P. 1 Fellowship News No.49 – December 2014
No. 49 – December 2014
A letter of spiritual fellowship within Lutheran Churches
in Ethiopia, Southern Africa and Europe
Dear Fellowship friends,
Mary visits her aunt Elisabeth. This is how
a student from elementary school in
Ethiopia visualizes the scene in his
painting of two pregnant women.
Something impossible became possible.
They did not expect a miracle. Now they
talk with each other: What are God’s
thoughts and plans for their lives?
Each retreat, as described here in this
issue means that people reflect on
God's way with them, and they pray
and talk with each other like Mary and
Elisabeth.
After some time Mary
will flee with her
baby Jesus and Josef
to Egypt, in order to
save the life of Jesus.
Pregnant women
and mothers of
young children are
not good nomads,
says a proverb.
We see how many
people just at this
time are on the run
and they may not be
safe during Christmas
time. Many of them
are women with
children.
We appreciate that many refugees are
finding protection in neighboring count-
ries in Africa. Also more and more refu-
gees are reaching Germany often after
a dangerous journey and they ask for
admission.
The fellowship in Ethiopia decided to gi-
ve their money to poor people rather
than for church constructions. This care
and interest is a sign of love today to the
poor like the refugee child Jesus Christ.
A blessed Christmas, Nina Dürr
P. 2 Fellowship News No.49 – December 2014
Genesis 33, 1-12
by Helen Bahru
Esau got angry when he found out his
brother had done to him. He wanted to
kill his twin brother Jakob. With the help
of his mother, Jakob escaped and went
far away. He lived with his uncle, married
2 wives and accumulated a lot of
property. Twenty years have gone by.
Than he longed to have peace with his
brothers, he wanted forgiveness from his
brother. So he sent a message that he
wants to meet him.
The process was difficult for Jakob.
(chapter 32) , he was afraid to meet his
brother and he was suspicious , that Esau
might harm his family. He planed to bribe
his brother. This was not a easy trip to
forgiveness.
Let us see the side of the other brother.
He got the message. The message was:
Let us make peace. He left everything to
make peace. “Esau ran to meet him,
threw his arms around him, and kissed
him. They where both crying.” Vers 4
Esau in the beginning did not want to
accept gifts- he gave his forgiveness for
free.
1.) Think of the brothers; of the journey
Jakob made. He gave up his live in
Labans house. He started a new to ask
for forgiveness, he started a new life.
2.) Also Esau left everything behind to
give forgiveness. He decided to come
and give forgoiveness to his brother. He
put no precondition. He gave freely.
Question:
1. Why did Jakob badly want forgiveness
of his brother after so many years?
Hehad got what he wanted and his life
was blessed.
2. How do you see Jakob trying to bribe
his brother to get peace?
3.What does Esaus first reaction toward
peace making teach us today? He left
behind what happened, choose the
way of forgiveness and moved forward.
4. What is the message in this to us
personally, to the fellowship, the church,
our country and to our todays world?
Helen and adamu live in Addis Abeba
with their two daughters. Helen works
at the belgian embassy and Dr. Ada-
mu teaches at Addis Ababa University.
Both are active members of the koino-
nia fellowship in addis ababa.
P. 3 Fellowship News No.49 – December 2014
The month of June is celebrated in South
Africa as youth month
because of the 16th of June 1976, when
the youth of Soweto went on the streets
protesting against a policy which the
Apartheid government had introduced:
Afrikaans, the language of the white
oppressor, would become the medium
of instruction in all schools. The youth mo-
bilized to publically protest against this
and tried to hold a meeting in Orlando
Stadium. On their way to the stadium,
the young people met tanks, army and
police who shot them, many lost their li-
ves. This event started a movement in
which many young people went into hi-
ding, they joined the ANC and other criti-
cal voices to fight the Apartheid govern-
ment.
On the occasion of youth month Christel
Hermann interviews Thato Mokgothu. He
is 29 years old, peer educator in Tsibo-
gang and lives in Mafikeng. He tells us
about his life and the situation of young
people in South Africa.
Last week we celebrated 16 June, the
uprising of the youth in Soweto. What is
the significance of this day for you?
June 16 is important for me because it
was the first time when Blacks expressed
themselves against the Apartheid go-
vernment. They did that in a violent way
which I do not like but what I like is that
they had a spirit of fighting together for
their rights.
What are the most burning issues of
young people today after 29 years of de-
mocracy in South Africa?
Unemployment and drug abuse are most
burning issues today. It goes like a vicious
cycle: young people are frustrated be-
cause they have little to hope for when it
comes to future employment and they
start using drug (alcohol and later on
harder drugs). This leads to a lack of self
control. Teenage pregnancies follow or
Youth month
An Interview by Christel Hermann
About Fellowship News
The “SPIRITUAL FELLOWSHIP KOINONIA”, a movement within the Evangelical Luthe-
ran Church of Germany, publishes the Fellowship News since December 1992.
Members of this spiritual fellowship live in different places in Germany, Ethiopia,
South Africa, Zambia, in the UK and Switzerland. Some members of this move-
ment are called to a communal life inspired by Acts 2, 42-47. In South Africa, the
Koinonia is called KOINONIA RETREAT MOVEMENT.
P. 4 Fellowship News No.49 – December 2014
they start stealing to get the drugs. This
is also one of the topics we tackle in our
Tshepanang lessons.
W h e n d i d y o u j o i n T s h e p a -
nang/Tsibogang and what motivated
you to become a peer educator?
I joined Tshepanang in 2010 after I had
done a course with Life Line and was
employed as a counsellor. I was attrac-
ted to Tshepanang because I felt it to
be a challenge for me to teach younger
people at school. I had the vision that
through teaching I could reach the
community.
What are the best, what are the worst
moments of a peer educator?
When I was 15, I had a brain tumour
which was operated. After that I had to
learn speaking again and until now it is a
problem. Sometimes I am stammering.
So this is a problem when teaching lear-
ners at school. In the beginning they we-
re laughing about me. But after I have
told them my story, they respect me and
they even come to me for counselling
and advice. I have realized that there is
a great need for counselling at schools.
So many children have serious problems
and they would not go to teachers - we
as peer educators are approached. For
me that is a great honour and challen-
ge to be open to them and help them.
Fellowship News - Whom to contact?
South Africa:
Christel Hermann, P.O. Box 3574, Mmabatho 2375, Phone Fax: 018 386 - 12 04 or- 3925
E-mail: [email protected]
Ethiopia:
Helen Bahru, Fellowship Addis Abeba, E-mail: [email protected]
Europe:
Nina Dürr, Angerstr 12, 37071Göttingen, Phone 0551-7701368 , E-mail:
Ursel and Henning Behrends, Phone 04957 912009, E-mail: hen-
[email protected] / [email protected]
Thato Mokgothu
P. 5 Fellowship News No.49 – December 2014
Retreat day for Tsibogang by Wolfgang Herman, SA
After a long winter with lots of frost and
cold wind, Spring is slowly taking over.
The first green leaves are visible and in
the garden the first roses are coming
out. Winter here in South Africa is really
tough because there are no heating
systems inside the houses. Some people
seem to hibernate during this season of
winter, they are hiding in their blankets.
Surprisingly, however, it was that at the
end of July we went out for a retreat
day with 22 people from Tsibogang. We
drove to a game park nearby(to
Zeerust) leaving behind our families,
work and our communities.
After the four retreat days, there is
already a ritual, how the retreat day
starts. The first night we were sitting in a
c i rc le and Wol fgang Hermann
introduced us to a text of Exodus 33,
where it is said of Moses, He talked to
God as one would talk with his friend.
That was an impressive image. All were
invited to write a letter to God, as if
writing to your best friend telling her/him
what is going on in your life.
Most participants had already been to
a retreat day before. Those who had
come for the first time, shared their
expectations : "At home there is always
something going on, it's always noisy
and loud." "I need time alone with God,
without anyone bothering me." "In
everyday life, my prayer consists mostly
of petitions and requests, now I want to
listen to God."
This is most amazing that so many had
this longing to have time with God
alone.
The next day there was silence after an
introduction about ‘Love God with all
your heart, mind and soul and Love your
neighbour as you love yourself.” The
focus was to look into one’s life where
the relationship with God needs more
space and time and to find balance in
serving others.
All participants looked for a quiet space
in the garden and a spot in the sun
because it was stil l very cold.
Unfortunately, the silence was disturbed
by a group of young people, who had
come for a drama workshop.
In the two groups where we shared our
insights, it was striking that so many
family problems came up. Also problems
among the employees in Tsibogang
were shared. The good thing about the
sharing was that everyone could listen
without giving advices. At the end we
had a prayer fellowship.
The sun was up and it was getting
warmer; this was the time for sports:
volleyball and skipping rope. The Tswana
children dance, sing and skip at the
same time. This is absolutely fascinating:
Two skip the rope and the others jump in
while singing and dancing. There was
much laughter because the older ladies
also joined, skipping and playing
volleyball.
P. 6 Fellowship News No.49 – December 2014
In the feed back round we heard from
two what they had experienced: a
young woman told us that she had
realized that she just could not accept
her brother and the word:’ Love your
neighbour' hit her in the heart, she goes
home with a new insight to see her
brother with eyes of God. Another one
shared with us: “For the first time in
years, someone told me: You've done
well! This has built me up I will look at my
family from a different perspective. My
life has changed through these few
hours of the retreat."
Wolfgang Herman
Be still my soul
Cease from the labour and the toil
Refreshing springs from peace await
To troubled minds and hearts that ache
Be still my soul, God knows your way
And He will guide For His name’s sake
Plunge in the rivers of His grace
Rest in the arms of His embrace
Be still my soul
Though battles round you rage and roar
One thing you need and nothing more
To hear the whisper of your Lord
Be still my child I know your way
And I will guide for My name’s sake
Plunge in the rivers of My grace
Rest in the arms of My embrace
Don Moen
P. 7 Fellowship News No.49 – December 2014
Nehemia 1
by Adamu Abise
The book of Nehemia has a good lesson
in leadership. From Ethiopia many
people left the country to live around
the world. Nehemia lives far away from
the country and thinks about his people.
His means: God is comforting. He lived
1000 km away from Jerusalem in Susa,
the capital of the Babylonian empire
(today Iran). The Jewish were in exile.
Some of them go the permission to go
back to Jerusalem.
The picture
Nehemia meets his brothers, who just
returned from a visit to Jerusalem. He
asks them about the town and the
people who went back. Those who
returned and survived (!) are in great
difficulties, the foreign neighbors look
down on them. The wall of the town and
its gates are broken.
Nehemia is well off and in good
circumstances in Susa. He is the wine
steward of the emperor at the palace
(V 11).
When hearing this news he sits down
and weeps, does not eat for many days
and he prays a lot.
Question:
Look at Nehemia’s life in the palace.
What kind of person is he? How did he
get to this high position, where the life of
the emperor is at his hands?
Picture the circumstances of this
meeting with his brothers.
Nehemia took a long time to pray (V 5
ff). what do we understand from this
about his personality? Is he confident?
Can he see his own weaknesses in front
of God?
See the people in Jerusalem surrounded
by ruins. How their lives are in trouble.
What are they talking about? How do
you feel about them?
The text and my life
Nehemia a spiritual leader of his time:
He rebuilds the wall of Jerusalem and
involves many people in this process. He
faces many obstacles. There are always
temptations in life that we have to
overcome. We cannot flee from them.
Nehemia lived a comfortable life, but his
Members of the retreat in Ehiopia
P. 8 Fellowship News No.49 – December 2014
ET my home
By Sebo Tladi
My stay in Ethiopia was a blessing and
an eye opener. I found the people to be
loving, caring and warm, but most
importantly a people with a sense of
belonging. People who value their lives
and that of others. Everything is precious
and valuable, life is held in high regard
whether of people or animals. There is
order even in what seemed like chaos.
I have learned just from the time I spend
there that every life form is precious and
that there's harmony in everything. God
didn't just create things for nothing,
every life form has to leave in harmony
and we are the custodian of what he
has created.
And the people of Ethiopia showed me
just that. There is a work ethic that goes
on there. People are not sitting down
waiting to be handed things on a platter
they are doing the work themselves no
matter how small or insignificant. There is
respect for everything and everyone. As
for our hosts they also emulated what
we were already observing. Every one
that hosted us had time for us, they were
eagerly anticipating our arrival and it
was their intention to make us feel at
heart was bound to the people in
Jerusalem.
The renewal of his heart and thinking
started while praying and being in front
of God. He got a goal for his life from
God and was committed to his Lord and
this made him a big person in spiritual
leadership. When God calls people he
prepares them for leadership. Nehemia
was involved in political issues. His life in
the palace prepared him for the big
task of his life. He prays and waits until
god gives a chance for him to talk to
the emperor. He takes care in preparing
the next steps by taking letters from the
emperor. His life is full of interactions with
God.
He stands for his clear vision and the
decisions and gives an example with his
life for others. He asks precise questions
and searches for approved information.
He is able to listen to what people say.
He searches for the real needs and
solutions to them. He did his secular work
well, all the tasks assigned to him.
We have leadership responsibilities in our
lives, e.g in our families. Some big
leaders cannot take care of their own
families. Don’t take on responsibilities if
you neglect responsibilities at home.
Nehemia settles everything before he
leaves.
What is the motivation in our ministries?
Often money is behind. In Nigeria 9 of 10
millionaires are pastors. What kind of
responsibility do we bear in the society?
Many people need support. Do we pass
by Muslims in need?
Questions:
What can we learn from his life? In how
far did it help him in his questions for
Jerusalem?
In our country, in our home or marriage –
where do we find ruins and what can be
the solution?
Is there a call of god in my personal life
to implement?
In my life are there destructive things
P. 9 Fellowship News No.49 – December 2014
home. Sharing, which is becoming an
extinct word in our part of the world is
the order of the day in ET. We are
thankful to those who hosted us either
by accommodating us or even
organised our meals and also taking us
for sight seeing. Our thanks also goes to
those who were willing to host but due
to time constraints we couldn't stay
over. I said to a friend before I left for ET
that "I feel like I am going home on this
trip".
And that's what I experienced, when I
was there and even as I am writing this. I
have indeed discovered a home and
am glad I have connected with my
brothers and sisters.
Whenever I feel down and out I play
"misgana misgana" reminding me of the
vibrant youth we met in Hossana.
May the Lord continue to bless you and
keep you, may He show his face upon
you and give you all peace.
Remember you have family too in SA.
God willing we will see one another
again. Amaseganalo ET.
Love always
Sebo Tladi
Sebo Tladi is married to Dire Tladi. They
are blessed with two kids, now teena-
gers, namely: Lesedi (girl) and Ofentse
(boy). They live in Equeatria Pretoria and
work at the University of South Africa
(UNISA) as a Senior Lecturer in the Mer-
cantile Law Department. Currently I fel-
lowship at Pretoria Christian Center loca-
ted in Lynwood Pretoria
P. 10 Fellowship News No.49 – December 2014
Magdalene Wille by Klaus Hampe
While writing about the late Magdalene
Wille I see her shaking her head and
saying: “Leina o tsenya motse –the name
spoils the town.” She adds in a low voice:
“You know that I do not like eloquence
(=words of appreciation, that make
people beautiful)?” Yes, I do know that,
that’s why I have to write in a different
way.
Magdalene Wille was born and grew up
in Hamburg until the town was bombed
in 1943. She lost her heart to mission work
during Sunday school, when she was just
9 years old. Her wish was to become a
medical doctor or nurse, but she was
found unfit and with heart disease.
However, she did not give up her plan
and started to study theology.
Finally in 1960 she arrived in South Africa
and became the first female degree
theologian. She was appointed to teach
Old Testament at the theological
seminary Marang. Her students
nicknamed her: “Madam! … because
she treats us like gentlemen!” This was not
just politeness, but a statement in times of
apartheid:
Magdalene Wille accepted and
appreciated all people. She was
responsible for the wives of the pastors
and missionaries in Transvaal as well as
sisters serving at the congregations.
In 1976 most positions in the church were
filled with theologians who had been her
students once. Magdalene Wille
became the first female pastor of ELCSA
and got a congregation of her own. She
stayed 31 years in South Africa and
retired in 1991 – despite her weak heart
and apparently unfit for tropical climate.
Yes, dear Magdalene Wille, these words
about yourself you would not want. So let
me tell something different about
yourself: You taught me a proverb of the
Tswana: “Two friends share the head of a
locust.” This was a parable of hospitality
for you.
Each and every one coming to your
door was welcome as a friend .. but
weapons had to stay outside, weapons
of freedom fighters and soldiers alike. In
your pastors residence everyone got a
cup of tea, even if you had once again
spent your whole salary on corn for the
church members. And the dogs and the
cats were also among your friends and
housemates, with whom you shared a
portion of ice cream.
No, dear Magdalene Wille, you would
not want so much “fuss” about you. I
know you would have prefered to stay
invisible and disappear without much
attention. Please forgive me for putting
the focus on you today – representative
of the many hundreds of people, the
Batswana and the Germans, women
and men, who learned from you, what it
means to follow Jesus.
You lived your life quietly and yet
impressed many. Quietly you carried the
years of your disease and quietly you
passed away. Tsela tswehu, the way is
white, free, nothing disturbing in the way.
How beautiful that our ways every now
and then crossed.
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