I am a sinner, probably one of the biggest sinners on earth….well, I mean according to the Bible of cause.
- I love sex
- I kinda love alcohol
- I pierced my body
- I have 6 tattoos
- I have lied and cheated
Let’s just leave it at 5 because wow, I am a sinner!!!!!!
My career choice doesn’t help either. I have never met anyone as liberal, outgoing, and accepting of everyone else, the same way that an artist does. I love the LGBTQI community, I’ve had a few of my own experiences with women, I am friends with atheists, and I ask if anyone is uncomfortable with me praying in their presence…. I am almost everything that the Bible does not approve of, yet I identify as a Christian woman.
I think if I lived during the times depicted in the Bible, then there would be a chapter reflecting on my life. The book of Jane probably ends with me finding God or being stoned to death *sigh*.
My partner always makes a joke about heaven and hell. He says when he dies, he would not want to go to heaven because it is probably the most boring and depressing place ever.
“Imagine me chilling and trying to do my own thing then Moses comes and tells me it is my turn to hang the stars. Imagine having to read the Bible 24/7. I don’t see myself doing that” he would say.
A part of me gets this joke and I feel so damn guilty about that. People who are 100% devoted to the Christian life do not seem to know what the meaning of fun is. Oh but then again why am I judging? Their idea of fun doesn’t have to fit into mine.
Anyway, I spent most of my teenage years being promiscuous. I later learnt that it was a psychological thing. See, I was raped but it took me years to finally get what happened to me. In an attempt to find the self that I lost, I started being what they call a sl*t. I was trying so hard to find a man who would treat me right and fill the void that the other had left. I was a liberal, rebellious woman who was finally taking control of her body. Little did I know that my rapist was actually the one in charge of my thoughts and actions? Oh no, I am not trying to depress you, I am just trying to figure out if the Bible would give God or Satan the credit for how I turned out.
I mean… why didn’t God stop the rape from happening, why did he allow me to do further damage by doing everything I wasn’t supposed to do to the temple (my body)? If it is Satan who took control of me, why did God let him win? Actually, why are we going through so much bulls**t in the presence of Jesus and God?
Phew, this took a dark turn. Let me gather my thoughts and revert back to my journey next week. I am literally about to go ape sh*t on this conversation.
Jane Mpholo is a multi-award winning theatre Practitioner and an Audience Development Specialist at the Performing Arts Centre of the Free State (PACOFS) . She has been active on both the national and international platforms with collaborations with practitioners from the Netherlands, USA and Australia, to name a few. Jane is a senior judge for the World Monologue Games and World Monologue Film Festival. Her highlights as a writer include being chosen as one of the 5 top playwrights for the NATi Yong Sterre program for her script "The Dawn", making it to the top 20 playwrights list for the African Women Playwrights Festival of Plays for her script "The Naked Truth" (which she later turned into a short film) and having her script "Fragmented" on the program for Teksmark 2022. Her autobiographical show "Psalm 69" has proved to be timeless and has showcased on both the national and international platforms such as the Global leadership summit 2018. Jane is a panel member for the National Arts Council and is a former FS Provincial Liaison for the BASA Debut Program. She is a recent graduate for the BASA Cultural Producers Program, an initiative between British Council; BASA, Common Purpose and the Manchester International Festival. Her short film "Cleanse" which looks at the life of a woman under oppression as a domestic worker has won multiple international awards and aired on DSTV pop up channel 150 (Woordfees TV 2022). Jane is also one of the contributors for the Stemme/Voices monologues 2022, an initiative by the Suidoosterfees.
Jane practices as a professional actor (has over 40 theatrical shows under her belt), playwright, producer, dramaturge, facilitator, arts coach , speaker and mentor. She is passionate about inclusive education and creating a safe space for audiences to engage in discussions pertaining to the social ills of the world. She is a true advocate for human rights.
Amongst the many awards and recognitions....she is a three times Kyknet Fiesta Nominated artist and made it to the lists "Mail and Guardian Women Changing South Africa" and the "Sunday World Unsung Heroes 2022".
