Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Today, our travelers saw the dual faces of Apartheid in South Africa.  The morning started with a tour of the capital city of Pretoria, which is now the greater metropolitan city of Tshwane - incorporating the White inner City with 13 outlying Black and Colored townships in to one metropolitan government council.  This political reconciliation bears the slogan "We are the same."

The centerpiece of the tour of the central city of Pretoria is the Union Buildings, which house the offices of the President and Vice President.  Nearby, stands a monument to the journey of the Afrikaners to the region - the Voortrekker Monument.  These symbols of the former Apartheid rule stand in stark contrast to the reality of today's progressive society that celebrates all cultures with national holidays  and other cultural celebrations.  The current Executive mayor of the municipality is a Black woman, Dr Gwen Ramokgopa.

In contrast to this Afrikaner heritage is nearby Lesedi Cultural Village, which recreates the cultural experience of the native cultures of the region.  This experience includes a guided tour of four homesteads - Zulu, Xhosa, Basotho and Pedi.  The tour includes a dance celebration and a pan African feast featuring a variety of local native dishes. This day was a moving and enlightening experience.  Our travelers moved emotionally from feelings of anger , celebration, and reconciliation -- as the

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

"They invited us into the tent!  Regular tourists wouldn't get to see this part of South Africa." That was the most apt description by one of our travelers of the reception that was organized by our South African brothers and sisters from the churches of Christ in Tshwane. 

We visited the Church of Christ  in the Atteridgeville Township for a welcome reception after a long day of travel and relocation from Cape Town to Pretoria.  The former townships are now incorporated into the metropolitan government council.  Yet the township citizens still experience a deprived life.  Much progress is being made, but the churches are still struggling.  This congregation worships in a tent, and they are working hard to raise the funds for construction of a church building. 

Brother Ernest Cato delivered a Gospel message of support and encouragement with the aid of interpretation from Brother Tebogo Ramatsui, the minister in Atteridgeville.   We were entertained by a choir of young South Africans, and their melodic a capella voices brought some of our travelers to tears.  Darien Flowers, one of our teenage travelers said, "I wish I could bring all of my classmates here to see the real South Africa."

Just when we thought the trip couldn't get any better, we were lifted to a higher level of connection with our African heritage.  Even though it is not likely that any of us are direct descendants of the nations of Southern Africa,