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First, let me say that reading your responses to the blog has been amazing! It’s such a treat to know that you all are praying for us and following us as we journey with God. Keep the posts coming.
So, day three – first of all we are exhausted because we only got four hours of sleep last night. But we were up early for a nice full breakfast; I had banana nut French toast with eggs and bacon (for all of you who love food as much as I do). Then off we went! We met in the lobby to leave at 8:30am – again which would be 1:30am EST. We began by going to Soweto (acronym for South Western Townships). We visited Nelson Mandela’s house. We were all overwhelmed by the history of the house. There were bullet holes still in the brick from when police shot at Winnie while Nelson was in prison. There was also a trash can top with bullet indentures in it from Winnie holding the can to the window to prevent the bullets from coming into the house. The guide’s name was Oarabile, which means ‘God has answered’. By the way – that is my adopted African name now, Oarabile. She gave us a plethora of information about the Mandelas, their family and their home. For example, Nelson’s father was married to four women at the same time. Also, Nelson’s third and current wife is in the book of world records as the only woman to marry two men who were presidents of a country at the time that she married them.
Oarabile also shared with us how the umbilical cords of Winnie and Nelson’s children and grandchildren were buried under a tree in the front yard next to where we were standing. She went on to say that it was an African tradition to bury the cords to connect the children to their ancestors and to the land. I immediately got chills. Why? Well, after I gave birth to my son, Tre, my mother asked me if I was going to bury his umbilical cord under the tree in front of my grandmother’s house. When I asked her the significance, she responded by saying, “It ties the child to the family. If you bury the chord, the child will never leave home in his heart.” Of course as a nineteen-year-old twentieth century female, I was not at all interested in keeping that tradition, especially when I didn’t know where it came from, and it just didn’t make much sense to me. Only to find out today that it was not a Texas tradition, but an African tradition! What?! I was speechless: I got chills… All I could think about was the missed opportunity. When I went over to share what my mother told me about Tre’s cord, her response was, “You are African.” I began to think about the strength of my own family and extended family to carry such a tradition down through the generations. I was closer to Africa than I thought. Even though I did not participate in the tradition, I still know of it; another connection to my homeland. I have an African/family tradition that I can pass on to my own children. What they do with the information is up to them; but they will know of their own connection to a time before we were Americans; before we were slaves!
As we ate lunch, one of the ladies said to us, “Welcome Home!” - Another tearful moment for me. I felt like she was genuinely glad that we were here. I said, “Thank you!” She responded, “They didn’t think that we would ever see each other again.” I smiled, realizing that she was absolutely right. They thought that the sea could keep us apart. How wrong they were. In that moment I appreciated even more the resilience of our forefathers. I was proud to be an American of African descent.
Blessings~
Cheryl Faye
/ February 17, 2010Wow!!
Rev. LaKeesha a/k/a Oarabile (*_*),
Everyday your posts are more exciting than the day before. To visit the home of Nelson Mandela and to learn so much about him and his family. . . Beautiful!! The umbilical cord tradition is very powerful and to know that your Mom knew of this tradition, even if she didn’t know of it’s origin, is awesome. Isn’t it something how when we’re not children anymore but not quite grown either, we take so many things for granted. I, too, became tearful at reading the sister’s greeting, “Welcome Home!” Oh, to be there with you all. I am so ready to begin putting together a trip to South Africa for FCBC. I mean, for real!! Looking forward with eager anticipation to tomorrow’s post. I love you and miss you, but am glad that since you’re not here, you’re there. Always in my prayers, Cheryl
LAKEISHA JOE
/ February 17, 2010Omg! I nearly jumped outta my skin….seeing the pic of Nelson Mandela’s House, I was just telling Shellcye how I would love to meet Mandela! My heart is so full, my face is glowing with cheer as water mounts in my big bright eyes…ahhh how blessed are we to encounter your literal moment across the seas in a spiritual sense. Wow, I’m greatly moved and such a cry baby….sitting at my desk in tears, yet tears of Joy because of the warmth felt through your written message. What a Blessing for all in the experience….I so Love the Lord and All that is possible in and through Him! Be Blessed Beloved!
Cheryl Faye
/ February 17, 2010I posted my comment before you got the photos up. Rev. LaKeesha, you look like you’re having a blast. And Laurianne with the camera in front of her face — that’s just how I pictured her. And I see Sharon behind you taking it all in. And Mother Lumsby wi th the children — such a beautiful scene. I LOVE IT!!!
LAKEISHA JOE
/ February 17, 2010Ditto Cheryl….the visual of all the kids is breath taking….Wow
Laurianne doing a little documentary….owww, first stop for that footage is going to be Facebook…Lol, Modern day technology is really a Blessing! It keeps us connected in Cyber Space w/o pen and paper…how sweet is that…we don’t even have to wait for the post office to delivery your message and get it 3-4 days later! We can live in the moment rightnow! All we have to do is “log on, click, type & send” Sweet Convenience…Yet it’s in the experience that you Journey in as we speak, that makes those things we deem simple, a luxury in comparison to the living quarters you walk through in South Africa, which translate an absolute different perspective on life & liberty for me here in America!
Enjoy the rest of Day 3 FCBC Family
Dinean
/ February 17, 2010Oh wow. This made me go back to my journaling during my trip home. I immediately thought of Avatar when you mentioned the cord burying under the tree…I can’t wait to hear what else you experience. Take notice of the street signs. When I was there, I saw positive messages on yellow banners on the street lights and just seeing our faces on all the posters, just amazing. Will you be visiting the Regina Mundo Church? and Wandies Restaurant? and the Kwa Mai Mai Market?
Gregory Spence
/ February 18, 2010“Welcome Home.”
Two simple but powerful words that when combined in a short phrase can convey immense warmth, comfort, familiarity, reassurance & celebration.
Merriam-Webster’s defines “welcome” as:
1 : to greet hospitably and with courtesy or cordiality
2 : to accept with pleasure the occurrence or presence of
Merriam-Webster’s defines “home” as:
1 a : one’s place of residence :domicile b :house
2 : the social unit formed by a family living together
3 a : a familiar or usual setting : congenial environment; also : the focus of one’s domestic attention b :habitat
4 a : a place of origin; also : one’s own country b :headquarters
5 : an establishment providing residence and care for people with special needs
6 : the objective in various games; especially :homeplate
— at home
1 : relaxed and comfortable : at ease
2 : in harmony with the surroundings
3 : on familiar ground :knowledgeable
In some cultures the “welcome home” is a time to celebrate and honor one’s ancestors. It’s based on the belief that there is interaction between the living world and the world of spirits and is celebrated with family and community gatherings, music, and feasting. Yet in some other cultures the welcome home is a sense of community and humane living that are highly cherished values of everday life.
Rev. Lakeesha, your blog today has confirmed for me that community is much more than simply a social grouping of people bound together by reasons of natural origin and/or deep common interests and values. Community is both a society as well as a unity of the visible and invisible worlds; the world of the physically living on the one hand, and the world of the ancestors, divinities and souls of children yet to be born to individual kin-groups.
I thank God for using you all in this way, so that we can connect with “our community” through you and share in this wonderful homecoming experience.
Breakfast sounded pretty good too!
Continually praying for all of you.
Grateful and thankful.
Ruth E. Lowe-Tuitt
/ February 18, 2010This is so amazing! Oh gosh, reading your daily posts are leaving me w\an enormous amount of mixed emotions. Happy that God is revealing his wonderous works through the revelations that you are witnessing, and then sad that I am not there to delight in this soul-stirring adventure. Nevertheless, I believe that though your interesting stories and willingness to share your blessings, more of us would make a greater effort to go when the opportunity presents it self in the future. God continue to be with you all. I see your representing…girl you’re working them shades.
tiffany foster
/ February 18, 2010i am so happy and filled with joy about 1st corinthian’s trip to africa so much that i talk to my coworkers about the trip as if i am there. i tell them the stories you tell us. while reading your blogs everyday, i can see everything that you are talking about. the pictures are so clear in my head. thank you for letting those of us who couldn’t go experince the trip with you all.
may GOD continue to bless and keep you all.
Shellyce Daniley
/ February 18, 2010Day 3 – Welcome Home! Beautiful, I’m so intrigued with your updates. It seems everyone is so happy, you, Sharon, and Laurianne (our FCBC photographer) and the children are smiling they seem so happy – loving live and worry-free. It reminds me that each day is a blessed day don’t worry about anything be gratefulf for everything. Laurianne’s mom looks as if she is doing what she loves to do “nurture” – it all seems natural.
I’m loving this journey sooo much. By the way “Oarabile” lovely name for you………..
I’m looking forward to your posting tomorrow have a blessed day.
Kathy Vaughn
/ February 18, 2010It seemed like Momma was just down the block with a bunch of neighborhood kids…awesome. I hope tomorrow will be more exciting than today as you take in God’s wonders.
may God’s peace be with you
Kercena
/ February 18, 2010This post, as everyone has commented, left me a little teary-eyed as well.
It actually made me think about my immediate family. An overwhelmingly majority of my family live “down South” while I live in New York. And, previous to moving to New York in September, I lived in Washington, DC for six years. Being so far from my family is really hard for me. I so wish I could be near them and physically present and engaged in their daily lives. However, this blog post helped me to see that “true, real” human connection does not require actual, physical presence. That our human connection goes way beyond the physical to the spiritual, which has more of a lasting and deepening impact on us. So, though I’m not physically “home” with my family everyday, I can now rest in the fact that I “carry” my family with me everywhere I go. So, distance between us no longer matters, because I am connected to them and them to me in a much stronger and more “real” way. Thanks so much for sharing!
PS: The umbilical cord connection between Texas and Africa is “bananas,” i.e. truly amazing. And, I L-O-V-E your African name.
Gina Green
/ February 18, 2010Amazing Amazing Amazing! I am so thankful for the world of technology that even though I am unable to be there physicially with you – I can experience your trip by your sharing. I was speaking to another sister last night regarding the trip and your blogs and we our hearts were so full. I almost fell out of my chair when you said Fefe was going two thousand miles an hour!!!! I thank God that you are having fun and I can’t wait to experience more through you! ~ Gina
Rachel
/ February 18, 2010This is great…more pictures please! So awesome. I just want to touch you guys once you return…for good vibrations:)
BTW, the beauty of all the children strikes me. They’re glowing and so full of life.
God bless,
R
William F. Cooper
/ February 18, 2010In a word. AMAZING!!!
Hope
/ February 18, 2010Have fun! Africa is a beautiful place! Make sure you experience everything that the Motherland and God has to offer! Safe travels! Luv Hope :0)
Tamika Franklin
/ February 18, 2010Ok I’m echoing Cheryl…An FCBC Trip is a Must!
Oarabile huh? I love it.
The umbilical cord story had me teary…. “Welcome Home” indeed.
Sheena
/ February 18, 2010Rev. Lakeesha I LOVE these entries! every day I rush to my computer to see what you have posted. The details that you give are so vivid that I feel like I’m actually there. The first day that I read one of them I got misty and I could not leave a comment and now this make me want to go to Africa even more. So please DO NOT stop giving us every single detail beacuse it has made me feel like I’m right there…..Thank you
Njeri Archer
/ February 19, 2010This is truly breath taking… Words can’t express the feeling I have from reading your experience.
Tohma
/ February 19, 2010Hey Oarabile!!!!!!! I love it!!!!! That is the PERFECT name for you.
Kathy
/ February 22, 2010WoW! Sis. Lakesha – all I can say is WoW! Your excitement and joy and your telling of the story makes me live it vicariously through your eyes as you experience it in reality. Thank you . It is such a blessing and honor to be able to share in this exciting moment with you! May God continue to bless you as you journey on the Motherland giving him all the glory and sharing His peace withour brothers and sisters! God Bless You all.!