On our way to the Wilderness Camps we had a layover in Johannesburg so several of us took a tour of Soweto. This city which claims both Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela as a few of its famious residents, although niether of them are living them now. You can find more about Soweto at http://www.joburg.org.za/soweto/history.stm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soweto.
As we drove past several of the shantytowns, dorms for single men as well as some of the newer houses. Of course there is also the rebuilding of the soccer stadium for the 2010 World Cup. We did stop at two places the Regina Mundi Church and the Hector Peterson museum. Both of these are symbols of the turbulent past that South Africa has experienced. As I think of my own life in 1976 when the uprising was occurring and how I knew little about what was happening, I realize how easy it is for us to live in our comfortable homes isolated from many of the things going on around the world. Of course now with many news channels provide 24/7 coverage of what is going on and many times repeating the current crises much like the recent shooting at Virginia Tech, it is more difficult to ignore what is happening.
Our Guide for the tour of the Regina Mundi Church was a young boy in 1976 and convinced is older teenage brother to accompany him to the church to listen to some of the speakers for the even
ing. When the police raided the church shoot both live bullets and teargas they ran from the building. He was separated from his brother how was found the next day frozen to death in a freezer in a local butcher shop where he and some friends had hid to escape the police only to have the door closed on them. There was no way to open the door from the inside. This simple church still has the bullet holes in the wall and ceiling from the raid.
As we drove past several of the shantytowns, dorms for single men as well as some of the newer houses. Of course there is also the rebuilding of the soccer stadium for the 2010 World Cup. We did stop at two places the Regina Mundi Church and the Hector Peterson museum. Both of these are symbols of the turbulent past that South Africa has experienced. As I think of my own life in 1976 when the uprising was occurring and how I knew little about what was happening, I realize how easy it is for us to live in our comfortable homes isolated from many of the things going on around the world. Of course now with many news channels provide 24/7 coverage of what is going on and many times repeating the current crises much like the recent shooting at Virginia Tech, it is more difficult to ignore what is happening.
Our Guide for the tour of the Regina Mundi Church was a young boy in 1976 and convinced is older teenage brother to accompany him to the church to listen to some of the speakers for the even
ing. When the police raided the church shoot both live bullets and teargas they ran from the building. He was separated from his brother how was found the next day frozen to death in a freezer in a local butcher shop where he and some friends had hid to escape the police only to have the door closed on them. There was no way to open the door from the inside. This simple church still has the bullet holes in the wall and ceiling from the raid.The Hector Person museum shows many pictures and videos of the activities from the time of his death on June 16, 1976. Like many people killed or injured, he was not one of the leaders but simply someone in the wrong place and the right time.
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