South African Business

The purchase of my newest computer was another showcase of South African business at work. My Lenovo computer blew out in a township -- we were literally having power failures every few minutes. I called up Lenovo, and asked them whether they had the same machine, a 300e. Oh, they didn't know. they said, no idea -- I could go look on their website. Indeed, there it was, on the website. I should just contact Lenovo, it said. Well, I had just done that. So I called in at a Computer Mania store. Did they have the Lenovo 300e? No, they said, sorry, they couldn't help. Perhaps, I suggested, they might have something similar? Oh, ah, yes, now there was an idea. And I bought an Asus Chromebook. But this was a demo model, without an operating system. So I had to go back to Computer Mania. Before I left the store, they gave me a brochure, which showed me all that they'd got. And there was the Lenovo 300e!

Designs In Production

Spot the difference. Many of my designs have gone into production -- mostly with some additional engineering. This is one example among many. Top left is the Programmable Robot, designed by me, containing a microprocessor (its "brains") from Revolution Education. Top right is the Microbot, containing a microprocessor from ... Revolution Education. My design was merely copyrighted (not patented). So they were entitled to develop my idea.

Just Married?

After the wedding, couples may announce that they are "Just Married". However, in South Africa, the reality is that the marriage will be registered only a few days later. Sometimes it will be registered only weeks or months later. In the case of wife E and me, it was more than four months. The minister who married us e-mailed us: "Dear Thomas and E, I am happy to announce that your status on the Home Affairs system was upgraded to 'married'. Praise the Lord for miracles and having His hand on the admin at Home Affairs. Lots of love in Christ."

‘It Was Pride’

My city Church, following my departure, quickly shifted from a relatively large and dynamic Church to what one often refers to as a Church "in maintenance mode". AI suggests "in survival mode" or "on life support". My mother spoke only three words about all this, as best I know. She was the former minister's wife. She said to me, "It was pride." In the context, I understood her like this: people saw the Church booming -- it filled them with pride -- and they thought that they could do better. OBSERVATION: At the core of it, she could be right. I would identify a few factors.

Adorned with Flowers

Wife E was studying for a Bachelor of Theology degree. They asked her to describe who she would use to run the financial affairs of a Church -- the "kind of people you would look for". She asked me what kind of people I would look for. I jotted it down: they should have spiritual vision, should be qualified, trustworthy, believers, in good standing, and peaceable. The next morning I saw that E had adorned my list with flowers. "Spiritual vision" got one flower. "Trustworthy" got three. "Believers" got four.

Potential Inventions

Once in a while, on this blog, I put up (potential) inventions, which is ideas which could potentially be commercialised -- bearing in mind that many of my ideas have already been commercialised. This week I came up with a new musical instrument -- but I realised that it was too distinct, too elegant in its simplicity, to put up here. I intend to make a working prototype, and submit it to a publisher. OBSERVATION: It's one of those why-didn't-I-think-of-that designs. I'll say some more about it if and when it is published.

Human Rights Commission

Recently, I decided to take up a complaint against someone who was catalytic in my abduction at gunpoint in 2018. While it may seem a long time since, it took me this long to find the courage. And the time it has taken me is, incidentally, typical. I presented my complaint to the Legal Practice Council. But they responded that a) my information would not be confidential, and b) they would offer me no form of protection. That was asking too much. I referred the Legal Practice Council to the Human Rights Commission. OBSERVATION: I have not taken on everyone who was involved. Some have met their Moses. One or two may be too dangerous. If I felt there were no danger, I would not now be contacting the Human Rights Commission.

Serendipitous Encounter

Many years ago, I visited an art studio/gallery, on the edge of some marshes. Something prompted the artist to ask me whether I was associated with the Congregational Church in Sea Point. Yes, I said (not letting on that I was the minister). She said, “Oh! That Church set my son on track. It really put him right. He once was a deeply troubled young man.” Then she stared at me and said, “You look vaguely like that minister.” I said, "I am the minister!"

Double Murder

The farmer on whose farm I negotiated lobola (the bride price, so-called), and on whose farm E and I celebrated lobola, has just been sentenced to 10 years in jail for double murder. A young couple died in one of his guest houses, of carbon monoxide inhalation. OBSERVATION: This was a controversial verdict, and is to be appealed. In the interim, the farmer remains in jail.

Leadership Seminar

Today I completed my preparations for a leadership seminar. Maybe I should say, I got the whole seminar together in draft -- 60-plus pages. AI may be very helpful in giving one an overall impression of one's own work. AI comments:

"This is a rich, thoughtful, and well-structured seminar outline that engages deeply with both the biblical text of Titus and the contemporary South African context. ... The combination of demographic data, personal observation, biblical exposition, and honest questions makes for a potentially transformative session.

OBSERVATION: The AI analysis advises me to expand one section, and to double-check some potentially sensitive issues.

In the Bush

I spoke last week with a Xhosa woman about my recent visit to my wife's world, in the Eastern Cape. What were my first impressions there, she asked. I said, I asked some people where the bathroom was; they all burst out laughing. She said, They told you that the bathroom was over theeeeeeere; they showed you to the pit latrine! I said not even that; they pointed me to the bush! OBSERVATION: That wasn't too bad -- until one day the bush burnt down!

Baptist Commencement

I attended the Commencement service of the Cape Town Baptist Seminary (CTBS) this morning, at Linkway Baptist Church Cape Town. This is a typical warehouse-style Church with sound-proofing (pictured). OBSERVATION: The service was very efficient. There was no time wasted on introductions or digressions. There was a special emphasis on a) what the Seminary is, and b) the personal faith of students. I estimated that there were nearly 300 people in attendance (a balcony as well).

Invention 47: Cap Cars

I dreamt that I had a toy train set. When the bumpers connected, there were various chemical reactions. This is true to reality: there are many impact-sensitive, shock-sensitive, or contact chemical reactions. But consider something more ordinary: instead of a cap-gun, a cap-car. If the caps were more powerful ones, the cars would even repel one another upon impact. OBSERVATION: You saw it first on this blog. I do not find this on the Internet.

Maximum Exposure

A long time ago now, I was Assistant Minister to my father. He advised me to go for maximum exposure. If you're going to visit members one by one (at home, at work, in hospital), this is slow and often impeded by traffic jams and so on. One visit could potentially take hours. Therefore, show yourself where members gather together: Sunday services, Church groups, social events ... OBSERVATION: I did this to maximum effect. For instance, I would greet every congregant on a Sunday morning. For instance, I would greet every person who attended Church groups. Surprisingly often, one finds ministers who do not do this.

Salt Factory

South Africa is a mix of advanced and primitive technology. The primitive technology may be a joy to behold. This is a photo of my three-wheeler standing next to a "salt factory" that produces about 100 tons of salt a year -- if the market is good. This is tasty salt. I was told that this is because of its sulphur content.