Rev. William G. Sinkford's 2008 Pilgrimage to Africa

From November 4 - 24, 2008, Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) President Reverend William G. Sinkford, Reverend Eric Cherry, Paula Cole Jones, and Maria Sinkford visited six African countries: South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria. 

The four general goals of the journey were:

• To learn from the experience and wisdom of leaders in Truth and Reconciliation work in South Africa, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu;
• To meet with old and new colleagues among the Unitarians and Unitarian Universalists of Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria and South Africa;
• To learn from leaders of social justice and human rights organizations involved in diverse struggles, including: LGBT Rights, HIV/AIDS, Slavery, Women's Rights, and Anti-Privatization;
• To visit the UNESCO World Heritage site and witness to the Atlantic Slave Trade: Île de Gorée.

Please browse these links to Reports, Photos and Videos,  News Stories and Blogposts about the Pilgrimage.

Reports

• A Report on the Pilgrimage (PDF)
• A Slideshow about the Pilgrimage (PPS, 42 pages) with embedded Windows Media videos
  • Low-Bandwidth Slideshow (PDF) with external video links in Windows Media and QuickTime:
    • Page 5: With Archbishop Tutu (QuickTime)
    • Page 9: Mrs. Mary Burton (QuickTime)
    • Page 11: A “Temporary Housing” Settlement in Soweto (QuickTime)
    • Page 14: Rev. Roux Malan (QuickTime)
    • Page 16: Welcoming Rev. Sinkford to “New Life” School (QuickTime)
    • Page 19: Kenyan UUs in Nairobi (QuickTime)
    • Page 22: Unitarian Family (QuickTime)
    • Page 28: Two Queen Mothers (QuickTime)
    • Page 30: Petunia (QuickTime)
    • Page 34: Emmauel Otoo (QuickTime)
    • Page 39: Reflections at Goree Island (QuickTime)

Photos and Videos

• from Cape Town, South Africa
• from Soweto, South Africa
• from Kampala and Masaka, Uganda
• from Nairobi, Kenya
• from Dakar and Goree Island, Senegal
• from Accra, Ghana
• from Lagos, Nigeria

News Stories

• Read about the UUA delegation's meetings with members of the South Africa Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
• Read about Rev. Sinkford's visit to the Triangle Project, the leading organization serving and advocating for bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender people in South Africa.
• Read about Rev. Sinkford's meeting with Archbishop Desmond Tutu in South Africa!

Blogposts

...from the Pilgrimage on Rev. Sinkford's Blog

• Praying in the Devil's House
• Final Webcast: from Lagos
• Unitarian Worship in Lagos
• The Children We Have Seen on Our Journey
• African Tips
• Every Child is Our Child
• HIV/AIDS Contexts During the Pilgimage
• Brothers and Sisters
• Meeting with Two UUSC Partners
• Arriving in Kenya
• Passport to African Community
• Webcast Today with President Sinkford from Nairobi
• A Full Moon Was Visible as the Plane Made its Descent
• Uganda Part 2: The Orphanage
• Visiting Kampala Unitarian Universalists
• Getting Ready to Leave Cape Town
• Why Should We Care?
• A Video Recap of the Pilgrimage on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
• Worshipping in Cape Town
• Letting Go
• Recent Events
• Meeting and Worshipping with Archbishop Desmond Tutu
• Arriving
• The Journey has Begun
• Preparing for the Pilgrimage to Africa
• Thoughts on Getting Ready for Our Trip
• Getting Ready

For more information about the journey, please contact the UUA's International Resources Office.