Child Headed Household Work Day

In the midst of training high schoolers to lead Holiday Club (Vacation Bible School) this weekend, I returned to the Child Headed Household of Nomsa with three others for a workday. We rid the kitchen of roaches and painted the walls, which were primed on the last workday. Rob sealed the roof where one could see a gap where rain intruded in the kitchen. Prudence, Nomsa's older daughter, and eight girls from Flora's made 10 plus five adult volunteers for an excursion to a nearby zoo while this work was being done. When Rob finished the roof patching he also touched up the plaster around the base of the kitchen, while we continued our painting.

Around 11AM the owner of the house, Nomsa's uncle, appeared. He was already drunk, and after greeting us he promptly began appeals for a job, not to help us, but to earn a salary somewhere, presumably not to interfere with his alcoholism. For a while he was able to stumble an wobble outside, but when he finally came into the kitchen and examined the work closely, he forgot that three of us were painting and leaned against a wall. I don't think a "Caution: Wet Paint" sign would have helped him keep his balance. He went to his room and sat on his bed. Later he came out to thank us in a garbled expression of feigned sobriety.
The aunt (I think? possibly a sister to the uncle, but not a wife) also made an appearance, leaving her room for the toilet behind the house and returning to her room. I understand she is not well, probably suffering from AIDS. That accounts for the kitchen and two bedrooms, leaving only the living room where Nomsa, her two children, the middle sister, her one child, and Prudence to live.

This is not Shanty Town poverty, but this is a spirit-breaking house, far from a proper home. Nomsa and Prudence know they are loved and are able to call the church, and I hope that is a small step in empowering them to live life and not just suffer through it.