Page 14 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 10

COMMUNITY

from a book, I think, but one which reconciliation build Nations ′′ same complaint. Let me give you an
holds a very strong key to moving Nelson Mandela example.
Afrika forward. It says: (From Echeverría Martínez ′′
Chicali Wall ′′) From the day we started making
"After becoming President, I asked Youtube videos about Afrika on
some of my bodyguard members to go Any lessons? our Msingi Afrika TV channel, we
for a walk in town. After the walk, The story of Mandela and the way began noticing something so very
we went for lunch at a restaurant. We he dealt with his oppressor at the heartbreaking. It's sad to say that,
sat in one of the most central ones, restaurant, is the story of a man Afrikans don't really want change,
and each of us asked what we wanted. who has found himself and the they love the never-ending stories
of how the white man enslaved
After a bit of waiting, the waiter who reason for his life and for being their ancestors, brought a religion
here. It clearly shows that a man
brought our menus appeared, at that that can walk away from the things that destroyed their culture, stole
moment I realized that at the table that entangle others is the man who their wealth etc. But when you give
that was right in front of ours there has found himself and his purpose. them a hint of what is possible,
was a single man waiting to be served. Such people are quite rare and they they turn away. Take for example,
When he was served, I told one of my are those who have conquered all we did a video in which my wife
soldiers: go ask that man to join us. wars and fears within and are now spoke a message to Afrikan leaders.
The soldier went and transmitted my at peace with life and everything Her tone was that of rebuke for
invitation. The man stood up, took the else. the many years of neglect and all
plate and sat next to me. While eat- that. Within a few days, the video
ing, his hands were constantly shaking This story of Mandela also makes had some hundreds of views on
me wonder about the young Afri-
our channel and more than thirty
and he didn't lift his head from the kans that like to quote Mandela's thousand views on another channel
food. When we finished, he waved life when they make arguments that we partner with. It was like the
at me without even looking at me, I about how great Afrika and Afri- mouths of Afrikans were let loose.
shook his hand and walked away! kans are, but always leave out the See all manner of comments about
side of him that forgave his oppres- the state of Afrika and the govern-
Soldier said to me: sors and by that, laid hold of the ment! A few days after that upload,
- Madiba, that man must be very sick truth about himself and by which we did another video in which we
as his hands wouldn't stop shaking his greatness became global. They try to deal practically with the issues
while he was eating. go about life like the worst enemy in Afrika and how best to solve
Not at all! The reason for his tremor that they have is the Afrikan man them. You won't believe that all of
is another - I replied. They looked at beside them. that noise of the first video was no-
where to be found. At first we did
me weird and said to them: To strive to be the best that each of not understand what happened until
- That man was the guardian of the us must be, we must embrace the we realized that our people really
jail I was locked up in. Often, after the lifestyle of weightlessness and the did not want practical change, they
torture I was subjected to, I screamed beauty - and even challenges - that just love to talk about the problems.
and cried for water and he came to come with it. For to speak clearly That was a huge eye-opener for us.
humiliate me, he laughed at me and and in my opinion, I think we Afri-
instead of giving me water he urinated kans have too much on our plates As Afrikans, to be weightless in
on my head. that we are dealing with and which, life, we must not just consider not
He wasn't sick, he was scared and if truth be told, is not helping us attaching ourselves to too many
shook maybe fearing that I, now that emancipate into the very dreams we possessions, but also free our hearts
I'm president of South Africa, would have in our hearts that we want to and hands from many activities that
undermine focused productivity
send him to jail and do the same thing see in Afrika. We like to talk about which comes through proper align-
the things that are not working, but
he did with me, torturing and humil- when someone tries to point us in ment of spirit and the outer world.
iating him. But that's not me, that the direction from where things We must know and understand that
behavior is not part of my character can be better, we hide behind our we are spirit before we were ever
nor my ethics. Minds that seek revenge trees of denials and falsehoods, made human flesh. Meaning that
destroy states, while those that seek waiting for another day to make the the more we load our fleshy human

14 | Heal . Restore . Rebirth . Afrika