Now is the Time for Running

Deo’s family life is destroyed when government forces kill most of the inhabitants of his rural Zimbabwean village, including his beloved mother and grandfather. He escapes with his older brother, Innocent, whose learning difficulties and obsessive behaviour prove both a problem and an unlikely bonus. Together they flee across country in search of the South African they believe to be their father, witnessing terrible atrocities inflicted by troops, and hostility against refugees along the way.

Williams reveals the many hardships the two boys face, but also their tremendous faith in the promise of a better life ahead, as well as their passion for football, and their determination to honour the memory of their family.

It’s a tough and heart-rending story, but one that needs telling.