Firm Foundations is a striking novel about the power of love finally triumphing over the dark forces of corruption. It will strike a chord with readers because of its relevance to many situations in our 21st century world.
The story is narrated by Claire who, a decade after her husband’s death, has an encounter with a young girl which will catapult her down memory lane to her fulfilling yet challenging time with Richard on their beautiful farm in the Natal Midlands. As she explores her memories of life in Balgowan with her husband, she re-visits the experiences she had with him as they faced greedy, power-hungry officials intent on destroying their material well-being. Faced with blatant corruption on the building of a KZN school and an acquisitive Clerk of Works who will stop at nothing to grab their land, Richard and Claire fight tooth and nail to retain their piece of paradise. In a race against time, they sell their antiques, scrabble for higher overdrafts and tender for new contracts. But in the face of such unscrupulous dishonesty and nepotism, all their efforts are in vain. As the net of corruption closes in on them, they are forced to relinquish their farm and start again, which they manage to do with the help of a concerned relative and the amazing generosity and mercy of God, whose powerful word has encouraged them through all their trials.
But while all this is happening, there is a far worse problem brewing for. Born and raised on the Balgowan farm and trained by Richard to be his star labourer- a foreman in the making – Benjamin walks off the job when Richard needs him the most. His reason: to find his daughter, Precious, who was whipped off the farm by her mother, Zanele, to start a new life in the (fictional) township of Kwamushle.
Precious’s life is shrouded in mystery. It is only years later, when Claire is teaching in Johannesburg, that they mystery begins to unravel. And it’s all because of Lizzie, a creative, caring librarian, former teacher, who turns out to be the link with Claire’s past.
The cyclical structure of Firm Foundations, like a sandwich, begins and ends in Johannesburg; in between readers are taken on a journey to a stunningly beautiful farm, a dry and dusty building site and a home nestling next to a nature reserve in the heart of ‘little England’, the winding, rural, tree-rich suburb of Winterskloof which reminds Claire of their farm.
Readers will identify with the passion, tenacity and determination of the protagonists who, fortified by key verses from God’s word, soldier on against corrupt, avaricious men; they will also be able to empathise with a father’s desperate attempts to find his daughter, his eventual disillusionment and finally, his inspiring reunion. But at its core, this novel highlights the fact that all the characters’ struggles and victories are under-pinned by a firm foundation, the rock, Jesus, on whom all their lives are based.
By Gillian Leggat