Within South Africa, there are 574 children being loved and cared for and in Eswatini, there are 389 children being loved and cared for. Today, we invite you to pray for children across South Africa and Eswatini:
• “We’ve seen abuse happening to our children. They get abused emotionally and physically, so we would like to bring that prayer request. Pray that God would raise His hand and intervene in this situation.
• One of the other common things you would find around our communities, is that most of our children feel rejected and abandoned. Many of the parents are still alive, but they have been left with their sick grandmothers. Pray against that spirit of rejection. Pray that people would know the importance of fending for their children, no matter how difficult life can be, and make sure that they play the role of parents to their children.” (Nontobeko, Local Leader, South Africa)
Timothy* is one of the 574 children across South Africa. He lives in the community of Welverdiend.
17-year-old Timothy* lives by himself after his sister moved away to live with her boyfriend. He was found by Care Workers in 2016, who visited his home and learned that he had no one to take care of him. Timothy needed food, toiletries, and school supplies. The Care Workers helped him with these practical things, but he also needed friends and family. By God’s grace, he found those at school and at the Care Point. Over time, Linky, his Care Worker, has bonded with him. Timothy opens up to her and tells her about his problems and needs. She listens to him and helps him as much as she can. She shows him kindness and compassion and treats him like her own son, giving him a sense of belonging and hope.
Timothy* is one of the 389 children across Eswatini. He lives in the community of Shoka.
Abram’s* experience of rejection started at 3 months old when his father fled to Mozambique despite having previously made promises to care for his family. Sadly, his mother struggles with a mental disability leaving her unable to effectively care for her son. This leaves Abram’s grandmother with the responsibility of caring for them. The only way the family survives is through farming, however, this is inconsistent and rarely provides enough. When Abram first began coming to the Care Point, he was quiet, withdrawn and did not know how to interact with the other children. As time has gone on and with the love and care of the Shoka CBO, he has grown in his confidence to play with the other children and build relationships with the Care Workers. Even Abram’s grandmother feels free to share her challenges with Care Worker Jabulile when she visits their home.