World mourns Madiba’s death
How do you thank someone for their unconditional love? You live ... that is how you thank him.
Hearts shattered and the world stood still when it was announced that Nelson Mandela had died.
People from several countries around the world and former South Africans, shared their feelings with the EXPRESS.
Some comments follow.
Vicky Vishaka, former South African now living in London:
The greatest battle I would ever have to fight was fought for me by someone who did not even know me. His stand was a stand for every human being, every man, woman and child to be free from oppression. How do you thank someone for giving you something you did not know you did not have?
How do you thank someone for sacrificing 27 years of his life behind prison bars so that millions like me could walk free?
How do you thank someone for showing the world that for change, forgiveness is paramount, even when he himself has lost so much in the process?
How do you thank someone for their unconditional love?
You live … that is how you thank him.
That is how you thank the Martin Luther King Juniors, the Nelson Mandelas, the Aung San Suu Kyis, the Mahatma Gandhis, the Dalai Lamas and the Eleanor Roosevelts of this world.
We take life for granted. We take the air we breathe for granted. We have a limited time on earth. We must use this time to transform life to what we desire it to be.
Enough with all this drama that goes on in our heads! Enough with our fears and insecurities! Enough with the self-loathing! Enough with the looking good! Enough!
Annalee Nagura:
I have been living in Ireland for almost 11 years now and I can honestly say that when most people find out I am South African, they ask or speak about Nelson Mandela. Ireland was against apartheid. A major supermarket’s employees even refused to touch goods imported from apartheid South Africa.
When Nelson Mandela was released we watched him walk out smiling and waving to the people. At school we had been given literature on stock-piling food for the anticipated trouble. Nelson Mandela gave us all hope.
He is loved everywhere, by young and old. The South African community here in Ireland is talking about him. We have him in our thoughts and prayers. Whatever does happen in South Africa, Nelson Mandela will be missed … his presence, his diplomacy and his ability to bring people together.
Kathi Smith:
Living north of the United States, I was painfully aware as I grew up of the segregation in the southern United States, of the civil rights struggles and the great leaders of those struggles and the price they had paid for freedom for African Americans. Certainly Martin Luther King remains a hero of mine. But because of the unique make-up of Canada, I also become painfully aware of the struggles in South Africa and this remarkable person, Nelson Mandela.
I do not remember exactly when I became aware but our national media always had stories from South Africa. In the mid-1980s, when the struggles had heightened to violence, our local paper carried headlines each day of what was happening in the country.
I was working for Junior Achievement and we were about to host four Hewlett Packard-sponsored students from South Africa in Kitchener before they attended a national conference in London, Ontario. Two were students from private schools in Johannesburg and two were students from Soweto.
They were shocked that we had headlines in our newspaper about their country. I listened to these teenagers talk about what was happening in their country and was moved even more by what Nelson Mandela represented. Nelson Mandela’s gifts to the world have been many.
He taught us all how important it is to never give up on your dream. He taught us patience and perseverance. He taught us that segregation is not the way to a peaceful and harmonious society. He devoted his life to social justice and equality. He taught us about joy and humour.
He provided a great example of leadership as he led in front in a determined and committed manner and when he led quietly from behind. Our world is much richer because of Nelson Mandela. His impact was felt around the world, not just in the beautiful country of South Africa.
The joy felt in South Africa on the day he walked out of prison was shared just as emotionally in Canada.
The sorrow that is felt so deeply about what are likely the final days of Madiba are felt as strongly by many in our country as we pray for this remarkable man.
I also pray that his work does not go for naught and that people not lose sight of the work that he did, the beliefs that he held and the vision that he had for the great country that South Africa is.
May another leader who does not fall pray to the seductive siren of self-serving policies, continue to build on the work of this remarkable man who will be sorely missed by people around the world.
