We’d like to
introduce you to Be (face blocked and name changed for
privacy), a former orphan succeeding through the hands of Heather
Chimhoga Orphan Care not only once, but twice. Here is her story as told through
a Zimbabwe Mission Partnership member in July 2019.
"My name is
Be, I, along with my younger sister were found by HCOC founders Ralph and
Roberta Pippitt in 2002. But allow me to start my story a few years prior to
being saved for the first time.
"I lost my
father when I was in Grade 1 in 1997. I then lost my mother in 2000 when I was
in Grade 4. I do not remember my father very well for I was young and only
remember my mother through photos. At the time of my mother’s death, I had two
sisters, however one passed away in 2001. It was very hard losing three out of
five family members within four year and being so young myself. I became head
of the family and responsible for my younger sister. I was only in Grade 5. We
were sent to live with my Grandmother. During this time, we suffered sexual and
mental abuse from men in the Village. My Grandmother was too old to protect us.
"There were
many days when I would just sit and cry the whole day. We did try and make it
to school but, unable to pay school fees, would be sent home. It was through
our school that the Pippett’s found us a year later. They took us into the HCOC
system providing us with food, clothing, medical needs, school fees and school
uniforms. Beauty Mukondwa, the Nurse at HCOC, was so kind to us. She began to
heal us. Through the aid of HCOC, I was able to take my School Exams in 2007
for which I passed.
"In 2008, I
got married. It was nice at first but became difficult as my husband struggled
to find employment. We moved to South Africa for work in 2013 leaving our first
born child with my mother in-law and our youngest child with my younger sister’s
mother in-law in Zimbabwe. I found work as a house maid in South Africa. My
husband took another wife and was abusive to me. Hearing that my mother in-law
no longer wanted to take care of our child, I returned to Zimbabwe.
"Upon returning
to Zimbabwe, I had nothing. I began working in peace jobs on other people’s
farms just to be able to provide for my two children and pay their school fees,
for my husband was no longer supporting us.
"In September
2018, I went to HCOC to purchase vegetables since I was living back in the
area. I found Nurse Beauty from so long ago and shared my story with her of
what had happened to me since I left the area in 2008 to be married. Roberta
Pippitt happened to be there working on the Moringa project. Beauty told me
they were getting ready to have interviews and training to hire for workers in
the Moringa processing building. She invited me to come and train. Once again
HCOC came to my rescue for I was picked as one of the ladies to have full time
work with the Moringa project. Since that time, things have changed for the
better. I am able to provide for my children with the allowance received from
my job. My children now have enough. I am slowly constructing a small house and
to honor my parents, I am building a grave for them as is a tradition in
Zimbabwe. It’s been 22 years since my father died and they have no memorial.
"I would not
be able to do any of these things if it was not for The Pippitts, Beauty and
HCOC. To Roberta I would like to say: I do not have enough words to thank you,
but God knows."
(Above
picture taken of Be in front of the Moringa Processing Building in July of
2019)
OTHER STORIES OF HOPE >
