Met groot opgewondenheid het ons die hartspad N7 gevat vanaf Kaapstad tot Springbok. Terwyl ons ry vra ek waar die gesprek gaan plaasvind en Bianca sê so lekker Nababiep en ek sê nog noeit nie: Dis Na ba beep – Nababeep.
Die Woensdag-oggend deurgery tot in Nababeep vir die gesprek en met groot vreugde weer klomp bekende gesigte gesien. Ons begin toe met die 1 min 20 sek gesprek met ‘n random maat – een moes net luister en die ander een praat en andersom. Dominee Terblanche sê toe: “Lyntjie nee jong jy sal die mense moet sê hier xhorro ons, kan nog nooit so vinnig praat en luister nie”. So begin ons die dialoog.
Die Human Sexuality Dialogue was goed ontvang deur die Ring van Steinkopf, maar het net meer vrae ontlok wat vir my sê die Kerk is op die regte plek vir meer gesprekke. Baie van ons grootmense was daar en sommige van die besprekings was vreemde begrippe, maar hulle wil verstaan. Hulle was diep geraak. Daar was diep-diep hartsgepreke.
Ons het die aand ‘n intieme bymekaarkoms met ‘n paar queer Beloveds gehad en deur hulle lived experiences gehoor hoe swaar dit nog op kleiner plekke gaan. Daar was ‘n gelag en trane en toe weer ‘n gelag. Daar was gevra vir IAM dat hierdie nie ‘n “once off” moet wees nie. “Moet asb nie van ons vergeet nie… hier gaan ook niks aan vir die Queers nie…”
Namakwaland is warm met liefde en hart en wanneer jy gesê word “kom weer, julle is welkom” dan bedoel ons dit.
So IAM kom weer toe…….
The above is a reflection by Lyntjie Jaars. Her “kom-van-daan” is Springbok, Namakaland where Afrikaans is as natural to the community as the red sand beneath their feet. She speaks from the heart as a storyteller, a narrator, a daughter of the soil of Springbok.
The Dialogue was authentic – participants from the URCSA congregations spoke from the heart. Many of the terminology and interpretations where new, sometimes foreign or “Volksvreemd”, but they were committed to grapple and struggle with scared texts, faith and human sexuality.
It was challenging to separate the stereotypical, pre-conceived ideas people and “the church” have of LGBTQI+ persons. Thinking outside of the binary boxes is always challenging. Many came with deep spiritual and theological questions, and we realised that we just scraped the tip of the iceberg. Many more honest and raw conversations will need to be facilitated by brave conversation partners to shift, unlearn and transform.
Neil’s personal story of his coming out as a young gay man within a conservative community and church moved hearts. His sharing was raw and filled with emotions. But it was proven once again that the church cannot have these conversations without centering the lived realities and experiences of Queer bodies within URCSA.
The last word… IAM remains committed to accompanying SKLAS in these brave conversation spaces.
Marlow Valentine
IAM Programme Manager
