From 1977 to the early 80s, people were rightly concerned with events unfolding in the Rhodesian war, and the new Zimbabwe and many 10s of 1000s people left the country for greener pastures. Those who stayed behind labeled those who were leaving as "taking the Chicken Run" or "taking the gap."
There was a distinct rift between the two. Some saw leaving as a cowardly act and snickered and bickered about the turncoats running away from the war-torn nation and leaving them behind to "fight the commies."
It was a time of great pressure and desperation. Families torn apart, a people already under much duress further fractured by these issues.
50 years later, the same thing is happening in South Africa to minorities here who are being forced to be either 'stayers' or 'leavers'.
It is a hugely traumatizing circumstance when one has to decide the fate of one's family and future under stress from both the local environment, such as the clear and imminent fall of South Africa and the cultural peer pressure one falls under during the gut-wrenching decision to "take the gap."
In my experience, those who left mostly thrived in their new worlds, and those who stayed fought bravely through the decline, often succeeding in work and business.
We should remember these things today. Be kind to one another and remember that there's nothing new under the sun. It's all happened before.
One thing to add is that those who stayed on in Rhodesia will testify to the fact that it gets a whole lot tougher over the years as the revolutionary governments destroy the country before your very eyes.
Have a great day, whatever you choose to do.
Three weeks as a SAFugee in Utah.
Wow what a wonderful time to be alive.
Our Case Worker is amazing. We work so well together. So here is where we are in the process. We have our SSN’s in hand. We also have our Employment Authorization cards. 😍 By far the most beautiful card in my little wallet.
Did our application Department of Workforce application. We have bank accounts and learnt that depositing a check is as easy as Pie. No long queues, fighting, frustrations or threats - just honest, super friendly service. Next week, learner’s license time and somehow find a bit more guts to get on the road to start practicing for our drivers licenses so we can get our state ID. Gosh y’all, we need those. Most posts require either a state ID or Drivers license and I really want to start working so we can start paying back what has been given so graciously.
Got super spoilt with visits from the Utah Refugee Support Group and other SAfugees in the area and made new friends. Visited a food bank and spent time listening to the shared stories of a Marine Veteran while awaiting our time to go inside. How apt it was to listen to the joyful sharing of his experiences on the cusp of Memorial weekend.
Spent the week helping the new family get settled in their apartment at our complex. Realising that we have come such a far way in 3 weeks. Both physically, and emotionally. Seeing the new family’s wide eyed internal panic through our eyes makes you realise the wonderful work that is done by the local Volunteers and International Rescue Committee helping us all learn how to breathe again. And above all, the vast difference being safe and free in this beautiful country.
Oh My Goodness we found Boot Barn!!!!! @bootbarn Now if I could I would literally just live in that store. Maybe I should simply camp out front till they have an opening and be first to be applying. Watched this amazing young man shape a hat with so much attention to detail it makes you want a Stetson in every colour. And those boots!!!!! Promised myself that I will one day have a pair or more. One day! Boot Barn should make this young man employee of the month just for his passion for their products!
Monday we spent the morning at Fort Douglas Post Cemetery. Listened to Mr Sterling Poulson (I may have the spelling totally wrong) speak the very words that made us all cry while sitting watching him against the Stars and Stripes speak as if directly to us. He spoke of the freedom given by those in uniform that every American often don’t realize how much that means for those who are granted the privilege to stand on this soil. It was such an honor to be present on that day. We will daily try to be just that little bit better, Sir. We will pay it forward.
So from this SAfugee in Utah, I have great respect for all members in uniform. Those who gladly protects this great nation daily, and those who gave their lives so that we can live this liberty and freedom. May God richly bless you and your families. We will not forget what you give so that we can breathe, love and live.
Lastly, Mr President and every American reading this, Thank you that we may form part of this great nation, that we may live freedom and safety. @POTUS
Disclaimer: Views expressed are not official and are merely an opinion based on our own research/experience and/or feedback from our own and other Programme participants and will always be subject to change as we receive more information.
There's a TV show in Japan
that has run for over 30 years.
The premise: a parent sends
their two or three-year-old child
on an errand. Alone.
To the store. To buy tofu.
Across actual streets.
A camera crew follows secretly,
hidden, never helping,
as a tiny human in a backpack
completes a task most countries
wouldn't let a child attempt.
The kid cries. The kid forgets.
The kid gets distracted by a dog.
And then the kid comes home,
holding the tofu, glowing.
It's the most-watched thing
of its kind in the country.
Americans who discover it
cannot believe it's legal.
In Japan, we cannot believe
it's remarkable.
When Soviet and East German financial support for the ANC dried up after 1990 with the collapse of communism in Europe, the ANC's terror wing uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) faced a serious funding crisis.
"A highly consequential decision appears to have been quietly taken at some point in 1991 that MK and the SDUs should use armed robbery to secure weapons and funds for their operations inside the country." The Truth and Reconciliation Commission later confirmed that "the ANC turned something of a blind eye to acts of robbery for operational purposes".
Full report: https://t.co/gNmrNZp4Da
Hannah Cornelius was 21-years-old when she was abducted, gang-raped, stabbed and her skull smashed in with a rock by barbarians.
Her killers laughed in court when the details of her murder was read.
Her grieving mother strolled into the ocean, and never returned.
What if they’ve been taking literal time off of every second for the last few decades?
Would that not explain the current “where did the time go” scenario we all talk about?
Would that not explain why we 50 year olds still look like we’re 30?
Are seconds faster now than they were 40 years ago?
These are thoughts I have at 1:18 in the morning.