You’ve already met Mama Julia if you read my previous post. How to describe her, hmmm. I want to say she is the brains behind it all, but I think it would be more accurate to say she is the heart beating beneath this crucial ministry. She leans hard on God, but there are still day (and nights) when she worries…
if money will come in to pay for the next month’s electric on her prepayment meter,
if she will be able to find the medicine this child needs to keep maintaining a level of relative health in the face of challenging odds,
if that child will find help for his deepest needs.
Julia loves Jesus with her whole broken heart, and she talks with Him about all the children God brings to her.
Julia’s daughter Jessica lives at the Mustard Seed house. She is a beautiful young woman, still figuring out her life; it has not been an easy journey for her, for any of them. Julia likes it when the two of them can work together in the kitchen; Jessica willingly shares her room with the extra girls in the house. |
This is Julia’s son, Daniel. He has a gentle nature and a heart to help. He has recently completed his Motor Mechanics course (with distinction!!) He is an ambitious young man in search of a job in a crazy world. (This is what makes Mamas everywhere pray every day.) While I was visiting, he kindly shared his room with his mom, while she insisted I sleep in her room.
Ma Nkoma is one part housekeeper, one part cook, one part village liaison/ damage control specialist. She helps do what needs to be done; she cooks, and she runs interference in the community when necessary. Some days she verifies the stories that have been told to Julia, other days she shakes her head and says it’s not true. Since she speaks English and Sotho, she completes the language triangle between Julia, who speaks English, Afrikaans and some Zulu and Oussie who prefers Sotho. |
Other bits and pieces also improved under Joseph’s clever hands – his return trip brought improved flushing, a new toilet seat (Thank you Lord…) and a crazy sturdy basketball hoop. (They can slam dunk now, and nothing is going to happen to that hoop…unless they pull the post out of the ground!) Julia and I enjoyed seeing our “boys” busy together!