It is Mandela's birthday, and right now he is lying in a hospital bed, bound to it by illness with only the memories of a lifetime of incredible work. South African's have dedicated this day to him, asking people to perform 67 minutes of "do-gooding" to show that they really care. It's something Madiba would be glad to advocate, they suppose, considering that he dedicated his whole life to saving the dignity of an entire nation and the future of the generations to come. He was an icon, a political and spiritual leader, a figure of power and freedom.
In this Kinderhuis* (a place that really does take children out of horrific situations and give them a chance at recovery) we partook in Mandela Day. The result? Conscientious people have flocked here in great swarms to do their stint of do-gooding, and leave with a guilty free conscience. The reality? They sat and folded hundreds of newsletters, to be sent to the invaluable donors and sponsors of the children's home. The essence of it was there. Indeed, these fool hardy volunteers were providing a lot of assistance. There were 1000's of leaflets, and admin really did not have enough hands to get them all folded and sent off before the deadline. So yes, I suppose their 67 minutes was worthwhile. What is admonishable is that fact that when asked what they did for Madiba Day, most will say, "I went to work in a Children's Home for neglected and abused kids, what about you?".
Of course, all around South Africa there will be people who are trying to make a difference. Feeding children in townships, giving out HIV treatment, working in places of refuge for abused women, all for 67 minutes. But then, what about the people who partake in this work around the clock? The people who saw the suffering, experienced a bit of empathy and said, "No, not on my watch"? Is it not a crime, that so many people can be allowed to do such amazing work, for only 67 minutes on a single day out of 365, when there are hundreds more who made the effort to turn it into a life project? Understandably, there are those who don't want to dedicate their lives to the cause, and that's fair enough. But do not then show up at a place of impoverishment, suffering and disease like some sort of angelic hero for 1 hour and walk away feeling like you changed the world. It is just wrong.
Mandela is an incredible person, someone with ambrosial qualities who is a source of light and hope for hundreds of thousands of people across South Africa, and his birthday is another milestone in the epic timeline of his life. We should commemorate him, appreciate him in our own ways and above all, realise that it was his continuous activity, and the persistent and undying loyalty of his colleagues, family and friends that changed the face of South African history: not 67 minutes playing with under-nourished children in a township.
But hey, maybe I'm wrong. We're just taking it one baby step at a time.
* The name had to remain anonymous.
