Dad's invisible hand pilots Trevor

Although his father has been absent from his successful life, TREVOR LUBISI smiles when asked about his whereabouts. Trevor is a life skills trainer at the John Wesley Community Centre (JWCC) in Etwatwa, Benoni. His mother died when he was six; and his father disappeared before that occurrence.  Today Trevor teaches people to forgive and make their lives meaningful. He speaks to Thembi Masser about life, Christianity and the purpose of his mission…and the invisible guiding hand of his dad.

Trevor does not forget the words of his mentor, the founder of the JWCC, Sue Skidmore. She reportedly said, ’I know you want to study engineering Trevor, which is good. I also know that you want to be a teacher. But let me tell you; you are probably the best informal teacher I have ever known. So stick with the JWCC, and teach people how to live meaningful lives’. Trevor duly listened to that counselling, and today he is a successful trainer.

He did acquire formal qualifications along the way; and he is presently busy with a B.Ed degree with Unisa as we speak. Years ago he obtained a certificate in psychology on HIV/Aids for which the JWCC paid, and did a one year basic counselling course thereafter. Then he completed   a weeklong (eish that was so expensive brother!) advanced workshop on community issues. Now, for eight years Trevor has trained the young and the old at the JWCC and across Gauteng. He is due to start a new workshop schedule in Limpopo with Andy Komane, a resident of Burgersfort.

According to legend, Trevor is a born community worker and activist. When he was in grade 11 at Phandimfundo High School in Etwatwa, a fellow learner died. Trevor then mobilised his school mates to pass high school and do something for the community in honour of their fallen mate. It did not end there, his enthusiasm. He taught other learners on instructions of his teachers. “”I taught them science, maths and biology,” he remarks. Teachers used to implore him to remain after school so as to inspire others not to leave. “They asked me to lead by example. They said if I left then others would not be motivated to do extra classes.”

While he did not have money to do Saturday classes with those who paid up, he attended free Saturday classes with those unfortunate like him to do extra classes in maths. His group so prospered that those paying for extra classes floundered and soon returned to join him! 

there are many advices that Trevor got along the way when he was building himself up. He remmberes an America man called Roger, who was then 40 years old. Roger said that it was unfortunate that at 40, he did not have a house of his own. He was divorced and he told me that he was going back home to find a job and start all over again to build himself a home." So Roger adviced Trevor

to make sure he build himself and his family a home way before he became 40.

  

“I duly listened to this piece of wisdom, and I surprised many when I built my house with my supposedly meagre JWCC earnings.”

The other advice that stuck on his mind and helped him get going was from a 65 year-old white South African. The man told Trevor save a hundred rand from all monies earned. He told Trevor that earlier in his life he helped build multinational companies that still prosper presently. But he did one thing wrong, he neglected to save wisely. And because of that neglect here he was, at 65, looking for employment. And penniless. So he advised Trevor never to follow this senseless, reckless foot journey, but to go along with success-and put a hundred rand away for prosperity.

Since then Trevor has worked doubly hard at the JWCC and at other organisations. The slogan ’Conquer the world’, has helped him to push hard in his pursuit of prospering, and achieving the unthinkable. “You see, I work with a disciplinarian,” he points out, referring to the JWCC manager, Philip Sharp. “He is a man of strict demeanour, this Mr Sharp, and I abide by him. That also goes for Pastor Mchunu, who always c checked my sense of dress.”

The only people who did not advice Trevor accordingly are his past teachers at high school and his parents and uncle. He was a lively learner, he says, at Phandimfundo in Etwatwa, good in maths, science, biology, and economics, Zulu, English and Afrikaans. His primary education was done at Nkatha Zulu.

Today he is qualified in psychology, facilitating skills, disease awareness skills and computer literacy. He is a social trainer. “I train children, adults and I go out to conduct workshops all over. Soon I am going to Limpopo to establish a brand new training schedule in life skills for the rustic people over there.” 

And he has a special word for his assistant, Busi Ngwenya. “What a lovely lady,” he enthuses with a twinkle in his eye. “She is indispensable.”

Trevor was raised by his uncle in the absence of his parents. “My uncle said to me, ‘Your mother is late, so we take you in with us because your father is useless, he is nowhere to be found’. And true to uncle’s word, I have never seen my father. What I know is that he was a pilot in Mozambique, and that he is very educated. On the day my daughter was born he phoned. It was a miracle that he did. He said I must name my daughter Victoria, my mother’s name. Luckily Andiswa, my wife, did not object. Another miracle happened when I was conducting workshops in Potchefstroom some time ago. He phoned to say that we must have a chat. He has since phoned several times, looking for an appointment for us to meet. Sure, I will meet him, and I will forgive him if that is what he wants.”

But the father, Loius Maloa, who is somewhere in Europe at the moment, has, unaware, given Trevor one valuable lesson-take care of your children, “I don’t have a child out of wedlock, and my wife is my only darling.”

And his mission in life? “To change the mind set of my community.” He wants to train them, to give them information, to change their way of life, and of thinking. “Many people believe that because things happened that way in the past, they can always happen that way again in the present, and in the future,” he complains. “These people are stuck in the traditions which are most of the time void.”

He believes the school syllabus can go a long way in making sure future generations think differently. “The authorities should include teachings on how to tackle life and prosper.”