played the hymn Amazing Grace on the bagpipes! It jarred in its glaring inappropriateness for the occasion as did its shocking insensitivity to the family, but more about that in a moment. The memorial lecture had come to an end and the family was excused. There was some self-congratulatory hubris after that, but then it was back to the business of the conference. I was left feeling incredulous and angry.

I trained for the ministry during the tumultuous 1980s. During those times, every now and again, I would find myself in the home of a young black activist who had been killed by the police. Most of the time I was the only white person in the home, feeling frightened and intimidated, naively hoping that the presence of my black colleague whom I always accompanied and my white clerical collar would be enough protection. I remember the scene vividly: the mother of the victim and the other women huddled under blankets; the room dimly lit by candles or a smelly paraffin lamp; the palpable pain; the quiet murmurings of the men; and the young black men on the periphery with that brief flash of anger when they saw me there, but mostly their faces were vacant in the knowledge that it would probably be one of them who would be killed next. Then the singing would start, sometimes loud and angry, at other times mournful and heart-wrenching, and at other times quiet and contemplative. In between the singing would be the loud, staccato prayers, prayers that raced from the heart and tumbled out of the mouth leaving both the one praying and the listeners out of breath. The singing and the prayers would be punctuated with the wails of the female mourners, cutting like a knife into the air and into the heart. I remember the hymns and the freedom songs, especially the haunting Senzeni na? I remember the prayerful, lilting rendition of Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika. But most of all I remember the feeling. I did not understand the words being spoken but I knew I was on holy ground. The singing and the prayers were bringing hope into a hopeless situation, healing into the pain, applying a soothing balm onto the wound. In that moment there was a vision of a new South Africa, a new world where there would be peace, love and unity. Together we were able to catch a glimpse of it, together we yearned for it. The singing and the prayers put that which we yearned for momentarily in our grasp. In that moment my whiteness, my otherness and my fear disappeared: we were the same and we shared the same pain and the same hope.

I learnt a valuable lesson from those times that will stay with me forever. In Africa when we grieve, we sing and we pray. We sing and we pray in a way that expresses the grief fully, but also in a way that we find healing and hope.

Let’s return to our memorial lecture. A moving tribute was given and the family was in tears. We did not offer one prayer and we did not sing one hymn. What we did was to impose foreign, colonial style music on the family, telling them that it would make them feel better and then congratulating ourselves for what we had done! Instead of a soothing balm we had applied an astringent ointment, instead of healing we inflicted more pain, instead of hope we brought despair. To me it felt as if we had roughly ripped off the old bandage on the wound and clumsily slapped on an old discarded bandage from someone else’s suppurating ulcer. 

Senzeni na?

CHAPLAIN ANDREW TREU

AFRICA DAY 2016

Today we celebrate Africa Day. We celebrate Africa Day on this beloved, beautiful but broken continent. Beloved because of her raw natural beauty, from the iconic Table Mountain in the South through to the plains, valleys, mountain ranges, rivers and deserts. Beloved because of her beautiful trees, flowers and veld. Beloved because of her majestic animals, the lion, the elephant, the hippopotamus, her horses, her cattle, her donkeys and her goats. Beloved because of her natural wealth, her gold, diamonds, platinum, oil and iron ore. Beloved because of her people, those whose ancestors have always been here and also those whose ancestors came from other parts and made Africa their home. Beloved because Africa is our Mother: she has nurtured us, she has fed us, shaped us and she loves us in return.

Today we celebrate Africa Day on this beloved, beautiful but broken continent. Broken because of the loss of her sons and daughters into slavery. Broken because of her lost mineral wealth that has been plundered and stolen from her. Broken because of her sons and daughters who fought for her but died in the process. Broken because of how her own people were subjugated and turned into servants and labourers. Broken because of how many of her sons and daughters lost their human dignity at the hands of other human beings. Broken because of how brother and sister Africans have turned against one another. Broken because of the wars that never end. Broken because of the diseases that ravage her. Broken because of the famines, the droughts and people who are starving. Broken because of how her people continue to suffer.

I stand in front of you in all humility as one of the sons of Africa, a son of Africa that bears the scars of Mother Africa’s pain. I am an anomaly, an unworthy son of Africa whose recent ancestors were adopted by Mother Africa, but who caused her much pain. It was they who arrogated to themselves wealth and privilege that cost fellow Africans their land, their dignity and their lives. I bear those scars and I carry that guilt inside me. My privilege is plain for all to see: my whiteness, my sense of superiority, my sense of entitlement, my liberalism. I stand in front of you, guilty but somehow and undeservedly forgiven by Mother Africa who now also calls me one of her sons. I too am liberated and stand proud as a son of Africa. Her forgiveness of me gives me hope for the rest of Africa, that Africa can and will be healed and restored and peaceful.

As a forgiven and liberated son I commit myself today afresh to Mother Africa, to this beloved, beautiful but broken continent. I commit myself to making right the errors and sins of my ancestors. I commit myself to Africa and her people; that there will be peace, wholeness and prosperity again. Please join me, fellow Africans, in doing the same.

I close with the words of Thabo Mbeki in his great speech “I am an African”:

“Whatever the setbacks of the moment, nothing can stop us now! Whatever the difficulties, Africa shall be at peace! However improbable it may sound to the sceptics, Africa will prosper!”

God bless Africa; guard her children; guide her leaders. And give her peace, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika

MORAL REGENERATION IN THE SANDF: SOME PRELIMINARY THOUGHTS FOR DISCUSSION

INTRODUCTION

The SA Army Chaplains Service has been tasked with the development of a Moral Regeneration Program for the SA Army and hopefully for the SANDF. This article is shared as preliminary thought for discussion on the matter.

Since the dawn of our new democracy there have been calls for moral regeneration in our society. Indeed, the Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM) was formally established in 1998 after a meeting between President Mandela, faith-based organisation leaders, Fr Smangaliso Mkhatshwa and the SABC. This was followed by a Moral Regeneration Summit (see www.mrm.org.za for full details).

A moral regeneration program in the SANDF is appropriate and necessary. Soldiers pledge their allegiance and commitment to the Code of Conduct. Soldiers are expected to behave in a moral, ethical and exemplary manner in and out of uniform. Their behaviour must be above reproach and instil trust and pride in the general public. Soldiers should be held in high esteem by the public and respected as men and women of high ethical and moral standing. In practical terms this means that soldiers should never go absent without leave, engage in promiscuous sex, or abuse alcohol or drugs, and not engage in any ill-disciplined or criminal activity. On deployment, soldiers must behave in a professional and ethical manner, especially when they are dealing with people who have become vulnerable as a result of war.

THE PRESENT SITUATION

Soldiers however, are members of society and are a product of that society. They join the SANDF with the values and norms instilled in them from their families and communities. Thus, if one is to engage in moral regeneration that is authentic, one must be aware of the current moral situation of society as a whole. There are troubling signs. Racist incidents are on the rise, which is amplified by social media and exploited by those with narrow self serving political agendas that cause even more division and racial hatred. Our society is still largely segregated along racial lines. Corruption is on the rise, in every sphere of our society. Crime and violent crime continue to be a problem. Rape of women and children is a blight on our social order. Murder rates are unacceptably high. More and more, disgruntled communities are resorting to violent protest to make their voices heard and are not willing to engage in negotiations, even if their grievances are legitimate. All of this is taking place in the context of a society where unemployment is amongst the highest in the world and economic inequality is extreme

Our education system is dysfunctional and there is a high dropout rate at school level. There is a large discrepancy in the quality of education between schools in well resourced areas and those in poorer communities. Many young people who do qualify for tertiary education are unable to fund their studies due to the high costs, which too has sparked violent protests across the country. Our universities are grappling with the vexing problem of providing a quality education that is relevant and authentic to the African context, and not a continuation of a European model steeped in a colonialist past. With the calls for decolonisation comes the further issue of finding an ethic and a moral system that is authentically African. Modern young Africans of all races are no longer satisfied with adopting a moral ethic that is wholly derived from a European context and simply applied here.

Soldiers are a product of our society and are exposed to the current issues and trends in our society. Soldiers form their own moral opinions and attitudes in the context of our societal moral milieu.

THE PAST

However, the present moral health of the nation must be linked to, and dictates that attention be paid to our pre-democracy past. The apartheid system had as its basis the immoral ideology of racial superiority, which was enforced violently with oppressive legislation, structures and action by the State that systematically dehumanised “non-whites.” Family units were torn apart by laws that created hostels of men mostly from rural areas to work as cheap labour in the mines and other industries. State facilities, structures and systems (especially the education system) were markedly and intentionally inferior to those provided for the white minority. The black majority was denied ownership of land, and black ghettos (locations) were created on the peripheries of all towns and cities. Those of the black majority who lived on land in whites-only areas were removed violently from that land and dispossessed without compensation (a phenomenon that had started with colonialism). Economic inequality was stark, with the vast majority of the wealth of the nation in the hands of a small white minority. State oppression and violence was met with resistance, defiance and violence. The apartheid state retaliated with even more violence: arrests, imprisonments, banning orders and executions were the order of the day. All of the above factors created a fertile ground for the breakdown of morality in society as a whole. 

During colonialism and apartheid, the black majority was denied ownership of land, denied meaningful participation in political decision making and denied freedom of movement. People were relegated to living in ghettos and were given an education that equipped them to become servants and labourers. The relationship of the majority to the State was defiant and adversarial. The law and the instruments of the law at the time could not be respected as they were immoral. It is no wonder then that today we have a problem of lawlessness and disrespect for authority. In the past protests against the state unleashed a violent response from the police, whether the demonstrations were peaceful or not. It is no wonder then that today protests inevitably turn violent, either by the police or the demonstrators. In the past, people felt that to burn a state building or not to pay for services was justified as those structures and services were instruments of an unjust regime and for which they had no ownership. It is no wonder then that today schools, clinics and libraries are burnt and utility accounts are not paid. In the past, the relationship of whites to blacks was one of master and servant, where whites regarded themselves as inherently superior to blacks on the basis of the colour of their skins. It is no wonder then that today racist attitudes and behaviours persist

Thus, any attempt at moral regeneration in the present must take the past into account. Ignoring the past will be tantamount to treating the symptoms and not the cause.

THE WAY FORWARD

The Chaplains Service is ideally placed to develop and to facilitate a moral regeneration program for the SANDF. The Chaplains Service has as one of its primary mandates to render ethical and moral support to members of the Department of Defence and their dependants. Chaplains are trained to reflect theologically on the ethical and moral state of affairs of the organisation and its members. Chaplains have the status and the credibility within the organisation to develop and to present a moral regeneration program that is authentic and which will make a positive contribution to the organisation and by extension to the country. Furthermore, chaplains are themselves products of churches that have been able to reflect upon and deal with (some churches more adequately then others) their own theological and ecclesiological colonial history

The following process is suggested as a starting point to create a Moral Regeneration Program for the SANDF.

The first step would be to develop a strategic partnership with the MRM, to share resources and to tap into the work that has already been done in the area. It makes no sense for us to duplicate the work that has already been done or to develop a program in isolation that does not take the work that has already been done into account. Ultimately, a Memorandum of Understanding or an equivalent document must be developed to formalise the co-operation between the SANDF represented by the Chaplains Service and the MRM. I am convinced that the MRM would welcome enquiries and overtures from the Chaplains Service on this matter.

Secondly, it is suggested that the Chaplains Service facilitates a process within the organisation similar to and akin to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) (see http://www.justice.gov.za/trc/ for more details). The SADF never played any meaningful role in the TRC and we have only heard of isolated cases, e.g. that of Dr. Wouter Basson, that were mentioned in the TRC. There has never been a process within the SANDF where former liberation forces soldiers, former TVBC soldiers and former SADF soldiers have told their stories in a way that would bring meaningful healing and reconciliation. Many soldiers in the SANDF, especially in the Reserve Force, have never had the opportunity for meaningful engagement with members who fought on the “other side.” Facilitating this is a natural role for chaplains to play as they are trained in and for reconciliation both between God and human beings and amongst human beings themselves. Chaplains could help to facilitate not only forgiveness and reconciliation but also the process of restitution where necessary. Restitution may not only be at the level of the individual person, but may also occur at an organisational level where the organisation itself may need to, for instance, engage with communities that were dispossessed of their land by the military. The TRC had a legal mandate to conduct its work, which the Chaplains Service will not have. It is suggested that we call the process something like, “Looking Back to take us Forward.” There would need to be significant buy-in from the command structures of the SANDF and there would definitely need to be ministerial approval. While healing and reconciliation would be the primary goal of this exercise, the ultimate goal would be to develop a new moral ethic for the SANDF that has significant participation and buy-in across all structures and rank groups.

Thirdly, linked to the above, it is important that younger soldiers be exposed to the process, as it is they who will lead our organisation in the future. There will need to be a program of education within the organisation that will expose and educate all soldiers in the full-time and part-time components on the history of our organisation and on the process that brought us to where we are today. Chaplains have the advantage of being able to speak from the perspective of churches that have engaged with and dealt with our political history in a manner that has grappled with colonialism and which recognised apartheid as evil (even though some churches have only done so recently). Linked to this is the necessity to educate soldiers on the Constitution and its institutions that are the product of our society engaging with the past and looking forward to the creation of a democratic and just society. This process however, cannot be the sole preserve of the Chaplains Service as it will have to be implemented in all training institutions as an integral part of all curricula.

Fourthly, chaplains would need to develop a moral regeneration program as a culmination of the three points above. This program must be developed after significant and meaningful participation from soldiers from the full-time and part-time components and across all rank groups. The Code of Conduct must be revisited and possibly revised to reflect the process that has unfurled during the development of the program. The program will need to be written and developed in much the same way that the CHATSEC program was written and developed, i.e. with a pilot program, a training manual, facilitation manual and a resource manual. The program will need to be developed so that it addresses soldiers at the various stages of their careers, from recruits right through to top management.

CONCLUSION

Now more than ever before in our young democracy, the need for a moral regeneration program is necessary and critical. The Chaplains Service must grasp the opportunity to develop such a program within the SANDF with both hands and embrace it as a Divine imperative. The Program must be developed as a result of a process of looking back to the past to find healing and then looking forward to the development of a moral ethic that is authentic, has credibility and which can shine as a beacon of hope to society. This is the Kairos moment for the Chaplains Service and the SANDF: may God give us the hope, courage and fortitude to bring it to fruition.

CHAPLAIN ANDREW TREU

Letter to Noel Magerman

My friend, Noel Magerman, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on the 16th of July 2015. I wrote the following letter as my tribute to him, which I read out at his funeral.

Dear Noel,

I never thought I would have to write this letter to you. I hope you don't mind my sharing it with the people who are here to attend your funeral. It seems and feels surreal to be talking about your funeral! It feels to me as if you're still in Pretoria, and that I'll see you soon.

As I write this to you, the memories of you and the times we shared together are flooding back into my consciousness and the associated emotions into my psyche. I remember when we first met in Pretoria, you in the Eersterust Circuit and I in the Pretoria Central Circuit. We immediately had a connection and struck up a friendship that has endured for almost 25 years. I remember how we both joined the SANDF in 1996, I in Louis Trichardt and you, the first ever so-called 'coloured' chaplain in the Air Force at Hoedspruit. I remember the late night phone calls where we were able to speak and encourage one another. I remember how we sought one another out at conferences and seminars so that we could talk, talk about the chaplaincy, the church and life in general. I remember driving through to Cape Town with you when we were both transferred to the Navy. I remember how I found courage in our friendship in the first difficult months. I remember with fondness the many hours we spent, sitting in your kitchen, drinking coffee and eating sandwiches, finding solace and encouragement in our friendship particularly after those bruising or humiliating incidents in meetings. I hear your words, "Soek jy brood?!" as I write this. I remember your standing outside to wave to me when I rode the Argus Cycle Tour - you would wave, smile and wish me well. I know you had to stand and wait for a long time, as my estimated time of arrival was always too ambitious, but you waited patiently. I remember your friendly greeting to everyone you met, "Mornings!" I remember your quiet, reserved unassuming presence at meetings and conferences. I remember your passionate commitment to your family and the pride that would radiate from you when you spoke of Nathan and Michael and their achievements, academic and sporting. I remember how you stood up for a young sub-lieutenant against a senior officer who lost his temper with the subordinate, how in your quiet but persistent manner ensured that the young man was not abused further. I remember how you preached with authority and depth at a Chaplain General's Conference, how people afterwards spoke of you with more respect. I remember the flash of painful nostalgia I saw in you the day we walked through that children's home in Port Elizabeth, how you quietly and graciously accepted my fumbling and inadequate words, "It brings back memories doesn't it?" I remember the one and only time you were genuinely angry with me to the point of it jeopardising our friendship: the time when I moved your office around, put your chair on your desk and shifted all your papers off the desk. I am reminded of how my wary apology immediately restored you to calm and rescued our friendship.

Noel you taught me many things. You taught me about circumspection. You had the ability to assess and to understand a situation properly before you acted. You quietly and unassumingly gauged the situation and gained deep, perceptive insights that placed you intellectually and morally in a superior position to those like me who react instinctively without much thought on the matter. You taught me about humility. You were never one to boast about your many, impressive achievements. You always regarded yourself as the least important. You even allowed some to take advantage of your quiet humility that led to your being disadvantaged or hurt, but that did not unsettle or alter your humble spirit in any way. You would rather hide the pain than allow others to see it. You taught me about tenacity. You had the gift of being able to stick to and to stick through a task, no matter how sticky that task may be. I always admired your painstaking attention to detail, the careful and meticulous manner with which you worked. You always, without exception saw a task through to its conclusion. You never sought recognition for your work and even when it was given, you were dismissive of that recognition, because according to you, you were just doing your job. You taught me the value of family. I think because of your own childhood where you were deprived of what one might term a 'normal' family life, you were committed to living for your own family. Your Whatsapp status used to read, 'Family is everything.' You deployed grudgingly as it deprived you of your family. When you were away from home you made a point of maintaining contact in your usual meticulous manner. You told me the only reason your promotion was important to you was because it would place your family in a better financial position. You taught me about faith. I knew you as a deep man of faith. In our discussions you would regularly make reference to how God was at work or how God was leading you or us. When you preached or shared a devotion with us as chaplains, you helped me to encounter God in a new and a fresh way. Your faith inspired my own faith.

Noel you were a very private person. Thank you for allowing me into your inner, private space. Thank you for being my friend. I will cherish it as long as I live.

Farewell Noel, my humble, quiet friend - may you find your place amongst those humble saints who have gone before us into the eternal presence of our Lord. Farewell Noel, family man - rest in the knowledge that your affection and love will be held in their memories and their hearts for as long as they live. Farewell Noel, man of faith - may light perpetual shine on you.

Affectionately,

Your friend,

Andrew.

KINSHASA: BETWEEN DESPAIR AND HOPE

I wrote the following article after my first deployment to the DRC, which was from November 2010 to June 2011. I was deployed as part of the SANDF Op Mistral XVI, which is in support of the UN Peacekeeping Force (MONUSCO).

This article was submitted for publication to the SANDF Chaplains Magazine, but unfortunately was rejected by the editorial committee, thus its publication here.

What follows is a personal reflection and reflects no other views except my own.

 

Kinshasa is a place that assails the senses. The minute one steps off the aircraft one walks into a wall of heat exacerbated by high humidity. The heat is relentless. Temperatures regularly soar into the 40s. Even in the evenings the heat does not let up. The air is thick with smoke. Smoke from the hundreds of vehicles on the road, smoke from all the open fires, smoke from all the old tyres being burnt. The smoke is pungent but not as pungent as the smell emanating from the decaying and dilapidated sewerage infrastructure. There is litter everywhere. There does not seem to be a place where there is no litter.
 

Wheelbarrow

Cargo handlers



Kinshasa City Centre

Kinshasa City centre




Kinshasa City Centre

Roadside Stalls

Roadside Petrol Stall



Roadside Stalls

And then there are the people. People everywhere, a teeming seething mass of people, on the streets, on the pavements, in the buildings, in the vehicles. Everyone is moving, most are in a hurry to be somewhere. With the people come the vehicles. The battered vehicles and taxis are everywhere, filled to overflowing with people. They too are in a hurry, pushing, shoving, jostling, opening up impossible gaps for themselves, creating lanes of traffic on non-existent roads and pavements, making maniacal manoeuvres to ensure that they are at the front of the endless queues of vehicles on the broken roads. It takes some getting used to.



Roadside Stalls

Traffic Policeman





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Driving in the traffic is harrowing. One is struck by the impatience and the intolerance of the drivers. Everyone assumes he or she has the right of way regardless of the rules of the road and regardless of the fact that the other person may have been there first. Nobody gives anyone else a chance to pass even if it is abundantly clear that it is the only way to clear the congestion in an intersection. It seems that people would rather stay stuck and frustrated, venting their frustration at one another by shouting and hooting. The disrespect and rudeness is shocking to the extent that it almost seems that people hate one another. The traffic police are there trying to control the flow of traffic, but they too are largely ignored. Those policemen who do stamp down their authority, openly solicit bribes to open paths for vehicles.

Taxi

Even normal human interaction seems to be largely transactional in nature. A simple enquiry for directions will involve a financial transaction. What we accept as common courtesy in South Africa costs money in the DRC. Prices on goods and commodities on the street are exorbitant until bargained down with a reluctant seller intent on fleecing the customer. Foreigners are tolerated as long as they have money to spend. The thin veneer of courtesy disappears completely when it is clear that payment is not going to be made.

 

Traffic



Traffic




Taxi

Poverty is everywhere. It is palpable. The vast majority seem to eke out an existence eating the staple cassava meal and spinach that is sold on the pavements everywhere. Overweight people are few and far between and obesity is non existent. The shops in town are well stocked with expensive groceries, commodities, fruit and vegetables from all over the world, except the DRC. Only well to do locals and expatriates are found in those shops, shielded away from the majority who will never deign to enter there. Those shops are definitely not accessible to the poor majority: they are relegated to the streets and pavements. The paradox of this rich and fertile country having to import basic foods is difficult to understand and impossible to accept.

 

Taxi

The DRC is a damaged country and Kinshasa is a damaged city. Here we are not only talking about the buildings and the infrastructure. It is almost as if the psyche of the people has been damaged too, which makes it even worse. The DRC has a tough history. First it was the colonial masters who took what they could before independence and then left the people to their own devices. A bloody coup saw Mobutu Sese Seko rise to power, whose dictatorial and corrupt regime was followed by a bloody civil war that has only recently ended. There are refugees of war from other conflicts in the region. Rebel groups from other countries continue to operate in the DRC. The people of the DRC and specifically those in Kinshasa, have borne the brunt of it. The scars are everywhere, the damage has taken its toll. The people have suffered and continue to suffer. It at times can cause one to despair.



On the Pavement

And yet, in the midst of the damage and despair there is hope. The people are busy and on the move. Everyone seems to be selling something. Everyone seems to be going somewhere. Time is of the essence to the people of Kinshasa. There is no drunkenness on the streets. There is no loitering on the streets either. People work hard. People are not afraid of hard physical labour. Many earn a living by hauling heavy cargo on small wheelbarrows, pushing their heavy loads for many kilometres. The many stalls and small shops on the streets are always open and always busy, day and night.



In the Traffic

The people of Kinshasa are people of faith. There are churches and mosques everywhere. On Sundays the churches are full. People readily speak about their faith and the hope and inspiration they find in their faith. South Africans more than anyone know the crucial role that faith played in our peaceful transition to democracy and national reconciliation. The religious leaders of the DRC must accept the role they have to play in healing the wounds of the past and bringing about national reconciliation in their damaged country.

 

Police Station

There is hope too in the sense that the DRC is a rich country. It is rich in mineral resources. It has enough water to meet the needs of the whole of Africa. It has the potential through hydroelectric projects to produce enough electricity for the continent. It is a fertile country with the potential to be the food basket of Africa. The trick is to channel the energy and the enterprise of the people into realising this potential. Channelling this potential must be in the context of a transparent and peaceful democracy. All this is a daunting challenge, but as fellow Africans it is our responsibility to assist and to provide the necessary skills and resources. This is the only way to heal a broken nation and to restore people's dignity and respect. It is a lesson we as South Africans have learnt and must share with our fellow Africans.


Let us continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in the DRC, especially those in Kinshasa. In the words of Bishop Desmond Tutu, as people of faith, we are “prisoners of hope.”



Taxi

Traffic

 



METHODIST CHAPLAINS IN THE SANDF: SOME THOUGHTS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A SERVING CHAPLAIN

INTRODUCTION

The Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA) has a long history of appointing ministers to serve as chaplains to the armed forces. The relationship of the Church with the Defence Force has at times been strained and fraught with controversy, especially during the days of the apartheid regime. At the time there was a view that the Church appointing chaplains to the South African Defence Force (SADF) was a tacit legitimation of a regime which the Church viewed as sinful and illegitimate. The counter view held that Methodist conscripts needed to be served by their own ministers, and that the Church had a pastoral responsibility to bring a differing perspective to the dominant pro-regime view within the SADF. This controversy has dissipated since the formation of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in 1995. The MCSA now plays a leading role in the Christian Religious Advisory Board of the SANDF, and ministers who feel a calling to this particular form of ministry are free to be appointed as chaplains. The relationship the Church has with the SANDF is regulated by a Church-State Agreement that is ratified both by the Conference of the MCSA and the Chaplain General who signs on behalf of the SANDF.

Methodist chaplains wear the non-executive rank of “Christian Chaplain” and are by definition non-combatants and enjoy protection as such under the Geneva Convention during times of armed conflict. They serve all members and not only Methodists. The military context provides a unique opportunity for ministry in the workplace to people of all denominations and faiths. Chaplains deploy with their units on internal (mostly border protection) and external (mostly peace support) operations. The chaplain's ministry primarily encompasses proclamation of the Gospel, pastoral care and teaching. The other important role the chaplain must play within the organisation is prophetic, to be the voice of conscience within the organisation. Chaplains serve on the command structures of the SANDF in an advisory capacity. Chaplains are regarded as the specialists on spiritual and ethical matters, and their advice is sought by commanders when making command decisions.

SELECTION OF MINISTERS FOR THE CHAPLAINCY

The MCSA has a responsibility to appoint ordained ministers to the SANDF who will be the face of the Church in the organisation, who will uphold the good name of the Church and will continue to be faithful to their calling to Word and Sacrament. Ministers who are appointed must have a clear calling to work within the military context. They should be comfortable working across all racial, language, cultural, denominational and faith groups. Ministers who are appointed must be willing to be posted to any military base in the country and must be willing to be deployed with their soldiers, which is usually for a minimum period of six months. They need to be physically fit and be willing to live in situations deprived of normal home comforts, especially when on deployment. They will also need to be prepared to undergo military training that will acquaint them with the military environment and will equip them to cope with the rigours of military life, especially in war zones. The MCSA must be willing to commit a minister to the SANDF for a minimum period of ten years, as the rules of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) do not allow a withdrawal of an employee’s full actuarial benefit if the person has contributed for a period of less than ten years. For this same reason, ministers over the age of 50 should be excluded from selection as the retirement age in the SANDF is 60 and the consequent loss of pension benefits would be enormous.

A minister who is appointed to the SANDF as a chaplain is an ambassador of the MCSA. This places a responsibility on the Church to ensure that only the best and most suitable ministers are appointed. Ministers who have disciplinary charges against them should be excluded, as should those who have failed in their Circuit appointments. The Chaplaincy should not be seen as a “dumping ground” of the Church to rid itself of troublesome or incompetent ministers, nor should the Church use the Chaplaincy as a form of rehabilitation for recalcitrant ministers. Neither should ministers be allowed to seek refuge in the Chaplaincy to escape from difficulties or potential disciplinary issues in circuit. Those who fail in circuit are likely to fail in the Chaplaincy, and will cause incalculable harm to the reputation of the MCSA in the process.

The Chaplain General’s policy with regard to new appointments in the SANDF is that a denomination is entitled to appoint one minister per 500 uniform members of that denomination to the SANDF. The Chaplain General has the responsibility to inform the denomination through its Liaison Chaplain that a vacancy exists for a chaplain of that particular denomination. The denomination presents a candidate to the Chaplain General who then proceeds with the military selection process.

The following MCSA process is suggested to help those ministers who feel a calling to the Chaplaincy, and to help the Church appoint the best candidates for the job:

a.         An ordained minister who feels a calling to the Chaplaincy first approaches the Bishop of the District in which he or she is serving. The Bishop must interview the person to explore the calling the particular minister is experiencing. The Bishop must ensure that the minister is in good standing in the circuit which he or she is serving and there are no outstanding assessments or any other issues that are pressurising the minister to leave the circuit appointment. The Bishop recommends the minister to the Connexional Committee on Military Chaplaincy (CCMC).

 

b.        The minister who is recommended by the District Bishop is interviewed by the CCMC. If the CCMC is satisfied that the minister is a suitable candidate, the minister’s name is forwarded to the Chaplain General when a vacancy for a MCSA minister has been communicated to the CCMC through the MCSA Liaison Chaplain. The CCMC must be aware that the Chaplain General has to meet certain SANDF criteria when appointing new chaplains, viz. age, gender, race and medical fitness. The Chaplain General may also be looking for a candidate with a particular set of skills, depending on the vacancy that exists. It is suggested that the Liaison Chaplain obtain from the Chaplain General a profile of the candidate for a particular vacancy in the Chaplaincy so that the CCMC can present the MCSA’s best candidate for that vacancy to the Chaplain General.

 

c.         The Chaplain General does not have the right to recruit MCSA ministers directly without the knowledge of the CCMC, neither may ministers apply directly to the Chaplain General.

 

 

MINISTERS SERVING AS CHAPLAINS

 

Ministers serving in the SANDF are currently stationed in Circuit Number 1413 and appear in the list of Stations as an “N.B.” in the circuits in which they reside. They remain in full connexion and their Supernumerary Fund accounts are regarded as being paid-up for the time they will spend serving as chaplains. Ministers appointed as chaplains are expected to keep strong links with the Church through the circuits in which they reside. This means that chaplains can be utilised for pastoral, preaching, sacramental and other duties in a part-time capacity, but with the understanding that official chaplain’s duties always take precedence over any Circuit involvement or duty.

 

In practical terms this means that chaplains must become full members of the circuit staff in which they reside. Chaplains perform pastoral and other duties under the direction of the Circuit Superintendent. Chaplains are primarily accountable to the Superintendent Minister and then to the District Bishop for the execution of their pastoral duties within the circuit. Chaplains are required to attend staff meetings, Circuit Quarterly Meetings, synods and retreats (up to a maximum of ten days special leave per annum is allowed by the Chaplain General for chaplains to attend synods and retreats.) Circuits are not assessed for the chaplains residing within their boundaries but are expected to fund the attendance of chaplains at synods and retreats. Circuits that cannot afford to pay synod and retreat fees must make this known to the chaplain and to the Bishop so that an arrangement can be made. Any allowances paid to chaplains for services rendered must be negotiated at Circuit level and must be declared to the Methodist Connexional Office so that the necessary tax administration can be done.

 

Chaplains are accountable for their work in the SANDF primarily to the Chaplain General, but also to the Church. Chaplains are required to submit an annual report on their work within the SANDF and circuit to the Synod to which they belong. Chaplains are primarily responsible to the Circuit Superintendent and accountable to the local Circuit Quarterly Meeting (CQM) for the ministry they exercise in the circuit. The following procedure is suggested as a way to keep chaplains accountable to the Church:

 

a.          Ministers are invited to serve as chaplains by the CCMC in the same way that any other minister is invited to labour by a Circuit Quarterly Meeting. The only difference is that ministers are invited for an initial period of 10 years, so that the minister does not suffer a loss of GEPF benefits. After the initial 10 year invitation has lapsed, invitations must be renewed annually in line with invitations in the rest of the Connexion. Ministers who wish to extend their invitations as chaplains shall indicate this to the CCMC through the Liaison Chaplain. The Bishop of the District in which the chaplain resides shall make a recommendation to the CCMC after having conducted an interview with the minister, and in consultation with the chaplain’s local Superintendent Minister. The CCMC has the right to conduct its own interview when considering the continued invitation of a minister to labour as a chaplain. Those ministers who enter the Chaplaincy with the intention not to serve a full 10 years will be invited for the period they wish to serve, but not less than 5 years. These ministers must be encouraged to make ad hoc contributions to the Supernumerary Fund to offset the loss of the full GEPF actuarial benefit on resignation from the SANDF.

 

b.          Ministers appointed as chaplains shall be required to attend all Circuit Staff Meetings, CQMs, District Synods and District Retreats.

 

c.          Ministers appointed as chaplains shall exercise some form of circuit ministry but with the understanding that the SANDF always has first call on the services of its chaplains. Chaplains shall be available to serve on District and Connexional structures, and shall also be considered to superintend a circuit should the need arise.

 

d.          Ministers appointed as chaplains shall submit reports on their ministry in the SANDF and in the local circuit both to the Synod and to the CCMC through the Liaison Chaplain.

 

e.         The Superintendent Minister of the circuit in which a chaplain resides shall submit a brief report on the ministry exercised by the chaplain in the circuit to the District Bishop and to the CCMC. It is suggested that the CCMC draft a standard template for this purpose.

 

f.          The Bishop of the District in which a minister appointed as a chaplain shall conduct an annual Review of Ministry with that minister, the report of which to be forwarded to the CCMC. At the discretion of the Bishop, this function may be delegated to the Superintendent Minister of the circuit in which the chaplain resides.

 

g.         The Liaison Chaplain shall maintain contact with the office of the Chaplain General regarding all possible transfers or promotions of MCSA chaplains. Similarly, the office of the Chaplain General shall inform the Liaison Chaplain regarding the under-performance or poor discipline of any MCSA chaplain. All such information is to be communicated by the Liaison Chaplain to the CCMC for information and possible action.

 

h.         The Liaison Chaplain is to be informed by the office of the Chaplain General of any MCSA chaplain who has been charged militarily under the Military Disciplinary Code. The CCMC will conduct its own investigation and will make recommendations to the Presiding Bishop with regard to the MCSA disciplinary procedures to be instituted against the minister.

 

i.          The Liaison Chaplain is to inform the office of the Chaplain General of any MCSA chaplain who is facing disciplinary action by the MCSA. When an MCSA chaplain is suspended by the Presiding Bishop, the CCMC must request the Chaplain General to place that chaplain on special leave pending the outcome of the MCSA disciplinary action instituted against that minister.

 

j.          The CCMC is to inform the Chaplain General immediately should a chaplain be discontinued by the MCSA. All MCSA chaplains are to give a written contractual undertaking that they will resign from the SANDF should they be discontinued from the ministry of the MCSA.

 

 

CHAPLAINS RETURNING TO CIRCUIT

 

Ministers serving as chaplains are under the discipline of the MCSA, which means that the Church has the right to station a minister serving as a chaplain back into a normal circuit appointment at any time. It is however desirable that a minister serving as a chaplain is left in the SANDF for a minimum period of 10 years, so that his or her full actuarial benefit accrued in the GEPF is not lost. A chaplain returning to a normal circuit appointment shall resign from the SANDF at least one month in advance of the appointment to the circuit. The minister shall transfer his or her full GEPF actuarial benefit into the Supernumerary Fund so that pension benefits remain intact and uncompromised. The only exception to this is when a chaplain has already reached pensionable age in the SANDF (55 to 60) and takes early or normal retirement. Those ministers who do not complete 10 years service in the SANDF shall transfer their reduced actuarial benefit into the Supernumerary Fund and must consult a financial planner to strategise a way to ameliorate the negative impact of the loss of their full GEPF benefit.

 

Chaplains wishing to return to a normal circuit appointment must give timeous notice of their intention to the CCMC and to the local Bishop. Such a minister then becomes eligible for invitation and stationing as any other minister in the Connexion. It must be recognised that any minister who has been out of an active circuit appointment and has become accustomed to the military with its management culture, will need some time to readjust and orientate him or herself back into normal circuit life. The following procedure is recommended:

 

a.          A chaplain returning to a normal circuit appointment will be debriefed by a senior minister in the District, preferably by a minister who previously served as a chaplain.

 

b.          A chaplain returning to circuit will be appointed a mentor for 1 year. This mentor should preferably be the same minister who deals with the debriefing of the chaplain. Issues that will need to be addressed during the mentorship include changes to procedures and structures that have occurred while the minister was serving as a chaplain. It is suggested that the CCMC in consultation with the Bishops develop a debriefing and mentorship plan for all chaplains returning to circuit appointments.

 

c.          A chaplain returning to circuit should not be appointed as a Circuit Superintendent for the first year.

 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

There are a number of issues raised that require attention at a number of levels:

 

a.         The Church-State Agreement needs to be revised and approved by the Conference and the Chaplain General.

 

             b.         Laws & Discipline needs to be revised.

 

c.         The CCMC needs to revise its procedures with regard to the recruiting of ministers for the Chaplaincy and also the procedures for its relationship with serving chaplains. These procedures must be published in the Minutes of Conference.

 

d.         The Liaison Chaplain plays a critical and pivotal role in this process. His or her role must be written in the form of a Job Description and communicated to the office of the Chaplain General.

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

Methodist ministers serving as chaplains in the SANDF have the privilege to serve across denominational and faith boundaries as ambassadors of the Master who has called them and of the Church that has ordained them. They have to remain accountable to the MCSA during their time serving in the SANDF and must maintain strong links with the Church. The Church has the tremendous and careful task to ensure that suitable and appropriate ministers are appointed, that those who are appointed are held accountable, and to ensure that those returning to normal circuit appointments are reintegrated smoothly and in a manner that benefits both the minister and the Church.

 

It is hoped that these thoughts will stimulate further thought and debate. May God grant us wisdom and courage so that His Kingdom may continue to be realised amongst us.

 

 

CHAPLAIN ANDREW TREU