by Vincent Gray
children, I have lost my fancy car, I have lost my dream house in Florida, I have lost my huge minister’s salary, and I have lost my all my savings in the massive bank account that I used to have. As many of you know I am from America, I am an American and God knows that I did not volunteer for this job. I was called by God to go to Indonesia and when my work was done in Indonesia God sent me to South Africa. By some strange miracle Pastor Dumisani was waiting for me at the airport. When I got off the plane at Durban I walked into the arrivals not knowing who was going to be there to meet me if anyone at all. Then out of the crowds a tall Zulu man stepped forward and walked up to me. He stretched out his hand and said: Welcome Pastor! However, tonight I am an illegal alien in your country, my visa has expired and my passport has expired, I am an illegal resident in South Africa, I am currently living illegally here in Phoenix with Pastor Dumisani in a small corrugated iron shack hidden in the bush. We are living without electricity and running water, and the security police have been on our trail now over the past few days. Over the past few days I have been hiding from the police in the bush. I have been sleeping in the bush in the same suit I am wearing tonight and I have not washed or shaved for three days. I have been living in the bush with monkeys and snakes as my only companions. I would not be surprised if I am arrested tonight as a subversive terrorist and thrown into jail. Many of you have offered me a place in your homes here in Phoenix and I thank you. But given my illegal status I did not want impose on anyone. I thank you for the sustenance that you have provided for me and Pastor Dumisani, we are both very grateful for your kindness, without your support and care we would not have been able to do the work of God in Phoenix.”
As he spoke nine wheelchairs and with their occupants were pushed through the main entrance into the marquee, they were pushed down the aisle towards the podium by their minders who seemed to be friends and family. The preacher stopped speaking. A hushed silence fell over the congregation as they stared wide eyed at the train of wheelchairs. They stared at the individuals seated stiffly in the wheelchairs, all were smartly dressed in their new burial outfits, consisting of smart frocks and suits, all the individuals seated in their wheelchairs were obviously very dead.
Trevor could see that they were corpses. There was no mistaking that fact. Now the congregation, unable to control their curiosity, started standing up, craning their necks to get a clear glimpse of the death masks.
Then from outside they head a voice speaking from a loudhailer:
“This is the police, your gathering has been declared in terms of the law as an illegal gathering, you all must vacate the tent immediately and disperse back to your homes.”
As the police with their batons at the ready entered the tent, the American pastor shouted at those seated in the wheelchairs:
“I command you in the name of God to wake up and go home immediately.”
The eyes of those seated in their wheelchairs suddenly opened wide. Their rigid death masks melted away and mobile expressions of confusion and bewilderment filled their faces as they stared stupidly at their surroundings. Awkwardly they all struggled to get up out of their wheelchairs.
An icy chill raced down Trevor’s back and he felt the hair rise on the back of his neck. The congregation began to scream in terror as they fell over each other in a state of panic while trying to flee from the spectacle unfolding in the aisle of the tent as relatives and friends began to hug those who were once dead. At that moment several canisters of teargas were fired into the tent and then complete pandemonium broke out.
Having escaped from the marquee, the congregation gathered into a huge excited crowd, which seemed to swarm and mill about in the veld in a constant of state of agitated amazement, wonder and uncertainty. Slowly they began to collectively comprehend the nature of the phenomenon which they had all just witnessed. The meaning and significance of what they had seen began to sink in. This collective realization that they had just seen people being raised from the dead transformed them into a state of sublime and transcendental ecstasy. Possessed by a powerful sense of invincibility they refused to disperse. The policeman with the loudhailer commanded the crowd to disperse again and again but to no avail.
Resisting the command to disperse the defiant crowd began to sing with one voice:
Senzenina
Sono sethu ubumnyama
Sono sethu yinyaniso
Sibulawayo
Mayibuye i Africa.
Under the full moon on a clear winter’s night Pastor Dumisani and the American missionary gave themselves up to the police. The singing crowds watched while the two evangelists were handcuffed and bundled unceremoniously into the back of a police van.
After the police had set the marquee ablaze the policeman with the loudhailer commanded the crowd to disperse immediately. The crowd stubbornly stood their ground while singing protest songs.
Suddenly without warning they started to hear gunshots. In the dark Trevor could see the flame flashes from the muzzle of rifles. The crowd screaming in terror turned and fled into the night. Trevor grabbed Faeeza, wrapping his arms around her so he that could shield her head and body with his own body as rubber bullets rained down on the crowd bouncing off their heads, shoulders, and backs. He felt the sharp stinging blow of a rubber bullet as it struck him with its full force on the back. Faeeza felt his body stiffen as an involuntary groan escaped from his mouth.
Fearing the worst she cried out:
“Trevor are you OK! Please tell me that you are OK!”
“I am Ok. I think I have been hit by a rubber bullet.”
Back at the Suleiman’s home Faeeza and her mother fussed over the swollen ugly bruising on Trevor’s back.
VI
After the wedding reception at the Phoenix Full Gospel Church hall Trevor and Faeeza drove the bridal couple in Trevor’s Kombi to their honeymoon suite which happened to be at the beachfront Maharani Hotel. With Trevor carrying a suitcase in each hand both he and Faeeza followed the newly weds into the plush hotel foyer. Once they had booked in at the reception, they followed the newly weds into the lift to the 8th floor bridal suite. The bridegroom unlocked the door and Trevor lugged the heavy suitcases into the room. Faeeza drew the curtains and opened the sea facing windows. The curtains billowed in the sea breeze. Faeeza sat on the wedding bed and gazed around at the bridal suite.
A mood of profound poignancy filled the bridal suite. Faeeza and Trevor both felt it; they recognized it in each others eyes as they exchanged intimate and meaningful glances, they also saw it in the eyes of the bridal couple.
“I think we should be going,” Faeeza said.
They took the lift down. As they walked across the foyer she said:
“We don’t have go back to Phoenix right away. If you don’t mind we can go for a walk on the beach. I know a nice spot. It is at the beach which has been reserved for Indians.”
Half an hour later, they found themselves strolling in the dark on the remote beach which had been set aside for Indians. Their hands kept on brushing and in response to some kind of mysterious reflex they spontaneously grasped each other’s hand. Their fingers quickly became intertwined, locking their hands in an expression of mutual reciprocal intimacy.
Hand in hand they walked together in silence yet fully conscious that they had just crossed a profound threshold into the unknown.
“Do you believe in love at first sight,” she suddenly asked, breaking the silence.
“Well, after three days in Phoenix anything is possible,” he answered.
“Do you feel that you could become an Indian after spending three days in Phoenix,” she asked.
“What will it take for me to become an Indian?” he said.
“Our love for each other,” she answered.
“Can we only love each other if both of us are Indians?” he asked.
“I don’t know, but that is a profound question,” she answered.
After a long silence, she spoke:
“Do y
ou know what Ruth said to Naomi?”
“No.”
“‘Ruth said to Naomi: Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.’ ”
“Will your people become my people?” He asked.
“Yes.”
“After only three days in Phoenix.”
“Yes.”
“So I have to become an Indian to be with you, and for you to be a part of my life?” He asked.
“Yes, I definitely cannot become white. And if you love me and want me then you have to become an Indian,” she replied.
“How do I become an Indian?”
“It is easy. You just go to the Department of Home Affairs, tell them that you want to become an Indian, they will give you some forms to fill in, the form will then be stamped and signed and you will be reclassified as an Indian. You need to take two passport size photos and they will give you a new ID book and then you will be legally an Indian and we can be together,” she said.
“And then where will I get work as an Indian?”
“That is easy, just leave it to us Indians. My uncle is a very influential businessman and is also politically connected, he will be able to ensure that you get a job at the University of Durban Westville as a lecturer in Genetics,”
