Day 11 - Pfunani Holy Home Visits

Tyler from Hands reminded us that the reason they are called ‘Holy Home Visits’ is that we invite God to join us in them and then we wait for him to show up and be present. This might look like the conversation turning to water and then needing help collecting it so we have in the past helped the Care Giver with this; it might look like a challenging conversation or posing a question and trying to go deeper or unpack it; it might be praying or providing a work of encouragement. Each Holy Home Visit is different and no time limit is put on them. 

We went on three ‘Holy Home Visits’ in Pfunani on Tuesday - read about each one below. 

Visit 1: Chris W, Matthew and Harry 

During our visit to Pfunami today, Chris, Matthew and Harry went on a Holy Home Visit with Angel, Lonic and Tyler.  We visited a home where 3 generations of the same family were living - 15 people in total.   The grandfather had passed away a year ago.  The Grandmother was living with 9 of her own children who ranged in age from her eldest daughter who was 26 to her youngest - the twins who were 7.  Her three eldest daughters also had children of their own.  Unfortunately none of the fathers of the eldest daughter’s children were living with the family.  It appeared that the older children and the grandchildren all had South African papers and so we're able to get a grant (like Child benefit) but the youngest children were not able to get papers because the government would not accept that they were the mothers own children because of her age.  The three eldest daughters were all trying to find work but had not been able to find anything so far.  The family asked for us to pray that they would be able to find work and that the children would do well in school.

Visit 2: Sally, Ben and Mark 

Sally, Ben and me were joined by Eunice, Sharon and Thembi on two visits. The first was to Nomsa’s house where she lives with 3 sons and 2 daughters aged 2-15 years. However, no one was in but Sharon allowed me to take a picture of her outside the home. At the second visit we met with Linsa who was living with her South African boyfriend, a 15 yr old daughter, a 10-yr old son and she also has a 1-month old baby girl. Linsa allowed Sally to hold the baby and even though it was hot by our standards the baby was well wrapped in blankets. The other children were not at home. Linsa said that when she was younger she left school early to look after her siblings and then look after her own children. She left the family home and moved into another house down the road and together with her partner they can stay there as long as they wish. Linsa said that she is unable to get piece work and her partner chooses not to work even though he has South African papers. The family situation sounded familiar to other stories we had heard on other visits. At the debrief later on Sally shared with the team what a privilege it was to hold Linsa baby.

Visit 3; John, Pippa and Adam 

Adam, Pippa and John accompanied Audres and Pfunani care worker Pindile on a Holy Home Visit to Gogo Maisi’s home. It was wonderful to walk through the dusty lanes with Audres, back in his home community, meeting people he hadn’t seen for a while. He explained that the eighty year old Gogo (grandmother) is living with, and looking after, her seventeen year old granddaughter, as the child’s mother has gone, partly to live elsewhere, partly to find work. She lives on the same property as her son and daughter-in-law, but there is a tension between them and they have no interest in helping her. Hands at Work have built her a secure two room home on the land, however she receives no grant (money) as she has no official papers. The granddaughter also receives no grant because her mother has failed to complete the necessary paperwork, this means that she often goes to school without uniform, pens or pencils; the local service centre staff are planning to meet the child’s mother and encourage her to fill in the forms, enabling the girl to access grant funds.

When we arrived the gogo wasn’t home but her daughter-in-law, Nzelda,  quickly found her and brought her home; she offered us chairs, and we all sat while she talked to Audres about her situation.

In addition to her home and family issues, the Gogo has recently been unwell; she had visited the local clinic and been given a referral to the hospital, HAW had helped her to get to the appointment but on arrival was told there was no doctor available! However, the hospital did give her some medication and she has been feeling a little better in recent days. At the end of the visit we all sat on the ground with the Gogo and her daughter-in-law and we prayed with them - for safety and protection; for healing of relationships; for health and wellness; and for the access to grants that the granddaughter is entitled to. What a privilege to sit with this lady for a short while.