5
June 2014
Agriculture gives hope!
t
he dust of Grain SA’s Harvest Day is
finally gone from between our teeth
andwe are smiling broadly, but defi-
nitely tired! It is hardwork, but most
certainlyworth it.
The friendships, the smiles and generous
compliments carry us through the hard-
working times. I think it was Claude Möller
(motivational speaker) who remarked that
theHarvest Day is a symbol of hope for the
people. The optimism of producers who
despite all the natural elements as well as
political and economic instability, continue
to invest inagricultureandproduce food for
thenation, inspire all of us.
Every seed put into the soil in faith is an
investment against poverty. The yields we
as producers achieve, are not just for our
own gain, but also serve as an assurance to
every personwho on a daily basis ekes out
a precarious living to survive. It is this kind
of faith that provides hope to people. The
collectiveexpressionofwhatwe asproduc-
ers do, gives hope to people. Let us carry
onwith it!
This year there was very little time for me
toget out among thepeople and the exhibi-
tions. Nevertheless, I noticed a few things
I would like to share with you: A mother
holding her young son by the hand, point-
ed to one of the very big tractors saying to
him: “Apersonmust be very clever todrive
oneof those tractors.” That oncemore con-
firmed tomehow important proper training
of our farm employeeswere for the respon-
siblework they have todo.
Something else which struck me during
NAMPO regarding our farm workers was
when I noticed a group of them who each
produced a cell phone to photograph the
sheep shearing. This is proof that our work-
ers are getting more and more adept with
the technology we use to produce food for
the country.
One of the speakers during theHarvest Day
events referred to the 2,5% contribution of
agriculture to the gross national product
(GNP) as the bath plug of our economy.
Although it is only a small part, it is never-
theless a very important one. If this plug is
missing, a lot will be lost.
It sometimes happens that one perceives
the importance of agriculture only from
your own perspective and then I realise
that we are mostly subjective in doing so.
However, when first time visitors arrive at
NAMPO and literally gape unashamedly
(almost slack mouthed) at what they are
seeing, I realise thatwearenot quiteas sub-
jective aswemight think.
Whilst we in the north are celebrating har-
vesting, the men from the south are plant-
ing. It was good to hear Schalk Viljoen (an
ex member of the Executive of Grain SA)
proclaiming that planting conditions have
never been as favourable. It was also nice
tohave someof theold timers likeGiel, Vic,
Cerneels, Boetie, Crawford and Jub as well
as a group of ex Harvest Day Committee
Members, dropping in to ensurewe remain
on course.
Admittedly, NAMPO also has its lightermo-
ments. I encountered a group of hospital
staff from Pretoria who completely over-
awed me when they enquired where the
stand is with the unmarried farmers who
are free of debt. Maybe this could be a new
challenge for theHarvest DayCommittee?
One of our staff members also had a
sharp retort when they saw the selfie of
Victor Matfield and Wandile Sihlobo, one
of Grain SA’s (short) economists: “The
caption for such a photo should not read
from left to right, but from top to bottom!”
As the dust of NAMPO 2014 is settling,
the work discussed during the “Nation in
Discussion” sessions, however, continues.
During the next few months it is going to
be quite difficult toget land reformon track
where all canbewinners and to collectively
combine the investments in the land, equip-
ment andpeople toensure food for all in the
country.
DSKOOSKIRSTEN
WOORD
Uit die
‘n
Goeie naam is meer werd as goud en goeie olie. So
lees ons in Spreuke 22:1 en Prediker 7:1. Wanneer
jy in bekende geselskap is en die naam van ‘n ander
persoon word genoem, dan verskyn die persoon se
beeld in jou gedagtes. Jy weet hoe hy lyk en wat hy
doen. Meer nog, iets van sy persoonlikheid en eienskappe kom in
jou gedagtes op. Dalk weet jy ook waar hy woon en werk. Jou
gedagtes oor die persoon kan positief of negatief wees, afhangend
van hoe die persoon lyk en leef. Elkeen van ons is ons naam – ons
worddaaraangeken.
Toe Jakob van sy oom Laban af weggetrek en by die land Kanaän
aangekom het, het hy by Jabbok met die Here geworstel. Toe die
Here hom teen dagbreek wou verlaat, het Jakob die Here gevra om
hom te seën. Daar het die Here vir hom sy naam gevra en sy naam
vanJakobna Israel verander. Hy souniemeer diebedrieërweesnie,
maar die eenwat met God geworstel het. Jakob se nuwe naam sou
sy persoonlikheidwat hy ná sy ontmoetingmet dieHere gehad het,
weerspieël. Jakobwas ‘n “nuwe”mensmet ‘nnuwenaam (Gen. 32).
In Joh. 1:44 - 52 lees ons vanNatanael se ontmoetingmet die Here
Jesus. Wanneer Natanael na Jesus aangestap kom, sê Jesus dat hy
‘n Israeliet is in wie geen bedrog is nie. Dit beteken dat Natanael
nie soos Jakobwas nie, maar soos Israel. Hywas nie diemens wat
vol sonde en daarom ook vol bedrog was nie. Hy het nie soos sy
stamvader Jakob gelyk nie, maar soos sy stamvader Israel – hy het
dieHeregekenensoos ‘nwaregelowigegeleef.DiealwetendeJesus
kon hierdie dinge sien en kon daarom hierdie pragtige getuienis oor
hom lewer. Jesussienelkeenvanonsenweet hoeenwat ons is.Niks
isvoorHombedeknieendaaromkanonsniksvirHomwegsteeknie.
Ons kan nog probeer en selfs in ‘nmate daarin slaag ommense te
bedrieg, maar nie vir Hom nie. As daar iets van Jakob in ons lewens
is, danweet Hydit. As jy sêdat jy ‘nChristen is, dat Jesusook vir jou
sondes gesterf het, dan het jy ‘n nuwe naam. Hierdie nuwe naam is
deur dieHere Jesus self aan jougegee. Jounaam is aandieHere se
Naam gekoppel en daarommoet jy jou naam leef. Jymoet met jou
hele lewe wys dat jy opreg is inwat jy glo en doen. Jou lewemoet
wys dat jy ‘n opregte Israeliet is en nie ‘n Jakobiet wat vol bedrog
is nie. Die Here sê in Open. 14:5 dat net hulle in wie daar geen
bedrog is nie, die ewige lewe sal beërf. Leef dan jou naam sonder
bedroguit.
Baie geluk aan Liza Vorster
wat vir die Maart-uitgawe
van
SAGraan/Grain
diegra-
tisBybel gewenhet.
