BE OUR GUESTS

We were invited to be guests at the South Africa Chamber of Commerce and Industry National Convention.  It was held at a beautiful venue that provided an opportunity to interface with business owners, industry leaders and government agencies.  I took my second walk on a red carpet and turned no heads, had no journalists rushing up for interviews and made no fashion statement in spite of my missionary nametag, trendy support stockings and frumpy flat shoes.  It reminded me of the time in my youth when I accompanied an incredibly handsome date to attend Judy Garland’s opening night performance at the Greek Theater in Griffith Park near Hollywood.  The press rushed up to us and pushed a microphone into our faces.  Then the reporter took a double take and stepped back peering quizzically into our faces.   Then she asked the burning question all of Judy’s fans and inquiring minds wanted the answer to, “Are you somebody?”  We looked at one another to verify that we were still clothed in mortality and gave an affirmative nod as we walked on toward the theater.  No one even bothered to ask on this red carpet!  At least we didn’t make the “worst dressed” list on the evening news!

The main guest of honor was the president of the country, Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma.  Coincidentally, he attended an event we attended at the venue that hosted our Welfare Couple’s Conference the week before.  All we saw of him then was his entourage of security trying to whisk him from the public.  They cleared the entire hotel during his visit.  Our missionary couples from Kenya and other areas were booted from their rooms to help guarantee the safety of the president.  Here’s some information about him: 

President Zuma was born in Nkandla, Zululand .  His father was a policeman who died when Zuma was still a young boy.  His mother was a domestic worker.  He received no formal schooling.  Convicted of conspiring to overthrow the Apartheid, he was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, which he served on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela.  Zuma is an economic leftist, who describes himself as a socialist and believes in the redistribution of wealth, other than his own.   Zuma is a polygamist who has been married six times and has about 20 children. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Zuma) Zuma paid 10 cattle as lobola (bride price or dowry) for Swazi Princess Sebentile Dlamini in 2002.  His third wife had five children including twins Duduzile and Duduzane.  The twins were 16 years-old when their mother committed suicide.  It is reported that Zuma has eight out-of-wedlock children.  At least one wife has active HIV.  He was quoted as asking people "to do as I say and not as I do".  His solution to pregnancy in South African teenagers is to confiscate their babies and have the mothers taken to colleges and forced to obtain degrees and also to make sure that condoms are available in diverse institutions.
 

Our reserved table at the SACCI gala dinner was close to President Zuma.  Because of the size and appearance of my camera, I was presumed to be a journalist and press photographer so was given access to the president.  Security was tight and scanners were set up at the end of the red carpet.  A Turkish dignitary, who was a guest speaker, came with a huge entourage of security people, after a nearby diamond shopping spree.  When we entered the area for the gala dinner, there was an army of waiters standing at attention throughout the large ballroom.

Throughout the two-day convention we learned things relative to our assignment in providing career and self-employment training opportunities.  Unemployment, under-employment and failed business endeavors all run exceptionally high in this country and throughout most of the continent.

During the interludes of presentations, we walked through the nicely landscaped grounds and enjoyed some of the abundant beauty the Lord created here.  We enjoyed a nature walk and meandered along trails that lead through trees, flowers and waterfalls.  We encountered several varieties of fair feathered friends.  One was particularly “foul!”  We learned not to assume that a beautiful swan princess was safe to court.  When I moved close to the water to capture a photo, her long neck jetted out of the water and bit me on the shin.  They looked so serene floating along the pond that I was completed aghast at the surprise attack of “foul” play.  No more mister nice guy.  Apparently, they are very territorial.  I have had close encounters with lions, cheetahs and other beasts of prey but never imagined I’d be attacked by a swan!  Better watch your back when you cross the moat into Sleeping Beauty’s Castle.

The highlight of the experience was having people come up and ask about the church and having opportunities to respond to their questions.  When we drove through the security gates of the property, one of the guards read our nametags and said, “Elder Basso, do you have something for me to read about your church?”  We said, “Yes!”  Then we pulled into the VIP waiting space to retrieve a Book of Mormon from the boot (trunk).  I told him that the book was another testament of Jesus Christ and that it contained a history of early Americans and God’s dealings with them.  I testified that the amazing thing about the book was that it is true.  In keeping with traditional African respect, he nodded his head with an arm placed across his chest and said, “Thank you, Baba.  Leave your car here and I will watch it.”   Thankfully, he did - as I forgot to close my window!  That’s an oversight you can’t afford to make in this crime-ridden country. 

All in all, it was an interesting opportunity to break from the norm, meet new people, visit the Gallagher Estate and be their guests.