The past few weeks have been a difficult time for us as The Warehouse community. On the 26th of May, after being diagnosed with end-stage liver cancer just a month before, our dear sister, friend, and colleague of over eight years – Ntombi Tshingilane – passed away. Our hearts are grieved for not only our loss, but that of her family, and in particular, her two young boys. We are planning to put together a newsletter tribute to Ntombi within the next few weeks, but for now, in youth month in South Africa, we dedicate this newsletter to our sister who loved and passionately gave herself for the cause of children and young people.
Helpful Resources
ECD and Centring the Struggles of the Marginalised
In our latest podcast episode, Thandi and Nkosi chat about Youth day, commemorating struggle, centring the voices and struggles of the marginalised, and organising for support of Early Childhood Development centres in townships.
While the local church is well-positioned and capacitated to provide protection and advocacy for the well-being of children within their spaces and communities, this is not a given. It is key that churches are equipped to play this important role, and this is what our resource, Children, Church and the Law, seeks to do…
An illustration from Zach Stewart’s body of work exploring how the Bible has been used to oppress people.
Welcome to My South Africa
A poem by Lynn Ruv (17)
Welcome to my South Africa
Where we do not fear gunshots and knives
My South Africa
Where my sister prefers giving up her life
Due to pressure
Caused by teenage pleasure
Where pregnancy at the age of 15/16 is a norm
Where she depends on R400 donated by SASSA to raise a kid
Welcome to My South Africa
Where we breathe and eat Poverty
Hustling is Killing our Mothers sisters and aunts
Welcome to my South Africa
Where culture, tradition and respect for elders has lost its Value
Welcome to My South Africa
Where our parents have given up on the idea of us being successful
Welcome to the Youth Site
Where we live and breathe just for the sake of it
Where death seems to be the only way out
Welcome to my South Africa
Where our youth is depressed
by different things
Nobody knows of
Where our caregivers are too blind to notice
Welcome to my South Africa
Where my sisters have to give up their pride and shame their bodies as means of survival
Welcome
You are very much welcome
To the dusty roads
So filthy and there’s smoke
So dark it’s our souls
Noisy we’re screaming
Crying for help
Understanding and care
Welcome to our South Africa
Where Our youth Does not dream of change but death
Where desires goals and dreams are unfulfilled
Welcome to my South Africa
Where youth is just a 5 letter word
Welcome to my South Africa
Where the number of Youth decreases by the day
Welcome to my South Africa
where YOUTH is just a word
With no Meaning
What we have been up to…
Sojourners Summit
This month, Rene has been in the United States at the Sojourners Summit – a summit geared towards helping leaders committed to changing the world through faith and justice. Rene, together with Rev. Frank Chikane, has been reflecting on lessons from SA.
Pentecostalism and Justice
In May we hosted Nadine Bowers Du Toit, Jonathan Martin, and Luthando Tofu for a beautiful conversation around the Pentecostal movement, its complexities, and its gift to us as we navigate space of injustice, and God’s heart for restoration for all of creation.
Sustainability Project
This year we have kicked off our Sustainability Project which seeks to equip those pastoring churches in low-income areas with tools to do the work of caring for God’s people and doing the work of justice and transformation in ways that are life-giving and sustainable.
Part of our hope for this night (beyond generative, life and city-changing conversation) is to raise funds for Caroline Powell and Ntando Mlambo who have been invited to present a paper at a conference themed around theology and spatial justice in Bamberg, Germany. If you would like to give to their trip, please donate to The Warehouse account using the word ‘Bamberg’ to indicate where it should go.
