Beautiful South Africa

The delegation shared a portion of the day being able to experience and celebrate the beautiful and varying landscapes of beautiful South Africa. We traveled to Cape Point, which happens to be designated a Natural World Heritage Site. It is considered the windiest place in all of South Africa. It is the most southwestern point of the African continent and the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Upon returning to Cape Town in the afternoon, we were welcomed to an orphanage in the township known as Barcelona.

We had the privilege of meeting with Rev. Julius and many of the thirty-two children that have found a place to call home. AIAIA has partnered with Julius and his wife for close to twenty years. As a direct result of our generous donors, we are able to provide food assistance and other vital supplies that dramatically increase the quality of life in one of the areas poorest townships.

Our gathering provided a powerful and moving example of the power of Umbuntu, the African philosophy that reminds us of the essence of being human together. Umbuntu can be understood to mean, “I am because you are.” I would share these words from Richard Rohr to highlight our full-on encounter of Umbuntu; “I have come to realize that those who make space for JOY, those who prefer nothing to JOY, those who desire the utter reality, will most assuredly have it. We must not be afraid to announce it to refugees, slum dwellers, saddened prisoners, angry prophets. Now and then we must even announce it to ourselves. In this prison of now, in this cynical and sophisticated age, someone must believe in JOY.”

May our Mother God gently embrace the children of our world in love and safety.
James Cassidy, President AIAIA