Once in a while there is a word a single word that comes into your life with mind-numbing, life-changing power. Words like transformation, salvation, friendship, Agape are such words. A few years ago, there was such a word that came to me. It is the word Ubuntu.
This is a word that comes to the world from Africa and is incredibly rich in its many meanings. Thanks to Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America this word has become a part of my life. It was used as the theme word for the 2003 youth gathering of the ELCA.
This word is about community, it is about neighborliness, it is about interdependence, it is about the way my identity is locked to yours, ours, and that of all our neighbors. I am because we are. This is one of the primary assumptions behind the word Ubuntu. It is about justice, mercy, redistribution of wealth, radical loving.
I could go on, but maybe you have the idea. I was privileged to write the theme song for that youth convention. I thought it would be fun to share that song with you so I want to make it available to you as a free download. I hope you enjoy the song; but even more,I hope you find the ideas in it inspiring.
