In the doctor's waiting room

Bishop Steve’s youngest child Ngato is poorly. We have an appointment at the doctor’s at 11:45am. One hour later we are still waiting. Bishop Steve is very fed up and surprised by this long wait. As I wait I become aware of my prejudice directed towards the white Afrikaans speakers in the doctor’s surgery. Over all these years we have sought to share with our black brothers and sisters in their battle against apartheid and felt horror, outrage and disgust towards the perpetrators of this instrument of injustice. We have pointed the finger at the Dutch Reformed Church for their justification of apartheid from Scripture. So that white Afrikaans voice, and very presence, spoke to me of something hateful and destructive.
I share my feelings with Bishop Steve. With characteristic wisdom he comments that there are both white and black people who haven’t caught up with the times but that despite large mixed gatherings in real terms there is a limit to the mixing that goes on. A little later we pass Klerksdorp Hospital. ‘That used to be for whites only’ he said. ‘Now it is for all people’.