Day 10 A Day for Change
“Forgiveness says you are given another chance to make a new beginning.”
-Desmond Tutu
Today was a day that we (Hampton & Mila) will remember forever. After many warm greetings, we started the day visiting the Desmond and Leah Tutu Museum. Seviwe, our dearest friend and leader of iThuba, gave us an insider tour through the exhibit. We learned many new things about the fight against Apartheid, specifically focused on Desmond Tutu’s influence. Through diagrams and short video documentaries, the horrific actions taken against Black South Africans and Tutu’s resilience were revealed. The display of Tutu’s courageous actions highlighted that there were many more prominent figures that pushed South Africa to end apartheid. As Archbishop, Tutu used his religious beliefs to negotiate and problem solve effective ways to end apartheid. Watching the documentaries, we saw Tutu visit townships and rallies to voice and display his support for the fight. We also learned about the strength of Tutu’s wife and how she guided him through this painful time period. It was inspiring to see Tutu’s determination pull through till his expectations were met when Apartheid was ended. Even after, he did not stop; he pushed on in an effort to bring people together by overseeing the Truth and Reconciliation committee for victims and perpetrators to come forward. His work and words are truly inspiring and left us with many learned lessons.
Later that day after a delicious lunch, we arrived at Langa Township. In contrast to our past visits, we interacted with both lower school kids and high school students. Even though sometimes we would encounter a language barrier, we were able to connect and play games with many of the young kids. Through the hours that we played different games, like soccer, volleyball, and on the playground, some of the kids discovered new things. Some of the Poly students demonstrated to the kids photography and drawing, things they expressed they had not done before. Lastly, groups of Poly and Langa students met with Seviwe and our chaperones to discuss ideas for Ituba’s future programming. It was a great day for change.
was packed with Muslims remembering Eid.
