Sounds of Africa
One hears many sounds in Africa. Birds are everywhere, and they like to sing. Each morning we hear doves, crickets. This morning I was awaken by a braying donkey - loud, incessant. We are staying in the rural area of Kgautswane, in a rondeval - or native hut. My hut houses the local freezer, for there is a constant flow of people coming and pulling things out of it. The rondeval has two rooms, a sitting area and the bedroom. The bath has a shower with running water, only the cold spigot produces anything. Wendell and Kelly rejoice that they have hot water.
There were other sounds that caught my attention in Africa. Leigh Platje asked: "Do you know Sasha and Melia (Obama)? As we toured the mission church in Khayelitsha a neighbor greeted us saying: "I love Obama, I love you". Over dinner with the community in Kgautswane I was told "On January 20th, we were all Americans!" When I wrote the Dec. Belhar briefing I noted that there was great significance that we as white folk don't understand to our election of a black man as president. I see it reflected here again.
There's another sound in Africa - it is the sound of singing in the churches, of voices joined in conversation and laughter. Singing -- begins with the women. One starts and strikes the beat, (a small hand held leather pillow of air), The others join in. within a few measures all are on their feet, and they start to shuffle. They seem to sing the same song or verse over and over again. I recognized "It is Well with my Soul", Holy, Holy, Holy, and Blest be the Tie that Binds our Hearts in Christian Love". I try to join in, but am confused by the Xhousa or Zulu words. But my heart swells, and my eyes fill with tears as I join my brothers and sisters in song before the throne of grace.