Yes I want to say there are no words of gratitude, but actually there are, but they are not enough, tonight we honor and celebrate the individuals that make all this happen, they are the ones who opened their doors, wallets and hearts and welcomed us to their homes and subsequently their families. They’re the super moms and dads of these over grown kids, the host parents.
Coming to America has been a profound experience I have gained so much and through ordinary Americans, I have learned why you love this country so much and the values you espouse, you may never know the profound effect that you may have made on a person’s life. Either a kind word, a gentle touch or a listening ear can mean so much to someone who is lost or drowning in this swamp. You generously give your gift of time to make contact, provide support and encouragement and perhaps provide humor to make someone’s day a bit more bearable, because you have taken the time to care and to listen.
You give of yourself and bring with you your life experiences, skills, abilities, compassion, intellect and humor, and you pour in to these eager young leaders, who have so much love, respect and admiration for you and your families
You provide support, and give someone hope and strength and the courage to face another day, and propel them to stay the course and not be discouraged. You give your time generously without any expectation of reward, you have shared your lives, and wealth of wisdom with us and you have been there every step of the way, and for that we exude an insatiable amount of gratitude, to know the sawip collective host family is to know, genuine love, compassion and humanity and for that thank you.
Throughout the years you have pledged your support and allegiance and facilitated an environment where ordinary south African leaders get to live and feel the American dream, which is a vision that we too aspire towards for our country and respective continent, you have helped inspire many graduates first in their families, and you continue to make sure that they aren’t the last through sawip, I am one of them.
In the spirit of Ubuntu which means I am because you are, I stand here not alone, but with the respective communities that I will affect because you poured into us, and showed that it’s possible and that we can do it, and as a result I am drafting adoption papers to ask the Schneider’s to be my parents
Your contributions have a profound impact, whether its Layla du pless who is an alum from last year who just received a distinction in her dissertation, who will go on and make strides in her community, you make a difference.
Whether is Kessler, from the class of 2014 who just graduated from Harvard and is about to publish a book on constitutional democracy, and eventually educate other budding lawyers and help advance democracy and restorative justice, this program produces results.
And our very our Lauren Stephanie Hess who is about to go to Georgetown and study political diplomacy, who might as well be a future minister or president, you have lend a helping hand and crafted the future, that will uplift and develop many communities, and that’s something you should be proud of.
We have been given the platform, the tools and the opportunity, now the work begins, defining our destiny as a country and subsequently changing our democracy
As I board the plane this Sunday I have happy vivid memories, of all of you, but most importantly I take the with me the values and the demonstration of kindness and willingness that you have showed me, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, but with our will, it will be done. It’s been a pleasure and an honour to meet you all, and I would like to conclude with spicy words by
Maya Angelou: ‘When you learn, teach. When you get, give.’ I want you to know that this to me means that I will continue to strive to give back to the world what it has given to me, so that I might even be more worthy of tonight’s honor to be part of the Sawip class of 2017.