The existence of God remains a matter of faith and for that reason, I have found it extremely difficult to prove Him to people who do not believe. When someone opposes even the possibility of there being a God, then any evidence you present to them will be rationalized or explained away. It’s like if they refuse to believe that people have walked on the moon, then no amount of information is going to change their thinking. Photographs of astronauts walking on the moon, interviews with the astronauts, moon rocks…all the evidence would be worthless, because they have already concluded that man just cannot go to the moon. But if only they could interpret science like I and a billion others do – through the lens of the word of God which presupposes the truth of Genesis 1-3.

Study science deep and long enough and it will force you to believe in God; the Alpha and Omega – because in my humblest of opinions, science can only go so far, and then of course, there is God – always has been. Even before I refer to the Good Book or science itself, it has always been as obvious as there being a designer behind every design – simple logical Maths; Full Stop!! Surely in its entirety – and in its orderly form might I add – the Oxford Dictionary wasn’t the result of some mysterious explosion in some print shop somewhere, was it now? Of course NOT!!! Even the electronic gadget you are reading this from is a result of some very well put together designs.

There is just too much evidence in the world (to include the actual creation of the world) to deny and ask if there is a God. Without God there is no adequate explanation of how the universe was created or to explain our purpose in life.

It’s impossible for evolution to account for the fact that a single cell could carry more data than all of the Encyclopaedia Britannica put together. An accidental creation being born with an accidental ability to overcome an unforeseeable predicament is evidence of a plan because such an arrangement would have to have involved a considerable, if not, vast amount of prior information. Look at the earth’s location; just the right distance from the sun. Talk about the temperature swings we encounter. If the earth were any further away from the sun, we’d all freeze. Any closer and we would all burn up. Even a fractional variance in its position to the sun would make life impossible. And then of course, there is the moon, its garavitational pull and ocean currents. If the moon were any closer to earth, it would exert a much stronger pull and we would get very extreme and stronger tides – not a good look at all.

How could all this be just a chance occurrence? Surely all this evidence (and so much more) points towards a supreme, supernatural and intelligent being – GOD!!!

It’s amazing however, just how many people are convinced that God is merely a fable and the lengths they will go to disprove that He is there. In the final analysis though, people deny God so that they can put their interests above Him, their Creator. Only a supernatural force such as God can explain the supernatural act of creation. Only a supernatural person such as God can make something out of nothing. Only God can breathe life to create life and be the creator of our own souls.

So next time you ask me; “Dude, SO YOU STILL THINK GOD IS REAL?” My answer will be the same as always; “Oh! yes dude; my God, THE ONE TRUE GOD, is very very real.” Happy New Year.

Malawi is coming to a turning point. Changes in international laws have been hampering our primary export, tobacco. The time has come to move our eggs to other baskets. With this necessary adaptation we must make, comes an exciting era of creativity. When a pattern no longer works, it is better to embrace newness than to lament the fact that things have to change.

Introducing fashion; it is an industry that has been burgeoning all over the world and it’s no wonder why. Everyone wears clothes, and everyone always will. The world’s population is now officially 7 billion people and counting, and all of these people need clothing.

Malawians need clothing, but how do we get it? We do so by importing from other countries, or from second hand donations. Isn’t it high time we clothe our own people? We have the tools and the manpower, as seen from the lines of outdoor tailors along Haile Selassie Road in Blantyre – and the countless others not seen by the general public. Everyone knows someone who knows a tailor.

The challenge is that these particular clothes, that are made with local material and sewn by local tailors, are usually reserved for traditional occasions such as Chinkhoswes, Weddings, and other big events. This also means that local tailors would get the bulk of their bread money from middle-aged to elderly women, as the younger generations tend to dress in western styled clothing.

There is a gap in the market, and I challenge those in the industry to fill it. Here are some (completely inexpert) suggestions of some steps we Malawians in the fashion industry could take to achieve this:

• Market Research. Everyday clothing is a much bigger market than occasion wear, which, as the term suggests, is only worn occasionally. We need to clothe these same women at their work places, and on their Sunday afternoon strolls. We cannot encourage people to buy locally, if we don’t find out what they want and make it available at their doorstep.

• Market Expansion. As a young person, I have grown with the mentality that clothes bought from outside the country are of higher quality, and are more fashionable and trendy. For this mentality to be changed in a pro-local direction there needs to be a large input of creativity. Create clothes using local resources that can also be considered trendy and modern, in order to appeal to the large missing demographic of 0 to 21 year olds, both male and female. The creative industry tends to be suppressed in many African countries, but how can we expand if we don’t create?

• Export Worthy. Quality is sometimes sacrificed in the local clothing industry. As long as this is acceptable, we cannot hope to compete on the global stage. There needs to be a consistency in standards, and to do this requires the creation of clothing companies rather than individual tailors setting out on their own. Together we stand, separated we fall. Let’s invest in capacity training and get our skills up to international standards.

These actions would only be the beginning of taking the fashion industry seriously in Malawi. Countries like Mali are already exporting the fruits of their work in the fashion industry. We are moving in that direction with the innovation of catwalk shows like Fashion Malawi Edition (FAME), which begun in 2010 and has recently celebrated its second show.

Designers proved that material from readily available second hand clothing can be utterly transformed (in the Cinderella sense of the term) into an outfit fit for an African queen. The theme of FAME 2011 was ‘Redressing Our Environment’, so there was a compulsory ‘recycled’ category. I encourage designers not to stop there! Make it a habit to use the material resources found on our own soils to cater for all styles. It can only help your profit margin, so if not for the environment, do it for your business.

What I am proposing is that we take over the industry all the way down, from high fashion to low fashion, from an outfit with a bang, to something you can wear casually. There is a gap which is being filled with imports from our neighbours. Its time for us to claim our own market, and simultaneously make ‘Made in Malawi’ a common clothes tag on coat hangers from Cape to Cairo… and beyond!

By Ekari Mbvundula

http://ekarimbvundula.blogspot.com/

“The most uncomfortable thing about HIV is that it reminds you constantly that you are fragile, that you are just human and that anything could happen anytime.” Bhatupe Mhango, UNPlus coordinator.

It has been a long and challenging journey for Bhatupe Mhango since she learned in the summer of 2001 that she was HIV positive. A journey of tears and sorrow; of disappointment and faith.

With an assertive voice and a smile she tries to always maintain, Bhatupe reveals how being HIV positive has changed her whole life. She tries to ignore it, but the virus is always there, living with her as a guest who will never leave. The best way to deal with it is just to accept it and to be a good but stern host.

Read more about her background here and an exclusive interview with Nation Malawi here.

They Yo syndrome has been around for sometime, years, decades even, it is something that has been synonymous with trend amongst the youth and black culture in general; it was the thing that was identifiable when the other races tried picking it up, it was the thing that was pointed out and called out as trying to be black. It wasn’t clothes, it could be a walk or a talk, it was just there un-pointed yet loud enough to be noticed, observed and even copied.

Although the Yo syndrome was everywhere, no one claimed it, no one stood out and said “I am one”, people ducked the term, no one wanted to be called it but yet it was everywhere and almost everyone was doing it. ‘Nyimbo za ma Yo!’ yet even the artists doing the songs did not ever claim to be a Yos, “ine ndimango flowa basi” most could be heard saying

As loud as it came with the baggy clothes, the hand gestures (remember those?) it  became a silent practice that still defined one self, even though the people who practiced it never mentioned it like it was some sort of taboo.

Sadly though, the Yo era seems to be running out as the new birth and rise of Swag takes over, unlimited by race, Swag has become the ultimate cool, the Zen of coolness and it is this swag that is now taking over from the Yo.

Swag could be said to be, the way people carry themselves, the air that one could be said to have, it does not require the baggy clothes, some one could be in a shirt and tie all in the name of swag, the fashion of swag is in one word stylish yet experimental; we all saw the skimpy t-shirts and the skinny jeans with the Mohawk, all in the name of swag.

Though the swag is cool it also can get you immediately disliked and hated on; In all the fashion trends that have come about none was more despised and hated upon like the skinny jeans saga that appeared in the name of swag, the debate on the coolness of skinny jeans was long and remains unresolved as many thought it was too much and many refused to go along with this trend.

Swag is also mysterious and probably does not require much effort; where as the past generation rappers rapped with veins throbbing out of their neck and sweat dripping out because of the hardcoreness that was also associated with the Yo, the today’s rapper with the swag acts on coolness, he raps like he doesn’t want to, with a slight slur in the words he pronounces, a slow walk and a cocky look accompanying it. The yesterday’s Yo with the timberland boots sticking a middle finger out has been replaced with clean shaven guy with a purple t-shirt and canvas shoes saying he is about to steal your girl.

Although swag is meant to be cool, it can also make you look stupid and foolish, as the clear lines of swag are still being defined; in one overnight we have gone from looking macho to dressing up in cardigans and geeky oversized glasses claiming it to be cool. Swag oh swag

Its 6.00am and I just got up. I reach for my Nokia 6070 to check the time. Then I sit up in bed, and my daily routine has begun. Menu, Web, Bookmarks, Facebook. Update my status. “Good morning people”.

A quick shower and I’m back in my room. Menu, Web, Bookmarks, Facebook. Inbox. Compose Message. “Hey dude are we still hitting the studio today?”. Add recipient. I look for FLYBOY20. He’s not there. Whats going? on. I search again and still nothing. After a few more searches, nothing. Exit browser. I try again. Menu, Web, Bookmarks, Facebook. Inbox. Compose Message. “Dude are we still doing the studio today?”. Add recipient. I look for FLYBOY20. Still not there. Check my friend list. No FLYBOY20. Suddenly it hits me. I’VE BEEN REMOVED!

Panic, confusion and anger hit me. Why would he do that? What did I do wrong? I want confrontation now. But how? I have never met FLYBOY20. I don’t have his phone number. The only contact me and this dude ever had was through Facebook. A friend request is obviously out of the question. Slowly I begin to accept the fact that I have just lost a friend. Or have I?

I remember when “friends” meant people you called, hung out with, shared interests and secrets and counted on for help. It also meant a TV show about a bunch of 20 somethings living in New York, but that’s besides the point. Now it’s 2010 and the word friend has taken on a whole new meaning. The arrival of social networks such as Facebook and Twitter on the Internet has completely changed the nature and dynamics of human relationships. No longer do we MAKE or LOSE friends, now we just ADD and REMOVE them. We don’t whisper our secrets in their ear, or throw them a note in class. Now we inbox them. We don’t smile when they say something clever. We like their status. We use to laugh and high five each other, now we LOL or LMAO! It used to be against the rules to write on walls. You get the idea?

But has the increased use of the internet by our generation to socialise improved the quality of our relationships? Granted it has allowed us to make friends faster and further than ever before, but just what kind of friends are we making? Friendship has an element of trust embedded in it. So how can you trust someone you simply know as CuteGirl!1987 or FLYBOY20? For me, gestures, facial expressions, eye contact are all an essential part of communication. I therefore find communicating through a social network on the internet empty and unsatisfactory to my human needs. I was created a social-emotional being and require visual and emotional feedback when I communicate. so I cant help but wonder if CuteGirl!1987 is really laughing when she posts LOL on my status. But does that even matter? Because maybe the bigger question should be: is CuteGirl!1987 really my friend?

All around me, no matter I where I go, I see one or two people jamming away at their keypads, telling their friends, or in essence the world, about everything that happens to them. I am not one to judge how you use your Facebook or Twitter profile. But do I really wanna know every little thing that happens to you? From ‘I’m walking to the bus’ to ‘I’m eating’. Some posts just cry ‘attention’. What social networking has done is given a lot of attention starved people a means to reach out. Face it, the majority of people (myself included) who spend a great deal of time updating posts, commenting, tagging, inboxing, poking, liking, adding, removing (Whew!yes the list is inexhaustible) are just looking for someone to notice them.

Social networks have also introduced a new way of spying and paranoia. Enter the Facebook Stalker (as I like to call them). These are people who rarely post anything but are online regularly, reading what other people are writing. Watching life as it unfolds online. There are also jealous girlfriends and boyfriends following their lovers’ every move; what are they commenting on and who’s commenting on their posts. Waiting for a slip up. Its a dark and sorted game, with only one possible outcome; heartache. Social networking has inevitably had an effect on about boy and girl relationships. This latest fad we’ve taken to has brought a lot of couples together. Sadly too though its also torn many apart.

We live in a country of many liberties. Privacy being one. So one cant help but be amazed at the irony of wanting your privacy whilst sharing your life with millions of people, most of whom are strangers. Its a glaring paradox! While social networks bring us together virtually, they alienate us in the real world. In our yearning to be connected to the world, we are slowly disconnecting from it. The danger here is that we are creating relationships that just aren’t real for the majority of the time. We depend on these relationships and even boast about how many friends we have. We’re the microwave generation we want it here and now. Clothes, shoes, TV, jobs, money and now its crept into our relationships with other people. Why bother going through the process of making a friend when you can just add them at the click of a button?

But its not all bad news. A lot of good has come from social networks like Twitter and Facebook. Funds have been raised for various charitable causes through such networks. Families that are far apart have managed to stay in touch. Various groups, such as Malawi’s Freestyle Page have gone on to evolve to bigger, better and awe-inspiring things. We’ve laughed, we’ve cried and even shared knowledge just reading each others posts. There are no bounds to the human imagination and I am sure that new and creative uses will be found for the social network.

As a writer for a Mobizine, I embrace the use of technology, especially the internet to connect and touch people all over the world. But remember dear reader as you comment, poke, like, inbox and add or remove your “friends” that there is no substitute for a ‘human’ relationship. Sincerity, honesty, trust and yes love, cant be conveyed through binary. When you don’t Facebook your best friend but you stand face to face with them and tell them your deepest fear or disappointment. The look of encouragement and understanding on their face is priceless. When you see smiles, hear laughter, shake hands, make out,or show each other snapshots of you last holiday over a coke. Then my friend, you are connecting with a “friend”.