Johannesburg and The Apartheid Museum - Saturday 4 August

We were delighted to that so many families and friends came.to wave us off from Chasetown,  even though our mini bus was leaving St Anne's Chasetown at the very early hour of 6.30am...  Thank you!

 Our journey from Birmingham was good but long with a long wait at Munich for our connecting flight to Johannesburg. There were some anxieties as staff at Munich had some concerns about some of our documents and this meant that three of us were were delayed from boarding and were the last ones on board... This was worrying for everyone and there were a lot of prayers being silently prayed.  When we arrived in South Africa there were no concerns about the paperwork which was great. Thank you to all who were praying about this issue - God certainly seemed to smooth the way for us on our arrival

 We were met by Loveld Link Transport - and our driver Kevin, who used to be a tour guide so gave us a good commentary as we drove to the Apartheid Museum

The Museum is a solemn place which details some of the most horrible parts of the recent history of South Africa... And it also details how some of the complex issues in this country have some roots in the role of British involvement over many generations, including the South Africa Wars (known in the UK as the Boer Wars) and that gold and diamond mining industrial past.  When we bought our tickets each of us was given a ticket which told us that we were (for the first part of the museum)  either 'white' or. 'non white'...  With the group separated according to the race ticket we had been given...  Each race had a different journey through the museum's opening exhibits. It was sobering...  We would see each other, but we're separated by caging.

But the Museum is also a place of hope as it shows that the the most cruel of systems can be changed and worked against .... Even though there is still a long way to go and many injustices persist

As we enjoyed lunch together there was a lot for us to talk about...

Our evening accommodation is good and tomorrow we travel four hours  East to White River and stay at the Hands at Work Hub.

Once again, many thanks to all who have helped us all be able to go on this journey

On behalf of a very sleepy team... Richard



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