SENZENI NA? – WHAT HAVE WE DONE?

Rev. Dr. Michael J Nel

December 2022

In the apartheid era in South Africa those gathered in the Church and walking behind the coffin to the cemetary sang Senzeni Na? It was the cry to God of family members and members of the community in response to the killing by the police. Senzeni Na? What have we done? It was a prayer, a cry of anger and despair Senzeni Na? What have we done? It was a prayer of faith. Doubt and faith are linked together and often expressed as a cry of lament What have we done? Why God?

 

Senzeni Na?

 

Senzeni na?

Sono sethu, ubumnyama?

Sono sethu yinyaniso?

Sibulawayo

Mayibuye iAfrika!

 

What Have We Done?

What have we done?

Our sin is that we are black?

Our sin is the truth

They are killing us

Let Africa return! [1]

 

This was the plea of people who were persecuted and killed by those, the church, who had come to them and told them that “God loves you.” It was the cry of despair of those who mourned those killed in the name of civilization, namely white Western culture and Christianity. Senzeni Na? What have we done? Who is listening to the prayer? Not the Church. There is one who is listening and hears the cry of despair - God.

First Nation families cried Senzeni Na? What have we done? as their children were ripped from their families by Government agents and placed in government funded residential schools. These schools were run by churches who had witnessed to the families of First Nations that “God loves you. God frees you.” These churches had sold their souls to function as agents of injustice assisting in stripping these children of their identity, culture and language as well as their kinship. What they did as government agents violated their very beliefs in God. Who heard the cries of the parents as they sang Senzeni Na? What have we done? Not the church, not the government. There was one who heard their cries of despair: God hears.

Hunkered in the underground subway system Ukrainians cry out in anger and despair Senzeni Na? What have we done? Our parents, spouses and children are being killed by a ruthless Russia supported by the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. They flee as refugees from their country. The only song they can sing in despair is the song of faith Senzeni Na? What have we done? Who is listening to their cry? God listens.

Once again this Christmas the Churches who proclaim “God loves you” present a baby Jesus who is well fed, plump and importantly very white. The parents of baby Jesus are portrayed as tall and very Nordic looking. How can the refugees from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America relate to this white Jesus of the Church in Canada? What has this white Jesus in common with them? They cannot change the colour of their skin. This presentation of a white baby Jesus conveniently overlooks an important part of the Nativity account. It may upset and offend members if the Christmas Eve story of the birth of Jesus included the account of this Middle Eastern family having to hurriedly gather up their few belonging and flee to Egypt for safety. Who hears this refugee family who received the promises of God sing Senzeni Na? What have we done? It is convenient to tell this story days later when people no longer associate it with the Nativity account and are probably not listening? The story of Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus as refugees is an uncomfortable one for comfortable church. However, it is one to which refugees can relate. With Mary and Joseph refugees sing as they flee persecution, oppression and death Senzeni Na? What have we done?

Who is listening to the cries of despair, the cries of faith? God listens, but do we?

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[1] https://lyricstranslate.com/en/senzeni-na-what-have-we-done.html-0

There are many recordings of Senzeni Na? on YouTube.  Here is one:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJP79Zon3Ek