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The Savannah Tribune • Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 11
.SAVANNAH
he •
creative
ccxist
A Pilgrimage to the Mother Country: South Africa
Will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, handicap or familial status.
one shanty is unimaginable.
We were told that 8 million
people are without water and
29% are unemployed.
We visited a pre-school,
Dalukhanyo Pre-School.
The enthusiasm of the chil
dren warmed my heart. They
looked like the typical group
of African American happy
children. The observable
conditions broke my heart.
Many of us gave money,
without even being asked, to
the teachers or aids, who
were not adorned in profes
sional attire as American
teachers. Obviously missing
were technology equipment
and so much more.
Tuesday, separate tours
were provided: the
Peninsula Tour, Winelands
Tour, Cape Town City Tour,
Cape Point Tour, and the
Stellenbosh Wineland Tour.
My guest, Mrs. Elinda
Gorman, and I chose the
Winelands Tour. She and I
met in December 2007. On
this pilgrimage, we bonded
as sisters, and I believe she
will be my friend for life.
The tour only included seven
of us and the Afrikaan driv
er. The drive reminded me of
traveling from Los Angeles
to San Diego, California,
where American vineyards
are plentifiil, land, land, and
more land, a picture of
rolling hills and tailored
grasslands. Only God knows
where I was going, up moun
tains, down roads, in valleys,
but my faith was in Him, and
He led me all the way. Our
family hymn was made very
real during this pilgrimage,
“All the Way My Saviour
Leads Me. What have I to
ask beside? Can I doubt His
tender mercy, who thru life
has been my guide.” Craig,
our guide, an Afrikaan, was
very polite and helpful. He
took us to two vineyards:
Dieu Donne_ Vineyard and
Simonsig Wine Estate. We
visited cellars where the wine
was kept in kegs and learned
how the grapes were harvest
ed, divided for different
makes of wine, produced, and
placed in bottles. Craig is a
7th generation of Afrikaans,
the descendants of European,
especially Dutch descent. He
took us to a monument to his
language. It was a beautiful
monstrous one that he
reveres. At one time, there
was a big controversy in
South Africa over the teach
ing of Afrikaan language in
schools; however, the teach
ing of it was defeated, and the
English language is taught
instead.
Wednesday, we flew to
Zimbabwe. Did we go pre
pared to see fighting? We
saw no dissension among the
Zimbabweans. We stayed in
Zimbabwe's finest hotel
owned by Africans and run
by Africans. We were treated
very hospitable. Not only
were we guests, but there
were many European guests
as well and who like us visit
ed Victoria Falls. “Victoria
Falls is 1708 meters wide,
making it the largest curtain
of water in the world,”
expressed the guide. These
falls reminded me of Niagara
Falls in Niagara, New York.
But the Victoria Falls were
much more breathtaking.
Childhood memories of
Tarzan came to me as we
walked through the woods to
see the falls. However, we
only saw masses of trees and
branches embracing as lovers
but no snakes, lions, nor
tigers. That evening, for din
ner and another festive fel
lowship, we traveled up and
down the Zambie River that
divides the country of
See Pilgrimage, page 12
by Emma J. Conyers
Centennial President
Gamma Sigma Omega
Chapter of Alpha Kappa
Alpha Sorority, Inc.
F eeling somewhat
reserved, very excited,
and tired from a week
at the Centennial
International Conference in
Washington, D.C, I joined
the Pilgrimage to the Mother
Country, South Africa. One
hundred and nineteen Alpha
Kappa Alpha members and
friends, led by the
International Centennial
President, Dr. Barbara A.
McKinzie, journeyed to
South Africa July 19, 2008.
As the only pilgrim from my
Chapter and without my hus
band, Bernard, to share with
me this experience, imagine
the anxiety I felt.
Nevertheless, this pilgrimage
was an unbelievable one.
At some things, I had to
pinch myself for a reality
check; others, I gasped in
awe and wonderment, and
for others, I cried. My faith
in God was tremendously
increased, for I had no one to
call on but Him. Friendships
made illuminated the pres
ence of Heaven where there
are no barriers of people.
There, I don't know by
Emma Conyers visit with children at Dalukhanyo Pre-School.
whom I may be sitting.
We arrived in South
Africa Sunday, July 20 in
Johannesburg where we
were met by representatives
from the Brendan Traveling
Company and escorted to
gate for departure to Cape
Town. From the airport to
Cape Town, I saw skyscrap
ers and mused to myself,
“This looks like Atlanta or
New York; where is the jun
gle?”
That Monday, our pil
grimage took us to Robben
Island where the former
President of South Africa,
Nelson Mandela, spent 20
plus years in prison. That
evening we enjoyed dinner
and a festive fellowship. At
this social event, the main
attraction was the report on
ten AKA schools in South
Africa presented by a repre
sentative of the area where
the schools are located. The
conditions described were
deplorable, but the represen
tative blessed Alpha Kappa
Alpha for caring and extend
ing her help. Can you imag
ine American students hav
ing classes outside because
there are no buildings or the
rooms are too small to
accommodate all of them?
Are teachers needed? What
is your answer when they are
paid _ of what other coun
tries are paying their teach
ers?
In Cape Town, we saw
shanties, as far as the eye
could see, put up by Africans
who will remain in such until
the Government wants the
land. These dwellings were
in unbelievable conditions.
When it rains, the guide
informed us, they flood. The
number of people living in
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