Day 13: My first and only visit to prison

Happy birthday, Jessie Strom!



The alarm went off alittle too early this morning so we could form a better understanding of the history of South Africa before embarking on our historical tour. The forty five minute boat ride ended at the load dock at Seal Island or translated into Dutch, “Robben Island.” This small piece of land housed political prisoners during the apartheid movement, one of its most famous being Nelson Mandela. Because the apartheid ended in recent memory, much of the history remains intact. In fact, the boat we road to begin our day served as prisoner and visitor transportation. The guards packed the prisoners at the bottom of the boat where you could feel the height of the waves most readily; just ask my stomach.



Then, a bus took us on a tour of the island including where the guard dogs lived, the island offices, and rock quarries where the inmates worked. However, I found the maximum security prison the most compelling. We walked through mazes of gates and long hallways of cells. Each “bedroom” had a story about the individual who lived in the cell with their picture making the experience eerie. However, I was fascinated by our tour guide Thandi. This man served time alongside political criminals including Mandela for eighteen years at Robben Island. I was mesmerized by his stories as he traced back his terrifying steps through the prison. One room spanned about forty yards in length and twenty yards wide. Here, eighty men slept on the floor in unbelievable cramped positions. Thandi described how each man laid in the same position, but when he had to change sleepying positions, he elbowed his neighbor so that the entire line of people switched sides. When I think of prisons prior to this experience, I imagine people who have committed terrible crimes. In reality, the entire population of Robben Island simply tried to make South Africa more equitable for its people.

After our educational tour, four of us met to brainstorm a sketch for our service week mural. While in Cape Town, we will run an afterschool program for students in the Sir Lowry’s township, a very poor area of the city. In addition to loving on the kids, we have the opportunity to better the community as well. One mission involves creating a mural that the teachers can use to educate their students on South African history. Today, the “artists” of the group met to begin deciding on what we want our masterpiece to look like. I won’t divulge any information yet but expect Van Gough’s work in the coming weeks.



My day ended with the most delicious hamburger that has ever graced my presence. Believe it or not, it tops Fuddruckers AND Steak and Shake by a kilometer! Café Royale gloats about their famous burgers even to the point of buying the loft upstairs to serve as a waiting room for all of the people who want to try their specialty. I hear their milkshakes top the charts too!



Random Story: Over the past two weeks, I have made friends with the receptionist in the lobby of our apartment. This man fascinates me and has taught me so much about living in this beautiful country. The other day, he told me a story that I just could not wait to share. Gideon exclaimed that he could not wait to win the lottery so that he could one day go to America. Naturally, I asked where he would want to visit after seeing me in Marietta. I expected New York, Los Angeles, maybe Chicago. His number one dream is to visit… the great state of Alabama. Wait, what? Naïve Gideon wants to see the “beautiful mountains of Alabama.” While I did not discourage him from his dream, I suggested just as “beautiful” places such as the Colorado and the Appalachian Trial.