Embrace Others As Ourselves

The end of a most amazing day. We started our day back at JLZwane Church in Guguletu. AIAIA has had a strong relationship with this faith community that has been celebrated for twenty-three years. We provided a mini- spa day with hand and back massages for the more senior members and also assisted with a food distribution for approximately 120 families. We enjoyed lunch with members of the leadership team and prayerfully reflected on the experience of Umbuntu that we hold in common. I would remind you that the African philosophy of Umbuntu is simply the sacred awareness that “I am, because we are.” Our lives are interdependent which empowers us to know that we are better together. Our day ended with the Order of the Missionaries of Charity. The Sisters provide a safe and loving home for approximately 65 men and woman that have multiple physical challenges. True to the mission of St. Mother Teresa, the women in this community are always willing to focus their preference on reaching out to the poorest of the poor. AIAIA is blessed to be in partnership with the Sisters and to prayerfully and financially support their good work. The smile on the young man’s face is a true testament to both how happy the residents were to see their American “cousins,” return and the joy that is shared in this community everyday.

I honor our day in the words of Anne Hillman; “We are all on a journey…To the center of the universe…Look deep into yourself, into another. It is to a center which is everywhere That is the holy journey…First you need only look: Notice and honor the radiance of everything about you. Play in the universe. Tend all these shining things around you. The smallest planet, the creatures and objects in your care. Be gentle and nurture. Listen… As we experience and accept All that we really are…We grow in care. We begin to embrace others as ourselves, and learn to live as one among many…

In gratitude…

James Cassidy, President AIAIA