When Given* was three years old, her parents divorced. Given’s mother then took her five children to live with their grandmother. Sadly, life continued to be a struggle and providing the most basic necessities was a challenge. Eventually, Given’s mother, overwhelmed with the responsibility of caring and providing for her children, ran away, leaving her children under the care of their ageing grandmother.
As is common in many family situations across Africa, other relatives came to bring Given and her siblings to live with them. However, Given, who has a special relationship with her grandmother and deeply loves her, wanted to stay living with her.
Given’s grandmother tries to provide for her granddaughter by making a local soft drink, with the hope that it will sell and she will earn a profit. It was in the midst of their desperation and struggle to survive that local volunteer Care Workers from the Malakota Community Based Organisation (CBO) found them. Seeing their vulnerability, they acted with the love and grace of Jesus Christ and invited Given to the Care Point where she could be holistically cared for.
Prior to coming to the Care Point, Given had never attended school, but thanks to the support of the Malakota CBO, the now 10-year-old Given is in grade 2. Initially, when Given came to the Care Point, she didn’t appear healthy. As she has been loved and cared for, however, her health has greatly improved. Praise God! Not only do the Care Workers support Given, but they also support her grandmother by helping her with cultivating and maintaining her field.
In 2018, there was a lack of rain and so the family struggled to harvest anything. Yet, despite this setback, Given’s grandmother was grateful for the Care Workers' support and the meal that her granddaughter receives daily. Regularly, Given and her grandmother are visited in their home by their Care Workers, who bring support, encouragement and the hope and love of Christ. With hope clearly written on the face of Given’s grandmother, she has expressed that she knows that if she were to pass away, Given would continue to be loved and cared for by the Care Workers.
*name changed