Make shift home
After 35 years of marriage, an elderly lady of 66 walked out of her marriage. She took with her, some pots, plates, cups, clothes, chickens and her grandchildren. From the home that she built, she is now living in a “make shift” room that is made of sack. She and her three grandchildren all share this ‘sack’ room. The tragedy is that we are now in our winter season and temperatures in Kezi can drop to -2 degrees. Her husband is living on his own at the moment and he is selling their cattle to fend for himself. He doesn’t give his wife or grandchildren any money. They rely on her children who are working in Bulawayo and in South Africa.
Make shift kitchen
To add to this lady’s problems, her teenage grand daughter is 7 months pregnant and doesn’t know who the father of the child is – or should I say, will not say who he is. She has identified 2 young men from the community and both deny profusely that they are the prospective dads and will not take responsibility. Another casing point of what happens in rural Zimbabwe amongst the young people.
This lady has endured much hardship over the 35 years and I guess she just can’t take anymore. She was married customarily to her husband and tragically, this type of marriage favours the man and doesn’t protect the woman. The man can literally do anything he wants including taking as many "wives" as he pleases. There are days when she is down and others where she is more optimistic and can be an encouragement to her grandchildren. This 66 year old lady is just a casing point. Many women in Kezi and rural Zimbabwe face similar situations.
Stephen and I visited this lady yesterday as the whole family and the two young men, attend Crossroads. She was coming to her 'new home' from her garden where she picked some carrots. Her 11 year old grand daughter was cutting vegetables for dinner while she started cooking sadza in preparation for thier evening meal. We gave her 2kg of sugar and she was so thankful. She told us that her sugar had just run out and she was needing to take some maize to the grinding mill so she could have enough mealie meal to feed her family. Although she has many needs, she demonstrates such courage, warmth and perseverence.
Her story is complex and it’s one where God needs to intervene. Ndebele culture is at play but we serve a God who specialises in things thought impossible and we know that “all things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purposes.”
This lady has endured much hardship over the 35 years and I guess she just can’t take anymore. She was married customarily to her husband and tragically, this type of marriage favours the man and doesn’t protect the woman. The man can literally do anything he wants including taking as many "wives" as he pleases. There are days when she is down and others where she is more optimistic and can be an encouragement to her grandchildren. This 66 year old lady is just a casing point. Many women in Kezi and rural Zimbabwe face similar situations.
Stephen and I visited this lady yesterday as the whole family and the two young men, attend Crossroads. She was coming to her 'new home' from her garden where she picked some carrots. Her 11 year old grand daughter was cutting vegetables for dinner while she started cooking sadza in preparation for thier evening meal. We gave her 2kg of sugar and she was so thankful. She told us that her sugar had just run out and she was needing to take some maize to the grinding mill so she could have enough mealie meal to feed her family. Although she has many needs, she demonstrates such courage, warmth and perseverence.
Her story is complex and it’s one where God needs to intervene. Ndebele culture is at play but we serve a God who specialises in things thought impossible and we know that “all things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purposes.”
By Molly Manhanga
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