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From the CEO’s Desk We are thankful for this privilege to update you on what has been happening at DFL since our previous letter in November 2015. We look forward to working with you again and hope that 2016 will be a blessed year, with many opportunities to make a contribution in various ways. Dr. Albu van Eeden

Our Legal Corner

 The Euthanasia-case (Dignity SA o.b.o. Stansham-Ford vs State)

There is no further development in the on-going legal process to report since the last newsletter. No date has been set yet for the Constitutional Court case where the legitimacy/desirability of euthanasia in South Africa will be determined once and for all. DFL is involved through the efforts of our counsel, Adv. Reg Willis, who is pursuing the role DFL can play in the coming Concourt action.

The Dagga-case (Stobbs& Clarke vs NDPP & Others): Decriminalisation of Marijuana in SA

Following on the developments reported in our last newsletter, the court date for 10 March 2016 has been postponed, but the new date has not yet been announced.  This gives us more time to prepare our team of expert witnesses. The State has already provided summaries of their two witnesses, David Bayever of the Central Drug Authority and Professor Shebir Banoo of the Medicines Control Council, two credible and competent witnesses, for which we are thankful. Please pray for the availability and choice of appropriate expert witnesses that DFL are approaching to bring a strong case to court. We are also thankful that Adv. Reg Willis, who has been of great help to DFL in some of our other court challenges, has agreed to also assist the existing legal team in this matter.

Cannabis/Marijuana

 The effects of Marijuana on an individual:

Short term effects on the brain

Marijuana over-activates parts of the brain that contain the highest number of receptors which causes the “high” users feel. Other effects include:

• Altered sensations (for example, seeing brighter colours)
• Altered sense of time and changes in mood
• Impaired body movement
• Difficulty with thinking and problem-solving
• Impaired memory

Long-term effects on the brain

Marijuana also affects brain development. The plant contains the mind-altering chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other related compounds. When marijuana users begin using it as teenagers, the drug may reduce thinking, memory, and learning functions and affect how the brain builds connections between the areas necessary for these functions. Marijuana’s effects on these abilities may last a long time or even be permanent.  A study showed that people who started smoking marijuana heavily in their teens and had an on-going cannabis use disorder lost an average of eight IQ points between ages 13 and 38. The popularity of edible marijuana also increases the chance of users having harmful reactions. Edibles take longer to digest and subsequently take longer to produce a high. People therefore tend to consume more to feel the effects faster, leading to dangerous results. Dabbing is yet another growing trend. More people are using marijuana extracts that provide stronger doses, and therefore stronger effects of THC. Higher THC levels may mean a greater risk for addiction if users regularly expose themselves to high doses. Contrary to common belief, marijuana can be addictive. [caption id="attachment_3111" align="alignright" width="250"] Other health effects of marijuana[/caption]

Other health effects of marijuana

Physical effects Breathing problems. Marijuana smoke irritates the lungs, and frequent marijuana smokers can have the same breathing problems that tobacco smokers have. These problems include daily coughing and phlegm, more frequent lung illness, and a higher risk of lung infections. Increased heart rate. Marijuana raises heart rate for up to 3 hours after smoking and may increase the chances of heart attack. Older people and those with heart problems may be at higher risk. Problems with child development during and after pregnancy. Marijuana use during pregnancy is linked to an increased risk of both brain and behavioural problems in babies. Resulting challenges for the child may include problems with attention, memory, and problem-solving. Mental effects. Long-term marijuana use has been linked to mental illness in some users, such as:

• Temporary hallucinations – sensations and images that seem real though they are not
• Temporary paranoia – extreme and unreasonable distrust of others with worsening symptoms in patients with schizophrenia (a severe mental disorder with symptoms such as hallucinations, paranoia, and disorganized thinking)

Marijuana use has also been linked to other mental health problems, such as: depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts among teens Health effect on a user’s life. Compared to nonusers, heavy marijuana users report the following more often:

• Lower life satisfaction
• Poorer mental health
• Poorer physical health
• More relationship problems

Users also report less academic and career success Long-term marijuana users trying to quit, report withdrawal symptoms that make quitting difficult. These include grouchiness, sleeplessness, decreased, appetite, anxiety and cravings. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana

LifePlace

Memories of Project LifePlace since 2007

It started off as an outreach on Friday afternoons with lots of preparation: the Toyota Condor was packed with camping beds, sleeping bags, luggage for everyone going, as well as food for the night and next day. After supper at the LifePlace Coffee Shop in Pickering Street, we had a devotion to prepare us to go onto the streets.  We walked a route from the Point area towards the sea and at the end stopped for an ice-cream next to a club.  What a noisy place!  We saw many young people abusing alcohol. We also stopped at Cats massage parlour to greet Flame, the madam that’s been working there for many years.  Her ginger cat is at home among the people hanging out the door.  She sent her girls to the LifePlace Coffee shop for HIV tests. I remember walking down Smith Street to Victoria Embankment where a transvestite was looking for business.  He always greeted us when we walked past him.  The ships in the harbour looked pretty with the many glittering lights in the distance. We walked on, over hills past the “In Town Lodge”.  Some knows it as the ‘Orange Building’.  The owner was charged for human trafficking.  We spoke to young girls outside the Lodge as we passed by on our way to South Beach. We returned to the LifePlace Coffee Shop late at night to sleep and drove back the next day.  Nowadays we get into the car late on Friday afternoon and go and visit a family in Gateway. After the visit we hit the road and visit the ladies we have met in Durban over the years. We don’t sleep over in Durban anymore and usually return home by midnight. It is with thankful hearts that we acknowledge that it is God who opens the hearts of these people. We are often able to bring a lady back with us to be changed from a prostitute to a princess.

Euthanasia

Is it necessary to legalize suicide?

There is a perspective on Euthanasia that is often overlooked. Euthanasia is the English translation for the Greek word “euthanatos”, a term coined in the 1830’s. The ancient Greeks were generally seriously opposed to any form of suicide. They attempted to discourage it by punishing the corpse of those who had committed suicide, for example, by cutting off the hand that was used by the person to kill themselves. In the well-known instance of Socrates, he had to drink poison as a form of death penalty and his death was not euthanasia. Not that they did not have any concept of life issues and suffering, but they had already realized what modern psychiatry is well aware of; the contagiousness of suicide. Research has proven that there is a correlation between the occurrences of suicide that follows after media coverage of suicide cases, and the length, frequency and intensity of the media reports. Furthermore, suicide is one of the more preventable tragedies of primary healthcare, and first world countries focus more and more on suicide prevention programs. Euthanasia can be divided into two sub groups which in ninety percent of cases, are not as complex as some people make it out to be; passive euthanasia which virtually nobody has an objection to, and active euthanasia which is the controversial form of euthanasia. Active euthanasia falls under so called physician assisted suicide, where the doctor does not directly kill the person, but provides the medicine wherewith the suicide can be carried out. Passive and active euthanasia are two different entities, even though there are borderline cases where the distinctions are vague. To summarize, one could say that passive euthanasia is relevant when, in the case of a terminally ill patient, the doctor stands back and recognizes that they are not God. – During passive euthanasia the death of the patient is caused by the sickness. In active euthanasia the death of the patient is caused by the doctor. – With passive euthanasia the doctor has the attitude of humility and surrender. In active euthanasia the attitude of control is taken. –  During passive euthanasia the purpose is to not unnecessarily lengthen the dying process. With active euthanasia the purpose is to cause the patient to die.

A few problems with the legalization of active euthanasia:

–  Legalization usually rests on terms like “unbearable suffering”, “excruciating pain” etc. There is no way to measure pain or suffering. Who’s scale will be used, the patient’s, the family’s or the doctor’s?  Whoever’s scale is used will inevitably have all the power. It is easy to misuse terms like these. (The suggested legislation for South Africa in 1994 was more liberal than the infamous Nazi T4 program). –  The next argument often mentioned is the right of everybody to choose their “moment”. But the moment you justify one form of suicide, you end up in an ethical swamp. If you approve suicide for the terminally sick patient, on what grounds will you refuse the drug addict, who stands on the tenth floor of a building ready to jump, after multiple unsuccessful attempts to rehabilitate, and who feels that life is miserable, full of suffering and without hope? – This creates a favourable climate for malpractices. It is impossible to avoid subtle pressure on the patient from other parties. A newspaper article from the USA reported on an elderly lady who had become deaf. She wrote, “My daughter became more and more frustrated with me. She was also unhappy because she felt that I would not leave a big enough inheritance (Obviously afraid mom would use it all on health services). Later on she became even ruder. One day she said that she felt that it is not wrong for elderly people to ask to be euthanized”. She concluded the article with the words, “Now I sit every day alone in my apartment knowing what is expected from me…” When such a patient is dead, the only witness is gone and nobody will ever know what happened. –  Premature death offers an encouragement for financial benefits – it is always cheaper to kill than to nurse. –  All countries that legalized active euthanasia fell into a downward spiral. The Netherlands began with:

• Active euthanasia on request of the terminally ill patient who suffered unbearably (1981). The request had to be in writing, there also had to be sufficient consultation with a doctor, etc.
• In 1982 it was changed to voluntary active euthanasia for chronic diseases where the patient would not necessarily die soon.
• In 1985, for the first time it was officially allowed without the patient requesting it.
• But who says physical suffering is worse than psychological suffering? So, in 1994 it was also allowed for psychological suffering.
• In 1992 a doctor who did not officially keep to the rules, was not punished. According to the old argument, he did it out of love.
• From 2001 it was allowed for 16 year olds without the permission of the parents and
• In 2005 criteria were proposed for the application of euthanasia on new-born babies.

Similar patterns developed in Belgium, Switzerland and Oregon in the USA. It is thus not surprising that the World Medical Association rejects active euthanasia. Indeed, with the exception of a few countries like the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland, virtually no country’s medical association supports euthanasia. According to reports from the American Medical Association doctors should, instead of getting involved in euthanasia, rather react aggressively to the needs of the patients at the end of their lives. Patients should not be left to their lot after it has been determined that healing is not possible. They need emotional support, the kind of care that will keep them comfortable and they should receive sufficient pain treatment. At the same time the independence of the patient must respected and good communication maintained.

Excerpt from a DFL Press release

LifeChild Testimony

Glory and honour to God! I, (Nombuso Majozi) would like to thank God for what He has done for me. I thank DFL for their love and support which they have shown to me. After my mother passed away, I did not know whether I would even be able to matriculate, but God made it possible that I could, and He even opened the door so that I could go on to higher education. I went to North West University where I was trained to become a teacher. By God’s grace I have finished the four years of a B.Ed degree and I will graduate in April this year. I am very thankful that the Lord has helped me to complete my studies and has provided for all my needs. My desire is to be a light and make a difference in whichever school the Lord leads me to. I thank God that He has used Dr Albu, Mama Karen and the DFL team to demonstrate His love and kindness towards me.

Aid to Africa (A2A) Outreaches 2015

[caption id="attachment_3114" align="alignright" width="300"] Aid to Africa Outreaches[/caption]

DFL Sihane (Zavora) Clinic

It is with much appreciation that we report on the Medical Outreach Program and the DFL Sihane Clinic and Maternity Ward in Zavora, Mozambique, for the period 1 January – 31 December 2015. With your assistance we were able to reach many lives in Southern Africa during this time. We are sincerely thankful to be able to play our small role in this endeavour. General medical examinations and internal medicine, dental care, free medication and treatment, pre and post natal care, vaccinations, optometry and eye care are just some of the basic, yet, often life-saving services that we provide free of charge. The eye surgery program has become a major part of our medical services. We were able to help many blind people see again which naturally changes their lives dramatically. They can once again do the basic things like, cooking, eating, walking, planting, washing, working, driving, reading, teaching and once again be productive in their communities. Thank you very much to all who assisted us this past year.

Medical Outreach Accomplishments

3 remote and needy areas were reached with an impetus on eye surgery. At a fourth area we focused only on assisting people with eye glasses. The areas were:

1. Inhambane in Mozambique
2. Mauzi, Phalombe in Malawi
3. Namandanje, Mbonchera in Malawi
4. Sihane, Zavora in Mozambique

During these missions the following tasks were accomplished:

• 162 surgical procedures, most of which were cataract surgeries on blind people
• 3 surgeries to remove eye cancer
• 698 patients received prescription eye glasses
• 212 internal medicine examinations (General practitioner examinations)
• 1064+ eye examinations.
• 200+ indirect eye examinations through the surgery in Inhambane
• 474 dental patients
• 595 tooth extractions

Medical Accomplishments at the clinic in Zavora

We examined and treated about 21 752 patients at our Zavora clinic during 2015. This is a new record compared to only 18229 during 2014 and 12916 during 2013. Part of the increase is the huge number of malaria cases we saw. The Mozambique government calls it a malaria pandemic. Basically the number of most conditions increased (except HIV/AIDS).

• 5597 were Malaria cases – (4076 in 2014, 5468 in 2013)
• 19 HIV cases – (67 in 2014, 68 in 2013)
• 632 Diarrhoea cases – (523 in 2014, 306 in 2013)
• 1165 Wound care – (669 in 2014)
• 241 babies were delivered compared to 231 in 2014 and 208 in 2013

Johan Claassen A2A co-ordinator

Devotion

 Gen 28:13  And behold, the Lord stood over and beside him and said, I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father [forefather] and the God of Isaac; I will give to you and to your descendants the land on which you are lying. Gen 28:15 And behold, I am with you and will keep (watch over you with care, take notice of) you wherever you may go, and I will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done all of which I have told you. In this life-changing incident at Bethel, Jacob, now in trouble, was willing to reach out into a life where he was to trust only in God to keep him safe and to undertake for him. God has to bring all of us to a place where we are willing to let go of everything else we used to trust in and trust in Him alone. We also may land up at that place because we are in a crisis. That does not matter – it may actually be good. For God is willing to meet with us even if we come to Him in a crisis. The Hebrew words can be interpreted to say “I will keep watch over you…” That means, “I will look narrowly, observe you, preserve you, regard, and save you”. On the broad road we may travel as zigzag as we like, maybe as our emotions tell us. But on the narrow road we are not allowed to put a foot out of place. And the road gets smaller the further we go. Not that we become more and more legalistic, but because we move closer to God and are more intimately guided by His Spirit in our thoughts and motives. Still there is something calming in that He will:

• keep an eye on you and check whether you are heading in the wrong direction. Then He can warn you if you are going in the wrong direction, and encourage you when you are going in the right direction.
• keep watch over you. He can see Satan and his demons if they are stalking you. He will put a hedge about you, guard you, protect you, and attend to your needs. He will keep you standing amid fierce temptations and onslaughts “for I will not leave you until I have done all of which I have told you”.

Dr. Albu van Eeden]]>

From the CEO’s Desk First of all I would like to thank the Lord who has guided us throughout the past year. We experienced many challenges but also many blessings. I also would like to thank all our sponsors, donors, members, friends and DFL staff who have worked tirelessly and with dedication in pursuit of our calling. Thank you for the prayers and words of encouragement for us at the office. Broader horizons open up to us in many ways for which we are thankful. I wish you all a blessed festive season during which time we can refresh our hearts and minds in preparation for the New Year that lies ahead.

Our Legal Corner

The Euthanasia-case (Dignity SA o.b.o. Stransham-Ford) DFL is involved in the appeal proceedings as amicus curiae in this case. The appealing parties are the SA Medical Association and certain State Departments. Dates have been applied for by the main appellants. We shall only know sometime next year of the date the matter will be heard in the constitutional court. The Dagga-case (Stobbs & Clarke/NDPP & Others) The latest development in our supportive role as amicus curiae is that we have now had a meeting with the State’s legal team (State attorney and State advocate) who are representing 7 different State Departments as Defendants, all having an interest in ensuring the court application does not succeed. A further party has made application to join as a Plaintiff. He is Clifford Thorpe, who in January 2015 was arrested by police for growing dagga on his property. He is a man in his early 50’s suffering from certain ailments, which, he alleges, are best alleviated by the use of dagga-“butter” and his case is primarily to have marijuana legalised for medical purposes. At the meeting of legal teams we realised that the 10 days set aside for a trial beginning on the 10th of March 2016 are insufficient, especially since much expert scientific evidence will have to be presented. A meeting will be sought with the deputy judge president of the Pretoria High Court for a ruling on how many days will be required and whether the matter be referred to the Constitutional Court, seeing that the plaintiffs have raised several constitutional issues. Child and Youth Care Centres The local office of the Department of Social Development (DSD) in the area of one of our orphanages, in which DFL has recently invested considerable resources to upgrade it and bring it up to the required standard, has sent social workers to close the orphanage down. In a letter, we were informed that there is no need for an orphanage, as there are already 3 in that area; this despite the chief and traditional leaders having requested DFL to set up an orphanage there. We are not aware of any orphanages in that area; we have only been made aware by the locals that there is a great need there. A lawyer’s letter has been sent advising the DSD that their closing down of the orphanage will not go unchallenged. Up until now they have not followed due legal processes to have the orphanage closed. We are in the process of establishing how best to interact with the DSD and get their full co-operation and enthusiasm for the Centre so that, instead of legally challenging them, we can work together towards establishing a model centre there. Please pray for this project and that God will open the doors for such co-operation with the social workers.

Pornography

[caption id="attachment_3063" align="alignright" width="300"] Small boy using a laptop[/caption] In general people believe that the damage done to young minds by pornography is long-lasting. But a recent gathering of experts pointed out that the harms from pornography are far worse than expected, and the damage is not just impacting children, but spilling into all of society. Speaking to a standing-room-only crowd in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Centre, Dr. Gail Dines said that today’s mainstream pornography is unbelievably dehumanizing, degrading, and violent. She cited a peer-reviewed study that found that 88 percent of the scenes in the 50 most popular porn films involved violence against women. Pornography is not about sex, she said, but about, quote: “making hate to women.” Dines shared how one pornography producer explained that the girls now arrive on the sets “porn-ready.” As she said, “We are part of a culture that hyper-sexualizes girls from a very young age and forces them into an inauthentic, formulaic, plasticized sexuality that is from the porn culture and not of their own making.” Cordelia Andersonof of Sensibilities Prevention Services (Speaking at the same convention) called the American culture’s widespread pornography use “the largest unregulated social experiment ever.” Having studied the impact of sexual abuse and pornography for decades, Anderson explained that pornography is a quantifiable public health crisis. Anderson pointed to research indicating that nearly all young boys have been exposed to pornography. It isn’t enough to protect your own children any longer when their peers have had violent pornography normalized in their minds. The impact has become public, and its damage has seeped in everywhere. Anderson believes change requires a broad public strategy of education, law enforcement, business pressure, and a revitalized media culture. As she so aptly put it, “No mass social disorder has ever come under control just by treating the individual.” Dines and Anderson were just two of nearly a dozen speakers discussing the public health hazards of pornography at the Capitol event. Dr. Donald Hilton explained how pornography changes brain chemistry. Dr. Melissa Farley examined the link between pornography, prostitution and sex trafficking. And Ed Smart, whose daughter Elizabeth made national news when she was abducted in 2002, explained how pornography played a role in his daughter’s enslavement and sexual torture. http://www.christianheadlines.com/columnists/breakpoint/pornography-and-the-decline-of-a-culture.html

LifeChild

Just a short update on our LifeChild projects:

• The new roof is up at Mthaleni. Please see the photos below
• We have an urgent need for a new roof at Malelane. Please pray with us that the Lord will provide

March for Life – October 2015

On the 4th of October 2015 it was the annual National March for Life organised by the National Alliance for Life (NAL). This event is held once a year on the first Sunday of October. It brings together people from all walks of life across South Africa who are pro-life and want to take a stand and stop the senseless killing of unborn babies. As much as the pro-abortionists claim that a woman has a right to choose what happens to her own body, even though a baby might be inside her, it is not part of her body, but a separate person. If it is OK to kill a baby inside the womb, the next step for society will be (as has already been suggested by some leading bio-ethicists in the West), to claim that the lives of all human beings after being born are not equal. Society is being de-sensitized to the extent that the leading bio-ethicist in the USA (Peter Singer) claims that up to 23 days AFTER the birth, a child should not be considered a human person that deserves protection from the law. The National March for Life is trying to mitigate passivity in society and is open to all people from various organizations, as well as individuals and churches who demand the right of unborn human persons to full protection of the law. NAL provides a forum for all interested parties to come together and combine their efforts in order to raise awareness. The March for Life has been taking place for a number of years now and each year sees more interest from organizations and the media. According to science, life starts at fertilization and the very first cell contains all the information that makes the embryo a new, unique human being. It is a person and has all the genetic information from the colour of the hair and eyes, to the shoe size, to how tall that person will be and whether they will be sportier or more academic or both etc. It will always be the weakest and most vulnerable of society that are taken advantage of and this is also true concerning the unborn baby. Just because they cannot stand up and speak for themselves does not mean that we or their mothers may decide on their behalf that they have no right to live. The goal of NAL and the March For Life is to inform and educate the public on abortion and get people, especially mothers, to realize there are other options available and that the complications a woman suffers after an abortion doesn’t just last for those few minutes. The emotional scars can last a lifetime unless she gets therapy and counselling. Post Abortion Syndrome is well documented and results in severe depression, guilt, anxiety and regret. As a nation we call upon everybody to stand up and take responsibility for our actions. We need to hold onto the sanctity of life.

Aid to Africa (A2A) Outreaches 2015

Twenty fifteen has seen some major shifts and changes. Earlier this year we heard from one of our donors that our funding for the medical outreach program, both to our Mozambique clinic and eye surgery missions, would be cut in half. But by God’s grace the work could go forward in a major way. We also struggled to do eye surgery in Mozambique again. Although the Mozambique government asked us to do cataract surgery in Xai-Xai, about 200km from Maputo, the tour was eventually cancelled by them at very short notice for various reasons. In some of the Southern African countries, arranging and coordinating these outreaches can be very challenging. We very often are made to wait until the very last moment before we get a final approval. No wonder some donors eventually lose interest to assist. Bureaucracy can really ‘rob’ the needy of what they need. But regardless of these and many other obstacles, by God’s grace the medical outreach program of DFL, Aid to Africa, went forward in a blessed way. We had two other medical outreaches to Malawi in July which went very well as reported in the previous newsletter. Dr Albu van Eeden (CEO) and team also made a special trip to some of the regions where we have been conducting medical outreaches. The possibility of starting our second permanent clinic (the first in Mozambique), was discussed during meetings with members of parliament, local chiefs and the communities. During the July Malawi outreaches specific sites were identified that the Malawian Government would like to donate to us, in order to build a clinic, get involved with agriculture, and take care of orphans. Future follow-up trips are currently being planned to possibly take things further. Mr Volkmar Bohmer is managing the Malawi project for DFL. [caption id="attachment_3068" align="alignright" width="300"] Dr Jonathan Pons performing cataract surgery in Inhambane, Mozambique[/caption] DFL also attended 3 major medical conferences where we gained about 60 new members who are interested in joining us on outreaches. In addition we received a large donation of medical equipment; a Zeiss refurbished auto refractor/keratometer used to examine eyes prior to surgery, and a Zeiss eye microscope used during eye surgery. When the Xai-Xai outreaches were cancelled not all was lost either. With the team already packed and flights booked, the team continued to work at DFL’s clinic (DFL centro de Saude de Sihane) near Zavora. Prof Pat McEwen came from the USA especially to assist us. The primary goal became to assist people with free prescription eye glasses at the DFL clinic about 400km from Maputo. People came from as far as Inhambane for eye glasses. Optometry is not really a service that you find in these parts of Mozambique. Many government officials also came to have their eyes tested. Although the cataract surgery in Xai-Xai was cancelled, through nothing less than a miracle, doors opened for us to do cataract surgery in Inhambane during November. Dr Pons and his staff from the Good Shepherd Hospital in Siteki, Swaziland, joined DFL to do the eye surgery in the Inhambane provincial hospital. About 74 cataract surgeries were performed during that week, with Mozambiquan television and radio media covering the event extensively.  The Mozambique government also sent two ophthalmic registrars to be trained by DFL. We would like to thank Ambri and Irma who provided accommodation at their Barra Lake and Sea lodge. As you can agree, we have much to be thankful for. Looking ahead, we have fixed dates with the Botswana government to do cataract eye surgery in Mahalapye, 200km from Gaborone in February 2016. We need two eye specialists to join us. Please let us know if you would be interested in assisting. The locations of the other outreaches later in 2016 still have to be decided.

Good News

[caption id="attachment_3074" align="alignright" width="300"] The DFL clinic in Zavora, Mozambique[/caption] DFL are also very grateful for the new staff that joined our Sihane clinic in Zavora, Mozambique. Dr Ronald Neufeld and his wife Dr Elizabeth Neufeld arrived from Germany in October and are busy settling in. Although we have had numerous short term volunteers since the passing away of Dr Paul Zuidema in August 2013, the Neufelds are the first permanent doctors we have had to replace him. We couldn’t have asked for more – a husband and wife medical team! They are accompanied by their son Elias aged 2. Miss Joy Smith also started earlier in the year to help with the logistics and management.

Devotion

Matthew 5:41: And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. These days we are celebrating the time when God walked, not just the extra mile, but the uncountable extra miles. He sent His Son to come to the earth, to live the perfect, sinless life. If we follow Christ’s example, this principle makes the Christian faith something special. It makes relationships within the church soft and warm. It causes us to support and feed each other. It helps the Christian to not only just live correctly; otherwise subtle hardness may creep into our relationships. Then the church becomes a harsh place, where the law of the jungle applies in a “civilized” way, with everyone checking up on one another for mistakes, all the time. Take note: The Lord did not say that if I ask someone to go a mile he must go two miles for me. No, if the brother should ask me, I must walk an extra mile for him. He also did not say only if I had it on my heart I must do even more. No. He says when someone comes to me when it may not suit me. I may not be in the right mood for it. That is just acting correctly but doing more than what is necessary. May this New Year find us doing just that! Dr A van Eeden (CEO) Doctors For Life International    ]]>

Our legal corner Since our last DFL newsletter and following our successful challenge in both the High Court and Supreme Court of Appeal to have the licence for broadcasting 3 pornographic TV channels granted by ICASA reviewed [and effectively withdrawn until (and if) a new licence be successfully applied for], there are the following developments :

1. The Euthenasia-case (Dignity SA on behalf of Stansham-Ford) As we all know from the extensive media coverage this case enjoyed, the Applicant is boasting its success in their High Court application. The judgment has such ramifications for our law [South African common law on this subject that was over-ruled by Justice Fabricius], that he has granted leave to appeal his decision in the Constitutional Court. DFL was one of the parties who had opposed the Application to make assisted suicide legal. The State has indicated its intention to appeal the decision in the Constitutional court. DFL will continue to be involved in the appeal proceedings as Amicus Curiae. It is important that this judgment be successfully appealed, as the judge’s decision opens a whole can of worms, especially in medical ethics, that it cannot go un-challenged.
2. The Dagga-case (Stobbs & Clarke /NDPP & Others) In this matter DFL has the supportive role as Amicus Curiae in opposing an application to have marijuana legalised for medical purposes. DFL is acutely aware that the driving force behind the court application is an agenda to ultimately have dagga legalised for street use. The difference in this case and the previous dagga-case which DFL successfully opposed, is that in the previous case the applicant tried to have the legitimacy of the criminal sanction of using dagga privately overturned. In this present case before court, the applicants want it ruled that use of hashish as a relief medication, especially in the treatment of cancer, be allowed. The problem DFL is currently facing is the slow pace at which the State Attorney, who represents the National Director of Public Prosecutions, functions. We thus failed to set up a meeting with the State Attorney in 2014 in time for the trial which was set down for March 2015. The meeting was to strategise on procedure and meet with the opposition at the obligatory pre-trail meeting. The Applicants consequently had the case postponed to March 2016. This could have had the dire consequence for our cause had Parliament, in its 2015 session, tabled legislation, in which case our opposing the court action would have been futile. As it turns out, no legislation was tabled as the CDA (Central Drug Authority), after addressing parliament, caused the proposed legislation to be referred back to the relevant portfolio committee, after they recommended that much more research is required before dagga can be considered safe for medicinal use. This gives DFL an ideal opportunity to put before the court convincing evidence to reject the currant court application. We are trying hard to have the necessary meeting between us, the State Attorney and the legal team of the Applicants set up for September 2015. Please pray that this time it will work out for us, paving the way to successfully oppose the court application.

S J M Schneider – member of the legal team

The Ethical dilemma

Moral conflicts usually have two sides. It is not always easy to figure out how to handle situations like these. Some people look at the options themselves while others prefer to look at the consequences before making a decision. Some people are led by religious convictions (Moral absolutism – some things are either right or wrong) while others prefer to look at the more humane options and consider the people involved. Some people go for the lesser of two evils while others prefer to see it as the better of two good things. There are also laws involved that make these decisions even more complicated. Whatever way we look at it, it remains a complex situation and there is nearly always mental conflict involved. Consider the following options:

• To stop or continue treatment in a terminally ill patient
• To switch off machines or not in a terminally ill patient
• To attempt resuscitation or not in a seemingly hopeless case
• To perform an abortion in very specific situations (Severe mental and physical disability) even if it is against your conscious
• To prescribe a placebo if the patient insist on treatment
• To hide information from a patient to boost his/her spirit
• To knowingly hide your mistakes for fear of the consequences
• There are many other examples that could be mentioned

For one we have to analyse our actions against moral principles like fairness, honesty respect, dignity and so on. Is there a conflict between the rights of different people? We also have to look at the consequences of all the possible options; who will be hurt and who will be helped. Also what will the impact be in the lives of people in the long run? There are many testimonies of people who took decisions that seem to be the better option for the time but afterwards suffer dearly because of a bad conscience. Some people only realise the full implications of their decisions long after the actions took place. The problem is then that most actions are not reversible. What is done is done. With all the facts to our disposal we must make a decision. We do want an option that is less problematic. We do have to live with our conscience long after the incidence is forgotten by most people.

A personal testimony

I was an A grade student, never did drugs or went to parties, just went to church and to school. I always remember getting involved in a lot of fights at school and being very violent. I was a loner, not having a set circle of friends. My teachers could never understand how I could be a good student, academically, but at the same time be so rebellious. When I was 18 I joined “Serve Team”. This is where you dedicate a year of your  life to work full time in the church and get involved with community programs etc.  While doing this I decided to go to Bible college and become a pastor. This never  happened. I started working, moved out of my parent’s place and stopped going to bible college. Still went to church but had no relationship with God. I have always loved music, I started playing guitar when I was 6. By the time I was 18 I could play drums, bass guitar and guitar. I wrote worship music and was in a Christian band. I had never smoked cigarettes, never been clubbing, never drank alcohol. Didn’t even know what drugs are. This all changed very quickly though. I was invited by some friends to go down to Durban to a club called 330’s. It was a dance club, when “Rave Music” first came out in SA and started becoming popular. I hated dance music. Being a live musician I thought Dj’s were fake. I decided to go anyway. I remember getting to the club and didn’t like the music nor could I understand why everyone was wearing sunglasses in a club at night, chewing gum and sucking lollipops etc. I wasn’t having fun, not evening drinking, I didn’t do that kind of thing. A girl came up to me and asked me why I was so miserable, so I told her I don’t like this music and have never been to a club before. She said that she was going to change the way I see the world and I would be really alive for the first time. She then put a small pill in my mouth, gave me some water and I drank it. She said it would make me feel better.  That pill was “ecstasy”. The first drug I ever took. After that night everything changed, I was hooked. It wasn’t long and I was drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes and marijuana. I started doing cocaine, a bit of heroine every now and then. Then came acid, “LSD 25”, crystal meth, “Ice”, speed, “Ephedrine”, kat, “Ketamine”, GHB, “liquid ecstasy”, Mdma and more. I wasn’t your average addict, I worked and only did drugs on weekends. Went to gym, played club rugby and cricket and thought I was in control. I got to know a lot of drug dealers and I was very attracted to their way of life. The money, the girls, the parties and the drugs. I stopped playing live music and became a club dj. I became a drug dealer and was involved with dealing drugs for about 8 years. I used to make on average around R80 000 a week. So I needed nothing, I had everything. Cars, motorbikes, a house, girls, I went to all the top parties and played at all the best clubs in SA for many years. What my friends didn’t know was that when I was alone I was not happy, I felt like there was something missing. I couldn’t sleep, I used to have nightmares, no matter how much I tried I couldn’t fill this hole that was inside me. I started smoking crack, cocaine and “rocks”. I used to smoke 7 days a week and spend about R7000 a day on my habit. I have done some very bad things, been to some very dark places in my life and could tell you a million stories from those days but I believe that all of those things are not what should be focused on. Yes, they happened but where I am now, is far more important. I arrived at Kwasizabantu Mission on 31 December 2014 at 17:30pm a broken person with nothing. I just knew that I wanted God to be in control of my life and that I wanted to do His will for my life and not my will. As time went on I felt God calling me to work full time for Him. I felt a burden for all the lost souls out there and thought that becoming a missionary and spreading God’s word to those people that need to hear it the most is the most important thing anyone could be called to do. I had a meeting with Dr. Albu van Eeden, our CEO, to speak with him about working for Doctors For Life International. I didn’t know exactly at the time how I was going to be of any help at DFL but I trusted God to know what was best for me. After he spoke with me he offered me the opportunity to become a part of DFL and I said gladly, especially after hearing about what it is that DFL does. Vaughan Luck

For a more complete version of this testimony you may contact Vaughan at [email protected]

LifeChild update

We are so grateful for the new developments at our center. It would not have been possible without the support of our donors. We were able to tile the whole orphanage, renew the bathrooms and paint. Please see the attached pictures below.

Aid to Africa (A2A) Outreaches 2015

During July 2015 DFL undertook a medical outreach to the southern parts of Malawi (Namandanje and Mauzi). In many ways it was a blessed outreach. Not only was the eyesight of many people restored but they also received spiritual light and their eyes were open to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. In all we did 90 cataract operations, handed out 582 reading glasses and 90 dark glasses for patients after surgery. One man was blind for 30 years and after surgery could see again. It must have been quite a “Rip van Winkel” experience for him. At first he was completely disorientated but after a while it became a reality and a joy for him. We thank God with him for his eyesight. We were also fortunate to have a dentist with us. She extracted 600 teeth during the two weeks. The Malawi people are a friendly and peaceful people. They treated us very well and were more than willing to share the little they have with us. They were really thankful for what we did for them and pleaded for more Bibles should we visit them again.

A personal experience during the outreach

The first thing that struck me in Malawi, was the sea of little faces we saw wherever we went. I have never before seen so many children per square kilometre. They would run out of their homesteads to greet us, follow us or stare at us. Most were between the ages of 3 – 14. They were friendly and communicative, so I invited them and with the help of a translator, told them Bible stories. They listened intently and the Moslem children were particularly responsive. The total population of Malawi is approximately 12 million, of which 5 571,226 are children between the ages of 0 – 14, i.e. 47{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} and 937,000 are orphans i.e. nearly 18{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} of all children, 59 {01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} of them are orphaned because of AIDS. We saw evidence of this when the director of an orphanage of 500 children invited us to see the work his organization is doing. We were given an opportunity to speak to the orphans. 200 of them are housed on the premises and 300 are allocated to various homes. It was pleasing to see how well behaved the children were. Mr Kaliati, the MP of Machinga district also invited us to his orphanage, which houses 50 children. He was like a father to them all, knowing each of them by name, being able to relate a heartbreaking background for each one of them. When we arrived at Mauzi, a remote village in the South of Malawi, next to the Mozambique border, virtually the whole community was there to welcome us; the MP, ward councillor, traditional leaders, pastors, teachers and school principal, members of the community and many, many children. When Volkmar was asked to say something. He asked how many have had malaria. All their hands went up and when he asked how many have not had malaria, no hands went up. Malaria is obviously a huge problem as was confirmed by a clinic worker who reported to a member of our team that on that morning, he had diagnosed 23 new cases of malaria before 10h30! Most malaria deaths are of children under the age of 5 and the Southern half of Malawi is one of the worst hit areas in the world, according to statistics. The tragedy is that many of these deaths can be prevented. Mr Phiri, the MP of Phalombe district gave us a place in the local school grounds to set up camp and two classrooms for the clinic work. It was wonderful that we had the opportunity, every morning during their assembly, to minister to the 1600 children who attended the school. According to CIA’s World Factbook, Malawi is one of the least developed and poorest countries in the world. The infant mortality rate of 104.23 deaths per 1000 live births is shocking and the life expectancy is less than 38 years. The future of these children is pretty bleak, yet Malawi has such an incredible agricultural potential. Wherever we went, there was the call to come and help, to set up clinics and farm the land. Apparently this was the first outreach of DFL in which the doors opened to do work amongst the children and we saw how great the need is. I would urge that reaching the children be incorporated in further outreaches to this country.

Cecile Schneider

Devotion

Our devotion is from John 13:34 -35: And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples.” With that we must also read 1 Corinthians 13:1-3: “I may be able to speak the languages of human beings and even of angels, but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell.  I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains—but if I have no love, I am nothing. I may give away everything I have, and even give up my body to be burned but if I have no love, this does me no good”. We are called upon to love one another. Not just any way but as He has loved us. This will prove to the world that we are His disciples. How did He love us? He gave His life for us. He sacrificed all. How do we love our fellow man? Do we reach out to them? Do we become their servant and put our own needs second? Can people see in your life and my life that we are His children? How do we know if we have this love? We read in 1 Corinthians 13:48 the following: “Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth.  Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail.  Love is eternal”. It does not matter what we have attained in life. If we have not this love, we have nothing. If we want to be a testimony for Jesus we must strive to love others as He loves us.]]>

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OUR LEGAL CORNER: Pornography case:

We rejoice that the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein has rejected ODM (TopTV)’s application for leave to appeal. We are informed that ODM has decided not to challenge on the courts decision in the Constitutional court. The result is that they have ceased broadcasting pornography. We are waiting in anticipation to see whether ODM, which is under judicial management due to trading at a loss in the past year, will re-apply to ICASA for a licence to broadcast “adult material”. If they do, we are prepared this time and know what the court requires to oppose an application for such a licence.

Euthanasia case:

We are saddened that the judge so easily and quickly (within a few days of the application made by Mr Stansham-Ford) granted him the relief sought for; i.e. that he may by assisted in his suicide by a medical doctor, even though the applicant died of a natural death the day before the court gave its decision. This has now created an unfortunate and dangerous precedent in law and DFL as well as the National Prosecuting Authority will be challenging this decision, either in the Supreme Court of Appeal, but more than likely in the Constitutional Court, as constitutional issues (especially the right to human dignity, which the applicant relied on) will be adjudicated upon and its proper context argued and examined.

The pornography dilemma  Research done by Ms Antoinette Basson (BMR Research Consultant and Psychologist) at the Youth Research Flagship Program of the College of Economic and Management Sciences (CEMS), hosted by the Bureau of Market Research (BMR), showed alarming facts about the escalation of child pornography in South Africa. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with incarcerated sex offenders who had committed a sexual offence against a child (any person under the age of 18 years) and who had reported exposure to pornographic material prior to the offence. The study was extended to correctional centers located in three major metropolitan areas within South Africa, namely Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. The following key research findings emerging from the analysis are presented below:

• Pornographic material has become easily accessible mainly due to the development of technology, more specifically the Internet and cellular telephones.
• Participants displayed commonalities with regard to certain personality traits, dysfunctional family environments and abuse.
• The participants experienced emotional, physical and sexual abuse of which the latter was the most prominent.
• Participants were initially exposed to pornographic material at a young age through their peers or family members.
• Participants developed a preoccupation with pornography and progression in their viewing behavior.
• The effect of pornographic material on human behavior involves a complex combination of physical, cognitive, emotive and behavioral aspects.
• The participants emphasized that they became addicted to pornographic material and could not control the effects of pornographic material on them as individuals.
• The viewing of pornographic material over time had various consequences related to their personal lives and criminal behavior.
• Almost all participants were adamant that the viewing of pornography motivated them to commit sexual offences involving children due to the effect of exposure to sexually explicit images.
• Participants expressed concern with regard to their release back into society and fear of re-committing, especially due to the easy availability of pornographic material.

For more information Me Antoinette Basson may be contacted at bassoa@unisa.ac.za. Video release Doctor’s for Life has released a new video on pornography – “Pornography: The Battle for your Soul”. This captivating anti-pornography film presentation will assist school teachers, pastors and parents in teaching children about the dangers of watching or taking part in pornography. It also serves as a help to those who are tempted or are already involved in pornography or sexual acts. It details the latest scientific evidence showing how pornography is chemically and physically addictive, progressive, and harmful to children. http://www.rootshosting.co.za/docforlife/pornography-battle-soul-movie-trailer/ A personal testimony  I was 12 years old the first time I viewed pornography in a public restroom in a medical complex. I was there with my mother for a doctor’s appointment. I took the half a dozen glossy porn pages torn from a magazine. Later that night, I masturbated for the first time. I was hooked – right there and then – instantly.  My father had abandoned us and masturbation made me feel good. I hid those pages in my room and returned to them nightly. I had no idea of the damage I was causing to my soul and spirit, and the separation I was implementing between myself, my family and many other things. I was setting myself up for disaster but I couldn’t stop even though I wanted to. I prayed and asked God to forgive me and help me to stop. I even threw away those cherished pages, but it was too late. Those images were forever etched in my mind. I also discovered that, even though the law required me to be eighteen to purchase such material, the clerk at the convenience store did not. Sexual acting out became an obsession and I lost interest in almost everything else. My goals did not revolve around grades or sports or such “normal” pursuits but instead on sexual conquests – losing my virginity became the number one focus in my life. I did so at the age of sixteen. The girl became pregnant and I carried that guilt for decades. Later, I moved my addiction from paper to the real thing. I hated myself and turned to alcohol. I longed for a loving relationship but had no idea how to love or be loved. After all, if I couldn’t love myself, how could I expect anyone else to? I tried many ways to be free from porn but all of my efforts lasted only a very short while. At 26, I met a beautiful young lady and we dated for several months before we got married.   I was relieved. At last I could leave all the porn in the past. But after years of inappropriate sexual behavior I had conditioned myself into the subconscious belief that sex was bad, even evil. So where I should have been experiencing joy, I was feeling guilt. To make a long story short, we separated. Just after the divorce I needed surgery for a lump under my right arm. I was scared, very scared that I might not make it through surgery and I was determined to stop my porn habit.  I earnestly looked for help and followed up my sincerity with action. That night I went home and threw away my porn. After intensive counselling with a professional counselor I was eventually delivered but not after an intense battle and a willingness to speak about everything honestly and openly. I still struggle with the thousands of images which I have placed in my hearts library over the decades. I have to surrender daily and I’m fairly certain I will always have to. I wish I had never seen those images so many years ago – but I did. Now I must learn from it and help others who have been ensnared by the glossy deception of pornography. (Shortened – name withheld) LifeChild: God is providing in a wonderful way. We are so thankful that our Mthaleni Orphan Center has had new ceiling boards put up and the building plastered outside. The funds used for these developments were donated by Eskom and a few individuals. We want to thank them for sharing this responsibility with us.   Aid to Africa (A2A) Outreaches 2014-2015  There are a few outreaches in the pipeline. We will report on them in the next newsletter.  LifePlace  The LifePlace team is still regularly going on outreaches to speak to prostitutes in an attempt to reach out to them. Sometimes we go out twice a week. We have about 4 ladies who have been with us for a while and going from strength to strength. One of them who was bed ridden is now moving about freely. We and are encouraged by their progress and continue reaching out to these ladies who for the most part, have only known what it means to be used and abused. It has also been on our hearts to start teaching them how to work with a sewing machine as an alternative means of generating an income, as there is so much one can do with a sewing machine. These are exciting times and we would like to thank everyone who has had a part in helping the LifePlace ladies escape a life of slavery.  Devotion Hab 3:17, 18:  “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” The Christian worldview is inherently positive. No matter how deep a person may have fallen into sin, in Christ there is hope for forgiveness. Even though man might have given up on someone, and society marked certain people as not being rehabilitatable, through Christ, there is always hope. In Habakkuk we read about circumstances that had become so bad that some may argue that the prophet’s quality of life had become too unbearable to make his life worth living. Yet, Habakkuk finds reason to rejoice. There is an element of submission while keeping the hope that God’s Word offers; a trusting in Him for healing if it is His will. On the other hand, there is an element of pride, rebellion and despair in the fatalistic attitude that promotes physician assisted suicide. Instead, it should remain the duty of the doctor to come alongside the patient, to help them to carry the burden of sickness and to relieve the suffering as much as possible, without transgressing God’s word. Euthanasia is not a “kind death” (“genade dood”, in Afrikaans). Instead it is the ultimate act of unkindness and negativity which creates a society that cannot tolerate disability and disease.]]>