Media and Society

Okay, the nature of this post is investigative. Having been exposed to the danger facing African (Indigenous) languages (9 of them, I have been thinking of the ways in which they can be redeemed.Then in one of the discussions we had in my seminar sometime, it has been noted that 'MEDIA' is one of the powerful tools in which this can be done. Tracing the history of media, it has been noted that really it has been used as a tool to put English and Afrikaans where they are at the moment. 1994 came and I am convinced that the government had some plans to elevate other the 9 indigenous languages as well to share the same status. I am not really interested in what happened after that but my concern is that the situation is not that much different. This developed a desire to do some research now on the role the spciety can play in influencing the use of these languages in Media. Have your say, I have the questions I would love you to answer below here. What you can do is just copy paste them to the MS Word, answer and email them to me on: kanityi.s@gmail.com or answer them as a comment below here. The Department of African Languages Rhodes University, Grahamstown Honours Research Project Media and Society: This research seeks to see ways in which the society can influence the use of African (indigenous) languages in South African media. Questionnaire: Please note that you do not have to provide your name in this questionnaire. Please also be informed that the information provided in this questionnaire will NOT be shared with a third party without your discretion and that the documents will be destroyed after use. Please feel free to add any additional paper should you need more space with relevant numbering. 1. Age: 2. Gender: please tick – Male Female 3. Nationality:…………………………………………. 4. Occupation: Scholar Learner employed Pensioner 5. If employed where:………………………………. If student or learner where ………………………………… 6. Which media do you consume most? Radio Television Newspaper 7. What programmes do you listen to from radio? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8. In what language are these programmes offered in? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9. Would you say African languages are dying given the present time we live in? Why? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10. Would you say African languages are use mostly in media? And why? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 11. Do you see any reason why African Languages should be used in media, reason why? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 12. If you were/are a student, would you want to study in any African languages? Why? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 13. Do you think the media industry is flexible enough towards being influenced by the society on what language to use? Why? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 14. How would you describe the youth attitude towards using their languages? Why? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 15. What would you say is the future of African language use in media? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 16. Should you been given an opportunity to improve the use of these languages in media, what would you do? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 17. Do you have any comments regarding African languages? .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 18. Would you love to participate in our focus group as a follow up and for more information on this subject? Please tick – Yes No Maybe Thank you for your time you have taken out to fill in this questionnaire, should you like to see the final product do not hesitate to let me know. Interviewer: Simphiwe Kanityi, Rhodes Honours Student 2010 Email: kanityi.s@gmail.com

It's exam time people, let's go out there and excell!

Exam Preparation Exams, for most students exams are synonymous with swear words, somewhere on a par with root canal and a month of Noot-vir-Noot re-runs. But truth be told, exams can be useful and the expectation of the difficulty of doing exams often far exceeds the reality. Exams are designed to test your knowledge and understanding of the course and require you to recall and apply information and theories. To maximize your chances of passing exams, you need to: • Prepare…well in advance. • Overcome nerves and anxiety. • Develop appropriate strategies to use when writing the exam. Take a look through the Exams section on VUMA! for some practical advice on how to get the most out of exams. Exam Preparation Studying for an exam should be more than just a frantic cramming session the night before; successful studying is an ongoing process that begins with the first day of classes and involves managing your time and learning effectively from lectures. A few weeks before If there’s more than a few weeks to go until your exam and you are already at the books, then well done, you’ve already mastered the trick to exam success ….starting early! If not, here are a few guidelines to get you going…. Review material regularly Reviewing allows the brain to consolidate and integrate information, so that cramming should not be necessary! The trick here is to review, not relearn. • Daily review- Edit notes as soon as possible after class and review notes quickly before class. Start this early on in the year and it will soon become habit. • Weekly review- Spend an hour or so at the end of each week on a structured review for each subject. Make summary notes of important concepts and information. • Major review- Begin an extensive review a few weeks before the exam. Organize your time Create a weekly study planner and use it to organise your time. Cross out the times when you know you can't study because of other commitments (e.g. lectures/sport/work). Then plan time slots you will use for studying. Divide your available time and your work load into manageable chunks. Remember to schedule in time for regular breaks. Try and make use of short study times and use your time creatively. As little as fifteen minutes can be ideal for revising your lecture notes. Why not use the time spent waiting for your taxi to arrive or those few minutes between lectures to review your notes? Remember to also take into account the times you study most effectively. Are you an early bird or a night owl? It’s no use scheduling time to study in the evenings when you can barely stay awake past 7pm! Make a study area Choose a quiet place away from distraction (noisy siblings, fridge, tv) and make yourself comfortable. If possible, try and study in the same place to establish some form of routine. Don’t try to study everything in one go. Instead, divide the subject up into topics you need to revise. Organise your subject material Make sure that you have a complete set of lecture notes for each subject. If you've missed any lectures, see if you can borrow copies of the notes from another student. Develop an understanding of what you don't clearly understand. You can use study tools such as concept maps or flashcards to help pinpoint areas of weakness. Remember that you will need to spend more time studying the subjects that you find most difficult, so schedule these first. Set study sessions and goals Don’t study for longer than 50 minutes without taking a break. Remember the saying, “quality”, not “quantity”? Well, same goes here. It is better to study for a short intense period of time with sustained concentration than long periods of time when you are tired and not engaging well with the material. Set yourself a goal for each study session. This will help you keep track of what you are learning. Write them down as soon as you begin your study session, or set them at the end of the study session for next time. Find out what kind of exam you’ll be writing Different types of exams will require different approaches. Check out the section on exam types for more information. Review past exams If possible, get hold of some past papers and work through them to get an idea of the kinds of questions asked and what is expected of you. Remember, the style and format of exams often changes, so check with your lecturer about what is required. To make the most of it, practice doing the papers under exam conditions and carefully review your answers. Form a study group Motivating yourself to study can be a daunting task. You may feel that there is simply too much to do and you have no idea where to start. Or perhaps you are simply prone to distractions. Whatever your reasons for avoiding/delaying study, studying in a group or setting mutual study goals and discussing key concepts and ideas with a friend can be helpful. It can also help you to stay on track. If you do try it, there are some pretty important things to think about. Studying with a friend/s can't be an excuse for a chat. It is a mutual commitment to encourage and support each other, not distract and sabotage. If you really want to make it work, it is important to establish ground rules before beginning: 1. Don't support the excuses of the other person as to why they "can’t" study at a particular time. 2. Don't let the other person down if you have arranged to study together. 3. Arrange to have breaks together at particular times. 4. Decide in advance what you would like to do in the break (exercise, lunch, coffee etc). 5. Determine how long your breaks are going to be and commit yourselves to sticking to them and returning to study no matter how much you are enjoying the walk, talk etc. 6. Keep a list next to you whilst studying and if you think of something you would like to say to your study partner jot it down rather than interrupt them. This also helps you to let go of the thought and concentrate on the task at hand. 7. Act as mentors for each other when tackling difficult tasks. 8. Regular rewards for working well are also worthwhile e.g. going to the movies together at the end of a successful week of study. The Night Before Contrary to what you might think, now is not the time to start studying! Instead, use the time to: • Read over any revision cards that you have made. Focus on recall, not on learning new material. • Check that you have everything you need – e.g. spare pens, pencils, calculator, ruler etc. • Make sure you know the exact time and venue of the exam. Arriving at the wrong exam hall, or wrong campus for that matter, is not a story that will amuse your lecturer. • Set two alarms…just in case. • Get some rest! On the Day If you are writing a morning exam, get up reasonably early to allow yourself plenty of time. Try and avoid the temptation to revise before even the birds have come out. Any minor gain in extra learning will be compensated by loss of freshness and energy. Get everything ready to go well before you plan to leave. And don’t forget to eat some breakfast, or your energy levels will start flagging soon. If your exam is in the afternoon, check over a few notes or things you have found difficult to memorise, but don’t overdo it. Try relax for half an hour or so before leaving (listen to music, watch some TV) and eat a light lunch. Remember to allow plenty of time for your journey. Arrive about 10 minutes before the exam starts, but avoid anyone obviously anxious - it is infectious! Take a few moments to relax, breathe and set a positive mood for the exam. During the Exam Its crunch time! But don’t panic, if you have prepared, you’ll be fine. Just remember to breathe and follow these useful tips: 1. Read through the exam paper, then read it again, marking possible questions to answer as you go. 2. Note any specific instructions or compulsory sections. When you have decided which questions you will answer, allocate time for each (including outlines) plus ten minutes at the end. 3. Start on the easiest question first. This gets you off to a confident start, and may leave extra time for the more difficult questions later on. 4. Don't start writing out your answer straight away. Spend a few minutes writing brief notes (or a spider diagram, etc.) showing key points you will cover, and possibly how you plan to structure your answer. 5. Focus on just one question at a time. 6. Don't copy out the questions, and don't spend too much time on introductions to your answers. Try and use words from the questions in your answer - this will link them together. 7. Keep an eye on the time. 8. Leave a question if it's taking too much time. You can always return to it at the end, even if you have to finish it in note form. 9. If your mind goes blank, just take a few deep breaths and relax a little. Do not try really hard to remember something specific – it is likely to come back if you think about something else. 10. At the end, spend ten minutes or so checking through your answers, tidying up if necessary. After the Exam It’s over, there’s not much you can do about it now. Avoid scrutinizing every single aspect; it will just increase anxiety about any later exams and invoke a serious case of the “post-mortem blues”. A constructive look at your time management or presentation, however, could be useful. Try and have some fun and lighten up before the next exam. REFERENCES http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/llsu/resources/exams/exams4.html http://lis.newport.ac.uk/sz/publications/Maximising_exam_performance.pdf http://www.kent.ac.uk/uelt/learning/online/examtips/ http://www.adelaide.edu.au/counselling_centre/brochures/studying.html Taking Exams: Six Big Ideas That Go Beyond Studying Okay—so you've studied just like you know you should. You've used your lecture notes to guide your reading. You've outlined the text, made study guides, seen a tutor and talked to your professor. You've even been carrying flash cards around in your bag all week. You're ready to ace the exam, right? Well, maybe. When it comes to exam prep, studying may well be most of the work, but it's only half the battle. A healthy approach to testing includes practicing mental and physical preparation and taking a strategic approach to different test types. Here's how to fine-tune your testing game plan and raise your chances for getting the grade you want. 1) The Head Game You've studied well, so chances are you're carrying around a head full of facts and figures. But that head needs to be in peak working order to fire out answers when you need them. Here are a few tips: • Curb the party animal. A hangover may feel gone the next day, but the chemical imbalances created by a night of drinking or using drugs actually take days to return to normal. Any slowing down of brain functioning is going to work against you on a test, so stay away from these substances. Use those hours for review time instead—and you'll have something to celebrate later. • Get some sleep. Early to bed on the night before an exam. Sleep is all about resting the brain, and a rested brain is a happy brain. Sleep well the night before, but don't try power napping on test day—unless you are 100 percent sure you can wake yourself on schedule. • Close the books an hour or two before the test. The amount of information you'll acquire in the last hour before a test is very small. This time may be better spent doing something to raise your energy level and bring your emotions into balance. Take a walk, read something relaxing or call a friend. Just don't watch TV—it can actually slow brain functioning down. • Take your medicine. If you are on ADHD medication, or any which would help you to focus or think clearly, be sure to take it on schedule so that when you hit the classroom your brain will be running at maximum efficiency. For a short boost of energy, try a candy bar or a cup of coffee or tea—a tall one, but no more. Too much can work against you. • Eat on schedule. If possible, eat an hour or so before you test. Going in on an empty stomach will mean reduced brainpower. Remember, though—you want the mental energy good food provides, but you don't want to suffer from having too much of your blood circulating to your stomach and not enough to your head. Give yourself a little time to digest. • Arrive early, and settle in. If you're in a hurry to get to the test site, your anxiety levels will skyrocket. Arrive early, set up your materials (pens, pencils, scratch paper, etc.) and settle in. If you're feeling a bit nervous, now is a good time to do some slow breathing and self-affirmation. 2) Essays—It's All About the Framework If your test involves essay questions, remember—you can organize your answers and stimulate recall at the same time. Read the prompt carefully, especially with an eye for instructional words (e.g. list, compare, analyze, explain, describe) that tell you how to organize your answer. Then do the following: • Use a standard essay format. This may be half of the battle all by itself. They're called essay questions for a reason. Even if your answer is only to be a paragraph or two, it should follow the essay format. State the main idea or assertion first. (Try writing a one-sentence answer to the question). Follow it with supporting detail, then re-frame or restate your main idea. • Draft an outline. Even if you're in a hurry, outline the answer first. This is especially helpful if you can't quite remember all the details you studied or can't piece them together into a thesis, because it will allow you to use what you remember to activate what you can't recall. Jotting down one idea will help you recall others. So get the ideas out first, then shape them into an answer. • BS (before statement). While outlining, feel free to even add stuff that you know isn't exactly on point. You may be "embellishing," but you're also jogging your memory further. If you're lucky, your creative turn can lead you down the path to the right memory. Just don't forget to strike out any BS work that doesn't belong in the final answer! 3) Multiple Choice—The Answer's Right There! Multiple choice tests can seem like a paradox: The answer is right before your eyes, but it can seem even more difficult to find than if it were a blank to fill in, because it's surrounded by similar looking wrong answers! How to crack the code? • Play the game. Start by remembering that a multiple choice question is a puzzle. Like all puzzles, it has a structure—a pattern which can be unlocked if approached strategically. • Preview. Scan through the test for a couple of minutes before digging in. This exercise will guide you to the easier questions and help get your background knowledge activated a bit for the more challenging ones. • Start with what you know. Once you've spotted some comfortable questions, answer them first. It will build confidence, secure points and start jogging your recall. • Eat the stem first. The question stem—the part that precedes the answers—is the first part of the puzzle. Start by blocking the answers and looking at the question stem. Underline key words, such as: Words that show value or limitation (e.g. several, nearly all, none) Words that make meanings opposite (e.g. "Which of the organs below is not a part of the digestive system.") Key vocabulary terms Any sentence or phrase which seems especially relevant After you have spotted the key words, try crossing out any information which seems unnecessary. Then, write a one sentence statement (in the form of an question) to summarize the stem. • Explore the answers. Once you know what you're being asked for, it's time to mine the answers—the second part of the puzzle. Remember, if the one best answer doesn't jump out at you, try to: Read each out loud, as part of the stem. Sometimes hearing and speaking the words will jog your memory. Eliminate the ones you know are wrong and then focus on the finalists. Remember that if you eliminate one answer, you must eliminate all answers, which include that answer (i.e. the answer "C. Both A and B are correct" is wrong if choice A is wrong) Eliminate answers that are absolute in value such as "every" or "none" (except for "all of the above" or "none of the above"). Eliminate answers that seem either lacking in detail or overly burdened by detail. These methods aren't all foolproof, but they can help you to focus more closely and think your way through so that the right memory eventually gets triggered. Remember, too, that by eliminating answers you know aren't correct you raise your chances of guessing correctly-even when guessing is the best you can do. • Go with your gut. When you guess, guess with some confidence—if you studied, your guess may be better informed than it feels. Trust your instinct too when thinking about changing an answer. Your first answer is usually the best one. Unless your memory has been jogged to a point where you are changing with confidence, go with the first answer. 4) Problems, Problems, Problems Problem solving tests present their own unique challenges. Whether the questions are multiple choice, open-ended or fill-in, there are several basic things to remember and do to maximize your chances of answering correctly. • Understand the test. Is the question asking you to solve a problem? Prove or disprove a solution? Find an error? Read each problem carefully, and jot down what your task is on your note paper. • Determine what you need to know in order to answer. Start planning how you intend to solve the problem. What operations do you need to perform? What information is there to help you? What information (if any) appears to be missing? • Plan your steps. Break the problem down into parts. What steps should you follow? If you aren't sure, remember that you learned the steps through problem solving practice. Start solving the problem and see if the activity jogs your memory. • Find the familiar. Your professors will often challenge your conceptual knowledge by changing problem types that you've studied. If you see something you don't recognize, don't worry! Your prof hasn't simply thrown in stuff that hasn't been covered. Just look for what you do know, and what appears different. Ask yourself what the difference is, and what it means. • Stuck? Don't worry! At some point, your going to get stuck searching for something you can't remember. Keep in mind that a lot of good problem solving involves being patient and thinking things through slowly. Give yourself time to think, and don't worry about being stuck—the worrying impedes the thinking. If you've studied well, the information is in there. Try working on the problem, or on others, until the memory gets accessed. • Review your answer carefully. Often, good work goes wasted-the work was done right, but the answer was not what was being asked for. Once you've solved a problem, review the question again. Does this answer make sense? Is it what was asked for? Next, review each step you took. Does the sequence make sense? Did you miss any steps or fail to account for any information? 5) Your Old Tests—Cracking the Professor's Play Book! Regardless of how well or poorly you did on a first exam, take that puppy home and study it. A returned exam is a goldmine of information on how a professor poses questions, what she or he wants you to do with the information you study, what kinds of tricks are thrown in-you name it. Most professors write all of their tests very similarly. Re-read each question, whether your answer was right or wrong. Try to break the question down and determine what you were thinking at the time of the test. Look especially for what kind of information you're being asked to remember and the professor is asking you to do with that information. If you got the question wrong, figure out why. What were you thinking at the time? Do you recognize the right answer now? If so, you may not have been recalling it clearly enough at the time. Stress, fatigue and insufficient study can be causes of this. In general, use what you learn in your review to gain insight into how the professor tests. Keep that information in mind when you are studying from now on. 6) Get a Coach—and Practice, Practice, Practice Test taking is serious business. These tips can help you get started on learning to test better, but reading them alone won't turn you into a whiz kid overnight. To really improve your test-taking skill, you need to put these things into practice with the help of a tutor or academic skills coach. Get help reviewing your old exams. Talk with someone about test taking strategies. And remember—no exam day test-taking tips can fully compensate for inadequate study. Crack your books, and start writing and taking your own practice tests. It's a form of note-taking study that links your text review directly to the performance you'll be expected to give on the big day. After all, you need to go out there and succeed...for we can do everything through Christ who strengthens us! All the best bahlali.

Fire Comes Before Rain: We Need Both In Out Lives!

Global warming!!! Well, many agued that the time is approaching - while those who professed to be against God confessed that Jesus' return is at hand. All around you there is too much immorality, filthy deeds; perverted thoughts seem to be the ONLY ground where your feet are guaranteed to land. Parties are taking place time and again, celebrations for the souls that are being lost, characters that are being destroyed, and bodies that are being used to practice all forms of evil. From all this, people get the message that sooner or later things are coming to an end, they think that there will be no solution because even the church that was known as the only place that can bring solution seem to have lost its way. NO NO NO NO NO! Let me tell you something that you might not have heard as yet! It is not yet over. The creation might be waiting in groaning as if something will not come up but I believe the opposite. All forms of evil can overshadow the little good deeds and you think its over for human kind but I believe the opposite. When the spirit of God is hovering over a shapeless situation things become chaotic at that moment (Genesis 1 vs 2, 1 Kings 17 vs 7). Yes, the earth will dry up and the fire will erupt everywhere just as it is the case with volcanoes. But I want to tell you that we do need that fire, we do need that heat before we get rain. Yes, just as evaporation is needed to form clouds, gold needs to go via the fire for purity, the same goes for us. For we need to be presented pure in front of God. God does not show himself in an environment where people still think they have alternatives. He is a God who needs his people to totally depend on him, on him alone. He waits patiently for you to exhaust all other resources you think can help you. But I know one thing surely that when resources runs out, the option is to return to the supplier of the resources, and let me tell you this; the supplier is God, the one and everlasting God. When the waters ran out for Israelites in the desert he was there to provide, when diseases, poisonous snakes, evil spirits attacked them, he was there to be their saviour. Yes, just as we do, they did think that they can make it without God; they thought they can get away without any need of the one who created them but guess what? No ways, there is no way you can live without the sources of life; there is no way you can continue using resources without coming in contact with the resource supplier. Let me conclude this by saying that after the tree has been cut down, there is still hope that it will sprout and bring fort little branches which will produce some fruit. It is not over yet for God still have remnants. There are some people who are still in the desert being prepared by God. When people are busy with self indulgence there are people who do not have something eat in the desert, there are people who are not having something to drink in the desert. While people are financially rich and using their finances as if there is no tomorrow, there are those who are kept far from partaking in those finances because it is not yet the time. But God is still training Elijah’s of today in the desert. There are people who are still sidelined; they are not partaking in any of the developmental programmes. They are sidelined with hopes that they will eventually die because they talk too much. They are sidelined because they dream big enough and starting to imagine a world full of possibilities for all, a world where everyone is free, a world where children will not fear for their lives a world where it is safe to proclaim the word of God and not get killed. They are blacklisted because they express their love for God by reaching those close to their proximity. Let me tell you that in those dark places that they are kept at, the hair are growing. Just exactly in those shacks, God is training them for the service; right there in those shady clothes God is empowering them, because this word does not need someone who has too much. To be able to do the will of God you need to have given up on some of those very same things you deemed important and have HIM all. People they will call you names but do not despair, the same happened to Elijah when the time of the Lord was at hand (1 Kings 18 vs 17). Don't give up its yet time to arise and shine, yes people will not want to listen from you wait a minute a time is yet to come where they will only want to hear the words from your mouths (1 Kings 18 vs 21). Wait a minute for the time will come and when it comes, it will be clear which God is to be worshiped (1 Kings 18 vs 24). Yes it will not be easy, you will have to wait for the right time (1 Kings 18 vs 27; 36), the right time is coming where they will be option less. They will have tried it all but nothing will come to their rescue. When your time comes you will have to do things according to the best way God knows how. Meaning that, you will be thought listening from the voice of your shepherd because without proper instructions it will be impossible to govern the world God's way (1 Kings 18 vs 30-35). Allow then to be thought how to bend, how to endure fire because when God wants to cease the wisdom of the world he will consume it with his fire. It would have been foolishness according to the world to use the water you suppose to drink for building an alter. That is what you will need to be aware of, there won't be resources and you will need to use the little and the last that you have. Obey the command for you will know better that God does have something for you. The secrete there, is that if the water was not consumed by the fire there would not be an evaporation (1 Kings 18 vs 38). People are not familiar with leaders who put people first, leaders who lead with examples, leaders who are not corrupted in mind and action. So you will be the first one and that is the time where people will start going down on their knees and confess that He, indeed is God. You will be different from other people, don't be ashamed, don't compromise. People will not think of you as the person who will last, but guess what, you will tell them things they never imagined (1 Kings 18 vs 41). When you tell them of the big rain that is coming they will think that you are mad. But I know one thing, the voice of truth will be coming out of your mouth. It will be difficult for you to keep it in because it will be a consuming fire, so you keep it will consume you. For some time it will seem at if nothing is happening, remember, if you did Biology, evaporation does not produce rain immediately, so you will need to be patient (1 Kings 18 vs 43). That is what will make you distinct from other people who have never been in desert, they do not want to wait on God. They give up too easily, they are easily angered and they want to be praised. But let me tell you something, don't quit for something is coming up. When they start gossiping about you that "he said this was going to happen" do not hide yourself in shame or something is yet coming up (1 Kings 18 vs 44). I did say that fire comes before the rain but we do need both. When that time comes, when God is sending his fire down, do not think it is all that you have to do. You also do not have to be happy when people saying you are on fire and never move to a position of rain because fire alone is dangerous for you. You also need the rain of God; you do needs blessings to rain in your life. I can see the fire and the rain of God raining upon every young person from rural areas to urban areas. I can see matured leaders rising up like a dust of the earth; I can see the new earth recovering from all forms of evil, from all forms of filthiness, from the bondages of corruption. I can see nations shaking off the chains of lower self-esteem, self condemnation, and self pity. I can see homes where children will grow up freely with both their parents, a world where the nature will enjoy being governed by human kind just as God willed. I am dreaming of hymns and songs that will break from all directions in worship of our God, when His splendour, majesty, glory and anointing will engulf the human race. I am convinced, I am persuaded and believing beyond doubt that it is still possible and not yet over (Isaiah 11 vs 6-9). Praise God! The time is soon coming when all creation will rest in peace once again, and the creatures of the earth will no longer destroy each other or fear each other. Yes, this may sound like a distant utopia, but we know by the Word of God that it will come to pass, as surely as God spoke this world into existence and as surely as every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. God's ultimate plan is to redeem His creation and restore it back to the way it was in the Garden of Eden. You are that person in the desert, allow God to shape you; it might be through what you going through now but allow Him to shape you, to speak shape and life to you. The inspiration to write this came from the preaching of Dr Amanda Silangwe. May God bless her greatly and increase her territories for more provision.

Stressfree waiting upon God

For almost all students from high school to university this is another time of the year. Some are done with exams while some are struggling trying to give the last kick of a dying horse. Now concerning exams and all that surround it, there are many things that happens during this period and many people are undergoing certain sicknesses which no-one can tell where do they come from. Some are so stressed, full of fear and hopeless. But the Bible records that God did not give us the Spirit of fear but of a sound mind. I know that this just becomes a re station for even some Christians but when fear comes hope runs away. Today many people think that God saved us in order to pass as a result many start worshiping Him during exams as to pass at the end. No good people, it is not like that! God saved us simply because we are sinners, He saved us to worship Him and resemble Him while on earth in deposit of the eternal life. That is why He says in the book of Matthew 11vs28 that "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest". It is when we are in God that we do not stress of exams and results for we know that He is the one in charge. Yes, He cares for He said let's all cast our cares unto Him for He cares for us. If you happen not to make it during these exams I would love you to do a couple of things. I know you will be complaining that God I have done this and that, I have be faithful in all that I have been doing and I read my books and all. You will start cursing God as if there is no tomorrow. Just sit down and look back to where God took you from. Think of the challenges you passed through and ask yourself who helped you to make it through. Think of those who wanted to write those exams but could not because they did not have means to do so, some were attacked by demons but you were safe. Most people want to get married and have the most beautiful expensive rings on their fingers. Where does that ring come from? Yes from the gold but can you recognise the processing of that gold converting it to that ring? Let me remind you, before it becomes a ring amongst all stages it has to pass there is no painful one like fire. They are not destroying it but testing if it is the real gold. who are you not to be tested? Yes, you keep on saying not you, for who if not for you? Do you want everything to be fine with you, who will you glorify after your success? Another thing God does all things in purpose so we need to be sensitive and ask God about our situations before cursing God. Yes, when there is fire He does not close the door without opening the window. You might have suffered a lot and even thought that God did not exist, He is watching you. You might be puzzled right now not knowing what to do to get funds to further your studies. Do not loose hope, do not give up. During my time at high school I used to encourage others by saying "do not give up", when problems were coming my way I thought of those words and they are the one that keeps me going till this far. DO NOT GIVE UP, even if you do not pass or everything is just messed up in your life, do not give up, no matter how many times you can fail but God will not fail you. In Him there is no failure, to Him when you do not pass it does not mean that you are a failure but it basically means that the method you used failed you. Once you start failing inside you will surely fail in all that you touch by your hand. My next article will be saying "Failure is an inside job". For results, good luck God bless. Safe trips to our respective homes and even when we open next year. Satan is confused by the Blood of Jesus so he wants to compete with it by spilling people's blood during this festive through accidents, fights wars and all sorts of evil so that you won't rest. HAVE A GOOD TIME WITH YOUR FAMILIES. “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”- John 17:17

What is it really that constitute a man?

By Simpiwe Kanityi There are three things that constitute a man, body (the outer shell), soul and the spirit (the inner most part). These three factors combined together make a human being. The function of the body is to protect the soul and the spirit. The soul is works with the heart and it is the cause for us to have feelings, passionate, love, peace, strength etc, this reminds me of a song "it is well with my soul". So the soul gives strength to the body to cope with all of its functions that is why you find people saying "I'm feeling so tired/exhausted today", the soul does not provide the body with enough strength. Then, the spirit is the core part of man, let me say this "without the spirit, soul and body can not function". The spirit is what giving life to both soul and body, this means that body alone can not function as well as the soul including the spirit because in order for the spirit to function it needs to be in something. so all these things makes up a man. Sometimes you will hear about a certain accident happened somewhere and that some one passed away. The reason for people to say that some one passed away is simply because the body is damaged and the souls can not give strength to damaged body, therefore, the spirit that gives life decided to leave the body because for the spirit can not operate when the body is not functioning. So, what I'm trying to say here is that you are living because there is a spirit within you. Also there are various kinds of spirits that might be driving man, evil spirits, The Holy Spirit etc. So in order for you to know what kind of spirit do you possess you need to look for various factors such as behaviour, your deeds, the way you talk, places you visit, people you hang around with and your interests. So, this means that having body, soul and spirit is not enough you need to level them up with actions in order to be considered a human being ( a man). Since there are those kinds of spirits that a man can possess, it is possible that we can not get one kind of man but many. You would hear some people saying that "Yeses! that's not a man...I thought he was a man but a dog", yes this is what people say sometimes. This means that you have to behave in a certain way to be considered a human being or a man. For you young person, looking at what is happening in your whole life, do you still consider yourself a human being. What kind of spirit is living within you. Good spirit makes you to love all people, respect yourself and others, think positive always, do what is good all the times, have compassion for others, mix with good people, go to right places at a right time and to says right things at a right time. What constitute a real man for you? To be a real man means to do good even if you are alone, not to please other people but do it because is the right thing to do. We are not dogs but people. I know people gave you some names because of the things you have done, and you agreed that you can not be the right person in your life. Today I just want to stimulate your spirit, no man can tell you what you are suppose to be in life, the spirit living within you determines who you are. You are not a failure in life! Being alive today while possessing bad spirit is not a guarantee that "usis'khokho", a strong sense of belief does not make you right in whatever you believing in nor a right man neither. The spirit that does not make you to produce good fruits id DEAD! You can also visit this site by (young people like you) future journalist at http://zajournalist.blogspot.com/