We visited various schools and had a lot of time, while driving, to talk about South Africa and what was happening there, about the Tshikevha Christian School that Samson had helped to establish in the north of the country, about Apartheid, about Reformed Christian Schooling and about my upcoming sabbatical and plans to travel around North America visiting innovative Secondary schools in Canada and the US. I believe we were having dinner at our place and we were telling Samson about our plans when he said, as only Samson can, “No, you are not going to do that. You are going to come, along with Gabriel, and spend six months teaching with us in South Africa.” And that changed everything.
We abandoned the North American tour idea and began to plan for six months in South Africa. Around that same time there was a growing diaspora of white South Africans to Canada, some of whom attended our church. When they heard of our plans, they strongly discouraged us from going to the point of saying it was just plain irresponsible to go, especially taking our son Gabriel with us. That led to some sleepless nights as the travel time approached. Then in September, four months before leaving, 9/11 changed a whole lot of other things, including international travel. More fears to face and anxieties to calm. Early in January we each had our bag packed and we were on our way to Johannesburg.
It was not the only time, but a watershed moment, of facing our fears. Fears grounded in race, in history, in our Dutch heritage and names, in our inexperience and plain ignorance. Each time the fears were met with acceptance, understanding, care, and love. The gospel writer John’s words came to life, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear is by suspicion, but he or she who fears is not grown up in love.” For six months we were surrounded by people who had good reason to fear many things. Instead they lived out that perfect love for and to us. The memories of those six months are a reminder to me how to face all our fears.