This is perhaps as critical an event as any we have helped to organize. The campaign is called Stand for Truth: From Pentecost to Soweto, and through it we hope to involve thousands of concerned persons of faith across the nation to help end U.S. support of the apartheid regime in South Africa. It is both exciting and urgent, challenging and necessary.
After the bombing of Khotso House in Johannesburg last August (see "The House of Peace," Sojourners, November 1988), and in response to an urgent appeal from the South African churches for worldwide action and support, the South Africa Crisis Coordinating Committee was formed in the United States. Participants include representatives from mainline Protestant denominations, the historic black churches, the U. S. Catholic Conference, many evangelicals, and others. From this base, we hope to involve all of the churches and major anti-apartheid groups across the country to form a massive mobilization for a campaign that will launch a lasting movement in our land.
The campaign has several elements. Building upon our past successes with Peace Pentecost events, we will begin this campaign on Pentecost Sunday, May 14, 1989. We are encouraging local churches to focus their worship services on our spiritual union with the suffering churches in South Africa. Just as the birth of the church was made possible by the powerful in-breaking of the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost, we hope to see a rebirth of conscience in our land built upon that "blessed tie that binds."
After each worship service, nonviolent marches, vigils, and actions will be held in each city or town. These public witnesses, held at symbolically significant facilities and sites related to South Africa or U.S. policy toward the Pretoria government, will help to galvanize local attention and prepare congregations to ready themselves for further action.
Throughout the month following Pentecost Sunday, we will be engaged in local education, Bible study, prayer, and preparation. Major speaking tours throughout the nation will help to focus public attention on South Africa. Anti-apartheid leader Allan Boesak and I are planning to do a speaking tour together in many major metropolitan areas to get the word out: God is calling us to change direction on South Africa. We hope these events will build momentum for a major rally and direct action event to be held in Washington, D.C., on June 16 and 17, 1989.
Soweto Days will culminate the campaign. We are calling on supporters to come to Washington, D.C., on Friday, June 16, 1989, to fill the halls of Congress, focusing on passage of the sanctions bill. This action will be geared toward convincing Congress that it should not be hesitant to pursue an aggressive stance against apartheid. The sanctions bill is presently one of our best avenues for such nonviolent resistance. We will also hold an interfaith worship service on Friday night to pray for guidance, to celebrate our vision, and to prepare for the next day's events.
Saturday, June 17, 1989, will find us all (we hope for many thousands) gathered on the grounds of the Jefferson Memorial where we will issue forth a clear message. We will commemorate and denounce the indiscriminate slaughter of blacks in the South African township of Soweto 13 years ago. We will remember the slain, pray for the suffering, march for change, and celebrate our deeply held faith that apartheid will fall!
From there we will proceed directly to the gates of the White House where we hope to have thousands of people, trained in nonviolence, engaging in civil disobedience at each gate. The failed White House policy of "constructive engagement" toward white South Africa must be ended. All indications are that President George Bush plans to continue that ambiguous, weak, and morally indefensible policy; The new president must be confronted with the moral determination of many Americans to stand resolutely against apartheid and for a free South Africa.
Many others will be marching around the White House, singing, praying, and supporting those who will fill the D.C. jails. Through it all, we believe that President Bush will get the message that he must change his stance on South Africa or face tremendous resistance at home - resistance literally at his front doorstep.
I THINK SOWETO DAYS could be one of the most spiritually significant and politically important times we have seen. I pray you and your congregations will help us in this effort. If so, Stand for Truth: From Pentecost to Soweto will be not only a memorable experience, but it will leave a lasting mark upon us all, helping to reshape the future of our country as well as South Africa, a land of violent oppression and expectant hope. The churches of South Africa have called upon us in their hour of need and we dare not let them down.
We deeply hope you will join with us in this venture of faith and solidarity. I look forward to hearing from you.
Jim Wallis is editor-in-chief of Sojourners.
Got something to say about what you're reading? We value your feedback!