Sabbatical scribblings - Apartheid and Soweto

Sabbatical Scribblings - Apartheid and Soweto

Sabbatical Scribblings is a series of periodic reflections from Tom & Marcia Hotchkiss as they travel to South Africa for a reunion retreat with Renovare Institute led by Trevor Hudson and as they walk a portion of the Portuguese Camino to Santiago de Compostela.

Our older son and his family spent this last week at the beach in Fort Lauderdale. Sawyer, who is almost 4, shouted a hello to us one day when she realized that we were both at the Atlantic Ocean.  

Even though we were thousands of miles apart, she was trying to connect. This entire trip has echoed that theme of the connectedness of people on earth. First, the Renovare Institute Cohort was a place of Christian connection for Tom and others. Yet on this trip to South Africa spouses were invited and felt welcomed into the group. Next, our group visited the Cradle of Humankind Museum. One can clearly see how every human came from the same geographic and spiritual home. I can’t help but wonder how our dialogue with each other is now so toxic and broken. 

I remembered the struggle against apartheid from news reports. Still, the level of cruelty and violence we learned about as we toured the Apartheid Museum and Robben Island (where Mandela and other political prisoners were held) was so blatant and sickening that I was stunned. It reminded me of touring Dachau in Germany several years ago. Christians were often leading the charge in both instances. Yet Christians believe that all men and women are imprinted with the image of God and were called good in the creation story in Genesis. I pray that these experiences will help me, with God’s aid, to always treat others as beloved children of God. 

Look for more pictures on the Abbey Facebook page.

Praying for you. Blessings on your way.

Tom (& Marcia) Hotchkiss