It always feels so good to be a part of the solution to a big problem.
Our grannies are trying to keep their families together under military lockdown, restricted to the cramped quarters of their rickety shacks during the cold of winter setting, unable to work, unable to get food or medicine, unable to set foot outside their door without being met by military patrols. It is a truly continues to be desperate time for our precious grannies and orphans! While all of us are impacted by the upheaval of the coronavirus, those in poverty are hit in ways many of us could never imagine. With the Kerus Orphan Care Center and the local school closed, many of our precious ones are left without food or other resources they have depended on for survival.
But we have been able to deliver almost ten tons of foods! Three times we have been able to get into the township and drop off food boxes (veggies, fruit, cornmeal, beans, oil, flour, yeast, sugar, canned fish, soap, masks, etc.) under the watchful care of a security team escort.
The dissonance of joy and sorrow echoes. Joy over a God who hears the cries of orphans and widows and responds; sorrow because the situation is so terribly grim for so many. Momzo, one of our grannies pulled the team aside weeping as she told of how little food there was. We are hearing stories of bank accounts with zero balances now. Crime is rising. And, we know that all of this will translate into more abused and exploited children in the township. But God sees our families, he’s placed them not only on our hearts but yours too. God is providing! He is showing our families and staff that he sees them. He is demonstrating that he can be trusted.
Our God and his people are generous. We are thrilled beyond measure that our Kerus team can bring hope to the doorsteps of these tiny shacks and houses.
One of the grannies, with tears flowing from her eyes, told our Kerus team that her granddaughter had just given her the grim news that they had used the last bit of corn meal for breakfast and now had a meager 50 rand left (about $2.70) to sustain them. She said, “I prayed and asked Jesus to please help!” It was then that the Kerus team drove up and knocked on her metal shack door with a box overflowing with needed provisions. She said she had never seen God answer her prayers before like this, and she now knows beyond a doubt that God really cares about her.
Often, before our team even pulled away from the homes, they saw the grannies dividing up the food and taking it to their neighbors. What a touching gesture of true love and care for your neighbor. It was so beautiful!
One of our dear grannies sat on the side of the road sobbing, paralyzed by the hopelessness of their situation and her inability to help her grandchildren with even the basic necessities. Her joy at receiving her food box was overwhelming!
Some of our families are child led, meaning an older teenager is head of household. Sadly, their parents and grandparents have died and older children have been left to care for their younger siblings. As our Kerus team delivered boxes of food and love to these courageous teens – relief was all over their faces. Provisions had run out and they were feeling both helpless and hopeless. Our team drove away with tears flowing from their eyes. God’s loving provision was almost too much to bear.
Our Kerus Family is making a difference! Together, we are bringing God’s hope and love to homes that have been full of desperation.