A change of focus

At 12:15, the whole focus of Bless this Road shifts, as our road safety workshop participants leave the meeting room to greet and join other participants who have arrived for the events of the rest of the day. Now, we dress brightly in Matilda Bevelander’s favourite rainbow colours. I wear a striped poncho. John Bevelander wears a rainbow cowboy hat.

We distribute fifty rainbow garlands to participants. The Uki Hall is transformed: now it vibrates with laughter, greetings, rainbows and song.

We have lavishly festooned one corner of the hall with rainbow decorations (Matilda’s favourite!). We rename this space “The Matilda Way”.

Now we are in a high-energy mode, with bright rainbow colours and exuberant music — as we share Matilda’s Rainbow Lunch and celebrate her life. Many of Matilda’s friends attend (and two beloved young friends of Karl’s, Erin and Ashwin Bulmer). I sense how their spirits lift as they speak about their much-loved friends.

We devour a gigantic rainbow cake.

John Bevelander cuts the cake under the watchful eyes of Lee-Anne Cracknell and Leonie Shore (who brought the cake).

The rainbow cake is pronounced a huge success!

Chocolate was a hit with a young one with a rainbow wig, too!