| August / September 2007 Articles in this issue are: DOCTORS FOR LIFE INTERNATINAL - As Strong as its Members DFL has been in existence since 1991, sixteen years of 'amazing grace'. We give all the honour to God. It may sound like a cliché, but let's rather call it an understated fact; what would the organisation be without its members? A database of members does serve a purpose, but it is when they are actually active and involved that the organisation makes an impact in society. This edition is dedicated to the many DFL members and friends who have given of themselves, their time, and their skills to make this organisation what it has become. Though some names are mentioned, it would be impossible to list everyone who has contributed to DFL's success over the years. Some made considerable financial donations, some lent or even donated utility vehicles, some 'opened doors' for certain projects, some opened their homes to DFL staff, others were prepared to face glaring studio lights and hostile presenters on television or speak to the press; the list goes on… Heirich Botes PUBLIC HEARINGS - DFL Members Shine During August, members of DFL made oral submissions at 13 locations, under various provincial legislatures on the Abortion Amendment Bill as well as the Traditional Health Practitioners Bill. These hearings were a result of DFL's successful challenge of the said bills in the Constitutional Court. The Court declared the bills unconstitutional on the grounds that the different legislatures failed to facilitate proper public involvement in the legislative process, as required by the Constitution. The bills could therefore only be passed once public hearings had been held. A few portraits of our members' participation at the hearings:
We would like to thank all our members and friends who made representations on these important issues. Now that the public hearings have been held, we pray that the provincial legislatures will take note of the public's opinion when they reconsider the Bills. Legal Department THE EXECUTIVE BOARD - Members Leading by Example The Executive Board is comprised of 12 members. They receive no 'rewards' (on earth!) for this responsibility . It is not without enormous effort and professional integrity on their part that DFL has managed to keep abreast of new developments in bioethics and other fields. Their commitment and sober mindedness in the decision-making has helped the organization sustain its vision and basic principles. AIDS IN THE WORKPLACE - An Opportunity for DFL Members DFL's Workplace AIDS Project (WAP) was first implemented in the Anglo-American goldmines in the Freestate Province of South Africa in the early days of the epidemic. In 1995, Dr Albu van Eeden, CEO of DFL, challenged the mine management in Welkom to implement an AIDS prevention program “that is different from the rest”. It focussed on value-based behaviour change and not on condoms as the means of preventing HIV infection. From the very beginning, DFL members were in the front line of the attack on AIDS in the workplace. At this stage WAP has been implemented only in the mining sector but also in tourism, ESKOM and agricultural fields. Dr Dirk Bester played a crucial role in the implementation of WAP at the gold mines, while Dr Neil Cameron suggested ways in which to further refine the actualisation of value-based intervention in the project at ESKOM in the Western Cape. DFL members play a pivitol role in the training of the peer educators. Dr Albu van Eeden is still involved in a hands-on capacity while Dr Helena Slabbert of Uitenhage assisted at DFL's WAP project at the SRCC in the Sundays River Valley. Dr Willem Vlok accompanied the DFL staff responsible for WAP on a country-wide tour to all the PANNAR Seed Company facilities, presenting talks on HIV/AIDS and STI's. This project, offers a unique opportunity to influence not only the workers directly, but also their families and consequently their communities with the positive message of enjoying an AIDS-free value-based lifestyle. NEW MEMBERS - Old Members Promote DFL to Students In the middle of a typical Western Cape winter, several DFL members braved the cold and driving rain to man the DFL exhibition at the Tygerberg Medical Campus in Cape Town. More than 30 medical students joined as DFL members, and several professionals from other groups joined Friends of Doctors for Life International, our support organisation for all non-doctors. Thursday, 2 August was also the premiere for DFL's all-new promotional DVD, “Introducing Doctors for Life international”. Drs Neil Cameron and Charles Chouler attended the screening and assisted at the DFL table. On the first evening Dr Ken Suttle, from Tokai joined DFL Staff member, Heinrich Botes with 'table duty'. Dr Marius de Klerk and Dr Jan Kuhne and several other DFL members came past the exhibition stall to show their support. Dr Frank Muller, General Secretary of the Christian Medical Fellowship of South Africa, was involved in organising the Cape2Kingdom Conference and took time to examine the DFL display. Members of Friends of Doctors for Life from the Western Cape Province went out of their way to assist DFL in this venture, providing transport, free accommodation and sacrificing their time and making every possible effort. Vincent Mkwambi and Vincent van Zyl assisted with erecting and dismantling the DFL exhibition stand. Mr Abraham Warren, a DFL Trainer in the Workplace AIDS Project, also helped to promote DFL at the medical campus and attended the Conference with his family. Occasions such as the Cape2Kingdom Conference offer a wonderful opportunity for DFL to showcase its activities to potential members, and also offer existing DFL members an opportunity to serve the organisation alongside the DFL staff and Friends in their province. COMMUNITY WARD ROUNDS - DFL Members Reach Out Giving up sterile surroundings for dusty African huts with dirt floors and swapping professional nursing assistants for semi-literate community volunteers; this is what DFL members will experience when reaching out to the hundreds of terminal AIDS patients in DFL's Home Based Care Project. Heirich Botes DOCTORS FOR LIFE IT - It Works for You DFL's Information Technology department (IT) has been working hard to make things easier for website users. You can now join as a member or friend of Doctors for Life International, sign up for the bi-weekly Life Alerts, Quarterly newsletters, or pay subscription fees online. Nkosikhona Nhlabathi AID TO AFRICA - For Those 4x4 Members When it comes to our medical outreaches, we owe a special thanks to our members. Not only are these outreaches time consuming and costly, but it is also dangerous. Angola, one of our outreach destinations, is still littered with an estimated 8 million landmines. Johan Classen NEW “INTRODUCING DFL” VIDEO - Visually Explaining Who We Are It's been over sixteen years since DFL was established and it has since become an international organisation spearheading bioethics, as well as several important projects. To fully introduce Doctors for Life has always been a challenge as it handles a diverse range of topics and initiatives. Orison Pictures, along with the help of several members, has produced a video that effectively explains what DFL does. Dr Albu van Eeden (DFL CEO), Dr Jay Mannie (DFL's Deputy CEO) and Dr Tseliso Nkuebe (DFL Executive Member) graciously endured script-memorisation and the imposing camera lens to present the organisation, and a practical way in which anyone can get involved, hands-on. If you want to promote DFL to your colleagues, family or friends, get your copy of this fifteen-minute video by calling us on 032 481 5550 or email mail@dfl.org.za Eugen Olsen MEMBERSHIP FEES - Your Investment in Doctors for Life DFL is funded from two main sources: membership fees and donations. One may think that a membership of 1400 should generate a substantial income to cover the basic overheads of the organisation. There are, however, two categories of members who do not have to pay the annual subscription: students and those who have retired. The suggested minimum membership fee is the equivalent of $100 for members in all countries. An account will be issued once a year to remind members of this contribution, without which we will not be able to operate. Dr Anne Hyams of the UK added a new option when she became DFL's first member with “Life Membership” by paying her membership fees up to her age of retirement.
DEVOTION - Who Will Stand Up for Me Against Evil? PSALM 94:16-21 In this Psalm, God speaks His heart as to how He stands alone with no one to stand up for Him against the evildoers. In verse 20, He refers to the throne of iniquity which devises evil by law… who gather together against the life of the righteous and condemn innocent blood. God calls upon people who will speak for the innocent. This is one of the privileges and duties of God's children, to stand up for Him and His cause. We all know that among the innocent, is the unborn child. Most of the authoritative text books on embryology, (Larson, Ronan O'Rahilly, Keith Moore - some of whom are members of the body which establishes the Nomina Anatomica for new concepts in embryology and anatomy), are unanimous about the fact that the unborn child is a human being from conception. This is not a particular interpretation of science. This is what empirical science itself demonstrates. We further know that little on earth compares to the innocence of the unborn child. But in standing up for God on these issues, there is a trap, there is a danger: we can become negative and reactionary in our attitude, hard, critical and legalistic, and even start to suffer from battle fatigue after some time. What is the antidote for that? Should we refrain from standing up for God on these issues? Should we just go with the flow, or maybe simply make it “a matter of prayer”? There is a place for prayer everywhere and always, but prayer can become an excuse when we fail in our duty. To some people it has become so difficult to strike that fine balance that they settle down in silence (verse 17) just keep quiet. In that same verse, the psalmist gives us the answer: "unless the Lord had been my help, my soul would soon have settled down in silence". Here is the answer: a personal relationship with the living God. That will give us that spark of life and love, which is essential to fight His battle. That life, which the Holy Spirit breathes into us, keeps us alive and new so that we do not slide into legalism. A legalist is one who has become a copy-cat. They simply keep certain rules because some great man, or prophet of God has said something. If I have the Holy Spirit, I will find that God's word echoes the conviction which already lives in my soul and confirms to me that I am on the right path. That Godly love that covers a multitude of sins, will help us oversee our brothers' mistakes where they offend me. It shortens my long toes, and helps me to work together with others as one body. God's Spirit also keeps us from becoming despondent and losing hope in the face of opposition. Let us place our hope in the Lord and bring our needs to Him. Let us persevere and remain faithful, for unless He is our help, our souls will soon settle in silence. And that dare not happen. Dr Albu van Eeden - CEO |
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