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TRAVEL AS AN INTERFAITH ACT

This page - Zambia, Mozambique & South Africa 2020

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Travel As An Interfaith Act
Embrace encourages all who can do so, to learn about other traditions and cultures by traveling as “Grassroots Diplomats.” We hope that people every where become life long students of our world-wide humanity.

“ In every man there is something wherein I may learn of him, and in that I am his pupil.”
                                  R.W.Emerson
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Virginia (Embrace), Dr.Anwar Barkat (World Council of Churches, UN) & Imam I.H. Kauser
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Sacred Mosi-ou-Tunya (Victoria Falls) – Zambia / Zimbabwe
Traveling to Islamic, Jewish, Christian and Traditiional Sacred Places
Plus a Visit to A Humanitarian Helping Women in Zambia To Be Self-Sufficient
This CURRENT will follow the exact order of the itinerary of the Embrace Founders. Therefore, it will start with Morocco, go to Tunisia, then Egypt, Zambia, on to Mozambique and South Africa.
ZAMBIA
MOZAMBIQUE
As always, the agenda for the trip was:

To meet with religious leaders, spiritual leaders and scholars throughout the areas we travel.

To encourage grassroots interest in organizing intercultural and interfaith events in their respective communities.

To photograph as a record, places considered sacred by the people living in these countries.

To photograph precious anthropological/ archaeological sites that are vulnerable to war and ecological damage.
Swami Satchidananda, Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan & Ajata
Elke Kroeger-Radcliff M.A., Msc. RN,  Founder (and volunteer) of the Tiko Community Centre came over with the St. Francis Hospital to help out as an RN 20 years ago. She was widowed and free and saw a need in the Katete area of Zambia. That need was helping women become financially independent because poverty is rampant in the area, as was HIV and AIDs. Truck drivers coming over the border from Mozambique, many of them from South Africa took advantage of the woman’s poverty and gave them AIDs.

Another problem is child marriages between older men and children.

Although you may see a bill board announcing that U.S. Aid and some British Goverment agency have a program with the local “Chief” to stop child marriages, there is as usual, no evidence whatsoever that any American money has been used for any purpose except to line political pockets. Ajata and Virginia have seen several supposidly U.S. Aid sites in different countries, but they are always abandoned, or don’t exist at all.  Informed people they spoke with in Mozambique nodded their heads and had witnessed the same thing.
Children Waiting to Attend Mass at the Igreja da Misericordia Catholic Church -Mozambique Island
Igreja da Misericordia Catholic Church -
Mozambique Island
The Entrance of this small Mosque is entirely covered by a Giant Tree
Take a look at these beautiful children. They have been exploited and they will probably never get the chance to go to school or perhaps to even learn to read and write or ever again have fun playing.

The Tiko Commuity gives many kinds of classes and teaches organic farming and produces many  items for sale so perhaps they will be able to develop  their potential with help from the Tiko Commuity   Center.  However, if they have a gift for astrophysics or perhaps engineering, the door seems closed.
Another problem is child marriages between older men and children
Elke arranged to have us meet Mr. John Phiri Thpaz and ask him questions about what are commonly called “witch doctors” in Zambia. 

There are strictly herbal healers who know vast amounts of information about the healing quality  of plants. There are also people who go into trance (usually by drumming.)  John is of the later catagory and is also a church bishop. In the West they are usually called trance mediums, in various indigionous communities around the world they have other titles.

In Zambia, many are legitimate, many are not.
Mr. John Phiri Thpaz (a Bishop in Church and
a Traditional Trance Healer) and  Mrs. Thpaz
Zambia is beautiful and largely undeveloped with many traditional people of close to 80 different traditions and tribes.  All get along with each other inter-marry and are proud to be part of such a peaceful and environmentally rich country.

If Western Feminists want to do something truely meaningful, they should try dedicating themselves to helping the children and women in the Eastern part of Zambia. Elke is getting older and she is looking for more dedicated w
omen.
Another View of Sacred Mosi-oa-Tunya – Zambia / Zimbabwe
Mozambique Island (Ilha de Mocambique) is a UNESCO Heritage Site with many colonial buildings from the time of Portugese domination.

The government however has made it extremely difficult for people to renovate buildings or set up businesses on the island that would attract visitors and keep them there for awhile.  In fact, many of the old buildings are falling apart and the Ajata and VIrginia agreed that of the many UNESCO Heritage Sites they have visited all over the world, this is the one in the worst condition.

It does have beautiful hotels but restaurants and cafes are very limited.  Almost no stores exist except those that service the 14,000 people that live on the island and their needs are simple. The church within the fort, the Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluarte  which is touted as tourist attraction is in deplorable condition.

However the  Igreja da Misericordia Catholic Church is active and in good condition and conducts a charming mass on Sundays.  
Buildings on Mozambique Island in Deporable Condition
Ajata with Priest at Lakshmi Narayana Temple
(Temple Location approx 300 yrs)  Mozambique Island
Nampula, Mozambique is a wonderful place to get to know the people of Mozambique.  The people of all three major religions in town, as well as Traditional Believers, get along beautifully as a community.  In fact, Tulsi Ram, a Hindu cook at one of the hotels (hired by a Muslim owner) asked us to tell the story of their Interfaith city and insisted we make a trip to the mosque.

There are also traditional craftsmen who carve wonderful stories out of a dark wood. They generally sit under trees near a small cultural museum.
Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church – Nampula
The situation in the Tete area is somewhat different and we will write about the criminal activities there in TRAVELING IN MOZAMBIQUE under CELEBRATE  HUMAITY.

Even in the Tete region, one will find many bright spots and for the Embrace Founders, it was Pastor Mike, a smiling,   big-hearted  human being and two delightful  young people called Francesca and Whiskey working under the most difficult situation.
Coastal areas in Mozambique are famous for their beauty. This is a shot taken from a loft at Samira Inn and cottages in Villankulas.  A southern coastal area of Mozambique. You can read a little more about it in TRAVELING IN MOZAMBIQUE (when it is ready) under CELEBRATE HUMANITY.
The Nampula Hindu Temple
the Day of Shivatri Celebrations
SOUTH AFRICA
Emakhhosini -Sacred Valley of the Kings - Buried here are:
King Zulu, Phuaga, Mabeda, Ndaba, Jama, Senzanga Khona, Dinuzulu
Memorial Khamba Pot  - (7  Horns Represent 7 Kings) at Entrance to Emakhosini 
Sacred Valley of Zulu Kings is home of White & Black Umfolozi Rivers
Due to the Corona Virus, Ajata and Virginia were advised by the U.S. consulate to leave South Africa a week early.

The people of South Africa as a whole are wonderful and Ajata and Virginia were disappointed in not being able to photograph and see: St. Mary’s Church in Johannesberg where Bishop Tutu gave many stirring speeches while he was Deacon there. The Embrace Founders were also disappointed to not be able to visit Nelson Mandela’s home in Soweto (near Bishop Tutu’s home) and they were sadly unable to visit the Cultural Sculpture Garden of Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa in Soweto as well.
Theshin Naicker, Guru Dhanasagaren Govender (Priest) & Ajata  -
Umbilo Shree Ambalavaanar Alayam
Umbilo Shree Ambalavaanar Alayam Hindu Temple (A National Monument)
Umbilo Shree Ambalavaanar Alayam Temple - Fire Walking Area - Durban
Virginia Whose Lovely Museum Guide Decided It Would Be Hiliarious to Put a Zulu Married Woman's Hat on Her Head (From the Display) - Shaka Zulu Museum
Shaka Zulu's Burial Site - Spiritual Ancestor to Many Zulu People -                                                                   Greg (Our Guide) & Ajata - Zululand
Curator of the Gandhi Home & Museum
  - Phoenix Settlement
Mahatma Gandhi's Home Built in 1904 (This is a Reconstruction after Apartheid Campaigners Burnt it Down)  where the Sathyagraha Movement Grew -
Phoenix, South Africa

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