The Boys Scouts Association of Zimbabwe
Firelight Magazine

Province of Matabeleland

Being a Scout in Matabeleland is fantastic

The views and opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Boy Scouts Association of Zimbabwe.

July 2001

Opinion

By encouraging young people to use and develop all of their capacities in a constructive way, today Scouting seeks to help young people to realize that they have within themselves what it takes to already make a difference – to their own lives and to the world in which they live.

As they become ready to expand their horizons and seek new challenges, Scouting helps them to use their experience and to further develop their capacities to live and grow as fulfilled individuals and as active and constructive members of society.

As an educational movement, Scouting clearly has a social responsibility to the young people it serves, to the families who entrust their cherished youngsters to Scouting’s care and to the world at large.

Scouting : An Educational System

FROM THE EDITOR

Leaders should strive to be trained!

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us.

These are lines adopted from Charles Dickens’ "A Tale of Two Cities". He was describing other times. Yet any Leader might conclude that history is repeating itself. The million-dollar question is "why are Scout Leaders not taking advantage of training opportunities at Province? Most people would readily attribute the training phobia to the harsh economic times that we are experiencing in the country. We at Fire-Light believe economic hardships are of secondary importance. The primary problem is that many Leaders do not realize the importance and value of training. There are too many briefcase Scouters running groups on an adhoc basis. The fact that the last two courses have had few participants is a sad state of affairs. We believe it is unfair for the Matabeleland Scout Council to continue subsidizing these courses if that is the response from Leaders.

For Scouting to thrive, it must have trained and enthusiastic Leaders. Leaders should make every effort to get trained. Baden-Powell once said, "No man can teach what he doesn’t know".

Elsewhere in this issue is carried an article on the recently run Cooking Skills Course. Mrs Nomusa Khumalo a renowned Chronicle Cooking columnist facilitated the course. It is such training opportunities that we are failing to take advantage of.

Good training is our only chance!!

FROM THE PROVINCIAL COMMISSIONER’S DEN

The total solar eclipse experienced in the extreme north western area of Zimbabwe along the Zambezi valley and the accompanying degrees of a partial eclipse as one moved southward toward the Limpopo river, on 21 June 2001, was well advertised for many months in advance. Anyone who was interested in this natural phenomenon had ample time to undertake research on eclipses and plan to take advantage of such an occurrence.

In researching the reason why we experience eclipses and most importantly the frequency of such occurrences, I decided sometime last year to make an all out effort to journey to the area of Zimbabwe that would be subjected to the total eclipse this year. My resolve was strengthened in discovering that although total eclipses occur every year, they do not occur in the same place and may take as many as 400 years to reoccur in the same general area. However, Zimbabwe will experience another total eclipse in December 2002 from Plumtree to Beitbridge.

As things turned out, I was able, together with a small group of people, Scouts included, to travel to Nyanga and north to the Ruenya river to a point some 40 kilometres south of Nyamapanda on the Zimbabwean/ Mozambiquean border. Here, for two minutes in mid afternoon I experienced my first total solar eclipse. It was a really wonderful, unique experience. To make the most of traveling such a long way, the group I was with enjoyed a few days in the Nyanga mountains including climbing Mount Inyangani, at 2593 metres it is the highest peak above sea level in Zimbabwe.

The reason for my telling you this, is that we Cubs and Scouts of Matabeleland Province are presented with many opportunities, yet we do not take advantage of what is on offer. To illustrate my point I will start with the activities on our Provincial programme. Leaving out some of the competitions, for if your scouting skills are not up to competition standard then there is not much point in entering, for resources are limited. Our programme features a number of skills courses for adult Leaders yet we do not have many attending these courses. Entries for the "Chuck" Wilcox Art and Craft competition has had to be extended because there have been very few entries. JOTA has lost its meaning, for the majority of Scouts just go for the camp and do not take an active interest in learning about radios and in talking to other Scouts around the World..

The rural Scout may complain that they do not have the finances to travel to join in on these activities but then do nothing about thinking of something they could do nearer their homes. My question here, is for those in the Hwange area, has a tour of Wankie Colliery ever been considered or perhaps a visit to Hwange National Park or the Victoria Falls? In Matabeleland south there are many gold mines, perhaps a tour of one of these could be arranged or to an irrigation scheme, or game safari ranch.

Cubs, Scouts and Leaders, Scouting can only present opportunities, YOU have to turn these into action. This applies equally from your weekly meetings, to camps and other expeditions/activities. And finally, another activity that does not require much of a financial outlay is that of writing to Scouts of other lands and becoming "pen pals" or if you have access to e-mail, then this would be the modern way to go.

Opportunities to expand our knowledge, entertain us or extend us are ALL AROUND US. If only we could see them, do something positive to benefit from them and so enrich our Scouting along with our own individual development.

N SCOTT

PROVINCIAL SCOUT COMMISSIONER

 

MHLAHLANDLELA PIONEERING COMPETITION

66th St Columbas unstoppable!!

66th St Columbas proved beyond doubt that they were a pioneering powerhouse.

In a competition of seven patrols, held on 8 – 10 June 2001 at Gordon Park, Matopos, they excelled in bridgemaking, knotting and general pioneering. In general most patrols displayed a good pioneering standard, although many lacked creativity.

In the pre-camp project, patrols were required to make a portable but functional windmill.

The final results were as follows:-

Position Group

1 66th St Columbas

2 81st Lobengula

3. 106 Mandwendwe

Many thanks to Francis for organizing the event.

FIRE-LIGHT REPORTER

 

NEWS BRIEFS

SAN JAM 2001

All those intending to attend the South African National Jamboree are reminded that the next meeting will be held on 18 August 2001, at Provincial Scout Headquarters 9.00 am.

NTOKOZA NCUBE

ANNUAL CENSUS

All registered groups are kindly requested to submit their Annual Census forms to Provincial Headquarters immediately. Should you fail to respond it will be assumed that your group has closed down.

PROVINCIAL SECRETARY

Vacancy Notice

Sikhulile Secondary School in Lobengula West are in search of a cheerful, energetic, reliable and well-presented person to help us in running our Scout Group, as Scout Leader.

The Person Will:-

They will need:-

In return we offer::-

Interested then apply to:-

The Public Relations Commissioner

Provincial Scout Headquarters

P O Box 929

BULAWAYO

BEFORE 20 JULY 2001

THE "CHUCK" WILCOX ART AND CRAFT COMPETITION

The last date for entries to this competition is now Friday 28 September 2001. The exhibition of the entries and presentation of prizes will be held at the Jamboree-On-The-Air Camp on Sunday 21 October at 11.00 am in the Naomi Connoly Lodge, Gordon Park.

For details of the competition contact Mrs A Wilcox at Provincial Scout Headquarters.

MILLENNIUM SCOUT CAMP

"BE PREPARED"

DATES : 12 – 19 AUGUST 2001

VENUE : CHENZIWA SCOUT PARK

THEME : "BE PREPARED"

PROGRAMME & ACTIVITIES : THE CAMP WILL BE A HIVE OF

ACTIVITIES YOU WILL HAVE LESS

TIME TO REST FROM THE DAY YOU

TOUCH DOWN ON THE CAMP SITE.

OUR ACTIVITIES WILL RANGE FROM

ARENA EVENTS, HIKING, NIGHT HIKES, GAMES, MOUNTAIN

CLIMBING, SWIMMING, TO MENTION

BUT A FEW.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS : ALL REGISTRATION FORMS TO BE

RETURNED ON OR BEFORE 31 JULY

2001.

TRANSPORT : ALL ZIMBABWEAN SCOUTS ARE TO

MAKE THEIR OWN TRAVEL

ARRANGEMENTS. INTERNATIONAL

SCOUTS WILL HAVE TO MAKE THEIR

TRAVEL ARRANGMENTS TO

ZIMBABWE AND WILL BE FERRIED

FROM PORT OF ARRIVAL IN HARARE/

MUTARE TO CAMP VENUE.

HOME HOSPITALITY : THERE WILL BE HOME HOSPITABLITY

FOR THE INTERNATIONAL

PARTICIPANTS BEFORE AND AFTER

THE CAMP.

REGISTRATION FEES : ZIMBABWE SCOUTS Z$600.00

INTERNATIONAL SCOUTS US$150.00

ELIGIBILITY : ALL SCOUTS ABOVE 12 YEARS.

SCOUTERS ABOVE 18 YEARS CAN

APPLY FOR CAMP STAFF POSITION

(SERVICE TEAM)

WHAT TO BRING : PERSONAL CLOTHES IDEAL FOR MENTIONED ACTIVITIES, OWN/TENTAGE AND UTENSILS FOR EACH PATROL OF 6 – 8 MEMBERS

All Scouts and Leaders who are interested should contact Nelson "Malume" Sakala at Provincial Headquarters, P O Box 929, Bulawayo . Telephone : 62788

THE SOLAR ECLIPSE "WHAT WAS IT?"

Fire –Light would certainly be incomplete and unjust, if we left out mention of the eclipse of the sun experienced on 21 June 2001.

So what was this interesting experience that brought Zimbabwe into the limelight of tourists and made an ‘astronomer’ out of every folk, young and old alike?

As the Earth orbits around the Sun, so does the moon orbit around the Earth. At certain instances though, the Sun, the Earth and the Moon all fall into one straight line. This can occur in two ways, firstly with the Earth between the Sun and the Moon or secondly, with the Moon between the Sun and the Earth.

When the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, the Earth obliterates the Sun’s rays hence casting its shadow on the Moon. The Moon appears dim in this occurrence and it is known as the Lunar Eclipse. (Lunar refers to the moon).

In other instances, it is the Moon that passes between the Sun and the Earth. Here the Moon obliterates the Sun’s rays casting its shadow on the Earth. This is then known as the Solar Eclipse and it is what Zimbabwe experienced in June. (Solar refers to the Sun).

The Sun or the Moon are not always hidden completely during any eclipse but when this happens it is known as a ‘total eclipse’ otherwise it is only a ‘partial eclipse’ where only part of the Sun or the Moon is hidden.

In a partial solar eclipse, the Moon is seen as a dark disc gradually moving across the sun and during totality of the eclipse, the Moon is directly between the Sun and the Earth therefore a magnificently bright circle of light can be observed in the sky. This circle of light is known as the corona.

We at Fire-Light know that all Cubs and Scouts together with their families and friends out there used the appropriate glasses to view the positions of the Sun and the Moon during all stages of the eclipse – its called safety sense you know!!

So there you are Scouts, maybe some of you would like to become scientists who study the movements of the planets and moons around the Sun then we can call you Astronomers but until then, just be ‘Scouts’ and start by working on your Astronomer’s badge!!

ISHMAEL MATEWA

DUTY TO GOD

Read this everyday. Keep it with you always.

1. IMMEDIATELY on awakening in the morning affirm, realize the presence of God, of His Omnipresence, of our oneness with Him, and give thanks for the guidance and protection of His Omnipotent love through the day.

2. TRUST in God always – cultivate a continuous feeling of trust in Spirit, particularly whenever thoughts of troubles or fear occur.

3. CONTROL your thought – stop every thought of worry, relax and turn in mind to God and, giving thanks, know (affirm) the truth about the troubles and leave the matter lovingly in the hands of the Father – place the burden on "Christ in you", "trust in the Lord with all thy heart."

4. CEASE to criticize, condemn, resent, hate, ridicule, or be jealous. Remember, it is much more harmful to you than to the one criticized or resented.

5. FORGIVE all freely, especially those concerned with old grievances, Know that you yourself are through Christ freely forgiven, so cease to condemn yourself for the past "errors and mistakes".

6. CONTINOUSLY try to think about, and realize the presence of God. And often as possible remember that "in Him we live, move and have our being," that He "is above all and through all and in you all"

At least once a day, have a period of silence for prayer, realization or mediation. Relax, be still, realize and feel the Divine Presence. Let Spirit work in you and through you and as you. Affirm the help of God in thought, control and in progress towards spiritual understanding.

In one of the psalms God says "be still and know that I am God".

In Psalm 31 vs. 14 David says "But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord I say "You are my God". And what do you as a reader this moment say?

BHUDI CHRIS MPALA

WHY DO SOME PEOPLE SUCCEED AND OTHERS NOT

If you are not lucky enough to be born with charm and charisma, don’t despair. Jolly J reports an effective way to develop personal power.

We may feel we work just as hard as some of our colleagues, equally talented and as just good-looking but we don’t make the progress others do. The difference is that we may lack personal magnetism or "a captivating, inspiring personality that includes charm and charismatic qualities". We don’t realize some of the signs of a less-than-perfect personality; here are some points, which can show that our potential happiness at work and play could be suffering. They include:-

One of the major spin-offs of personal magnetism is of course, enhanced self-esteem and self-confidence.

Don’t miss the next issue and know about people who have personal power.

Not only language but also the entire body contributes to personal magnetism.

JOLI JOLLY MATHE

COOKING SKILLS COURSE

Leaders who did not sign up for the Cooking Skills Course held at Provincial Scout Headquarters on Saturday 23 June don’t know what they were missing.

Our Assistant Leader Trainer Ntokozo Ncube (Harry) was the course director, but little did we realize the surprise he had in store for us (up his sleeve!). This turned out to be none other than Ms Nomsa Khumalo a true professional from the Bulawayo School of Catering. Once a Brownie, Guide and Ranger herself she spared no end of her time and trouble to teach us the right way to go about the task. Starting with a thorough lecture on hygiene, she horrified us with the speed with which bacteria can spread. We learnt how to fillet a fish, joint a chicken, even the correct way of slicing an onion!

It is important to use properly sharpened knives for work in the kitchen and we were told how to carry and store them. Methods of cooking such as boiling, roasting and grilling also came into her agenda.

At last we started on the real thing the preparing and cooking, and were privileged to have first hand information on the Cook-Out Competition menus, sorry guys you should have been there! Delicious!

When we sat down to the feast it was not only our stomachs that were satisfied but we had the satisfaction and gratification of knowing that we had spent a very worthwhile Saturday and we had all increased our knowledge of how it should be done. Now we will expect to see the results passed on to the 3 troops represented by their Leaders.

Nomsa certainly deserved the bouquet represented to her at the end of the day.

R MOODY

LEADER TRAINER

THE "2001 CHUCK WILCOX ART & CRAFT COMPETITION"

The Art and Craft Exhibition, when the entries for the above mentioned competition will be displayed, has been postponed until 21 October 2001, when it will be held at Gordon Park over the JOTA weekend.

This will give you all a lot more time, including the school holidays, to submit your entries, which may be done individually at home or at group meetings. The final date of submission of these is now Friday 28 September 2001 and in case you have mislaid the original form, below are details of the competition.

SCOUT LEADERS are invited to make an outfit out of paper and wear it to the Exhibition – these will be judged at the Exhibition.

SCOUTS are invited to draw a design of an ethnic outfit for a man or a woman. Pencil or colour may be used.

CUBS to draw, paint or colour on paper a design for a piece of traditional fabric.

BEAVERS to make a picture of your home in collage. (Collage is gluing paper, egg shells, seeds etc. onto paper to make your picture).

More entry forms are available.

Let’s make the Exhibition a good one for all to see and have a fun day at Gordon Park on 21 October. Your Moms and Dads will be most welcome. Bring your own lunch – braai fires will be available.

A WILCOX

ORGANISER







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