Motivation for the Name of Venneth Wesso to Appear on the S

Motivation for the name of Venneth Wesso to appear on the UCCSA Roll of Honour Posthumously

“ If at the end one can say: ‘ This man used to the limit the powers that God granted him; he was worthy of love and respect and the sacrifices of many people, made in order that he might achieve what he deemed to be his task, then that life has been lived well and there are no regrets.” Eleanor Rooseveldt

The Outeniqua Region of the S.A. Synod is convinced that Venneth Wesso “used to the limit the powers that God granted him, (and that) he was worthy of the love and respect” not only of the Great Brak River U.C.C. and the community of that village, but also of the churches of the Outeniqua Regional Council.

- Venneth Wesso was elected to the deaconate of the Great Brak River UCC in 1971 and two years later he became the church secretary – an office he held with distinction until 1991. - Soon after Venneth’s election as deacon the congregation started building a new church. Then the Shoe Factory started working shorter shifts, resulting in loss of income for the community. Some workers were even laid off temporarily. Venneth Wesso worked closely with the Rev. I. Peterson in the struggle to complete the building. - Once the building had been completed the congregation could not meet the minister’s monthly stipend, and Rev. Peterson accepted a call to a Central Region Church. Now Venneth had to provide guidance through a maze of letters of demand, threats of electricity being cut and even threats that the congregation would lose property. - Venneth Wesso succeeded time and again to motivate the struggling church community (economic conditions had not improved) to arrange special fund – raising efforts to meet of the most urgent letters of demand. - Because the fundraising efforts of the congregation could not meet all the financial demands, Venneth and his wife decided to contribute part of the family’s monthly income to pay off some of the debts. This was done without informing anyone. - Once the church had overcome the financial hurdle, Venneth continued his efforts at motivation for fundraising, for he believed the church needed a nest-egg before a minister could be called. - Unfortunately the minister who came to serve the church and the congregation could not see eye to eye, and there was a very real possibility of a split in the congregation. Venneth Wesso used all his powers of persuasion to prevent the congregation breaking apart, and once the minister had left, he set about getting the different factions to reconcile. - This unfortunate incident had brought alienation toward the Outeniqua Region, and again it was largely due to Venneth Wesso’s efforts that the congregation came to realise that the Region could not be blamed for the problems caused by the minister. - Venneth Wesso unstintingly used his considerable musical talents not only in the Great Brak River Church, but in other churches of the village and the Outeniqua Region as well. He not only formed part of the leadership of the Regional Choir Festival – he was always willing to act as soloist / master of ceremonies for functions in other churches – without any remuneration whatsoever.

The Outeniqua Regional Council truly believes that Venneth Wesso’s efforts as a worker in God’s vineyard can be judged in the words of Booker T. Washington: “Success is to be measured not so much by the position one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed”.

Best wishes

Rev. Johannes Muggels Regional Secretary 20080520