House in Mbonisweni, Part 1

During the winter, many young African boys go to "initiation ceremonies" in the mountains. These initiation rituals involve circumcision as wells as guidance and advice about the transition into manhood. If you do a google search, you will find many tragedies linked to these ceremonies.

Last year, in the community Mbonisweni, a boy didn't return home from the initiation ceremony. No one spoke about what happened to him. A week or so later, members of the community climbed the mountain and found the boy's lifeless body. A local friend of mine was with that group. The day after they found the body, she told me without emotion "we found his body, he was beaten to death, and we carried him down the mountain. Then we went to the woman who is in charge of the camp, and we burned her house down." With disbelief, I said "you whhhaaattt?" And she responded very matter of fact "we had to." I couldn’t believe what she was telling me.

This group of community members also burned the belongings and houses of anyone related to the woman in charge of the initiation ceremonies. With the help of my friends John Shaw, Pastor Sthembiso, and a group of financial donors, Ten Thousand Homes recently purchased one of these destroyed houses. John, Pastor Sthembiso, and some of the youth from the church, are fixing the house up for two young boys who need a home.

Before picture: The front of the house

Back of the house

When the members of the community arrived to this house last year, they forced the family out, started a fire outside, and burned all of their belongings. The family was kicked out of the community. Everything they had was destroyed, even though they were not involved in the boy's murder.

This family now lives in another village. I'm told they became very bitter. I pray the payment they received from Ten Thousand Homes will bless them and they will be able to move past this horrible event without bitterness. May there be goodness and reconciliation in this hard situation.

When I first saw this house a couple of weeks ago, it was a mess. There was broken glass, and trash every where. Since the back door was ripped off, many people have likely been in and out of this empty house.

Inside hallway

Back bedroom

I don't get emotional about everything I see in the villages. BUT seeing this house was hard. REMEMBERING my friend who was involved in these house burnings was hard. Some days God breaks your heart again for the situations and people here.....this was one of those days.