A Special Circle in My Heart

I returned with a special circle in my heart for two of the Kwa-Ndebele residents: Thuso (pronouced "too-sew") and Perseverence.  Both currently live with women from their family.  Pastor Silas and Bob Guild have taken them under their wings giving them father figures in their lives. Everywhere I went, the individuals that I encountered were artists and these two were no exception.



Thuso

  

 Thuso is pictured here with some of his drawings on a piece of sheetrock that protects the outdoor grill from the wind.  At 14, he is bright and engaging, a talented singer and a caring soul.  He lives with his elderly grandmother in a home not far from the center.  We walked him home one evening and were fortunate to be invited inside the one room house by his grandmother, Coco Mama.  That little room holds her entire life.  She was so gracious and welcoming.  Thuso says that he wants to be a pop star when he grows up, but I told him that he would make a great pastor.  He is always on the look out to keep other people safe and comfortable, and watches over Perseverence when they are together.  He can be erratic in his school attendance though, so I'll be praying that he sticks with it.



Perseverance and Me

At 17, Perseverence is quiet and reserved.  With so many women in our group, she began to quickly feel more comfortable.  She shared with a few of us that she had cancer, and that Pastor Silas and Bob had taken her to the clinic for treatment (She was declared cancer-free at her last visit.  Some tumors were there, and now they aren't.)  I was of "mom" age to her, and she confided in me that she lived with her sister and the sister's child and that the situation was very hard for her.  They didn't have enough food. When we visited Perseverence's home that evening, we met her sister, who was not as welcoming as all the other villagers we'd met.  They have a two-room home which seems large in comparison with Thuso's, but it's empty except for some bedding in one corner, a single bed,  a small table and a broken refrigerator that they use as a cupboard.  Everything was very tidy, and one wall had been painted with chalkboard paint on which Perservence does her school work.

Perseverence has two years of school left, and is passionate about becoming a social worker.  She'd like to be involved in AIDS education and help all the suffering children she sees.  I had taken a silver ring with me to Africa that simply said "Jesus," believing there'd  be someone that I would want to give it to.  Perseverence was the one, and given her deep faith, it meant a lot to her.  I have her mailing address and will also try to keep in touch via email with Mosaiek and Bob Guild.  She writes poetry, and I'll send her some paper so that she can send her poems to me.  I'm praying that Perseverence finds a mature woman to love and support her.

David had warned me before the trip not to come home with an orphaned baby.  The greater danger was that I wanted to come home with a few teenagers.