Orphans
It is a question I asked myself earlier in my teaching career: “Who actually learns from whom?”
In the wonderful work that we are allowed to do here, we are often busy giving Biblical education to young people and the elderly. At the same time, you can also learn a lot from interacting with others. You often see utter brokenness here. It fills you with compassion when you stand or sit next to someone. When you look into the deep sorrow in their eyes. When you see life’s questions written on their faces.
Some verses from the Bible suddenly seem to gain more depth. No, the depth was already there. But in a certain context they suddenly start to have more significance. Like this verse, James 1:27:
“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”
James says that we must not only be a hearer, but also a doer of the Word. One of those acts is “visiting fatherless in their affliction.”
Every Wednesday afternoon I can be found in Tshwaraganang. An orphanage where many young children, but also teenagers live. The name means something like: hold on to each other!
Through my work there I have become more aware of how vulnerable orphans are.
A few practical examples
• Little orphans are often overjoyed when I come. They give me a “drukkie” (clasp my legs). That is of course a beautiful thing. At the same time: they do not have their own father or mother to seek and find security with. What a loss! I can never replace that.
• The teenagers are clearly thinking about their future. They wonder, “What am I going to do with my life? What am I going to do when I finish secondary school?” Sometimes they come to me with questions about higher education. “Shall I do this or should I do that?” There is often also a kind of resignation. “Who's going to pay for that? I don’t have a father to pay for my studies. There will probably be no work or income after school. Where am I going to live after I turn 18?” I really wish these teenagers will receive a safe and warm home. And a good future.
• Just like every teenager is searching for his or her personal identity, this is no different out here. Teenage girls also look for confirmation. But who gives you that if you don’t have parents? When they receive confirmation, it very often comes from the wrong person with wrong intentions. They are very vulnerable!
• Some orphans of the same parents live together as a “family”. The oldest child takes on the responsibility of caring for the younger children. They call those child-headed families out here. Families with the oldest child as head of the household. Now I have nothing but praise for these oldest children. They take responsibility for their younger brothers and sisters. But sometimes this is an unbearable burden. A responsibility that is too big and too heavy for these young shoulders. Sometimes I play soccer at the Garden with Philip – a wonderful boy from such a family. His twin sister is often not far away from him. They are about 12 years old.
Philip confirms the truth that orphans are beautiful children. Just like other children. They deserve some extra attention. Look in the Bible to see how often the Lord draws attention to widows and orphans. Out of grace, God’s eye is on the vulnerable. What a blessing it will be if through the Biblical teaching they may be led from darkness into Light, through the discovering work of the Holy Spirit. So that one may learn: “He is a Father of the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5).
Georg Lindhoud
