“My Joy at being in this conference [The Annual conference of the Methodist Church] is multiplied many-fold by the fact that this is for me also a personal homecoming, both in the physical and spiritual sense. The environs of Umtata are not only my humble origins, but it is also here that my spiritual association with this great church started. And I cannot overemphasise the role that the Methodist church has played in my own life” (Mandela, September 1994).

Reading these words by Nelson Mandela about how formative Christian education was in his life, makes me appreciate our school’s Christian identity even more. Mandela seldom spoke publicly about his faith. For him faith was a private matter between an individual and God. For Mandela, faith and religious institutions had an important role to play in building our country. In the same speech quoted above, Mandela referred to reconciliation as “a spiritual process which requires more than just a legal framework. It has to happen in the hearts and minds of people. Indeed, no institution is better placed to assist this process than the thousands of religious congregations which gather every week all over the land and among all communities” (Mandela, September 1994).

As we go about our Mandela Day activities, may we also remember the values he embodied.

Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika

REVD RAKGADI KHOBO
CHAPLAIN