Day 18 -- Two Trips Collide

(This post is coming late due to internet failure at the hotel last night -- we're at the Dubai airport now.)

Today I went to see Maureen and Cecil in the morning. I took one of our gardening crews with me, and they planted several rows of kale and spinach in a small plot outside of her tin house. As for Cecil, he was enjoying his new favorite activity -- eating. Lots of peanuts! Maureen, Cecil, Witness and I hung out most of the morning taking lots of pictures and talking about what the next year will hold for them. It was sweet, and I was so thankful to be able to leave them with a garden, a warm blanket, and a couple of GO Mamelodi T-Shirts.

As the afternoon program got underway I found my Nelmapious friends and we had a great time. Sweet Thabitha (yep, that's how she spells it) brought me notes for the plane ride home, but asked me to read them right away. We had a good cry together as a group when they realized that the afternoon was ending.

As I prepared to put them on the bus home, I turned around and saw AP with Brandon on his shoulders. I'd never met the little orphan that captured AP's heart, but I could instantly tell why he did. Brandon flashed me a smile and I was sold, too. Then, AP introduced me to Gloria -- Brandon's 17 year old "sister" that is head of their household. I instantly started to cry. Suddenly, Brandon's story became a little more clear. I was thankful he has someone to look after him, sad that she's only 17.

From left to right: Precious (10), Gonte (6), Me, Gloria (17), Brandon (6) and AP:

While I was hanging out with Maureen this morning, AP went on a search to find Brandon and understand who cares for him. Through an amazing chain of events -- including about 5 people that pointed him in the right direction, AP found Brandon in the afternoon. He brought Gloria, Brandon, their brother Goente, and sister Precious to Charity and Faith for the closing service that we were having before we left. Gloria at 17 cares for all 4 of them -- and she is the editor of her school's magazine.

As we sat on the front row before service started, Gloria cried several times as she told me her whole story. It's hard for her to care for Brandon -- who is HIV positive. On one side of us was Gloria and her 3 siblings/children. On the other side was Maureen and Witness. Then, in a moment our two trips collided in a way that only God could have designed. Gloria told us that she has trouble getting care for Brandon and food for the family. I looked at Maureen and asked if she knew any way that Gloria could get help. Maureen looked at me with her face, now glowing and said, "Yes, I work at the Social Development Drop in Center. She can come to my work and I will walk her file through. She can get grants for school, food, and ARVs for Brandon." Maureen carefully wrote down all of the information for Gloria. She then took the paper and got on her knees in front of Gloria. She carfully explained what to do, and gave Gloria the paper. They both started to cry. AP and I started to cry, too.

This woman, Maureen who was so hard and disconnected the first day I met her was so full of love that she was able to care for someone else immediately. These two families that AP and I had fallen in love with over the past two weeks were now connected for a very specific purpose. It was beautiful.

After the service we got Brandon checked out by our medical team -- he had a clean bill of health. Then, in a true reflection of why we are in partnership with a local church there -- I introduced Gloria to pastor Gladys. Gladys is one of the Charity and Faith pastors that is like my African mom -- she is a mom to everyone she meets. Gladys heard the story of Gloria and promised to take care of them. Since then she has talked to Gloria several times. Gladys told AP and I right before we left on Saturday that she would care for Gloria and the other children as if they were her own. So today we leave with a lot of hope -- hope that Gloria and those three other children are no longer alone. Gladys will check up on them, and Maureen will navigate the system for them. I thank God for our partnership with Charity and Faith. Now, I know that Gloria, Precious, Gonte, and Brandon are going to get monthly support from Charity and Faith -- sopport that wouldn't get to them any other way. Even if we wanted to, AP and I couldn't care for them from the other side of the world with out Gladys' help.

And so, we took them home -- to a small one room tin shack with three beds. We hugged them and said goodbye. We cried, we prayed, we sang, we laughed, and then we shut the door and pulled away. I have a lot of hope for them. Somehow God found them in Mamelodi and He will provide for them.