Angels - Prayer of an Orphan

(Background: The number of youth-headed households in South Africa increases rapidly. Many siblings don’t want to be separated and rather endure the ensuing hardships of a household without income. Government support is only available if the guardian is at least 25 years old.)

Loving God,

When our mother passed away into your arms she promised us that you will send angels to help us. When she blessed us in her last hour she told us in a soft voice that these angels are people who will give us love and kindness. Tonight I want to thank you for our good day and all the angels you have sent.

Thank you for our neighbour, Mama Dala, because she made us wonderful porridge this morning.

Thank you for Thoko’s grandmother because she takes our little sister, Zanele, to the children’s day centre. She often has to carry Zanele on her back because the road is full of stones.

Thank you for Mama Khesa who allowed my brothers to play in her yard today. They returned with happy faces because they had steam-bread with jam.

Thank you for my teacher who is so gentle. She gave me a new pen this morning and praised my poem.

Thank you for our principal who invited me to his office and asked how I manage to look after my two brothers and little sister. I was not shy when I spoke to him. He said: You are only 15 and you are such a responsible girl. Your parents gave you the best name: Thandeka, which means: the one who is loved.

Thank you for Aunt Lerato who will come on Saturday to help us wash our clothes and collect fire-wood. She always has good words and never shouts at my brother Olo when he is naughty. Olo misses Mother so much - he is often angry.

Thank you for our cousin Thula who brings us t-shirts, jeans and shoes from her madam’s children. Thula works as a domestic worker. She says her madam has a golden heart.

Thank you for Uncle Siya who visits every month and tells us stories and never hits us.

Thank you for the women from the church who bought us school uniforms. Now we look like all the other children and my brothers are no longer ashamed to go to school.

Thank you for Mandisi’s grandfather who brings us sweet-potatoes and spinach almost every day.

Thank you for the nurse at the clinic who gave Zanele medicine and a warm blanket.

Thank you for our pastor who brought a beautiful picture-book that made Zanele smile and then she did not cry for a whole week.

Thank you for the volunteers at the care centre. They promised that they will protect us if strange relatives come and want to take us away. We are worried because this happened to my friend Sindi and her brothers. Sindi’s aunts and uncles came and each relative took one child. Sindi’s heart is broken because she says the relatives only want the foster child grant from the government.

Thank you, God, that we can stay together as brothers and sisters because you send your angels to take care of us.

O God, I thank you because I know that our parents are with you.

(Source: MASANGANE prayers. South Africa 2006)