I am a few hours from heading to the airport to catch the 12 hour flight to Johannesburg and then on to Cape Town. The days following the massive White Collar Boxing event in Singapore on the 2nd October were a rush to get the final items for the trip and get the businesses straight before I go. The next 3 weeks will see me only in Singapore for 24 hours, as when I return on the 22nd I will be departing with our national boxers to Cebu in the Philippines, to settle them in for their training camp as part of our preparation for the SEA Games.
So, what am I doing in South Africa? Well, I will spending my time down there staying with a lady called Lillian Ngwexana in a township just outside Stellenbosch called Kayamandi. I stayed with Lily in 2005 when I was training for the Boxing Challenge and it is this township that started my passion for fund raising efforts. During my stay with Lily at her home, we spent a lot of time listening to her incredible life story and I promised myself that one day I would return and write a biography on her so that others could hear it. Lily epitomizes the indomitable human spirit, having spent a life working against the odds to fulfill her potential and bring up her family. Her story is one of hardship, bravery, determination, love and above all else a never say die attitude that has her admired by all that meet and spend time with her.
By 6pm tomorrow Singapore time, I will be at Lily’s home in the township and it is there I will be spend the next three days as I endeavour to capture her story with my meagre writing ability. The plan is simple, we will spend every hour together along with my dictaphone. During that time Lily with some questions from me will take me through her life story.
On Saturday I will drive Lily the 1,200 kms to King William’s Town in the Eastern Cape for her mother’s funeral as she died late last week. During the long journey there and back we will continue the story and whilst at the funeral I will get to meet her entire family, something that previously did not seem possible. We will then return to Kayamandi and continue throughout next week at her home.
Together in 2005
For the entire trip it is my intention to post daily updates, pictures and audio snippets of the days work on this blog. Lily’s story will provoke many emotions in you but I hope you get to see the reason why I am willing to travel 19,600 km to have the honour to tell the story through a book on her life.
I look forward to introducing you to my african mother.
