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| Erica at Kirstenbosch Gardens |
It’s hard to
believe that we have already been here for two weeks. It seems like just
yesterday that I stepped off the plane but yet I also feel that I have been
here for months. It’s a strange contradiction I know, but as are most things
here in Cape Town. At the beginning of orientation, our schedule consisted of
seeing beautiful landscapes and beaches. We drove past Camps Bay, explored the
southernmost tip of Cape Point, met some penguin friends at Boulders Beach, and
saw the city from a birds eye view at Signal Hill. Though we have seen some of
the most beautiful sights, we have also been exposed to a different kind of
beauty.
One of the
things we saw was the District Six Museum, where our guide Joe depicted his own
personal experience of apartheid. It was powerful to hear about how he and his
family had been forced to evacuate their home just because of the color of
their skin. The museum included other stories from people just like Joe, who
had their rights violated. In addition to Joe, we met a woman named Lucy at the
Slave Lodge, who so passionately spoke about the long history of slavery in
South Africa. The following day, we traveled to Robben Island, where we heard
firsthand from a former prisoner about the past and present effects of
apartheid. He explained that he had served for about five years because of his
protest against land taxes. He admitted that while he has hope for the future,
he still struggles with how humanity could be so cruel. Though I have never
experienced an inequality in this form, I have the upmost empathy for those
have endured this hardship. While I would like to think that times are
changing, the reality is that there is still so much disparity amongst who gets
an opportunity. With regards to opportunity, there are some areas where jobs
are fruitful and housing is sustainable. However, in other areas, such as the
townships, life is not so glamorous. Seeing the townships put things into
perspective for me, as I complain being without Internet, yet some people do
not have access to basic things such as running water or clean bathrooms. These
luxuries, that I so often take for granted, are just one aspect in how unequal
conditions can be.
Despite my
growing frustration, I found strength and hope in a different experience. On
Sunday, we went to a service at the Sivuyile National Baptist Church. Coming
from a Jewish background, I have only been exposed to a certain type of
service. Regardless, I was looking forward to what I would experience. Though
most of the songs and sermons were in Xhosa, I still felt so connected by the
member’s uplifting spirit. At one point, we were even invited to dance in the
middle of the room with everyone. I felt that this gesture was extremely
inviting and spoke volumes of how welcoming the Church was. As I affectionately
thanked many of the members on my way out, I left the service with an
overwhelming feeling of faith. So far, it has been the most incredible powerful
experience I’ve had in that it helped me to restore my faith in humanity. I
look forward to future experiences such as this, and in the mean time, hope to
motivate others the way that this congregation inspired me.
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