Entering Robben Island
Somebody in our group was arranging the boats to take us to Robben Island. This was the island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for decades. The island is located out in the bay fronting Cape Town. We were going to participate as John Morton placed a Peace Pole on the island and in front of the prison building. The island and prison is
a designated World Heritage Site, so that the many future visitors would see and experience the Peace Pole. By the time it came to Sunday morning hundreds of people from many countries wanted to participate, so more boats had to be arranged. When it got to be time for the Peace Pole there was a multitude of folks in their colorful national costumes lined up holding their flags from many of the worlds countries. I was standing behind John and off to one side taking pictures. I don’t know why, but my abiding memory of that moment in time as I saw all the wonderful colored costumes and the flags whipping in the breeze … was of the Nuremberg Rallies in Nazi Germany … back then thousands of people, costumes, flags, and Adolf Hitler whipping the crowds into a frenzy of adulation. But today was similar but different, it had many of the same ingredients, but it was John Morton, it was about peace, about prayer, about God, and coming together to bless a place where men had suffered. It was a wonderful moment in time for me personally. I had the awareness that these people had traveled from all over the world to represent their religions and their countries, and that Capetown in South Africa at the tip of this great continent of Africa was hosting this amazing focus of religion and Spirit on the planet.
Another great experience was attending Cape Town City Hall to see and hear Nelson Mandela. Thirty-three years earlier I had been in the Royal Navy based in Simonstown which is close to Capetown. And I had been part of the cast of the Firebird Ballet at the City Hall, while Mister Mandela was soon to reside in prison close by. Now I was returning to this City Hall to hear the great man speak. When we look back at the twentieth century there have been many infamous men who perpetrated evil on humanity. But for me there have been very few men who were known for their greatness because they espoused peace and compassion to their fellow man … and in my book Mandela was one of the few. Of course he got a rapturous reception from the packed house … it was the hottest ticket in town.
I don’t remember a lot of what he said that night. But I do remember a story he told about taking a vacation to the Bahamas with his wife Winnie after being released from decades in prison. They were walking along in Nassau when an American man saw Mister Mandela and said to him, “I know you, you are somebody famous.”
To which Mandela responded, “No, I am not famous.”
The man said, “Yes you are. What is your name?”
Mandela said, “Nelson Mandela.”
The man emphatically stated, “I have never heard of you.” And walked away.
This anecdote for me summed up the humility of the great man.
John Morton, Outside Mandela’s cell
One day John decided he wanted to go south to the Cape of Good Hope Park, to see the condition of the Light Columns J-R had placed their some years before. So I drove us down there with Joan Beisel, Vincent DuPont, Brenda Fishbaugh, and one local minister. When we arrived at the park it was closed, but there was a man at the gate. We asked be be allowed entry, and even offered him a bribe to let us in … but he was adamant, the park was closed. At that point John said that he could check the Light Columns from there, and that it was all fine. So now we needed to head back to Capetown. I had driven us down the west side of some mountains called the Seven Apostles to the park. But I thought we would go back on the other side of the mountains through my old stomping ground, Simonstown. It is a pretty small place, and as we arrive there John says, “There is a good restaurant here.” And he guided me to it. In my mind I am trying to figure out how John could have possibly known of this restaurant. I was the only one who knew we would be going back that particular way … how on earth could John come up with this place? I guess I forgot who I was traveling with! After eating as we walked across the parking lot to the car, John quietly said to me, “You never have to come back to this place again.” Wow!
“Vincent will be in the meeting with me. Here is an outline of the workshop. Off you go.”
Brenda and I quickly started swotting up on the workshop. When the class started we had people from many countries including some Japanese who didn’t speak English. But to suffice it to say Spirit kicked in and pretty much ran the workshop for us. After we explained things there was one older lady who asked, “Are you telling me if I just say I forgive myself something will happen?”
Remembering I hadn’t done this workshop … I just asked for help from Spirit. My mouth opened and the words fell out, “Why don’t you just try it and see what happens.”
“Oh, what a good idea.” she said. Afterwards she was pretty happy with her experience, as was I with the way it all worked out with Spirit’s help and guidance.
This article was published in the September | October 2015 edition of the New Day Herald Online Magazine, available via ISSUU.
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