Makgadigadi October 2012
Good morning!
It has been a long time since the previous post.
The faithful old KLR did its 111 000 km!
I want to share three thoughts with you. As a solo traveller for most of my life I learnt to appreciate certain values. So, please sit up and listen!
1. Appreciate your loved ones.
“JY is verantwoordelik vir die mooi wat uit my kom. JY het die hele tyd gesit met die sleutel vir my hart. JY het my vlerke gehad, en dit uiteindelik vir my gegee.”
Translated: YOU are bringing out the beauty, which is in me. YOU are the person who kept the key to my heart all the time. YOU had my wings and now, at last, I got it from you.
Be good and kind to him or her today, tomorrow and the rest of your life.
2. Listen to your inner voice.
I have a dear friend Andrea Fourie. She read Kate and felt connected to her in some way. A few weeks ago Andrea sent me a BBM, urging me to go and see a doctor. She just had the urge, her inner voice, to give this warning to me.
I did go. Andrea probably saved my life.
3. Never lose your fighting spirit.
Whether you are riding through a desert alone, an isolated Siberian region or battling with the muddy patches of Makgadigadi or life, always give your best. And if your best was not good enough, accept it with grace.
Two days ago I was diagnosed with a tumor in my heart. I was shaken when I realized that the doctors actually have to open my heart and make it stop beating to cut out the tumor. I felt like paralyzed. And then the strength I got from the stony plains of Northern Kenya, the desert plains of Sudan, and especially my belief in God calmed me down.
Next week Monday the doctors will start on this great and wonderful job to remove the tumor from my heart. I do not doubt, like with the KLR, that also this venture will be successful.
I bless all those miracle workers, the doctors and nursing staff, for the great work that they are doing. I bless Andrea for getting me to a doctor. Most of all I bless YOU my friend for being my friend.
Africa, Europe, Russia / Siberia! Well done KLR! 
Love you buddy, you won’t be alone we will be with you. We will battle the sands of magadigadi again so I can laugh at you falling and you at me. Stay strong my friend.
Baie sterkte Lodie! Ek glo alles sal goed afloop. Leon Theron.
Ai Lodie, ek gaan saam vir jou bid vir die operasie, en volkome genesing! As jy nou vandag in Naboom was sou ek graag op Huisbesoek woui spring en saam met jou ‘n koffie drink.
Lodie, jy’s ‘n inspirasie en ‘n waardevolle deel van ons lewens. Ek glo jou positiewe gesindheid teenoor alles en almal sal soos altyd jou deur hierdie ‘journey’ dra. Ons is daar vir jou – met elke hartklop en selfs in die tye tussen in. Sterkte Vriend!
Lodie,
Sterkte. Jy is in ons gebede en ons glo jy sal gou gesond word
Etienne, Sonja, Manuel Coetzee
Lodie. God sal soos altyd met jou wees. Jy is nie solo nie!
Oom Lodie. Woorde kan nie beskryf nie. Liefde,
Lodie, wie kon dink terwyl ons ‘n week gelede, Vrydag-aand, gekuier het, dat ons vandag die paadjie sou stap? My Vriend, weet net dat jy in ons gebede is, gister, vandag, more tot ou dag toe, en dat jy hierdie trippie nie alleen hoef aan te pak nie.
Ek, Meraai, Keat en jy, gaan nog daai nice plekkie by Louis Trichardt besoek, en daar is nog die roete na The Downs toe wat ek nie bereid is om sonder jou te ry nie!!!!
Staan soos die KLR, Sterk!! Groete!
Ai Lodie, vir Nou….het ek nie woorde nie ~ ek Glo, Vertrou en Bid dat Hy jou styf sal vashou, net soos jy altyd aan Hom vashou ~ en Saam sal jy ook hierdie reis suksesvol voltooi en volkome gesond word! – Baie sterkte, jy bly in ons Gebede. . .
Ek dra hierdie nuus oor aan my gesinnetjie, Lodie. En weet ons bid vir jou bid ‘n ongelooflik – onbeskryflike, liefdevolle God. In Sy Woord sê hy immer: “For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to prepare a future for you.” Jeremiah 29:11
Bly hier! 🙂 Ek wil nog volgende jaar Maart met my fiets vir jou kom kuier op Naboom!
Beste Lodie, ons dink aan jou en probeer verstaan hoe dit vir jou moet voel, maar weet dat daar reeds vir jou meer van Vader se Krag beskikbaar is as wat ons kan bid of dink. Groete en sterkte! Louis, Riana, Pierre, Jacques en Jean!
Lodie, reading this reminded me of the movie ‘Flatliners’ where medical students use physical science in an attempt to find out what lies beyond death.
When you flatline(d) you may experience things that we won’t.
It would be interesting to hear your account of this phenomenon.
As you said you will be in good hands (physical and spiritual), we sometime need to have unwavering faith and trust our fellow man. (Difficult as it may be at times.)
We can only pray for your safe return.
(I have seen the ‘white light’ but did not enter through the gates.):)
Hang in there Lodie good luck
Liewe Lodie. My hart is seer, wie sou nou kon dink dat jy so iets moet ervaar. Jy wat net goed doen, jy wat net die mooi in mense sien. (Sal jou nog oortuig om selfs van Jeep te hou) Sterkte en jy het nog baie om te doen.
Liewe Lodie, ons dra jou in ons gebede en harte! Ons glo dat Hy sy hand van beskerming oor jou sal hou en dat jy spoedig sal herstel, as ek die inskrywings en komentaar op jou verskillende “blogs” lees is dit duidelik dat jou werk hier nog nie voltooi is nie. Sterkte!
Groete uit Kroondal!
Sterkte Lodie . Ons weet dit sal goed afloop
Van ons almal hier by “Dirtfellas”
Liewe Lodie!
Elke keer as ek my e-mail oopmaak en sien daar is ‘n boodskap van jou af, kan ek nie wag om dit te lees nie. Jy met jou positiwiteit, met jou humor en lekker skryfstyl, met jou “guts” en deursettingsvermöe – jy GAAN ook hierdie reis voltooi en verder vir ons lesers ‘n inspirasie wees!
Al ken ek jou nie persoonlik nie, is my hart nou baie seer en wil ek jou graag ‘n drukkie gee en vir jou sê: HOU MOED, baie baie sterkte en voorspoed, en ek sluit jou in my gebede in!
Hoop ons hoor GOU weer van jou!
Groete vanuit Worcester –
Heidi.
Your spirit is powerful beyond belief. God holds you in His hand.
Sterkte, daar is nog baie paaie wat gery moet word!
Oom Lodie….weet verseker God sal jou sterk maak vir die tawwe terrain wat voorle