African people say “First, they had the Bible and we had the land. Now we have the Bible and they have our land.”

The quote was a small artifact I wrote down in the Apartheid museum. 

Apartheid literally means “the status of being apart.” It is a system of racial segregation and enforced from 1948 to 1994. It was a time of exclusion; conflict. Every aspect of life in South Africa was segregated: living areas, beaches, bathrooms, education.  If you were not white, you were “colored”, “Indian” or “black” and you were considered inferior to the white race. I was two years old when the colored and black people were liberated in South Africa. I am stunned that I have not learned about it until now.

This country is filled with heavy history.

Currently I am in Johannesburg, South Africa. Johannesburg became a town after gold was discovered. After, many people from all over the world came seeking for gold. The original African inhabitants were not only deprived of the wealth, but also marginalized and treated poorly. Within the last couple days, I’ve been staying at a Christian Fellowship Center – Wilgespruit – trying to understand this country full of rich paradoxes. Most properties or homes here are gated and have barbed wire protecting it. At our center, we have three security guards walking around all day and all night.

I have learned that even though schools and living spaces are integrated, the poor living conditions are still the same. Even though the World Cup (2010) in this beautiful country, there are still a lot of complexities. The disparities are so deeply rooted in the present..

SOWETO is an acronym for South West Township. Townships are often underdeveloped living areas reserved for non-whites during Apartheid. 

This is Kliptown - the lower class of Soweto. The living conditions here were painfully poor. But the people here had no self-pity and were empowered by what they had. The bathrooms given by the government in 1994 are shared portapotties between 5 - 6 families. They are the newest things in the entire neighborhood. 

We visit a youth center called SKY (Soweto Kliptown Youth.) These young folk's believe that "Self pity is the most dangerous." 

The youth at SKY performed for us - it was one of my favorite moments in the entire trip because you see passion and light in their eyes. Most of them had lost their parents and were orphans. At the end, they pulled us in to a circle and we stood together singing and holding hands. That moment, I felt a spirit come into the room and felt an overwhelming peace present. I recorded parts of their performance and I wish I could upload the video for you to see... but the internet is just way too slow. 

UPDATE: 

Much love from South Africa,

Lynn