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Published: September 5th 2007
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Baha'is of Alex, and friends
Can you find Bob and Sherri? Sherri and I have ventured into Alexandra on many occasions, and we have become more comfortable with the surroundings of the township. What we have found to be delightful is the fact that the people of Alexandra have come to trust us because of our consistency, and our relationship with them is very different than that of our first visit.
Leadership, mostly by women, has begun to emerge, and they are slowly beginning to form a distinct Bahá’í community. We now hold a weekly devotional every Sunday morning followed by children’s classes and study circles in Ruhi books 1, 2 and 4. The Ruhi book sequence is a series of study booked used to instruct Baha’is in various aspects of the Faith and to prepare and train teachers. The Alex community has also held three Feasts, which occur every 19 days. Feasts are not just events involving food but are spiritual gatherings and consist of a devotional, social and a consultation segment in which everyone who wishes to speak may speak.
There is a young, and very dear, man by the name of Waleid who attends the Feasts in Alex regularly. Waleid is a member of the Spiritual
girls playing on the walkway
Pinky and Uthando live close to each other and are nearly the same age. Assembly of Johannesburg and was raised as a Muslim. He is very well accepted by the community and feels quite at ease in Alex. Although his features are distinctly South Asian, he is very dark and has never had trouble traveling in and out of the community. Having been inspired by him, I dropped Sherri off at the National Baha’i Center for a Wednesday Feast a few weeks ago and drove into Alex by myself. The significance of this event is that whites seldom go into the townships during the day and never at night. I knew that if I had told others what I was going to do, they would have tried to talk me out of it. I got a little panicked when I made a wrong turn in the crowded and unlit streets of Alex but continued driving until I recognized where I was. When I arrived at Feast, the look on several faces was worth the trip. It was clear that I was not expected, or should I say it was clear that no Caucasian was expected. I was delighted by the consultation portion of Feast, in which the Alex community discussed a Mother’s Day celebration,
which they had initiated planning for at the National Center. I was also quite delighted with the fact that I had made the trip and overcome another of my fears.
The following Sunday after devotions in Alex, I was approached by a 17-year-old resident of Alex named Martin, who asked me to accompany him on some home visits. I was hesitant at first but he was quite insistent, so I agreed. Martin is very outgoing and a natural leader. As we drove off together, he informed me that we were visiting his grandparents. Martin had been the first in his family to accept the Baha’i Faith and was closely followed by his sister. About a month ago their mother accepted the Faith and Martin was now off to share more with his grandparents.
As we drive through the narrow streets of Alex, Martin talked about how much he loved his community and how hopeful he was that there would be a positive future for the township. As we pulled up to the home of Albert and Veronica, they greeted us warmly and invited us in. They offered us something to drink, which we had to decline because the Baha’is Fast from March 2 through 20. Each morning during this period, Baha’is get up well before sunrise and eat and drink all they need for the day. We then do not eat or drink anything until sunset. Albert and Veronica’s questions about the Fast served as a natural starting place for our explanations of the Faith. Veronica indicated that she was quite happy that Martin had associated himself so closely with the Baha’is. Her comment clearly made reference to the many negative aspects of township life that her grandson could have become involved in.
After a most enjoyable time with Martin’s grandparents, we were off to visit a young woman who was a classmate of Martin’s. Canny is the eldest daughter of a recently widowed woman named Rose. Rose, Canny and her brother and sister live in a small two-room place in Alexandra. They also greeted us warmly, as it was clear that they thought quite highly of Martin. Rose was wearing an all aqua green head turban, scarf, blouse, skirt and apron. She explained to us that she would be wearing these garments for a year as a sign of mourning for her late husband and that she would not be involved in any social activities during that period as well. Most Christian widows wear black during the year of mourning but in Rose’s denomination, widows wear aqua green garments. Once again we were offered a drink, which we declined and which was followed by another explanation.
The time I spent with Martin was quite special and I was honored that he asked me to make home visits with him. I hope we will be able to make future trips together.
The Fast will end at sunset on March 20 and from that time to sunset the following day Baha’is will celebrate Naw Ruz, the traditional Persian New Year. This is celebrated by Baha’is all over the world and it is a holiday, which we share with our brothers and sisters of the Zoroastrian Faith. In the northern hemisphere this date marks the spring equinox, and in the southern hemisphere it is the beginning of the fall equinox. In most parts of the world this day is the point on the calendar where there is an equal amount of daylight and darkness. I am honored to have been asked to read the Naw Ruz Prayer at the National Baha’i Center of South Africa on March 21, when we will all gather to celebrate the beginning of year 164 B.E. (Baha’i Era). This date is a national holiday, not because of the Baha’i Faith, but because it is also Human Rights Day in South Africa. It was on this date in 1960 that the Sharpeville Massacre took place. Under apartheid rule, blacks were required to have a pass whenever they traveled anywhere in the country. Whites were not required to have passes. Any black without the appropriate pass could be arrested for movement outside of their township. On that day a large number of people collected in Sharpeville Township to protest the “pass laws” when the police arrived and began shooting. When the smoke cleared, 70 people had been killed, and the event galvanized many in the fight against apartheid. After the apartheid system fell 13 years ago, the new South African government declared March 21 to be a national holiday. All of the businesses and governmental agencies will be closed throughout the country, and the Baha’is will be doubly celebrating the day.
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Jim Moore
non-member comment
What a pleasure
to read these beautiful pieces and to see how you both are entering so deeply into your new world. Really: quite amazing!