Day 4 - Mafambisa Holy Home Visits

 Visit 1: Noah, Oliver and Rachel 

Today Rachel, Noah and Oliver went on a Holy Home visit with Prudence and Khethiwe - the walk was about 35 minutes from the Care Point and Oliver was very pleased en route to see Alzera, a previous Mafambisa Care Worker who was looking very well.  We visited Wendy and her family who are originally from Mozambique and have no South African papers. Wendy had a 6 month old baby who she had with her boyfriend, however her boyfriend had a wife and another family who did not know about Wendy and her baby. Wendy (18) also has a mother, father and 3 siblings, her sister Ruby 14, half brother Josh 13, Sister Lucy 9 and Sarah 6, however her father has sent her half brother (Josh) back to Mozambique to live with his birth mother as he was misbehaving and committing crimes. 

Josh is someone whose home we visited last year.  Please see last years blog here - it was Home Visit 4: 

https://standrewslink.blogspot.com/2024/07/day-4-mafambisa-holy-home-visits.html?m=1

Josh continued to do this when he went back to Mozambique and was caught stealing, was beaten and hospitalised by the person he stole off and since his release from hospital was arrested by the police and is awaiting his punishment from the courts. 

Wendy did not know she was pregnant until she went to the clinic because she was feeling unwell and they informed her that she was 4-5 months pregnant, additionally she used to go to school but had to stop when she had her baby as she could not get any help with her baby. 

Wendy originally kept it from her parents that she was pregnant until she was approximately 8-months when her mother found out, however when her mother needed to tell Wendy’s father she got Wendy’s Auntie to tell him as she was scared of how he would react and if she would get beaten. Wendy’s parents were originally angry at her for getting pregnant by a man who was already married and said she needed to care for the baby as it was her mistake that she had made. Her father would not let her mother or siblings to see or help out with baby as he said it was Wendy’s mistake so she had to look after the baby, however, as time has gone on her father has become more willing to let her siblings hold the baby and help her as well as holding the baby himself.

Wendy currently does not do piece work as she has to care for her baby but her mother has started to work for someone doing their washing and ironing. Wendy does however look after another ladies daughter which helps Wendy to earn a little money.

Visit 2: Nick and Adam 

Today myself, Nick and one of the long term volunteers Ionna went to the house of Gogo Naomi, we had the privilege of meeting her, her daughter and two of her grandchildren, Naomi like many around the Mafambisa community came from Mozambique during the war so doesn’t have any papers meaning she cannot work, forcing her into peace work which her and her daughter are struggling to find. 

When she left Mozambique she had to leave many of her siblings and parents behind as well as the memories of her husband and 5 of her children all of whom unfortunately had been killed during the war, but with her five remaining children she came to South Africa to start a new life. 

Fortunately one of her grandchildren was born by a south african woman meaning they will be eligible for papers and potentially some government benefits as-well, the issue is these may be “stolen” by the other Grandmother and not passed onto the family supporting the baby. 

We will continue to pray for Naomi and her family, in particular one of her daughter who we met who is really struggling with her relationship with god and struggling to keep her faith in God that he is looking out for her, so we are praying she can get herself back to church and re strengthening her relationship with God.