Operation Hunger meets Clinton’s family on Mandela Day, July this year to donate and deliver groceries to a family of two impaired people who live together in a two room shack. Ouma as she is fondly named by the Operation Hunger feeding scheme participants is said to have been very active in the community of Blikkiesdorp during her days. She ran a crèche together with two other women, her son at the time, Clinton, was a very naughty community youth who caught up all unwanted troubles for himself. Even though Ouma tried her best to disciple him, peer group pleasure of the large shanty town consisting of 1800 families ruled Clinton’s life.
Shanty township (Blikkiesdorp)
Not only was Clinton’s mom an active woman in the community, she was a respected dedicated prayer woman who prayed and supported people daily and weekly in prisons, hospitals and in her community. She never Forgot or stopped praying for her own Clinton too. But his bad life style was not improving.
One day a charismatic church operating in a canvas tent visited the community and was placed in an open space on the eastern side of Oumas house just next to Clinton’s home. It wasn’t long after the tent church was establishment Ouma became very ill and suffered multiple strokes. Soon thereafter she lost her job at the crèche and was bedridden for life. Fortunately during this time of her illness, Clinton although he was still out in the streets doing criminal activities he was married to a good hearted woman who looked after his mom.
The illness of his mom, affected him and he badly wanted to change his life. His mom’s medical bills were rising and none of his criminal activities could bail him out. One of his worst fears was to end up in jail leaving his bedridden mom alone at home. That forced him to leave the thug life he lived and pushed him to job hunting. Oumas prayers accompanied him each day he went out to seek a job. There is .. “A time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones”
Clinton, Ouma’s only child receives an employment at last, even though the income was little but it gave this young lad and his home hope and for a new beginning.
His wife could eventually be like other women go shopping with her husband and bring his mom her favorite fruit during month ends.
Clinton’s urge to improve his life further more drove him to the tent church services held next to his home. He accepted God in his life. As the say “one cannot meet the Lord and remain the same thereafter”
For Clinton it was time for new beginnings, a time for a renewed life. It was a time to love the Lord and righteousness and a time to hate. To hate wrong doings, evil, crime and everything that he was doing in the past. Ouma’s life and his wife was always a life of thankfulness and joy.
Just when everything was going so well for him…
Clinton (bottom right) Ouma (centre of pic) Ex wife top right and Fiancé bottom right
One night , in the depth of the night’s silence everyone was peacefully a sleep, a noise coming from the tent church side woke Clinton up. He couldn’t resist it; he went outside to look at what was taking place. In the dark tent by the musical cables. He spotted the three thieves, he shouted and chased after them as they ran. Yelling! … This is a house of prayer not a house for thugs”
That’s when his wife who was deep asleep woke up and realized that it was her husband shouting outside.
They thought that the incident was over, not realizing that something bad was about to happen to them. The thugs knew who he was and had decided to ambush him on his way from work and blinded his eyes so he could never see again or point any finger at them in case they are reported to the police. Life in Clinton’s home dropped and went down and down, his wife could hardly manage to look after the two of them anymore. (Blind Clinton and his paralyzed mom). Clinton discovered and understood the suffering of his wife and eventually made the heartbreaking decision of releasing his wife since she was young and had no children with him. Although released, the good hearted wife came would return home occasionally to wash Ouma but Clinton refused to be assisted by her.
There is a time to weep and a time to laugh.
An OH feeding scheme lands up also just next to Oumas house, on the west side just next to Clintons home, The six cooks from the operation hunger feeding scheme and some community members make turns looking after Ouma and Clinton daily. This two receives daily meals from the feeding scheme. The feeding scheme feeds 400 people daily
On Mandela day Operation Hunger joined ACSA in the community and distributed 1800 food parcels in the community. One of these parcels was delivered personally by operation to the family. What was outstanding and moving on the day of the visit was to see Clinton neatly dresses up and having had a brand new hair cut and beautiful shaving that had been done by his ex – wifes fiancé, also noticed how fresh Ouma looked, this was after a nice warm bath given by her ex- daughter in –law.
Thanks to all the community people that are taking care of people such as this family who has not relative or no one to take care of them.
Get involved for a better community. In order to expand its operations Operation hunger is appealing for support, either financially or as a volunteer. You could become an OH Activist or even get the children involved with “OH Youth Action”
Forward with the women… Forward
Clement Summerton
Western Cape
(National Development Coordinator)
