BOX SOMEONE ON BOXING DAY

What History says

By John Blanshe Musinguzi

 Does it mean that you must box someone on boxing day in order to celebrate?, does it mean second Christmas?.  One of my neighbors simply call it the day of St Stephen while another one has nothing to say about Boxing Day.

However this is a day which had history and meaning from country to another. Many theories have been developed to explain the origin and meaning of Boxing Day.

Origin according to Times Magazine

The best clue to Boxing Day’s origins can be found in the song “Good King Wenceslas.” According to the Christmas carol, Wenceslas, who was Duke of Bohemia in the early 10th century, was surveying his land on St. Stephen’s Day — Dec. 26 — when he saw a poor man gathering wood in the middle of a snowstorm. Moved, the King gathered up surplus food and wine and carried them through the blizzard to the peasant’s door. The alms-giving tradition has always been closely associated with the Christmas season — hence the canned-food drives and Salvation Army Santas that pepper our neighborhoods during the winter — but King Wenceslas’ good deed came the day after Christmas, when the English poor received most of their charity.

King Wenceslas didn’t start Boxing Day, but the Church of England might have. During Advent, Anglican parishes displayed a box into which churchgoers put their monetary donations. On the day after Christmas, the boxes were broken open and their contents distributed among the poor, thus giving rise to the term Boxing Day. Maybe.

But wait: there’s another possible story about the holiday’s origin. The day after Christmas was also the traditional day on which the aristocracy distributed presents (boxes) to servants and employees — a sort of institutionalized Christmas-bonus party. The servants returned home, opened their boxes and had a second Christmas on what became known as Boxing Day.

So which version is correct? Well, both. Or neither. No one, it seems, is really sure. Both the church boxes and the servant presents definitely existed, although historians disagree on which practice inspired the holiday. But Boxing Day’s origins aren’t especially important to modern-day Brits — Britain isn’t known for its religious festivals and few people can afford to have servants anymore, anyway.

Today’s Boxing Day festivities have very little to do with charity. Instead, they revolve around food, football, visits from friends, food and drinking at the pub.

Boxing Day has been a national holiday in England, Wales, Ireland and Canada since 1871. For years in which the holiday falls on a weekend, the celebration is moved to make sure workers still get a day off (except in Canada, where it remains Dec. 26), but since visits to Grandma and other family obligations are fulfilled on Christmas, there isn’t anything left to do on Boxing Day except eat leftovers, drink and watch TV. Just as Americans watch football on Thanksgiving, the Brits have Boxing Day soccer matches and horse races. If they’re particularly wealthy or live in the country, they might even participate in a fox hunt.

The annual Boxing Day fox hunts — which have been held all over the English countryside for hundreds of years — were imperiled in 2005 when Parliament banned the traditional method of using dogs to kill the prey. Despite the dogs’ limited role (they can still chase the animal, but they can’t harm it) hundreds of thousands of people turn out at Boxing Day fox hunts around Britain.

The Irish still refer to the holiday as St. Stephen’s Day, and they have their own tradition called hunting the wren, in which boys fasten a fake wren to a pole and parade it through town. Also known as Wren Day, the tradition supposedly dates to 1601, to the Battle of Kinsale, in which the Irish tried to sneak up on the English invaders but were betrayed by the song of an overly vocal wren — although this legend’s veracity is also highly debated. Years ago, a live wren was hunted and killed for the parade, but modern sentiments deemed it too gruesome.

In my view, one of the traditions the church can re-start is collecting money for the poor. Then on this day boxes be opened and what is collected be distributed to the poor or those suffering in war tone countries such as South Sudan.

As you celebrate this day remember to discuss this issue with your church leader and if possible, next year, we can again start the historical traditions of this day.

Unlimited Christmas day enjoyment continues   

HAPPY CHRISTMAS: WHAT ABOUT THIS PROMISE

We need him

By John Blanshe Musinguzi

Old Testament is all about God’s promises and how they were fulfilled. Promises to Abraham, Israelites, Moses as he led Israelites to the Promised Land, promises to prophets and kings of Israel.

The New Testament is the fulfiment the major Old Testament promise- the birth of Christ as our saviour. It does not end from this fulfilment but Jesus himself assures us of his second coming.

In the gospel of John 14:1-3, Jesus himself said, "Let not your heart be troubled. You are trusting God, now trust in me. There are many homes up there where my Father lives, and I am going to prepare them for your coming. When everything is ready, then I will come and get you, so that you can always be with me where I am. If this weren't so, I would tell you plainly. And you know where I am going and how to get there.”

In the gospel of Luke 21:27, he himself said "At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."

Two thousand and thirteen years later we are still waiting for the son of man to come back and save us from this world of poverty, corruption, hate and so on. If he comes back most of us who want to go to heaven without demise would get a chance to go with him directly.

We can’t wait any more, let us pray that Jesus comes back now because we need him. Form Uganda to South Sudan, Egypt, Central African Republic (CAR), Libya-  and Africa in general they are all yearning for him.

For us he would bring Besigye and Museveni to the negotiating table. He would also bring back Gen Tinyefuza aka Sejusa back home. He would also feed our hungry church leaders. He can solely end chronic corruption that we are suffering from. We have problems, let us pray he will listen to our cry.

In South Sudan, he would through his supernatural power mediates between Machar and Kiir and end ethnic crisis. We still need our baby South Sudan. He too can bring to an end unprecedented corruption in our baby country to an end.

In Egypt, he would end the turmoil between Muslim Brotherhood and the Transition Government. He would not only release Mohammed Morsi but also Horsini Mubarak from incarnation. Then students would then return to class other than protesting to bring down the current government.

In central Africa, he would bring back home former president Francois Bozize`. With him, French troops in CAR would return home and he would also restore sanity between Muslims and Christians. Poverty would be history.

In Democratic Republic of Congo, he would through the Holy Spirit chase away all rebel groups that have caused havoc since 1998. By his grace, Congolese would peacefully come to use their minerals for the development of the nation.

In South Africa, he would champion the resurrection of life Nelson Mandela for we have mourned and mourned his demise. We need him more since he died before purifying Africa democratically.

Indeed all African states need Jesus for a number of reasons for he is the only one who can make the impossible possible in our continent. All other countries across globe must join as we must pray for his second coming.

We have waited any more. Now is the time for Christ to come and save us. Yes if we pray he will come sooner than son.

Enjoy Christmas, you did not fight for it as Sudanese, Libyans, Egyptians are fighting politically.

   

SOUTH SUDAN: THE BATTLE OF THE GENRALS

                who will win it?

By John Blanshe Musinguzi

Two and half years ago when citizens of South Sudan attained their long awaited independence from former oppressors in Khartoum, it was hoped that the South would prosper and enjoy freedom it rightfully deserves.

 But hopes and expectations began to dwindle and threaten when Government in Khartoum under current President of Sudan embarked on delaying tactics to implement post-independence issues such as border demarcation, Abyei Referendum, and resolutions over claimed disputed areas which culminated into oil shutdown by the Government of the Republic of South Sudan because the oil was being stolen and looted in a broad daylight by Al-Bashir’s Government.

The oil shutdown continued for over a year before it resumed this early year. Then, there was a heighten hope that South Sudan economic condition would improve comes January 2014.

Unfortunately, SPLM lingering infighting and power struggle resulted into an unjustified coup attempt by Dr. Riek Machar and his faction on Sunday. Dr. Riek’s failed coup has caused incalculable destruction in South Sudan in terms of lives and properties lost mostly in Juba, Jonglei and Western Upper Nile State (formerly Unity State).

Dr Riek Machar’ fatal mistakes

The fugitive Dr. Riek did not have guts and courage as a leader to lead his men in combat in Juba on Sunday, December 15, 2013, the night of coup attempt. Dr. Riek’s escape from Juba leaving behind his helpless men was a contradiction to his repeated assurance to his collaborators that he would be with them in Juba until "last drop" of his blood

 His allied forces are indiscriminately killing families and residents of his co-conspirators such as Dr. Majak Agot, Madam Rebecca, Gier Chuang, and Oyai Deng, just to name but a few. The continuous U-turn action on the part of Dr. Riek is troubling, to say the least. It describes more on his deceptive personality as a leader that should warrants no respect and trust whatsoever.

 He is overseeing massacres of innocent civilians and country’s organized forces for whom he "staged the coup to protect and lead" and eventually makes South Sudan "an African Tiger," as he deceptively would like others to believe. It beats people’s logical and conscience how a person who aspires for nation’s leadership behaves the way he is conducting himself in the eyes of South Sudanese, not to mention the international community at large.

Furthermore, Dr. Riek’s deceptions and contradictions explain why he should not be trusted now and in the future by the whole world. This is because Dr. Riek Machar has been tested many times during and after liberation struggle, chief of which are 1991 theoretical coup and December 15, 2013 failed coup, albeit with lots of blood-letting and properties lost or destroyed.

Why Kiir may survive

He has already received support from his friend Yoweri Kaguta Museveni president of the republic of Uganda. Kenya is also about to send their troops to South Sudan. Whereas these states claim aiming to evacuate their citizens. I don’t hope so.

Peace initiatives

South Sudanese, world leaders and well-wishers have been championing peace and reconciliation initiatives to bring together fugitive Riek and leaders of the Republic of South Sudan. Although it’s a good intention, the reconciliation should not be on expenses of the Republic of South Sudan leaders but not forced by other outside leaders.

Historically, people of South Sudan are famous of being resilience in the face of difficulties and temptations. So, in the wake of widespread mourns across South Sudan, I hope they will fight and bring back peace and stability in Africa’s youngest nation however negotiations remain the best way to end this conflict.

These peace initiative must be tried as early as possible before the violence escalates beyond were it is today.