I grew up in a farming community like many of you did.
When I began the World Race I realized just how passionate I am about agriculture, and more specifically, agriculturalists. This passion especially surfaced when I heard of the injustice agriculturalists face in South Africa.
Since I’ve left, my parents have canned sweet corn and hauled fat steers to market. My dad has returned to teaching ag classes at OHS and my sister to study agriculture at Lake Land College. My friends and family anticipate harvest season as fall approaches. This is our norm. I often overlooked these privileges, but not anymore.
I took a car ride the other day with “V,” a rather talkative man. I learned a lot from V on our trip up the mountain. He told me stories of South African history, and as a result, South African culture today. My heart broke.
Time for a quick history lesson: From 1948 to 1994, South Africa battled a racial divide that severed the morale of the entire country. This is known as the Apartheid era. I was fairly unfamiliar with Apartheid, but it became more clear when compared to segregation in the United States. Martin Luther King fought for equal rights in America, just as Nelson Mandela did in South Africa. The main theme = equality. The result = passive aggressive division. While whites and blacks began to coexist in public settings, there was obvious animosity, which still remains today.
V and I passed orange and lemon groves, among other agricultural operations, as we chatted. He told me most farmers in South Africa don’t live on their farms. In fact, they can’t live on their farms without constant fear of murder. MURDER?! I was floored.
(Let me preface this paragraph by saying I intend no racism through my words, rather I am using usual Afrikaans language – black and white are used commonly and casually.)
Many strong functioning agriculture operations in South Africa were formed by white families through colonization. They quite literally took their ancestor’s techniques and planted their roots in South African soil. However, now people with white skin live in fear – in fear of losing their jobs, or worse, their lives. In South Africa, black people mostly have the right to do what they want, when they want and how they want with no reprimands from the government. Many white farmers lose their lives, their land and their legacies in the same day. Black people kill white farmers, take their land and attempt to operate farms they know nothing about.
“The farmer knows just what to do, for God has given him understanding.” Isaiah 28:26
Agriculture is biblical. South African society has taken and twisted this truth. Farmers here no longer know what to do. They struggle and they battle painfully real scenarios. My heart hurts for these agriculturalists. I write this only to emphasize my thankfulness of American agriculture. We are still the land of plenty and I want to remind you all to never forget our freedoms – agriculturally and beyond. We get to can corn and haul market steers, teach ag and reap bountiful harvests without fear.
Today, thank God for our ability to farm, and thank a farmer for pursuing the Lord’s calling no matter what the cost.
Much love,
Carley
