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Hallelujah on the Bus to Joburg

TV just doesn't come close to real life. I have been 'feeling it' from near the coast but finally travelled up to Joburg yesterday.  At first I didn't even realise that the bus was so full because of the football fans travelling to Joburg (who can blame me, they were not blowing vuvuzelas or wearing team colours as I see on TV).  Anyway, somewhere along the way I figured it out and managed to spot the Japanese fans at the rest stop that were heading to the coast for Saturday's game.

Anywho, how was there a 'hallelujah' on the bus? Well, for one reason or the other, the dvd system wasn't working. So the driver downstairs, whether by habit or just chance, I don't know;  had a sermon playing in his driver's cabin. Our energetic stewardess kept openning the door to the cabin and we ended up catching most of the sermon even up in the top deck.

Now, you know Christians are usually embarrassed to listen to sermons/pray/preach in public. I don't know why.  I could pick up sighs and groans from other passengers who dared to be audible.  As the preacher on the radio kept interjecting the words, 'HALLELUJAH!' and 'THANK YOU JESUS!'  A little child near the front picked it up as well.  'HALLELUJAH!'  'HALLELUJAH!'  She repeated innocently.  That seemed to break the tension and folks gave a hearty laugh.  The sermon went on, folks went back to what they were doing and the driver's cd ended a long while later.

Long after, my phone rang, to my Waka Waka ring tone.  Somebody else picked up the theme and played his own Waka Waka for the bus to hear, albeit not as loudly as the sermon had been. It seems on this bus, Hallelujah! won the day though. We may not all be soccer fans but many of us are religious people. Being tolerant of others does not mean being humiliated everytime something Christian shows up in public.  thank you little girl on the bus for reminding us that every once in a while it is OK to say Hallelujah! in public.

Hallelujah for the good weather. Hallelujah for the soccer tournament and all the good it has/it will bring.  Hallelujah for meeting new people from all over the world. Hallelujah for Mzansi. Hallelujah for Africa. Hallelujah for the world.

Go Bafana Bafana!!!  Go Africa, let the cup stay here (it's a bit dodgy though that we have such few teams, it will be difficult to overcome but do it! Go Africa! Go Bafana!)

Hallelujah!

pic: cdn.wn.com

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