We don't slow down. Why would we? We are in South Africa. The Rainbow Nation, the land of Contrast, so much to see, learn and feel. AN experience of a lifetime.

Our day began around 8 am when we met our obnoxiously American and touristy VOLVO coach in the culdisac of the hostel. We met Joe our black tour guide who began by taking us to SOWETO (South-Western Townships). It is a city that has developed on the outskirts of Joburg and is often painted by the media as rows and rows of endless shacks and desparity. We were immediately shown something quite to the contrary. Homes with brick walls and BMWs outside. Communities developed and green grass in the yard. This area was by default SOWETO, but as the bus rounded the corner and we made our way further south, the sprawl of squatter camps began to take form.

Joe informed us, in his rather monotone chatter that we would have 15 minutes to stop and be led on a brief tour of a community so close to the freeway that the bright yellow clam of the SHELL sign was never out of sight. Immediately I was embarrassed. Here we are showing up in this terrible gas-guzzling bus and we were gonna do the "in and out, oh we feel sorry for you crap." Not to mention the fact that our entire group of 22 had stayed in various houses and shacks (for lack of a better term, excuse the connotation) while we were in the Cape Town black township Khayelitsha. We got off the bus and were led on a quick tour. We saw the power lines overhead that led to the city and provide NO electricity to the squatter homes. We saw the one water pump that supplies quite clean water for roughly 300 people for showers, cooking and drinking. We visited a home of some women doing laundry in the mid-morning sun and before we knew it we were back in the comfort of our safe (well lack of AC) bus.

This was the only time on this trip that I have felt like an ignorant, unempathetic tourist! What's more, we had no chance as a group to discuss these issues. As such, you are all getting it loud and clear on the blog.

Well the day did not get any lighter from there. We headed to the Regina Mundi Catholic church. On our tour we found out the church, which house two services of 2000 people each Sunday, was an HQ for anti-apartheid rallies in the 1970s. Because of strigent apartheid law, black, coloured and Indian people could not be seen walking with more than one other person because they could be arrested. As such, this church became one acceptable--somewhat under the radar--place people could organize to educate and form legitimate protests. On our tour we found out this was the case until the police wised up and began to come into the church during one such meetings and began firing live rounds. Let's just say, it was the first and I hope only bullet holes I have seen in a church. We saw the altar that is still in use that a police officer had smashed when he realized that Desmond Tutu was not preaching and in fact rallying black students against the terrors of the apartheid regime.

We were led upstairs and shown the photo exhibit of SOWETO uprising, massacre and general community life spanning the past 35 years. Since the exhibit has been on display multiple people had left their words of encouragement, wisdom and pride for the now free SA. Many of our group members, myself included, were brought to tears reading the words and being in such a powerful place. I was the last one out of the church and I stopped as I saw the little caraf of holy water before the door. I turned and looked back into the massive expanse of the stained glass, magnificent crucifiction and cluster of pews. My mind was taken back 30 years. Just before the SOWETO massacre in 1976, 4 to 5000 students were gathering in this place, risking their lives to stand up for their cause, their people and future generations of a land in which they still had hope. I just stood there and cried (as a I am now) as I thought of the fear and long nights these people endured because they were born into and part of the injustice of people who resisted and resented change. It was so freeing to think about all the people who had walked through the door that was now surrounding me. The people who made the choice to stand up for justice for democracy and yearned for democracy. I felt so insignificant. Yet these beautiful people's culture and spirit soon revived me as I thought of the idea of UBUNTU. Like Sabatha mentioned yesterday. The choices that I make will have an effect on all those around me. Just as the choices that those brave teens made 30 years ago are affecting me now! I was empowered because I now that all they ask of me is to tell their story.

Our emotional roller coaster did not stop there although I feel like I am running dry on sufficient words to describe it. We went to the Apartheid Museum after lunch. We saw history exhibits describing the SA women's movement and two different movie clips discussing the first era of apartheid legislation and one about the following years. It was apalling at times, it was triumphant at others. The patience that was born and bread into men and women like Nelson and Winnie Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Steve Biko was mind blowing. I was not as surprised about ethnocentric white people creating something cruel and demented like apartheid as much as my confusion with the positive, courageous nature of the apartheid resistance. The beliefs of those men and women who stood up against oppression, against legislated mutilation and murder is courage and forgiveness I cannot yet begin to comprehend. The fact that Nelson Mandela could get out of 27 years of imprisonment and the one idea on his mind bringing the whole country together thorugh peace. Made me break down. Our tour concluded with the tour guide thanking us. She thanked us because we were willing to learn, willing to listen. She asked us to pick up a stone and toss it over to the mass heap of rocks if we agreed to share the story of apartheid and live a life to prevent anything like it every happening again. It was an incredible moving gesture at the end of a draining experience.

As I came out of the final turn of the museum the field that remains is full of high grass and trees. The sun was shining down through some of the first white fluffy clouds I have seen in Africa and I saw hope. I saw the simple beauty of nature. It is an image that can inspire people to recognize our insignificance as one person alone. More importantly the magnificent opportunity and necessity to work together as people. By recognizing our call as humans and destroying unneeded human-made instituions like apartheid we can move forward with awareness, patience and a relaxed sense of being and just live.

Thank you all for your patience and willingness to share this emotional experience and incredible journey with me. I love you all!