From there we visited the home of Nelson and Winnie Mandela, which is on the same street as Desmond Tutu. It was just a little matchbox house, still retaining the marks of bullets aimed at the house when Winnie was living there while Nelson was inprisoned. We heard a different story of Winnie today, so often portrayed in America as a tyrant. We heard of her courage and compassion for her people. Their house was littered with honors Winnie received throughout her life. She was or is the mother of the nation.
After lunch we visited an AIDS ministry and heard the story of a true saint and "mother of Soweto". She has sacrificed being with her family for the sake of children without family as a result of AIDS. It's amazing the work Carol is doing!! I would love to be involved in the work she is doing, in helping kids and really being a central location for her community to come and receive help of all kinds, to be empowered and resourced to thrive.
At dinner, Jack, our host, told us a story of when he visited Mandela in prison and shared Holy Communion with him, as Nelson invited his captors to share in the holy meal. A man of such magnimity, as Clark described him, who had the heart, compassion, courage, grace to be at the Table with his jailers, who reached across cultures and bridged gaps that seem impossible to forge. Such poewerful, powerful stuff.
There is much more to write, but if you've even made it this far, I'm sure you're tired of reading. There is more to come. For now, sleep.
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