Patrick Styles. Picture: Noxolo Sibiya
A 59-year old Rustenburg man who walks from one city to another has landed in Pretoria en route to Zimbabwe.
Patrick Styles is known for pulling a handmade cross on the side of busy roads, reports the Pretoria Rekord East.
The man with the cross, as he is known, is heading to the neighbouring countries of Swaziland and Zimbabwe on foot, all in the name of spreading “the word”.
The Rekord caught up with him this week on Solomon Mahlangu road near the N4 highway before he headed towards Garsfontein, east of Pretoria where he would take a break.
Styles has been walking for six years, from one city to another, raising awareness of Christianity and spreading the word of God, he said.
“It’s all in aim of spreading the gospel to people.”
“As I walk I attract people who ask me questions or who are interested in knowing what I am doing, so that gives me the chance to tell them about God.”
A few months ago, Styles walked to Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, Welkom and then back home to Rustenburg.
He spent three months recuperating at home before embarking on his current journey from Rustenburg to Brits and then Pretoria.
“From here I am heading to the Mozambique border, into Swaziland and then Zimbabwe, Durban, Cape Town and then back home,” he said.
“Some people react very warmly towards me and you also have the negative ones who I don’t pay too much attention to.”
Even when it gets tough in the scorching heat, he said he continued to push on.
“It’s been hard in the past couple of days with the heat, but I am going to make my destinations,” he said.
He takes breaks to rest when he does not feel good or at dusk and finds shelter at nearby petrol stations.
His cross on wheels is equipped with a cage in which he puts his cooler box with food and water, a few clothing items, and extra tyres for his cross, a sleeping bag and a Bible.
Asked if he was not worried about being robbed walking alone, he said: “I rely on God’s favour.
“I will not stop walking for my course. After this journey, I will start another one to visit other places and continue spreading the word,” he said.
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