With a deep sigh a participant said, 'I do want to forgive but who?' She then related how a couple of years ago, when as a family they lived in another part of South Africa, her young son was hurt and humiliated after being dropped as a ball boy from a tennis tournament because of the colour of his skin.

This peace circle was conducted on the Oosterhuizen farm about 15km outside Ventersdorp, a racially sensitive town, in May. Eight Afrikaner women participated from the NGKerk (Afrikaans church) in the town. They wanted to discover how to work more effectively as a team, refresh their faith walk and get to know each other better.

Given South Africa's past, Portia said, 'I personally had reservations before I went to Ventersdorp, seeing that I would be the only black person there, but it made me curious of the reaction I would receive from the group, whether I would be judged for who I am or the colour of my skin. Surprisingly all my assumptions were corrected, the group welcomed me with such warmth and were willing to learn more from me. Whilst the workshop went on I was asked a number of questions that actually opened honest conversations on culture.' One of the participants, when asked in the evaluation sheet what was the most important part of the workshop for her, replied that it was listening to Portia. It reflects how much the group valued the discussions on culture. It was the beginning of a new understanding.

Sharing experiences drew the group closer together. There were some personal issues on forgiveness which led also to a deeper level of sharing. A participant expressed how she lost promotion due to the hiring of people with less experience. It was hard to accept but she grew to appreciate those she now works with. One of the sincere concerns most of the group expressed was their unhappiness when automatically labelled racists everywhere they go because they came from Ventersdorp.

The group is willing to meet the ladies from Tshing, an adjoining black residential area, who also participated in the same workshop in March.

Portia has been invited to meet and speak to pupils at a multi racial school in an effort to help them understand each others cultures. Others will gather small groups of their farm workers as a way of getting to know them better culturally.

Portia Mosia and Jackie Euvrard