South Africa - The Lions on the Road: Cycling London to Cape Town - page 333

students from Wynberg School who asked me to speak to the Meadowridge Girl Guides
thatafternoon.IalsometEugeneDonnellywhoinvitedmetodinnerandspendtheevening
with his family.
On Saturdays, I would spend time with the Boulles grocery shopping and doing
their gardening. Since I was staying with them without charge, I suggested that the least I
could do was to purchase some of the groceries and to help them around the house.
On one of my last Saturdays, I received a phone call from a Herschel Girls School
student to tell me that I was nominated as the school's 'Man of the Year'. She asked me if
she could come over for an interview. After first seeking permission from Francis, I wel-
comed her to the house that evening. I met Amy Van Horne and her mother at the door and
we sat in the living room for the interview. She gave me 50 Rand for STC-Cape Town, a
thank-you note and some chocolate. Then I spent an hour and a half being interviewed as
she took copious notes. I was glad she recorded my responses on tape as well for I tended
to talk rather quickly.
WhenIreturnedfromanearlySundaymassatSchoenstattShrinethenextmorning,
FatherSchneidercalledtoinvitemetoattendmasswithhiminthetownship.Aftercycling
to his parish and eating breakfast, we drove to a school in Khayelitsha to celebrate mass.
Instead of a homily, Father asked me to address the congregation. I had a Xhosa
( Kosa ) interpreter and when I was done, the mass continued. During the petitions, the con-
gregation had the opportunity to say out loud what they wanted the community to pray for.
There were some women who were passionate in speaking and were crying and crying as
they spoke. After the service, I asked father why they were crying.
He told me that they were crying about me. “What?” I asked. He explained that
they were so moved at what I had done for they never dreamt that a 'white man' would
go through so much for people he had never met especially if they were 'non-white.' He
added that it was completely contrary to their way of thinking. I never witnessed such an
emotional expression of gratitude before and I must admit it was quite humbling.
AvisittoCapeTownwouldnotbecomplete withoutclimbingTableMountain.So,
when I returned from mass at the school in the Khayelitsha, I accepted David's invitation