Celebrating February 11: A Story of Freedom

Around 100 years ago, one of the earliest thoughts on freedom of South Africa came from Gandhi. In the year 1908, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi spoke to a gathering at Johannesburg:

"If we look into the future [of South Africa], is it not a heritage we have to leave to posterity, that all the different races commingle and produce a civilisation that perhaps the world has not yet seen?"

Fast forward to February 11, 1990: Nelson Mandela is freed from prison after 27 years (Watch video). Thousands danced and celebrated on the streets of Cape Town. Addressing 50,000 people assembled outside the balcony of Cape Town's City Hall, he declared:

"Our struggle has reached a decisive moment. Our march to freedom is irreversible."

He was the 466th prisoner at Robben Island in 1964 - he was anointed as prisoner number "46664". After his freedom, he immortalized this number by using this number as an icon for a global HIV AIDS awareness campaign.

In his book, Long Walk to Freedom he said:

I have walked that long road to freedom.
I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way.
But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill,
one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.
I have taken a moment here to rest,
to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me,
to look back on the distance I have come.
But I can rest only for a moment,
for with freedom comes responsibilities,
and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended.

His ideas on freedom:

"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."

Read this line again - "respect and enhance the freedom of OTHERS"!

Amazing!

Now, how would you define freedom?

Man versus God: The Truth about Us

Peter Legge has a copy of an anonymous poem which "often seems to fit the struggle of humanity".

He shared the poem in "How to Soar With The Eagles".

The poem takes us through pain, sin, hate, hell, wars, despair and disaster ....but, finally reveals the truth about us - Who is to blame and who is to take responsibility?

I walked today through the slums of life,
Down the dark streets of wretchedness, and of pain.
I trod today where few have trod
and as I walked I challenged God.

I saw the sots in the bar rooms.
I saw the prostitutes in the dance halls.
I saw the thieves as they picked pockets.
I saw men and women devoid of life,
living in a world of sin,
and above the din I whispered, "Why God, Why?"

I walked today down the lanes of hate,
Hearing the jeers of bitter men,
Hearing the names as they cursed and spat
"Dago, Nigger, Kike, jap."
I saw the defected men they stoned.
I felt the anguish of their cries.
I saw them as they slapped the lonely,
as they turned their backs on human needs.
Snarling, growling were the fiends of hell.
These, God called his sons!
Gasping for air, I cried "Why God, Why?"

I walked today through wars of grim dregs...
over graveless men.
I saw the dead, the crucified, the headless,
the limbless, the pleading, the crying.
I saw the pain, the waste.
I smelled the odor of rotted flesh.

I saw the children gathered round..watching naked, hungry, weeping, diseased, dirty....
The baby trying to nurse from a dead mother.
The ruins...the agony...the despair!
Disaster..........disaster............all around!

Blinded with tears, I fled down these streets.
I stumbled, then stopped.
I shouted "Why God, Why?"
Why do you let man sin, hate and suffer?
Unmerciful Father! God, are you blind?
Are you wicked and cruel?
God, can you watch and do nothing?
Why must this be?

The world grew silent.
I awaited reply.
The silence was heavy.
I started to tremble.
I waited long..haft rebuking, half fearing,
Then I heard from close behind me
"Why.....Man.........Why?"

~Anonymous