This day is etched into the history of my country.
It is the day that the education of our children became the battle ground for socio-political change in our country. Schools closed, people marched in the streets, police and army units tried to restore order, and politicians and preachers pontificated.
The past two weeks - 31 years after the first June 16 protest - my country sees teachers on strike, children at home, people marching in the streets, politicians promising, and police and army units trying to keep the peace.
And I wonder?
• I wonder at how quickly the 1976 activists, now turned Cabinet Ministers, can forget what it is to struggle for life.
• I wonder why these cabinet ministers are so eager to accept their 30% pay rise, but insist that public servants should not even get a 10% increase.
• I wonder how the struggle veterans can be so dismayed at the militancy of the unions.
• I wonder why these “representatives of the people” should lock the doors of parliament last Friday when a peaceful march by the people reached parliament.
I wonder why we do not learn from the past.
And I wonder at the silence from the Christian clergy. Why do we not preach of these things, and pray publicly, and stand with our people. But in 1976, despite the outstanding leadership of a religious few, most of the local church was silent too.
Pray with me for our land….
God bless Africa
Guard our children
Guide our leaders
And grant us peace.
3 comments:
it does make you wonder, but i bet God is looking at the church saying the same things:
* I wonder how people who have been forgiven so much could be so quick to judge?
* I wonder how people that fall each day could refuse to reach out to other fallen people?
* I wonder how a people have received so much so undeservingly could ignore the needs of others and expect them to deserve the help they get?
* I wonder...
Today, I found out something disturbing about an organization that seeks to serve those children who are abandoned, misplaced or come from chaotic homes. The organziation looks at the dollar amount that they can gain before it decides what is best for the child. This organization is Christian.
Needless to say, I was incensed.
Greed.
To me the problem becomes what started off as good becomes infiltrated and because of our own blindness and sometimes hypocricy we do not learn. I am reminded of Isaiah 6: 9-10
becky
Hi Pete
I am as saddened by this. I was asked with Phidian Patsepe to represent the MCSA at one of the ANC's policy meetings last week, only to find that many of the delegates present are current Methodist ministers. The whole relationship between church, state and the balance between leadership and responsibility seem out of whack. Thanks for the wishes yesterday. Love to the fam.
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