Final Report
October 28, 2000
Johannesburg, South Africa, Saturday, October 28, 2000
A beautiful Friday had rolled over the high hills of Malungeni. Thursday's marathon driving had brought us to a house that Spiwo and Jan had built high in Xhosa country. Their joint dream was to help the villagers out of their continuous circle of poverty. Sitting on the veranda you might imagine that you were on some Midwestern farm. The parts of the image that are not Rockwellesque are the round huts on the hillside and the tranquility that is broken by wandering cows, or goats, or sheep all who seem to have the right-of-way.
Thursday afternoon, after arriving, Jan immediately got busy fixing the
fallen water tower and the broken roof tile. Jim Cassidy, Kiersten Chace,
Leone Flaa and Pat Murphy went off the visit the local chief, as is the
custom. Later they went on to the community center built for villagers.
Their initial goal was to distribute candy and stickers, but the excited
children had turned their presence into an off-Broadway musical, with Jim
Cassidy being the only pair of white feet in the chorus line. Friday meant
good-byes and we were on our last death-defying trip down the mountains with
Jan driving and lecturing on the wonders of South Africa. Sometimes the
road dust blocked our view, only to be swept away by a mountain wind
revealing the splendor of another African valley very far below our narrow
road.
By timing and Jan's speedway driving, we managed to catch a late flight out
of East London to Johannesburg. Flying over the mountain range and
attempting to eat airfare supper in turbulence was par for the day's travel.
Jan had said his good-byes in East London. He was to us, truly a man of
valor and in love with his people and in a mad dash to save as many as he
can.
I had just gotten to my hotel room in Johannesburg when the phone rang. It
was the voice of Spiwo Xipale from Cape Town who wanted to know if we were
all right and thanking us over and over again for coming. As I hung up the
phone I knew we had spent two weeks of our lives in the company of truly
gospel men, one black, one white, but brothers to their people and to us.
-Chuck MacDonald
| Father Jim Cassidy, Kiersten Chace, Leone Flaa, Chuck MacDonald and Pat Murphy want to thank all those who were with us in this incredible journey. We felt your prayers and your generous support. A bright spot in our leaving South Africa is knowing we are coming home to all of you. NKHOSI (Thank you) |
| South African government announces new guidelines for treating HIV/AIDS |
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