Our tour guide was a hilarious lady named Alina who lives in Soweto herself. She told us a lot of great information from a personal perspective.
We made several stops along the tour, including Maponya Mall that was recently built by the first millionare in Soweto...
...Kliptown, where the new post-apartheid government is now memorialized...
...the famous squatter shacks that people build illegally because they have nowhere else to live...
...Regina Mundi Church, which played an important role in the Soweto Uprising of 1976...
...we drove by Desmond Tutu's house and Nelson Mandela's house...
...we ate lunch at Alina's restaurant (which is part of her house), and some local kids danced for us...
...we saw a memorial for the Soweto Uprising of 1976, where hundreds of protesting youth were killed by the police...
...and finally, we visited the Apartheid Museum.
We saw so much in one day that I am still processing it all. It was definitely an eye-opening experience for me. I had no idea that Soweto was that big and had such a variety of people and houses. I didn't expect that people would be proud to live there, but they are. They have been through so many struggles and are still going strong, and that really spoke volumes to me.
Seeing those shacks was definitely moving as well. I realized that I have been given so, so much, and that I need to use those blessings in some way to help people who don't have the privilege that I have. I'm now struggling with trying to figure out how exactly God wants to use me and the things He's given me.
Also, after seeing all the atrocities of apartheid in the museum, I can't believe that South Africa is as peaceful as it is today. I'm amazed that those who were oppressed were able to forgive, at least somewhat, and move on with life rather than demand justice. South Africa is definitely a great example to the rest of the world.
Word of the day: "yebo" (yay-bow) which means "yes"
Wow! To be in a place with such a significant history. Must be amazing! Praying for you!
ReplyDelete