A Dancing Girl - Spirit of Hope

I am not much of a poet but since yesturday I have been really thinking about the feeling of Hope and just felt a strong urge to write it down...and it came out something like this -----

With out it life feels pointless, purposeless, and meaningless. That is why you know exactly what if feels like when you don’t have it you see this four letter word brings a point, a purpose and a meaning. I like to describer the word like the spirit of a little girl.

She is like the warm summers sun that greets you in the morning,
She puts a smile on your face and wipes the tears a way from your mourning
She has a mysterious presence that out shines the darkness,
She tells you that you look great and that you are uniquely flawless
She grabs hold of your anxiety and lets you swirls her around with joy
She reminds you to dance, laugh and she plays with you like a child takes pleasure in a toy


She is small, young and pure and can sometimes be taken for granted.
And if you forget about her she will leave you coz she will feel unwanted

So when hope comes to your door embrace her with pride.
Take her by the hand and show her your life inside.
Your life will be transformed with a different light,
You’ll get that job and finances will be sorted
You’ll be blessed with a child and not want to abort it
You won’t have to wait all night by the phone,
You’ll be comforted to know you won’t be alone

Let her in she is the radiant spirit of hope.

Encounters with a Stranger

Meeting a stranger can always be interesting, and life changing if you take the time to listen. I truly believe that people come into our lives for a God given reason. You may not think of it at the time but each stranger we meet is like a puzzle piece to Gods master piece, but only time will allow you to realise it. The following blog is about how I took the time to listen to a stranger and where it took us both.

The day I met Fransisca wasn’t exactly the best day of my life. I was two weeks into my new job, I was adjusting to the traffic from Jozi to Pretoria, and on this Saturday I had to go into the office. After dropping my husband off at North-gate and asking my dad for some petrol money, I had to wait for my sister to come meet me there. It was a hot day, I was broke and depressed about working on a Saturday.

Then this young lady started to approach me and I wasn’t exactly in the mood to chat. But something came over me like the Holy Spirit whispering “Kanya all I ask is that you listen to her.” ....grrrrrr. So I asked God to help me listen because from what I could see…she looked rough around the edges, lots of make-up, short twist, denim jacket. She greeted me and began to tell me about her life, where she came from, who she was living with, how she was looking for a job, how it wasn’t easy. Something a lot of us have all heard before…but there was something different in this conversation. I began to talk about how I knew how hard it was to look for a job….But if I was struggling and had a Masters degree, how much more harder was it be for a girl with only O’levels. I told her I was only looking for someone to work for me for one day and she could come for an interview. By this time I had already interviewed 3 ladies, none of which were right for the job.

When I got into the car that day I briefly stepped into Gods world, I suddenly got flashes of her life, I got scared thinking how close prostitution could be..drugs. I got reminded about my prayer for a job, my frustrations with life and I began to realise how they were all nothing compared to hers. It was like at that moment I was touched by the compassion of God….. It was as if God was showing me how his puzzle of life worked and that this was just one puzzle piece. My blessing of having a job wasn’t for ME, MY LIFE MY NEEDS, MY DEBTS, MY DREAMS. No not at all. It was all for Gods Kingdom, Gods people. It was like God was giving me a glimpse at His BIGGER PICTURE but this was only one puzzle piece put in my heart by a stranger.

It is over 7 months later and Fransisca is like my daughter or my sister. We talk to each other about everything…from getting married, to contraceptives to loving your husband. She grew from working once a week with me to a full week of working for my friends and family. I realised later that she was a Christian and had been praying for a job just like me. We have both opened up our hearts to each other and have experienced so much more than we have ever imagined if we hadn’t met. We both know that it wasn’t in our own doings that got us to where we are today but Gods doing. There is so much more too her and I tell her that! Cleaning houses is only a stepping stone to what God has in store for her. But only time will tell and more puzzle pieces will be added to the puzzle of life.

Reflections: Past, Present, Future

I was very interested in an article I read in the August issue of Oprah Magazine. It was letters to famous/successful ladies younger self from their older self. I know that sounds complicated but simply put the letters were words of encouragement during the tough times of their careers when they were younger.

For example one story was of Founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. She writes encouragements of how although she may not look like all her friends…tall and blonde,….she is still unique and had other qualities. .. here is a quote from the letter
“Your feeling of uncertainty as you’re trying to figure out what your life’s passion is won’t go away over night. You’ll feel lost at university. One day your mom will ask, ‘If you could do anything you wanted, what would you do?” You’ll say, somewhat hopelessly:” I’d go play with make-up at the cosmetics counter.” That’s when your mom will help you find Emerson College, where you’ll major in theatrical make-up”

She finished her letter by saying “Oh my God, if you’d told me when I was in high school that one day I’d take my eldest to Stanford University, That I’d be successful and have this amazing life, I’d never have believed it” Do you believe it now?

Isn’t it amazing how the struggles of our lives are actually the moments when we learn the most from God. It made me reflect on my “old self” and realise how confused I was at certain stages yet God was right there! When I was on my last penny and didn’t think I could finish my Masters (due to lack of motivation)…God pulled through. I remember sitting in my professors (Richard Kellys) office and crying (which I had done numerous times before), he said to me “Kanya I can see you one day Managing a Remote Sensing Department.” Yet here I am in a organisation which allowed me to build the department up from scratch…okay maybe it is a small department…but I must say I didn’t think I could have done it. When I didn’t believe I could love again he showed me how to love unconditionally.

After reading this I thought of my unpredictable future and imagined what my letter would be to myself now. Who would that “SOMEONE” be whoever she is I have no doubt that God would have used the ups and downs of today to weave me into a perfect quilt, with the colours and beads of a Kanya life.

Although I wrote this about me, my hope is that you would think of yourselves in this light. We all need to be encouraged and whatever it is you are going through there is a light! HIS time is so perfectly made for you just let GOD shine on your life.

Encounters with the South African President: Jacob Zuma

So as I mentioned in my previous blog…..Avon and I had the honour of welcoming the President to Godfirst Church. Avon responsibility was to escort the president to and from the VIP room and I had to host the room in which the special guests would meet with the President.
We were all so nervous to meet him. Figuring out what to wear, how to greet him, could we take pictures with him, what to call him Mr J-Z, baba, President Jacob Zuma???? To calm my nerves I pretended that the person that I was going to meet was my Dad….just with a whole lot of guards and stuff around him. The whole building had to be bomb swept with sniffer dogs, the security was in check with metal detectors computers…the works. It for sure was not a normal church service even for us God Firsters. I was more nervous for Avon…I kept asking him are you sure your radio is working…do you know exactly where you are going, what channel should you be talking on.
The VIP room wasn’t too big and could only fit a limited number of people. I had the list of people given to me on a clip bored …which made me look very official. Everyone was rushing around making sure the room was ready with the snacks drinks. The temperature had to be right the flowers. Every now and again I would be like WOW the President is coming. J

Then the presidents personal assistant was gave us the signal that the President had arrived. I was told to make sure no one comes in the room with anything. In my mind “right on…I got this.” As the guards open the door for the president….a cook boy walks in with dessert plates in the opposite door. You should have seen the look I gave the guy. I think I freaked the guy out. It was that look of you better back right out of here coz the president is right at the door!!!! I will show you the look one day.

Once the fuss was over and we got to meet the president himself... he reminded me so much of my father. I observed how he interacted with his daughters how he sipped at his tea and how he laughed and made jokes. He was a daddy kind of a guy. When I looked at him I thought “Here in front of me was the man that was holding South Africa on his shoulders ….the crime the past hurts everything,” I could only imagine what stress he must go through.

When it was time for the interview with the pastor, Avon escorted the president from the VIP room down the back doors and to the front of the stage. I was so proud of my husband J. The interview was with his daughter GUGU and it was so interesting to have the president talk about Gugu the way he did. … so proudly. What stuck out for me was when Sibs asked the president what should the Church be doing…and is it doing enough. Jacob Zuma said the Church should be the conscience of the government…..meaning we should be raising our voices if something is not right. He felt we were not doing that enough….which was true.

The preach by PJ, our pastor, was also very moving. According to Paul, all authorities in the world were put in place by God. We should obey the laws and keep praying that our Leaders will lead our nation wisely and in a Godly manner. We have to focus on the positive aspects of our authorities and pray for the things that are not right. This will make a difference. The government can’t do everything on its own. It can put rules on racism but only God can change the heart of a racist and heal the hearts of those hurt by it. Government can band pornography but only God can deal with a person’s lustful nature, only God can deal with jealousy and greed.

When he came back up to the VIP room I really felt like I knew the president. I also was dying to get my picture taken with him....just to prove that I was actually there. You know a Kanya moment :). Trust me to strike a crazy pose posing with the president. I also got a picture with Avon and I which I said I would give my dad as a fathers day present :).
Anyways, this blog is to encourage you all to pray for our President Jacob Zuma and all our leaders. I was moved by the joining of Christians of all races and backgrounds who all just cheered for joy at the sermon and at Jacob. When we prayed for J-Z people cried. When we sang I could just feel the Holy Spirit moving through the crowd. People were changed and I would only imagine what it would feel like to have the nation changed and believing in God and our authorities too.

If any of you are interested in the preach and the interview with the president please download it from http://www.godfirst.co.za/node/500 Please also forward it to anyone who struggles with believing in our leaders of today.