From Pilgrims to Prisoners: A South African Plot Twist

(A.K.A., Goodbye Olive Trees, Hello Prison Keys)

By Eryn (Nursing, '27)

Sanibonani!

We started off the day a little later than usual as Matthew, one of our trip leaders, so graciously moved back our breakfast time to 9am. Many were pleased to have some extra beauty sleep and time to pack as it was our last morning at Goedgedacht and we had to prepare for another journey, but this time across the country.

Our breakfast was nothing but delightful as we had a scrumptious yogurt parfait topped with either oranges or grapefruit. Many were thrilled at the site of bread as it was always wonderfully prepared and equally delicious. The amazing staff kindly served us scrambled eggs, baked beans, and roasted tomatoes as well. Some students, mainly the Wisconsinites, added shredded cheese to their eggs as well.

We met as a group around 10am to embark on the Goedgedacht Pilgrimage. This was an opportunity of a lifetime lead by the one and only director of Goedgedacht, Deon. This was our chance to focus on self-discovery and participate in a spiritual journey with the intention of personal growth, exploration, and reflection. Deon challenged us to stay silent during the pilgrimage, and he took us to prime locations across the grounds. The pilgrimage included 8 various stations: the statue of Maria, the barn, the Manor house, the boma, the olive grove memorial wall, the millennium tree, the food forest, and the chapel.

Deon gave everyone a little pamphlet that contained a short excerpt describing the significance of each location. He asked students to kindly contribute and read the descriptions. At the end of each excerpt, Deon would guide us in a brief meditation consisting of closing our eyes, taking a deep breath, focusing on our surroundings, and reflecting on the purpose of each station within the pilgrimage. Deon also encouraged us to look for a symbol throughout the pilgrimage that resonated with us or represented the pilgrimage experience.

After our final station, we walked to the chapel where 18 seats were placed. We took a moment in our morning to debrief one last time together at Goedgedacht and with Deon. We went around the group stating one thing that we took away from our time at Goedgedacht in one short, but meaningful sentence. We concluded our pilgrimage by citing the Goedgedacht prayer as a group, and Deon wished us well and gave us a blessing.

We were not ready to say goodbye just yet, so Matthew brought us up to the memorial garden just a few steps from the chapel. This garden is filled with olive trees dedicated to many of the people whose faith inspired them to stand up to the apartheid system. The olive trees in this grove had been grafted from olive trees in Gethsemane.

Goedgedacht offers an opportunity to purchase an olive tree to honor persons who have had an impact in the world. We made the decision to plant tree in honor of Amanda "Ray" McCray, a Viterbo alum who passed way in 2021. Ray was a deep soul whose commitment to sustainability and the earth are honored in the spirit and practice of Goedgedacht. Ray was a student on Matthew's 2018 study abroad to South Africa. This trip was a significant part of her life, and it contributed to the person that she became.

Ray, front row, third from left. South Africa 2018.

We had one last chance to go finish packing or wander around the grounds. Many strolled around the area observing the names of the people on the memorial garden plaque, or they took some much needed contemplation time using the labyrinth. Fun fact, Viterbo has a labyrinth located outside the nursing building found on campus. Anyone that took VUSM-100 with Matthew so graciously got to learn about it and test it out for themselves.

The morning was winding down and we packed up the van with all of our luggage and trekked back down the cobblestone path one last time, mainly trying not to trip, but also taking in the beautiful views that surrounded Goedgedacht. We met back up in the common room within the main building on the grounds and had an opportunity to use our angelic voices and sing our well rehearsed piece, "Freedom is Coming." The only problem was that our only audience was Pieter, the knowledgeable farmer of Goedgedacht, and so we made our own version, best known as, Pieter is Coming. Unfortunately, we need to rehearse a bit more before our Broadway debut of "Shosholoza."

We ate another delicious lunch consisting of a fresh salad and chicken stir fry. We piled into the van and we prepared for our next adventure of getting to the Cape Town Airport in a timely, but safe, manner.

It was hard to say goodbye to a place that had left a tremendous impact on all of our lives and the way we view not only the world, but the agricultural industry and the history of South Africa. Every moment we were there, there was always something to learn or take back with us. From our first encounter of watching a short film featuring Deon, to our last session touching on the concept of Theology and Social Justice, Goedgedacht brought us opportunities to truly learn and put ourselves in the shoes of the South African people. We dived into how the reconciliation process actually works in response to complex situations such as Apartheid and connected with the many people that keep Goedgedacht a vital and supporting family for many.

Goedgedacht is a community determined to help their neighbors and is filled with many people who have the passion to help any and all people and make a difference in people's lives. They are on a journey to better the future, provide the resources for what the people need, and share the love with everyone they cross paths with. On behalf of the group, I sincerely thank Goedgedacht for all that they have done and the immense hospitality they continued to provide throughout our stay. This experience will never be forgotten and hopefully future students are able to experience an opportunity that this place made possible.

We eventually arrived to the airport, made it through the stressful airport security, and boarded our flight some time before 5pm. We landed at the Durban Airport around 7:30pm and most of us were a little tired, but ready to start the next part of our trip on the Eastern side of South Africa.

We met up with a leader from Project Gateway, which is our new accommodation where we will stay for 6 days. We drove an hour and half and then arrived and met more staff and enjoyed some tasty pizza for a late night dinner.

Next was the part of the day we had all been waiting for and anticipating. We checked into our rooms and opened up the doors and said hello to our new rooms located in an old prison. I'm talking communal bathrooms, smaller spaces, and all of us being on the same floor. We are all basically block mates. We are so thankful that Project Gateway can host us and cannot wait for the new opportunities ahead of us. For many of us this will be quite the learning curve.

P.S. Do not forget to wish Matthew a Happy Birthday!! (05/23!!)