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Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Correspondent
AN elderly Mutare couple that looks after 10 children, including their three orphaned grandchildren, was recently left smiling after receiving Christmas goodies and farming inputs from Johane the Fifth of Africa Church.
The couple received maize seed, diapers and baby formula.
The donation did not only end with the family, as the church went around the village handing out goodies to other families taking care of orphaned children.
For 60-year-old Ms Judith Chibururu and her 64-year-old husband, Mr Morris Mhukuta, the donation came at the most opportune time as they were failing to put food on the table.
The couple’s late daughter’s child is the youngest member of the family at just three-months-old.
Thandazile Mhukuta (25) died three weeks after giving birth, thereby leaving the burden of raising her three minor children on her unemployed elderly parents.
Thandazile’s husband disappeared shortly after the death of his wife.
Johane the Fifth of Africa Church leader, Prophet Andby Makururu said they donated maize seed so that the beneficiaries could embark on farming projects.
In an interview, Ms Chibururu said they survive on crashing and selling concrete stones.
“Concrete stones do not have a good market here in Chitakatira and at times we sell only one wheelbarrow per month. We have challenges putting food on the table for the children as our older children are not working. My husband and I are the ones who toil to feed everyone. In fact, I carry all the chores with the baby strapped on my back,” she said.
A wheelbarrow of concrete stones costs US$1.
Ms Chibururu thanked the church for remembering her, but most of all thanked them for the cartons of the baby’s formula.
“I honestly do not know how to thank you. My husband and I have been failing to feed this child for the past three months since her mother’s death. Baby formula was the essential product that we urgently needed.
“Even if you look at her, you will notice that she is malnourished because we were doing all we could, but failing to feed her,” said the teary Ms Chibururu.
Mr Mhukuta also thanked the church for the kind gesture, saying the burden of raising the orphaned child was taking its toll on them.
“This is really commendable. We appreciate what Johane the Fifth of Africa Church has done to us. My family was struggling to make ends meet and these donations came at the right time. I sincerely hope that other churches and different organisations will emulate this good gesture to other orphans out there,” he said.
Prophet Makururu said: “There is a saying in Shona that says: ‘nherera inoguta musi wafa mai’, but we need to change that narrative and make sure these children know that we will take care of them despite their mother’s death. We want them to know that the community loves them.
‘’The maize seed will enable the family to eke a living from farming. We hope that after the harvest, they will be able to look after the children and themselves.
“This, however, does not mean that we will not be coming back with more donations. We will always be here for them as we have adopted these children as our own,” he said.
Prophet Mukururu urged other churches to come on board and lend a helping hand to all needy families.
“The Covid-19 situation has also worsened the challenges that such families are facing. I really want to urge people from different walks of life to keep thinking about such families in these difficult times,” he said.
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