Videos and Photos: Desmond Tutu Delights with God’s Dream

by Rene on Dec 22nd, 2008

The Centre for the Book was alive and buzzing on Friday, filled with hundreds of children eating their way through a stash of Jungle Oats Bars as they waited for Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu to arrive and read from his new book, God’s Dream. Bouncing around on their seats, the children were evidently very excited to be there – some of them had never been into Cape Town’s CBD, or even on a bus, so it was quite an adventure!

The kids, from the Masiphumelele Library (Fish Hoek), Baphumalele Home (Khayelitsha) and Omega View Feeding Scheme (Lavender Hill), were treated to an enthralling performance. Tutu did not disappoint: hands flying, arms flapping and smile beaming, he read the book from cover to cover, his audience rapt at his feet.

Video: Desmond Tutu on God’s Dream

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Tutu did not leave them sitting still, either: like any cheerful grandfather, he got the kids up on their feet and involved in the story. One boy from Lavender Hill, when asked to kiss a girl on the cheek like the children in the story, refused point blank – no kissing girls for him! Tutu, a wicked grin on his face, told the boy he would see him in five years time – then he would be saying something very different.

Video: Desmond Tutu reads from God’s Dream

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The story is an expression of Tutu’s hope for the nation’s children, and centres on the idea that though we may speak different languages, have different customs and think in different ways, “we are all God’s children”. And God dreams that, like any family, we will learn to love each other and to live in peace together.

Video: Desmond Tutu demonstrates the power of laughter