How South Africa Broke Me Open...
Soul Poetry by Aloha Jacqueline
Written 16 July 2021 during the KZN Shutdown! Originally published on Medium.
It was the stranger on Whatsapp Who was begging for assistance Asking for someone to help her Siphon fuel from her car When the petrol stations ran out So she could drive and give it to a friend in need. It was the Zulu grandmother Who I called after only 2 days Who was sitting in the dark and bitter cold, alone With no electricity, no gas Who softly and humbly answered "nothing ma'am" When I asked her if she had food to eat. It was a friend with MS who answered Another community member's call for food for their children Giving what he had to spare Even knowing he too might soon be without And offered it freely. It was a young African lady Who I saw drive to a Pet food shop that was closed And watching her drive away on the verge of crying Hopeless and helpless. It was the local small farmers and businesses Who banded together To create pop-up markets To feed their communities Hundreds of people volunteering Their time and energy. It was the lady who worked tirelessly To try to secure food For an elderly home of 200 Who couldn't find bread Or even simple things like milk and eggs But she continued. It was local bakers I know Who worked over 18 hours a day To make bread for their community Losing sleep to help others eat. It was a 22-year-old skate boarder Who offered to do errands for people Volunteering to clean up Be on guard duty Do deliveries To help in any way he could. It was the friends who contacted me from abroad To ask if I was doing ok, if I was safe Who asked me "what can I do?" And I said Pray for Peace, and if you can send money So I can feed a few more people And they did! It was the desperate mothers Looking for formula and nappies for their babies And watching others share And work tirelessly to find solutions. It was the men and women who I saw coming together every night, all night To stand guard on their neighborhood streets In almost zero degree weather To protect their children and homes. It was the hundreds of people I saw on social media Cleaning up the streets Helping each other Choosing to act constructively After such destruction. It was the kindness and the sacrifices It was the care and love The generosity I have seen in the past days In the face of danger, fear, uncertainty and even possible death That broke me down to tears It broke away my fears, my panic, my anger, my judgments And rather than running away To a "safer place" Or hiding in my house Hoping I would be safe and have enough I was broken open And invited silently Unknowingly To join a Revolution of Love To find ways to help others And in so doing Forgetting all my worries.
by Aloha Jacqueline (Jacqueline du Plessis)
Founder of Growing Hope
KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
#TheGreatChange #GrowBrave


Beautiful. Thank you for sharing 💜