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5
October 2016
Do not lose focus
t
he 2015/2016 season now properly resembles a five-day
cricket test. It is the last session of the fifth day with two
more wickets in hand – and we are batting for a draw. It is
heading for an end where nobody wins. It was a long, tough
battle distinguished by a lot of sweat.
We have learned many lessons, but it is not a season we would
wish to remember. There will be a lot of talking about it, but the
remembering will be forced. Like our maize crops in the western
part of the country, the many hours which we as organised agricul-
ture had spent to prepare drought plans and to calculate the damage
yielded nothing.
Everybody listened and participated in the talking, but no action
followed the words. The only beacon of hope were the actions
launched by the private sector via Agri SA. We owe all the donors
and participants a big thank you! The tears of producers who re-
ceived much-needed outcome this way, confirmed their great
appreciation.
Fortunately, there is a new season ahead. While writing this arti-
cle, good rains fell in the Western Cape and their crops look very
promising. This is possibly just the wonderful precursor of what we,
here in the northern parts of our country, might expect.
After the 2016 municipal elections there is a feeling of expectation
for a new season throughout the country. The importance of a new
season lies therein that it has more to do with doing than talking,
and that there might be a lot happening that could distract your
attention and focus. The manner in which you react and conclude
matters must be a reflection of your character. Agriculture re-
quires humility and that we become silent before the Creator who
controls everything. Our destiny is in His hands.
One such a ‘new season’ that is trudging uphill slowly, is the posi-
tion the Industry Chamber of Agri SA should fulfil. Already some
of the industries have resigned from Agri SA due to the fact that
we cannot attain unity in agriculture. This obliges some of the in-
dustries to affiliate with more than one national organisation,
which costs additional money. The solutions for this thorny issue
do not abound, but we will have to push on for the sake of a sector
that is critical for the future of our country.
I recently read what has been written about Brexit and the similar-
ity it has with the unexpected support Donald Trump receives in
the USA. There are even similarities thereof with the outcome of
our own municipal elections.
Agriculture will have to take notice of peoples’ anger about mat-
ters that threaten their own lives and living standards – which is ex-
pressed through the ballot box. In English it is referred to as ‘sea
change’ – meaningful change or transformation. While we in agri-
culture are still struggling to reach consensus on what transforma-
tion is and how to do it correctly, a different type of transformation
has occurred in our communities that has very little to do with race.
Agricultural leaders now run the risk that the same thing that has
happened with their political colleagues could happen to them: To
lose contact with what really matters at grassroots level. Rage and
fear drive people to irrational decisions and inappropriate conduct.
DS KOOS KIRSTEN
WOORD
Uit die
d
it gebeur van tyd tot tyd dat ‘n mens haastig is om ‘n
spesifieke ding te doen, maar dan val daar allerhande
goed voor. Later voel jy ontsteld omdat hierdie ding
nie klaarkom nie en dit gebeur dat jy moet aanhou
uitstel totdat dit uiteindelik te laat is. As dit boonop
‘n dringende saak is en die uitstel lei tot skade, is dit
veel erger. Soms is die ongeduld en gejaag onnodig en kom dinge
tog klaar en reg. Ons lees in Mark. 5:21 tot 43 van Jaïrus, een van
die owerstes van die sinagoge, wie se dogtertjie op sterwe gelê
het. Hy het na Jesus gekom met die dringende versoek dat Jesus
na sy huis toe moes kom om sy kind die hande op te lê sodat sy
gesond kon word. Jesus moes egter gou maak, want die kind was
naby haar einde. Enige mens met kinders sal Jaïrus se nood en die
dringendheid van die saak besef.
Op pad daarheen is Jesus egter deur ‘n skare mense verdring en
dit het Hom vertraag. ‘n Vrou wat aan bloedvloeiing gely het, het
aan sy klere geraak. Jesus het gaan stil staan en gevra na die vrou.
Nadat sy uitgekom het, het Hy eers aandag aan die vrou gegee
voordat Hy verder gegaan het. Dit wou voorkom asof Hy haar saak
as dringender beskou het as die lewe van die kind. Wat moes nie in
Jaïrus se gemoed omgegaan het toe hierdie dinge gebeur het nie?
Kort daarna het die skokkende berig gekom dat sy kind dood was en
die mense het gesê hy moes nie die Meester langer lastig val nie. Die
kind was dood, Jesus was te laat om nog iets vir haar te doen.
Jesus het egter vir hom gesê dat hy nie moes vrees nie, maar moes
glo. Jesus het na Jaïrus se huis gegaan en sy dogtertjie uit die dood
uit opgewek. Wat ‘n wonderwerk! Jaïrus wou net sy kind gesond
hê, maar hy het haar terug uit die dood gekry. Vanuit ‘n menslike
perspektief het hier ‘n groter wonder gebeur as waarop hy gehoop
het. Daar moes egter genoeg tyd verloop sodat die kind kon sterf.
God beskik dit so dat Jaïrus en ons hierdie groot wonder kan sien.
Ons beland ook soms in situasies waar ons dringend die hulp en
bystand van die Here nodig het, maar niks gebeur nie. Dan doen
die Here iets groters as waarop ons gehoop het, maar in ons vrees
sien ons dit baie keer nie raak nie. Ons gee voor die tyd op en raak
baie ongeduldig. Die Here weet egter baie beter as ons wanneer en
wat ons nodig het. Neem dan hierdie woorde van die Here Jesus ter
harte “Moenie vrees nie, glo net” en jy mag dalk groter dinge sien en
beleef as waarop jy gehoop het.
Baie geluk aan
Monica Lotter van
Heilbron wat vir die
September-uitgawe van
SA Graan/Grain
die
gratis Bybel gewen het.