This is our friend Paul. A refugee from DRC. He has been in South Africa for 6 years.  This is his story…

I was born in the DRC on May 24th, 1993. I remember at a very young age my mom taking me to my grandma’s home and telling me to stay there as she left with my younger brother - I never saw her again. I moved with my grandmother to Goma when I was 4 years old and at age 7 we heard news that my mom had died. I loved living with my grandma as she was all I knew as a “mom”. She loved me, cared for me, and provided for me.

When I was 8 years old my Auntie came to visit us and said we must come and live with her in Uvira. The morning we were to leave my grandmother told me she was not going to go but said I must. This was so very upsetting to me as a young boy as she was like my mom and was everything to me, but I had to go as she said. I traveled with my Auntie to Uvira and the night I arrived I met a boy named Mustapha. At that time I had no idea what a friend Mustapha would become to me. . . I can say “a brother”!!! Not long after arriving in Uvira my grandmother passed away. At that time my auntie decided to tell all around us that she was my real mother. Everyone believed her because we looked so much alike but I knew the truth. I kept the secret because she was very loving to me. She provided everything for me - just like a mom.

When I turned 9 years old I started attending Kimbangu school - with my friend Mustapha. There was always war going on around us but we continued with life and school. Some weeks we would go to school for 2 days or 3 days, depending on gunfire in the area. One day while in school, bullets and sounds of bombs we heard so very very close - and coming closer. All of us in the school started running, jumping out of windows, finding anyway out and kept running. Mustapha and I ran together. We ran and ran and ran and kept on until we reached the neighboring country of Barundi. I never said goodbye to my aunt - and I have never seen her again.

When in Barundi we found and went to Mustapha’s sister’s home and stayed there for one month. We were abused and robbed many times while being there, so we decided to leave for a refugee camp in Tanzania. While in the camp we met a man named Charles who took charge of us 10 year old boys. He told us he could not stay with us however because he was headed in another direction and was hoping to go to Canada. That same night we were all loaded up and taken to a refugee camp in the forests of Tanzania. It was a terrible place and we knew we would die there. A group of people formed and we started walking one night to find a ship to take us back to DRC. We found the ship but it was only going to Zambia - so, we went to Zambia. We were given food at a refugee camp in Zambia - we sold the food in order to get train tickets and got on a train to Malawi. In Malawi Mustapha and I left the group. We sold food again in order to get to Mozambique. We had trouble getting across the border without passports but joined with others in hiding at night and sneaking through the bushes. At the Mozambique and Zimbabwe border we dealt with the same thing.  A guy that was helping us across the borders knew the Zimbabwe language and helped us get to a camp where soldiers were staying.

The soldiers helped us find a bus and we were taken to a refugee camp.  The man helping us then left and headed to South Africa. Mustapha and I stayed at this camp for 1 month. We met many guys at this camp who were also headed for South Africa, so we decided to follow them. We started out on foot and then were able to get on a truck to the border of South Africa.  Without passports we knew we would have a challenge getting across as it was highly guarded and electric fence. While trying to get across we were spotted.  The soldiers fired bullets into the air and we all lay down. The soldiers took us and we told them the only English word we knew then - “refugee” - we are “refugees”.  They took the guy who had been helping us cross the border and they beat him very badly and broke both of his legs.  They took Mustapha and I to their soldier camp. We were surprised that they treated us so well, they even brought us to sleep inside. In the morning they took us to get refugee papers. We spent some days begging. . . and once we had enough money we made our way to Pretoria, South Africa.

Once arriving in Pretoria, we saw Charles. He bought us some bread and cold drinks. We spent 3 nights sleeping on the streets as Charles worked to find a place for us to stay. He spoke to a gentleman that was willing to take us in. We spent the next 5 years with this kind man. We now live with Charles and his family and several others in a flat in Sunnyside (the center of Pretoria). I attend school and am currently in grade 10. I love the Lord and long to bring the gospel to the world through rap music. Mustapha and I and 3 other boys have formed a rap group called “The Blessed Boys”.

Note from the Macks:  Emmanuel introduced us to Paul about 7 months ago. As we will soon be moving to Sunnyside, we have offered Paul and Mustapha a room in our home. Please pray for this young man. Pray that he will continue to find hope in all circumstances and above all he will bring God glory with the life He has been given.

MEET SUZANNE

Suzanne is a dear lady who lives in a township north of Pretoria called Stinkwater. She has started a ministry in Stinkwater where she does what she can to care for orphans and widows in her community. At present she feeds 57 orphans during the week. Her dream is to be able to feed them every day but for now the children come to her on Sundays for lunch (after attending church with her), Thursday evenings, and Saturday evenings. For many of the children these are the only “real” meals they get during the week. Suzanne has lived in Stinkwater for most of her life and she tells of her arrival to her home like this: “At a very young age I, along with my family and many other black South Africans, were loaded into huge trucks and driven away from the city.  They drove and drove and once they found themselves in the middle of nowhere and far enough away from the white population, they dumped us off.  I remember we were determined to survive.  Many of the men and women started digging for water and the water that was found was stinky and bad. Within the first 2 weeks many many people died. I survived. I watched as the people around me turned a barren land into our home. Mud homes were built, roads made and new schools, shops, churches and… clean water. I decided quite young that I would never leave Stinkwater. I had survived the rough arrival and would stay here to serve and minister to those around me. It was a rough life. I am blessed to have a home, a husband and children.”  Suzanne is doing what she can to help some of the 2 million orphans in South Africa. We met Suzanne about a year ago and on most Saturdays try to go and visit her and the children. We have started a Bible Club once a month and have enjoyed sharing with the children not only food but the good news that could change lives and could transform Stinkwater.  Please pray for Suzanne that she will persevere in helping these little ones and that God would grant her strength and joy in all circumstances. Please also pray that the Lord would provide the resources for Suzanne to be able to provide a “real” meal each and every day for these children. . . that is her dream.  And through this she prays that many of these fatherless children will become children of our Heavenly Father!!!

MEET LINCOLN

(birth name - Xolani - little tricky for us Americans to say, as it has a click sound in it:)

Little Lincoln is a miracle baby and we pray that he will grow up to use the life God has given him for His glory. He is now 10 months old and has quite a story of God’s grace in his life already. Little Lincoln was born 2 months early - why? We were told that his mother had gone in for an abortion, and well, he survived. We know no details. His mother did not want him and knew of the only place to bring him would be child welfare. She forged papers from where he was born, stating that he was HIV+, thinking that was her best chance of convincing child welfare to take him. She requested that he be cared for and looked after for awhile. She was never seen again… and the cell phone number she left was not valid. He was placed in an orphanage that cares for HIV+ children but was quickly discovered that he was NOT HIV+. The orphanage could no longer keep him, but had no place for him to go. The social worker said that he is now listed as abandoned and that the orphanage could do whatever they wanted with him. At 4 months old, Lincoln joined our family!!! I am sure he had no idea how many little girls were here ready to cuddle, hug, rock, and spoil him!! He is the happiest little baby!! Lincoln was born with a club foot but has had surgery to correct the major problem and is just required to wear special boots during the nighttime until he is 3 years old. He is a healthy, happy, little boy - and has brought so much joy to our family!!! As I reflect on the 3 little ones God has brought into our family I see such an amazing work of God and His sovereign plan. They each really represent millions of orphans that are still without families. Zanele - the orphaned, Muzi - the abandoned, and Lincoln - the rejected. But now? They are accepted, cared for, and so very very loved!! Our passion and prayer is for other families here in South Africa to open their homes and their hearts to this wonderful opportunity to show the love of Christ to a lost world!!!!

MEET MAPHUMUZI (”MUZI”) - his name means “give me a home”

This is how you will most always see little Muzi - a huge smile on his face!! Muzi was born HIV+ and the story of his first 3 years is quite vague. What we were told is that both Muzi and his mother were near death with AIDS and admitted to a hospital. Once his mother had gained strength and a bit of health she checked herself out of the hospital but left Muzi there. We are not sure how long he was left at the hospital but it was there that he started his ARV treatment for HIV and was transferred to a local orphanage. Muzi was such a fragile soul. While his mother was pregnant with him she became quite sick which in turn caused Muzi to have a stroke. He has a weak left side and still has not developed in speech. Muzi joined our family 1-1/2 years ago and he has grown so so much!!! He was just starting to walk and laughing seemed to be a new skill for him, actually everything seemed to be a new skill to him - playing, hugging, being loved . . . His past is vague but it seemed that for the first 3 years of his life he did nothing but sit. Many may hear his story and think “poor little guy, he has it so hard”. Muzi seems to disagree as he has more joy than most!!! He seems to find pure joy in the little things in life, like pizza on Friday nights and hugs from his sisters or daddy. He loves people and anyone who visits will be greeted with a very enthusiastic hug and smile from Muzi!! Please pray with us that the Lord would grant Muzi speech and the ability to talk. He understands when being spoken to but is unable to communicate back through words. He uses some signing and also some of his own creative ways of letting us know what he wants!! Please also pray that through medication and lots of love, God would grant Him a long healthy life. All to His glory!!!

MEET ZANELE:

Zanele is 4 years old and a very happy and healthy little girl. This was not always the case, however. Zanele was born HIV+ due to her mother being HIV+. She was diagnosed with fast progressing AIDS and by the age of 2 she was near death. At 2 1/2 years old her mother died along with her baby sister. She developed Chronic Lung disease and was brought to an orphanage as a very very sick little girl. The caretakers at this orphanage got her to a hospital and they immediately started her ARV medication to treat her AIDS status. At 3 years old she was gaining strength and health each day. She also gained a family!! A daddy, a mommy, and 4 sisters. We are so happy to have Zanele as part of our family!! She has been with us now for 1-1/2 years. She takes her meds every 12 hours which keeps her immune system up and helps block the HIV virus. At her last blood work her HIV viral load came back undetected. We know she will never be cured from HIV but with regular meds, good nutrition, and lots of love, she is as healthy as any other little girl. Most people find it quite cute how she is our little Zulu girl that speaks with an American accent and the love she has for her daddy matches nothing else!!! For the first several months she would not just call him “daddy” but “my daddy.” One of our favorite memories was when we first got Zanele - I would tuck her in at night and say “I love you!” and she would say, “huh, mommy, huh.” Every night it went on like that. One night as I tucked her in, told her I loved her and was walking to the door I heard a little voice say “mommy? I love you!” She says those words all of the time now. Every day she tells her daddy - “I love you, so much, forever.” Many will say that Zanele is blessed to have a family, to be healthy, and to know Jesus but we also will say that we are the ones so blessed to have her as our little girl. Please pray with us that Zanele’s health will continue and that she will grow up to be a woman who loves the Lord!!! Zanele is an example of thousands and thousands of orphans you will see here in South Africa. Many who are still waiting for a home. Please pray for the Lord to open the hearts of godly families here, to take hold of the opportunity for such a blessing as this - to care for the fatherless.