Molweni! In case you don’t speak the language of the Xhosa tribe, that means “Hello!”
After arriving safely and getting a good night’s rest, we spent Monday experiencing the rich religious traditions of a South African township located just outside of Cape Town. Established in 1927, Langa is the oldest black township in Cape Town..
While a group of 31 can’t exactly sneak through the doors, we sat among the back rows of simple, wooden pews at the local Methodist church. As we absorbed what was taking place around us, we heard songs and prayers of worship filled with clapping and swaying. While I realized right away that the service wasn’t in English, everything else felt familiar: standing for hymns, bowing heads for prayer, giving an offering to the church, etc.
Of course there were sleepy-eyed infants dozing off in their mothers arms and hungry children asking for snacks to tide them over with the most pitiful “Please, mommy…I’ll be still if only….” look you’ve ever seen. But, what made this place unique and touched me deeply was a unique sense of welcome for the children who were free to roam around the church; one precious little boy toddled about from row to row as if he were greeting everyone. Each new set of legs he would grab onto or brush by would keep a watchful eye on him, and only when he began trying to climb up on the pew did his mother come over. (Many of us were even unsure which woman she was.)
One of the most striking and noticeable features of the sparsely decorated church were the banners hanging on each of the two side-walls, and even up front behind the pulpit. Each declared messages of hope and action regarding the fight against HIV/AIDS: “Turning remembrance in action,” “A nation caring together,” and “You are not alone”. It is not uncommon to hear of American non-profit organizations and missionary teams taking part in these efforts, but it was so much more meaningful coming from the people who are personally affected each day. Though we often forget, tt is not at all uncommon to see local churches rallying around a cause; in fact, many African-American churches were very involved in the strides being made toward equality during the Civil Rights Movement.
As we stepped outside the church to visit another one nearby, the sound of music and voices filled the air. Those worshipping at several surrounding were making joyful noise unto the Lord, indeed! We walked to the corner and across the street to the Ethiopian Church of Africa. Like the first church, there were many more women than men; however, the men in this one were on a stage, more prominently leading the service which had more contemporary music and dance. A similar HIV/AIDS banner adorned the back wall of the building.
It is clear that there is movement in the churches of the townships, both physical (in their worship) and literal (in their activism). It is easy to be captivated by the rhythm and unison of these people and these places: there is a tangible a hum of life that creates a sense of kinship within all who visit them; peace be the journey.