“It’s not the size of your house that makes a home… It’s the size of your heart.” ~Jane Lee Logan

In June 2017, Maria and her husband Freddy opened their hearts and home, doubling the size of their family overnight.  They have six children of their own.  Yet in June, they agreed to take in six of Maria’s cousin’s children who became orphaned.

Maria grew up in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.  At the age of 20 years old, she had her first daughter with a man to whom she was not married.  Then 3 years later, she had her second daughter.  Maria is a strong woman and began raising these girls on her own.

At the age of 26, she met Freddy, the man of her dreams.  They fell in love and were married.  They just celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary!  Freddy is a good man.  He has always worked hard to take care of Maria and their children.  For years, the only work he could find was in Knysna, two hours away from his family.  He moved there to work and traveled home when he could to see his family.  This is so typical of families.  If the father is still involved with the family, he may have to live in another town to work, only seeing his family on occasion.  

While he worked in Knysna, Freddy stayed with Maria’s sister.  She lived in an area of the township that was very underdeveloped at the time.  No roads.  No concrete block homes.  No water.  No electricity.  This was now Freddy’s home away from home.  He would work all day long and often help neighbors at night and on the weekends.  He is a handy man.  Someone who can fix almost anything.  And he is always willing to help.  One neighbor took notice of his kindness to the community.  She starting talking with him about his work, his family and his plans.  She wanted to know if he planned to move his family to Knysna.

Of course Freddy would love to do that, but where would they live?  He and his wife had six children!  The woman was full of compassion.  She told Freddy that she wanted to give her land to him so that he could move his family to Knysna.   A piece of land full of brush and vegetation.  No buildings.  So much potential.  Wow. 

Freddy couldn’t wait to tell Maria.  But she held back her excitement.   She had concerns.  She didn’t know this woman.  What if they accepted the offer, built a home on the property, and then the woman turned around and took the land back.  Valid concern.

Freddy returned to Knysna a few days later and addressed Maria’s concern with the woman.  She so wanted to give them this gift.  She insisted Freddy go with her to the magistrate where she signed the land over to him.  It was now legal.  No strings attached.  A priceless gift.  Maria and I both agree… a true blessing from God.

Freddy got to work building his family a wooden house.  Actually one that feels large inside because he designed it with high ceilings.  When it was finished, the 8 of them moved in.   The home had a kitchen and two bedrooms.  No bathroom.

Life was good.  Not easy.  But good.  They were surrounded by bush.  No roads.  No running water.  No electricity.  No sanitation.  But they were all together again!  Within a couple of years, that part of the township (Dam Se Bos) began to develop.  The government brought roads, water lines, sanitation and electricity to that area.  RDP homes (Reconstruction and Development Programme) were being built.  A few years ago, Maria and Freddy qualified for their small government home (2 bedrooms / 1 bathroom).  This now stands directly behind the wooden house.

Side note:  The RDP program was initiated by the ANC Party under the leadership of Nelson Mandela.  Poverty is the single greatest burden of South Africa’s people, and is the direct result of the apartheid.  As part of this program, people in poverty have the opportunity to receive a free home.  Those eligible must meet these qualifications:  Must be a South African citizen; over the age of 21; married or living with a partner OR single with dependants; earn less than R3,500 ($295 U.S.) per household per month.  The problem is that it can take years before your home is built.  I know some people that have been waiting 15-20 years.

This brings us to June 2017.  Maria got a call from family members telling her that her cousin had been murdered.   She was stabbed in front of her home, in front of her children.  She was an alcoholic and apparently got into an altercation with another woman, leading to her death.  Six children were now orphaned.  Their mother was dead and their alcoholic father had been murdered (stabbed) a year earlier.  It is so hard to imagine what these children went through in that household.

Maria, who didn’t really even know the children, was begged by relatives to take them in.  If Maria did not take them, they would be separated and put into foster care.  She did what came naturally.  She prayed.

Maria felt God tugging on her heart.  She must give these orphans a chance.  So off she and Freddy went to pick up 6 more children to join their family.

Maria’s two oldest daughters had already moved away.  One lives in Capetown and one lives in Johannesburg.  However, they each have one child a 4-year old girl and a 2-year old boy that live with Maria and Freddy.

If you are trying to keep a head count, here it is… In the household resides: Freddy, Maria, 4 of their children (3 in high school and a 25-year old who just had a baby), 3 grandchildren and 6 of her cousin’s children.  A total of 15 people.  4 bedrooms.  1 bathroom.  Yes, 1 bathroom.  Things are a little crowded, to say the least.

Maria and her newest grandson, Favian.

Maria’s grandson, Davian.

Not only that, the financial struggle is very real.  Freddy has a maintenance job (actually in the neighborhood where we rent a house).  He works hard all week long and then pastors a church in his community on Sundays.  I don’t know Freddy’s salary, but it would be typical for him to make around $17 U.S. per day.  He is the only bread-winner in the home.

Praise God my friends Penny and Ella (Emzini Tours), who I mentioned in the blog posts “Unprotected-Part 1” and “Unprotected – Part 2”, have partnered with Freddy and Maria to help provide for the orphans.  They pay for school uniforms, transport to school, school fees and some food expenses.  It is a necessary blessing for the family.

To help Maria and Freddy with space, Kurt and our friend Don have been teaching a group of 8 guys basic carpentry skills.  These boys did not complete high school, some cannot read.  This was an opportunity to teach them some basic skills to hopefully make them a little bit more employable.  Their final project was to build a 12 X 12 sleeping room onto Freddy and Maria’s home.  This gives the family space to move 4 -6 of the children into a room of bunk beds.

The project was amazing.  Not only did it give Maria’s family more sleeping space, it was such an exciting accomplishment for the young boys in the class.

Freddy and Maria are Christians.  Maria praises our Savior all day long.  It gives me such joy to visit and see her love for our Lord.  Together this couple teaches their children kindness, compassion, love, grace and mercy.  They instill in them the importance of an education.  Maria told me that in her house, nobody is allowed to drop out of school.  They are raising these children to be good productive members of society.

Because Freddy and Maria opened their hearts and their home, six children have a new lease on life.  I am thankful that they obeyed God’s call on their lives.  Well done good and faithful servants! ~Tracy Cooper