In our May/June, 1993, South African Signs of the Times, we featured an interesting article where one white man remembered and a black man dreamt. Both were South Africans and their reflections illustrate principles that are still applicable to South Africa and also to the United States of America. Here follows the article:

One Man Remembers

Noel Allen was born in the Transkei (a black section in the eastern portion of South Africa) and lived and worked there most of his life. He has since past away. Here are his words:

“It must be some 30 years ago (remember this was written in 1993). I recall about five young girls with their topless red ochre skirts so typical of the Transkei at that time. They had been to the store about a kilometre from my home, and had come now to have their parcels of locally grown mealies (corn) ground at my mills.

“Having done this they all squatted in a circle round the piece of sheeting one of them had had loose over her shoulder, and proceeded to equally share out half a loaf of bread amongst the five of them - five neat piles in front for them. This had cost them 6 pence (5 cents), for a loaf was a shilling (10 cents) in those days.

“Wondering what their reaction would be as I approached, I squatted in a gap among them. Smiling and unquestioning they accepted me, a white man, and from each little pile of bread an equal amount was taken and piled in front of me so that there were now 6 equal piles!

“I felt a lump in my throat at their hospitality and brought them some oranges, but can one repay courtesy of this sort so peculiar to these people? No claim of any church connection, yet, surely, the Lord was abiding in their hearts. “Is this not the fast I have chosen?”

“When I remember this simple hospitality of long ago, it makes me long for the same spirit to take possession of all our people, throughout South Africa. Truly this could bring healing to all of us.

“As I remember, it also makes me long for that kingdom to come wherein dwelleth righteousness - even so come, Lord Jesus.”

Another Man Dreams

Willie Thabe was born in Johannesburg. He now lives in Cape Town (this was written in 1993) and works at the Old Mutual. Here are his words:

“The more I think about this country, the more I am reminded of an award winning Volkswagen ad some years ago.

“On a page covered with pictures of the VW beetle taken from every conceivable angle, the question was asked: “Do you think the VW attractive?” The ad then answered its own question: “Depends from which angle you see it.”

“How do we view the South African situation? One of the spiritual tragedies of our times is the notion that we are isolated individuals, strangers, forced by fate to work for our own salvation, alone in fear and trembling with no supportive community of love.

“People, facts, knowledge and even things become meaningful in a life-context, whose organizing principle and empowering relationship is simply love.

“Truth in love is both selfless and self-investing, and, by nature a total involvement in the world. Its concentration, devotion and interest are centered not on one’s self, but on God and the created world.

“Our love for God is what we must share with those who have found no sense of comfort in a world obsessed with sterile and elusive political and religious philosophies. People remain dislocated unless they find a community of commitment and service.

“Finally, truth in love gives us the ability not only to respond to the world and others in terms of openness and freedom, but also in gratitude to God who grants us the world which ends our dislocation, the words which provide us a new language, the heart and mind which create in us a new being - in Christ and in the world.

“A joy beyond words emerges when spiritual understanding and personal reality unite, when we no longer live in the chasm between expectation and experience - the duality of thought and practice - we know however momentarily, what it means to be “whole.” Joy becomes the climate of life and speaking the truth in love its natural expression.

“This to me is God’s dream for His children and for South Africa.”