At the pastor’s house. He is reading a bible when Anathi and Andisiwe show up. He rises and offers them seats.

Anathi: Good evening pastor. We are sorry to interrupt your bible study.

Pastor: (offering them refreshments) It’s okay my children, what serves to be the problem?

Anathi: Uhm pastor, we need your help. Things are not going well. We don’t know what’s happening (nearly in tears)

Andisiwe: (consoling her sister) father, out brother Thabo cannot walk. We have been praying for him but he only gets worse each new day. He now has lung cancer though he never smoked. Please help us pastor, please pray for him.

Pastor: Okay my children. I’ll come to your house tomorrow so that we’ll all pray together. (looking at Anathi) be strong my girl, God is with you all the way. All shall be well and good if you continue praying.

Anathi: Thanks a lot pastor. We’ll see you tomorrow.

Andisiwe: Goodbye father.

(they all shake hands and the pastor sees them to the door)

Abongile is busy playing cards with Sizwe at a table when there is a knock at the door

Sizwe: Go away, you’re disturbing our game.

Pastor: (letting himself in) Is this a bad time?

Abongile: (frightened and ashamed) Ohh come in pastor, forgive my brother, (offering him a chair) Would you like something to drink?

Pastor: A glass of water will be fine my daughter.

Sizwe: What do we owe the pleasure? It’s been a long time since you last came here.

Abongile: Ignore him pastor (giving him the glass of water). Is everything okay?

Pastor: The girls came to see me yesterday, Anathi and Andisiwe. They asked me to come and pray for their brother, Thabo. Where are they? Where is Thabo?

Sizwe: (stands up and takes glass of water) Pastor you’ll have to forgive me but I just remembered something. Not that I’m rude, but we have to be somewhere. The kids are not here, but we’ll ask them to call you when we’re free (holds the pastor up and pushes him to the door)

Pastor: A prayer will not take long. We can…

Sizwe: Goodbye pastor. (He then closes the door.)

Abongile: What did you do that for?

Sizwe: How could they go invite the pastor behind our backs? We knew nothing about it.

Abongile: I think they did the right thing. Maybe a prayer is what Thabo needs right now.

Sizwe: Do you know how nosy the pastors are these days? Remember that he knows our past, and we don’t even know if he told the girls or not. I’m sure you don’t want them to hear it from them.

Abongile: (impatiently) But what if something happens, huh/ What if they die before they hear the truth? We have to do something. As for Anathi and Andisiwe, they can’t go around asking for help.

Sizwe: Abongile, calm down and stop imagining things. (goes to the door) When the girls show up, tell them the pastor cancelled the prayer session. I’m out. (slams the door)

(After a few minutes, Anathi and Andisiwe show up)

Anathi: Mom, is the pastor not here yet?

Abongile: Oh sweetheart, he came to apologize, said he had to be somewhere.

Andisiwe: Did he say where?

Abongile: (sinking in guilt) No, but he promised to come back again some other time. Did you have an appointment?

Anathi: We asked him to come and pray for this family. It’s a pity he had to be somewhere.

Abongile: Wow, thank you girls. A prayer session is what I had in mind too, but I didn’t have time to go and see the pastor.

Anathi: Okay then. Andie Let’s go and check up on Thabo.

(the conversation breaks)