This last weekend I teamed up with a few ‘Impi warriors’ to compete in the Cape’s 2012 ‘Impi Challenge’ – a 12km extreme obstacle course challenge. We entered as “The DNA Project Team”, of course, and we rose to the occassion!
DNA Project Impi's rearing to go!
It was a great way to raise awareness for our cause and the work we do, whilst having some fun, experiencing some camaraderie, getting some exercise and taking ourselves out of our comfort zones — and I am not just talking mud here – I am talking launching off high platforms into dams, climbing impossibly high structures without safety nets and crawling through tunnels filled with water with a few inches of air in which to breathe.
Although the work we do as The DNA Project largely focuses on crime, which is such a negative aspect of our country, it also brings us into contact with the best side of our nation — our gees!
We don’t have to always dwell in the negative — we need to be constructive about how we are going to take action about a situation we do not like — in some ways the approach we had to take this weekend, as a team, when facing each of the obstacles we had to overcome in order to move forward. You can either throw your ams up and say I can’t do it and turn back, leave or lie down and wait for someone else to do it, or you can mount those obstacles together — because trust me you need a team to do it! And at the end, you will overcome those obstacles; they will be challenging, but they are not insurmountable.
Vanessa Lynch being branded before the start!
Some people often ask me if I think we will ever have DNA legislation in this country; or if I think we will ever have the capacity in South Africa to cope with the demand in DNA profiling that legislation will impose on our forensic labs, if the legislation is passed; or whether our first on crime scene responders will ever learn the value of preserving a crime scene. My own mother once asked me if I thought I was farting against thunder! Well, my answer to that is that I must fart very loudly! Because I do believe these changes will happen and I do believe they are happening right now. And if we all take a page from the Impi warriors book, if we keep focused, stay together, be prepared to face the challenges and still keep a sense of humour — then anything is possible!
And coincidentally, Impi by Johnny Clegg’s band Juluka, was my father’s all time favourite song.
Impi! wo ‘nans’ impi iyeza
Obani bengathinta amabhubesi?
Vanessa Lynch
Impi warriors Fighting Crime with Science (and mud!)
