Camp Sukuma 2010 Registration!

Preparations for the annual CAMP SUKUMA event are already rolling and the response from young people, especially on our SukumaRIZE youth Expressions facebook group has been satisfactory. This year we have secured a very spacious and perfect venue through the help of Children’s Cup. As we have already announced on facebook,  Camp Sukuma 2010 will be held at Mbekelweni Dream Centre, a newly built Children’s Cup Youth Leadership Training Centre. I am personally excited about this year’s camp and I know that God has great things in store for all the young people who will be coming through on the 12th December!

Camp Sukuma Class of 2009!

I would therefore like to encourage everyone who is attending camp this year to register early. The camp’s task team has announced that REGISTRATION FORMS are already available, so it’s time for everybody to get signed up! It’s very important that people get the forms, fill them up and return them in good time. This will help in ensuring that we have an exciting time at camp. The norm in the past years has been that people just show up two days before camp or even on the day camp starts and it really disorganizes things.

Registration is open until December 4. The forms can be found at the FITNESS ZONE (Manzini) behind the Roman Catholic Cathedral opposite the Caritas Centre. Our people are there Monday to Friday from 10am to 12noon. When you get there, please ask for Emmanuel, Ndumi, Tonkhe or Pastor Thethe. Remember that space is limited as the facility can only accomodate about 60 people. Go get your name on that list now!

Alternatively, especially for some of our people in South African, I mean those who will not be back before December 4, they should call at +26876343078 so that we can have a special arrangement for them.

I am personally praying that everyone makes it because this year’s camp is on another level! CAMP SUKUMA 2010 will rock!

Jehovah keep you!

Camp Sukuma 2010!Let’s Go!

Hey my sukumaRIZED heads! I’m sure that by now most of y’all have started making plans for camp. Like I promised in my previous post, I’ve got it! Here’s a brief preview on this years summer camp! read on……..

Hosted by SukumaRIZE youth Expressions, Camp Sukuma is a week-long youth empowerment camp that addresses the social and spiritual aspects of young people between the ages of 13 – 18yrs (high school), gap year youth (waiting for college) and young ministers who are interested in Christian youth empowerment.

Details

 

Sukuma Summer Camp '09! What an X-perience!

 

Camp Fee : E350.00 per person (includes transport, food, accommodation, etc for the whole week)

Venue : Mbekelweni, Manzini (Childrens Cup Youth Leadership Center)
Payments : due to LIMITED SPACE, people are advised to make sure they have paid up by December 1,2010 to avoid any disappointments (the venue can take only 60 people).
Arrival/departure times will be communicated in due course.
For more details: email sukumarize@yahoo.com, contact Pastor Emmanuel Dlamini or Nondumiso N.S Dlamini on Facebook or call Pastor Thethe Dlamini @+26876110567, you can also write on the sukumaRIZE youth Expressions Facebook wall and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Camp Sukuma 2010 LET’S GO!!!!!

You Gotta See This!

Hey hey hey! Christified greetings to all my sukumaRIZERS in true ‘Holy Ghost crazy devil got nothn’ on me kinda’ style! whooo I feel like saying, ‘make some Holy Ghost crazy noise up in here!’ and guess what I just did! Lol I’m ever so excited to connect with my people on these pages. Over the past few days its been really hectic, been pushing some Jesus deals like crazy and we didn’t get time to update you. Good news is we are still on fire for Jesus and it ain’t over till God says its over! So lets just chill and let the God in us deal us some off the hook blessings! Oh yes!

SukumaRIZE Youth Expressions Graffiti

Before I get too excited (coz I can!), I wanted to get the word out that our ‘Galery’ page jus got a cool facelift and its looking real good! We will try to update it with more pictures but at the moment y’all need to see how it looks because I know you will love it! If you wanna go check them out straight away, just click here and you will be there before you can shout ‘amen’! ha ha ha ha ha!

In the mean time, lets make sure we stick to Christ like light in the sun! I know…..I know……this is when I get to salute you for keeping in touch with us here at sukumaRIZE youth Expressions! God bless ya reall good hey!

Christ blessings!!!!!!!

‘Silent Prayer’

When I was informed about my blogging assignment by the sukumaRIZE blog team, it gave me pleasure to do this. The drive and will was there, the ‘Chido’ in me felt an urge to get out into the minds and hearts of young people. Expressing yourself is an art in itself, and somehow the challenge of having to communicate my thoughts, feelings and views to an innumerable number of people left me considering if I was ready. The excitement was there, yet the reservation also reared its head! But I guess the passion of sharing Christ experiences with other young people every week got me going. At first I had the motivation, though not being a distinguished writer or even a prolific linguist my blog posts came out fine. My love for God and His people was enough to get me started.  

Every week I have searched my spirit and heart on what to share on order to feed your brains and hearts with God’s reality. Perhaps not all my articles have tickled your fancy, but all of them have been presented as my testimony in this Christ journey. Some people have even given me the thumbs up occasionally. In all this I have been most humbled. The truth is that all my work is a result of God’s doing, because by professional writing standards I would not even be considered an amateur! LOL! It’s been quite an experience putting together a piece every week.

This week it’s been quite hectic, even worse is that when it came to writing this one, I was just blank. As Chido, what happens when you do not have anything to say? And is it really because there is nothing to write about? Or am I struggling to express myself? All these questions were in my mind as I finally got around the idea behind today’s post. Since I did not have anything to write on I decided to do the ‘Silent Prayer’ writing!  Here goes………

There are times in life when you do not have anything to say to God,

There are those times when you have something to say but do not know how to put it in audible or written words,

Sometimes I sit or do whatever that I am doing with a smile on my face,

Sometimes with tears rolling down my cheeks,

Without words in my mouth, but with my heart and mind bursting at the seams,

In my silence, I speak, my God hears me because He knows me.

It’s perfectly normal, natural and spiritual (may I insist!) to find yourself with nothing to say yet in your heart there is so much being ‘said’. Even the most talkative and eloquent individuals experience it. Sometimes words can be one’s downfall too. That is why every now and then we should reflect on the things we say to ourselves, to others and to God. In your silence there is a way. Sometimes we are tongue tied because of challenges, excitement or grief. Take time to listen to your silence. It will also give you time to introspect, project and rectify issues in your life, which is a quality expected from a child of God, James 3:13 says, ‘Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom (King James Versions).

Although I have shared with you my ‘silence’! LOL! I still am quiet, I’ve got nothing to say really! So I will say it one last time, ITS PERFECTLY NORMAL TO HAVE NOTHING TO SAY! Funny as it may be for me to say this, I’m still silent even as you read this!   

 Let the mystery unveil. Peace!!!!!!!

Pamela ‘Chido’ Mkhonta

Note: Chido is one of the longest serving members of VOG and is writing for us every week as a guest blogger. She is also a graphic designer and semi-professional soccer player of repute as she currently captains Swaziland’s senior ladies soccer team. However the views expressed in this article are personal opinions/views in her walk with Jesus Christ.

GHP First Anniversary Birthday!

Hey y’all! I have a very good ‘scoop’ today! Its a pleasure to post such stories because you get to hear it for the first time from no one else but me! Yeah I like that! Anyways lets get into it………

The Fellowship of God’s Holy Place (GHP), a church that is led by the founder of the sukumaRIZE movement, Pastor Thethe, will be celebrating a full year since establishment! Ok, what I know is this will not be your regular birthday part but a first of its kind, in fact I understand VOG will also be performing on the day.

5th June, 2010 at the Tums George Hotel Khanjana Conference hall is when and where it will be happening. Hopefully we will get to cover this occassion more in the coming days, so do watch for a special post on it right here on the ‘sukumarized side. If you are on facebook, please check out more on the event here.

Thats all for now. stay connected!

ChristaHolyc

Jesus Feva (Poem)

Ok, now this poem right here is mostly written in English but also has bits of my vernacular SiSwati (trying to represent up in here!). When I put pen to paper on this one, my ‘flow’ was inclined to writing something that is hardcore, inspired and also representative of the hype and influence that Jesus Christ has on me personally. Originally it was an intro to another piece but I eventually decided to scrap it and just develop another one. But on second thought, I figured it’s not bad as a poem in itself, brief as it is. Check it out………..

The ChristaHolyc fella!

The Jesus Feva!

I call it the Jesus Feva coz He is my destiny giver
It’s not an over the counter kind of influenza
It’s lifelong over and over heart to heart Jesus Christ didn’t die for nothing Holy Ghost dripping truth
It’s the kind that causes motion while evoking some emotion yet injecting some devotion on them who believe

I call it the Jesus Feva coz it cuts through you deeper than a double edged sword
It reveals to you my righteous diva, the Life Giver, Jesus Christ! it’s so better
It’s not the lukewarm settle for less coz we care-less ‘buya ulandze libandla lakho’ uninspired cowardly and powerless no solution kind of Jesus paper

I call it the Jesus Feva coz its eternally inspired and wired
It’s sober minded, bold, original Garden of Eden type of man and God relationship
It’s the Christ-like heaven meets earth kind of flow

I call it the Jesus Feva coz it’s no bluff
It’s life, stuff that lives on the inside then breeds on the outside not the other way round
When it’s on you those that think they know you think no its not you coz it awakens the true you
That’s why I call it the Jesus Feva coz it takes you deeper

The ‘Chido’ interview!

This is it! Well, with the World Cup fever that is currently hitting the Southern part of Africa these days, I am tempted to say ‘feel it – its here’! I hope that doesn’t get me in trouble! Ok, so I got the interview for you and in a moment you get to find out some interesting stuff about the person behind the ‘Chido‘ we’ve been going on and on about! Real name Pamela Nontsikelelo Mkhonta, I must admit that she is one kind hearted and understanding person. If I may, she agreed to do this interview at very short notice, and for the way she handled it I salute her! Having had the honor of working as a leader and colleague too, it was interesting as I read some of the things she says in this interview. Without further delay, read on and find out what she had to say………….

Sukumrizeyouth (SY) : In your own words, who is ‘Chido’?
Chido (C) : She is a God fearing, loving, short tempered, very sociable, stubborn at times and understanding young super lady of who belongs to God!
SY : ….and how old is she really?
C : mmmhhhh! Well I’m 23yrs old but I’ll be turning 24 later this year, old enough I guess, bless Jesus!
SY : Where do you live at the moment?
C : I currently live in Mbabane (the capital of Swaziland), Checkers.
 

In the pic : Chido (in VOG’s blue) with Sncedzile before a concert 

 SY : Did you grow up in the same area?
C : No, no, I was born in the ‘bhundus’ (rural area) of Khalangilile and Gebeni in Mankayane. That is where I spent my early childhood before moving.
SY : So when did you become a part of sukumaRIZE Youth Expressions?
C : I joined back in 2004 after one of my friends told me about the Sukuma Camp,it was when I had just received Jesus as my Lord and Savior, so I went to camp and never looked back from there.
SY : How has being part of sukumaRIZE, including the camps, helped you?
C : It has helped me a lot, today I can stand on my own with the knowledge that God never fails somebody, I have respect for myself, the person next to me and the one I hardly know, and above all I have embraced God as not just a part of my life but as my Life. Thanks to sukumaRIZE!
SY : What or who inspires you to do or think the way you do?
C : Well, my greatest inspiration is me, I believe that is so because if I fail I have no one else to blame but myself, not even God! There are also many people who inspire me in their various ways, too many to count really! But if I may, let me also state this fact, its not everyone who should inspire you!
SY : You would never………….?
C : I will never give up on God no matter how much I mess up in life, I’ll keep trying until I get there and get his undivided perfection. I have many mistakes in life that’s why I say no matter how much I mess up in life.
SY : What do you consider your happiest moment?
C : Eish! that one’s tricky, I guess every time I have a smile on my face, thats my happiest moment, every single moment you see me smile, thats it right there!
SY : Ok, jeans or skirt?
C : ha ha haha! (laughs), thats a funny one there! Obviously its a skirt, I’m a woman, hello! Oh no, what am I saying, hell no! I am for jeans! You just have to meet me and you will understand!
SY : Do think of yourself as a great woman?
C : Yes I am great, I know it, I see myself as this great woman because everythinh about me screams great!
SY : What is your favourite quote or statement?
C : ‘God is interested in CHARACTER than he is in COMFORT, he is eager to make one HOLY than HAPPY.
SY : Which one does it for you, dancing or singing?
C : hahaha aha! (laughs) Whats this here, are you for real! Dance obviously!
SY : Mbabane or Manzini?
C : Manzini, most of my friends and family live in places closer or right in Manzini, even my activities revolves around Manzini.
SY : Any future goals?
C : To own one of the biggest sports facilities in Swaziland or South Africa, have my own a Sports Magazine, continue serving at VOG, SUKUMARIZE and GHP (her church) for as long as I can, to be a professional dancer and also play football in abroad.
SY : Are you excited about writing on the blog as our guest?
C : I love being a part of the sukumaRIZE activities and a proud ‘sukumaRIZER! so its an honor to contribute on this blog!
SY : What can we expect from you, especially your contribution as our guest blogger?

C : Expect honest, GOD – LIFE experience posts and testimonies of my day to day walk. Watch for my views on a young Christians general lifestyle.
SY : Finally, what is the best advice you have ever received?
C : My beautiful mother once said to me back in 2003, ‘In life you should have a dream and that dream should be anchored by God’.
SY : Thanks for your time Chido, we look forward to working with you! take care and God bless!
C : Its been a pleasure.

So thats how it went down with the ‘Chido’! Wonderful, gifted, ambitious and anointed woman if you ask me! I enjoyed chatting to her. As you can see, we kept things simple and a little bit formal on the interview, but next time we will definately look to loosen up a bit! Once again, I would love to salute ‘Chido’ for agreeing to talk to us at such short notice. I hope that her posts will empower and equip many more young people to realise their potential according to God’s design!

God bless!

Our new guest blogger!

by Emmanuel Dlamini

This one’s still on the hush but I’ll let our ‘sukumarized’ folk hear it from me first!LOL Well, its true, one of the longest serving members of Vessel of Glory, sukumaRIZE youth Expressions and by my standards the best woman soccer player in all of our beautiful little Swaziland is ready to take it away! Ok, ok, before I get carried away, lets introduce her like this; born Pamela Nontsikelelo Mkhonta she has managed to ‘get’ herself a host of nicknames, which are now her unofficial offficial names! Her friends call her ’Chido’, ‘Mchacha’, ‘Choma’ amongst other names.

Chido (in blue ) stands next to Sncedzile, during a VOG concert last year.

Now, we wanted to do a nice little interview, just to make it special since this will be the first time that ‘Chido’ appears as a guest blogger on here! Believe me we need to interview her, besides that she is one of the people who have been with us since the founding days of Camp Sukuma, amongst her many achievements is being the current captain of the Swaziland women’s senior soccer national team! Whoa! So you can understand our interest in throwing a couple of questions her way!

Sukumarizeyouth’s blog is about empowering young people holistically, so ‘Chido’ s posts will definately enhance our mission. Oh, did I mention that she is a powerful Holy Ghost crazy gospel of Jesus believing servant of God! She is no lightweight I tell you! Its just that sometimes she does’nt beleive when I say so, especially the ‘powerful woman of God’ part!  Ok now, before I loose it!  I’ll tell you this, and I mean it, the next time you read a post from me, you will also be reading the part where I get to field her a couple of questions!

I’m out y’all. Salute!!!!!!!!

Gospel music – What is missing?

by Emmanuel Dlamini

Ok, lets get this straight, I am a fan, critic, artist and collector of gospel music! I do not listen to stuff that does not bulild my inner man, edify my spirit, inspire my faith in God and also leave me drooling at the ryhmes, bits, lyrics, attitude, creativity and rythm. So if your music will get my attention, it has to measure up to my standards. Simple case of  preference, nothing personal! Concerning the genres, I do not normally have any issues. There are cases where I  prefer certain genres and artists, e.g when I am getting ready to minister or when I am looking for ideas.  For instance, these days I am hooked on artists like the often misunderstood Ton3X™, J Moss and almost all Cross Movement artists amongst many. These artists and many others all over the world including a few groups in my home country Swaziland have in my eyes proven to possess a quality that is missing in gospel music today.

Controversial as it made Him to be in ‘religious’ circles, I believe that what made Jesus Christ’s message and style different, which also led to His death, was the ability to reach the masses, the men and women in the street. The one’s who had no care about the temple schedule, religious dresscodes and protocol. He had a way of getting to the ones who were often neglected,  untouchable or even indifferent to the religious culture of the time. Although it made Him a lot of enemies amongst the religious elite, Jesus was adored by the crowds. His approach towards them had something in it that made the people want to listen to him. He did not follow the flashy, exclusive and hypocritic yet claiming spiritual superiority lifestyle of the Jewish pharisees and priests. The man went beyond the religuous barriers and reached out to the masses, not just the the ones who frequented the synagogues.

I believe that nowaday gospel music can learn a great deal from the life of Jesus in as far as reaching the masses. I know that many of us Christians see nothing wrong with the state of gospel music in as far as the mandate of reaching souls for Christ. But I beg to differ. In line with the advice that the apostle Paul gives in one of his letters to the church in 1Corinthians 10:12, the gospel music fraternity should keep checking their stand. I submit that in my personal observation it is evident to all that the gospel music audience is by far the least amongst all the music genres of the world. We are making music that only appeals to the ‘synagogues’ and ’temples’! We have been given a message for the world but we have kept it within the corridors of religion! Although we were commissioned to make music for the world, we still sing songs of the minorities. Our songs are so weak in quality and content they fail to make the grade in the circular world, when the Lord of our faith got invited into tax collectors’ homes leaving them transformed by His message. The few artists that have their songs played on cricular stations are marginalized by the Christian fraternity at times. This leaves one with a lot of questions concerning the state of the church as a whole. Instead of supporting a brother or sister in the Lord we choose to backbite, gossip and ridicule them until they backslide. 

Its time that we start making music for the world and not be afraid to take it to the world, after all it is our calling. The world comtinues to innovate and improve the quality of its music, yet we stay in the confines of mediocrity. If it means not categorizing it as ‘gospel music’ so that it gets into the market I say so be it! Lets get this message to the world by all permissable and possible means. I remember Jesus had so many crowds following Him he had to find an exalted place so that His voice could reach them all. We need to position ourselves in God and to the course of Christ so that He will grant us the platforms to reach the world. I believe that He who has called us is able to preserve as we live in the world so that we do not become of the world.