A Father to the Fatherless

"He [The Lord] administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing." - Deuteronomy 10:18

Nkhosinathi is a member of our church in Snake Park. He is in his final year of school and spends most of his time trying to study in order to get good marks so he can attend university. Like most South Africans I have met, he wants to get a job to make money. Unlike most South Africans, his goal is to provide, not for himself, but for his younger brothers and sisters.

Last week, we were able to spend the afternoon with him and listen to his story. His father passed away several years ago, and his mother, who is HIV positive, moved to another province, leaving him alone. Because he is still in school, he cannot get a job. Since he has no family, there is no one to provide for him. After moving from house to house numerous times within the past year, he is finally settled into a small shack, provided by a few church members, where he can now study for school without any distractions. He moved into his new home with only a few possessions; yet, while he has faced many challenges, his faith stands firm.

My mom and coworker, Vicki, donated money to help Nkhosinathi. With the money, we were able to buy a few essentials including a blanket, iron, teak kettle, hot plates, pots and pans, and some basic food items. It has been a true blessing to meet this young man and see how God continues to provide for him through other believers.

Praise God for His provision and for taking care of His children! Pray for Nkhosinathi as he works hard to finish school. Pray that God will continue to give him strength each day both physically and spiritually. 

African Hospitality

"Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling." – 1 Peter 4:9

I have never been in a culture where people practice such great hospitality like they do here in Soweto. Every Friday, we have the opportunity to disciple a young girl, named Andile, and spend time with her amazing family. Andile is the oldest of five children who all live in a very small, government-owned house with their mother and stepfather.

As soon as we arrive, they invite us into their home or bring out chairs so we can sit and spend time with each other. Even though they have very little food, Andile’s mom insists on cooking for us every time we come to visit. She piles our plates with so much food, and we try to eat as much as we can but also try to leave some for the kids. The whole family serves us. I think it would be very difficult to serve someone a huge plate of food and watch them eat in front of you, knowing that you are starving; yet, they give cheerfully and never even complain.

After we finished our Bible study with Andile this past Friday, we enjoyed an awesome time of fellowship with the whole family. We listened to them sing, watched them dance, “tried” to learn how to dance, and played some games. Pray that Andile will be a light to her family as she is the only one who professes to have a relationship with Christ.

Andile has been very sick. We spent 9 hours with her two weeks ago in a clinic and hospital but still do not have any answers. Pray for Andile as she goes back to the doctor on 14 March, that the doctors will know what is wrong and how to help her. Pray that she will not be discouraged but will continue to put her trust in God who is our ultimate Healer.