Click here to listen to the mp3 advert for The Salvation Army's anti-human trafficking message

Click here to watch the footage taken by News24 at the Long Walk for Rhino's Mandela Day initiative at Robben Island School. (QVC donated Media Liaison to this initiative as part of its Mandela Day initiatives)

 Quo Vadis Communications on a field trip to KwaZulu Natal for client, Siyazisiza Trust.

Victoria Makalima, assistant Director for the Johnson and Johnson Burn Treatment Centre (left) and Roger Crawford, Executive Director, Worldwide Government Affairs and Policy for Johnson & Johnson (back right) happily assisted Nurse Ester Manson and clinical officer William Kalua from Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi throughout their two-week specialised training session at the Burn Treatment Centre at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. The training took place as a result of a public private partnership between the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Johnson & Johnson, and the University of North Carolina in USA. The hospital in Malawi recently opened a burn unit and the hands-on training Ester and William received at the leading burn treatment centre in Africa, will no doubt make a huge difference in the lives of those in need.

Christmas: About time we got back to basics.

Every year, it seems Christmas shop displays at local supermarkets and malls make an earlier appearance.  What happened to the true meaning of Christmas and the simple old ‘goodwill’ theme? It’s a common and oft-asked question. The commercialisation of Christmas continues to be a serious cause for concern for Christians all over the world.

Amidst the glitterati of commercial Christmas displays at shopping malls and the lighting of Christmas trees, the true meaning of Christmas gets lost in our rush for the holidays.  While we search for that feeling of warmth in our hearts, the Christmas holidays instead become a time of chaos and distraction.

But, with the enduring feast of the celebration if the Christ-child, hope still abounds. This Christmas season is a chance for us to make a difference. Rather than consuming ourselves in the struggle that is our daily lives, we should look to do everything that can restore the real meaning of Christmas.  That does not mean surrounding ourselves in false Christmas cheer at the drop of a Santa hat, but we should set aside petty tasks and selfish worries to focus on the people in our lives and be thankful for all the blessings we have.

It is instructive that both the 16 Days of Activism campaign and AIDS Day both fall in the Advent Season which leads to Christmas. It heralds the peace and goodwill of Christmas by reminding us that at the time of incarnation the world would not accept the light, but that in the life of the baby whose birth we now celebrate brought “grace upon grace” to those in need – such as to people suffering from HIV/Aids, TB etc.

For us in Southern Africa, Christmas offers us yet another opportunity to acknowledge that there are still far too many people who live in despair, far too many people living in suffering and fear, and people who have simply lost the will to live.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic has had a profound effect on family life in South Africa and the Sub-Saharan region of the African continent.  According to statistics from research conducted by the University of Cape Town in 2008, only 35% children between the age groups of 0-17 live with both their biological parents while 23% children in the same age group live with neither biological parent, as a result of AIDS related deaths.

Amidst all the revelry that Christmas brings, let us not forget those that are less fortunate than us. The works of charity and the gifts that we can share with them are an expression of God’s love and deep concern for his people. Jesus identified with the poor and homeless, he always gave the poor in this world respect and dignity.

The joy of Christmas is repeated over and over again through the gift of sharing and caring. The Salvation Army endeavours to bring spiritual light and love to those it serves at Christmas. This is done through the provision of relief services to those in distress, food and shelter for the vulnerable members of our society and the rehabilitation and counseling of victims of violence and human trafficking.  The Salvation Army was the first institution in South Africa to establish a home for abandoned or orphaned children who are infected with HIV.

If Christ had not come on that first Christmas, what would our world be like today? Christianity presents Jesus as the coming of the light into the world. The coming of Jesus Into the world far out-shines anything that we can think of or imagine. There are many lights and things that grab our attention or that interest us in the world.

There is, however, nothing compared to the coming of “The Light”. No matter what pleasures the world may offer, nothing compares to the joy of receiving and knowing Christ as our personal Saviour.  Christmas is a wonderful opportunity for us not only to be witnesses to “The Light” but to also be carriers of “The Light”.

We bring more glory to God when we show love and mercy to those in need.  May this Christmas serve to remind us of those in need at all times.

Last changed: Dec 21 2010 at 11:00 PM