Children laughed and smiled

In a place,

a place like too many others,

where poverty stalks the streets,

grinding the people in its deadly embrace,

children laughed and smiled at me today.

1997

Guguletu Township

Cape Town, South Africa

Jump

“Jump,” he said.

His khakis neatly pressed,

the white man held the copper coin

just above the outstretched fingers

of the small black child

whose ragged jeans flapped in the breeze

as he vainly sought

to reach the treasure.

“Jump.”

“Jump,” they say.

Suffocating in affluence,

they hold up meager morsels –

paltry offerings, contingent upon their whims –

to sisters and brothers in need,

forcing them into games they do not understand

to obtain the pittance

which may allow them to survive.

“Jump.”

“Jump,” we say.

The rich, the powerful, the strong:

unwilling to challenge the status quo

seeking not justice

which recognizes relatedness

and brings enlivening co-equality

but offering only the charity

which demeans, denies, degrades.

“Jump”

8 September – 10 September, 2001

 Pinetown, South Africa and Louisville

Fragments from the past

For better or for worse, you can be the judge, I will be posting some older material over the next few weeks - pieces written some time ago but never posted.

Because this involves importing existing files, there may be formatting issues. Dates may not be precise; locations may be unclear.

Many of the pieces were written in the Southwest; some during trips to South Africa; others in places I have forgotten. All are fragments from the past.

See you along the trail.

Keep on walking

Before he could be elected president, Nelson Mandela had to be freed. Or perhaps I should say, before he could be elected president, Nelson Mandela's body had to be freed. His body may have been imprisoned, his spirit and his soul never were.

Twenty-nine years ago today, Nelson Mandela's long walk involved physical steps from Victor-Verster Prison. That walk had begun years before when he committed himself to working for justice and peace. That walk continued through years spent in captivity. That walk continued outside of prison in leadership of his party and his country and all the people of South Africa. That walk continues in those who are inspired by his example of grace and nonviolence and forgiveness and vision and inclusion and who work for peace and justice in Soweto and Gaza and Manila and Louisville and Barranquilla and Yei and all around God's world.

Thank you Nelson! May we - may I - keep on walking.

The photo was taken by one of my South African friends who returned to participate in the 1994 election.