Aliens

Before she takes our order on a sunny terras, she introduces herself as “Future”. Asked about her background she tells us that she’s from the neigbouring country of Zimbabwe. She came to South Africa a year ago.

“Future”. I tell her I like her name. It contains hope, there’s a sense of expectation.

“Future”. What a contrast with what the South African news bulletins are showing us these days. I just got back from the Netherlands and am overwhelmed by the stories of ongoing violence in Zimbabwe and since last week also the violence that’s flaring up in this country that I’ve started to call my own.

Xenofobia they call it. Fear of foreigners. Well, I’m a foreigner. But I’m not in such a desperate situation as my 3 million fellow foreigners from Zimbabwe who have sought refuge here.

Over the past years political violence and economical chaos in Zim caused a steady flow of migrants, crossing the borders into South Africa. They were looking for and hoping to find a safe haven in a nation that used to be known for it’s world's most liberal immigration and refugee policies.

However these days it’s no-one less than struggle heroes Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu who have to remind South Africans of their history and where they themselves have been. In the apartheid years they were strangers scattered over foreign nations, banned from home. Although poor they were welcomed in other African countries. Tutu: "We can't repay them by killing their children. Please stop the violence now."

It’s an echo from an ancient message, a message that was for the people of Israel: “ The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 19:34)

As an echo it's also a far cry from reality then and now. Cause between then and now, in the past 4000 years, not much has changed. Humans are still humans. And they are killing, looting and raping. And if necessary, because they feel threatened, they will turn their axes, spears and guns to their neighbors, their brothers and sisters.

So, is God actually in touch with this reality? His words seem to be so far away from the present as it presents itself to me right now.
But I believe and I think He is. And because of that there must be more to his words than a nice sounding, humanist approach to the problem of migration. "I am the LORD your God". That should be the perspective. Back then, and now.