My family lived in South Africa for 22 years, where I married a South African man and we raised our two daughters. When my daughters were small, we hired Cynthia to help us clean and care for our girls. Cynthia quickly became part of our family, especially after her husband had just passed away. She was wonderful with our daughters, and her kindness and warmth left a lasting impact on us all.
Due to the high crime and lack of opportunities in South Africa, we eventually moved to the USA, where we have lived for 24 years and are now American citizens. Cynthia found work at the daycare my daughters attended, and her own daughters worked there too, but the daycare has since closed. Life got busy, and despite our best efforts, we lost touch with Cynthia for over two decades. It took 22 years to find her again. My oldest daughter visited Johannesburg in January 2025 and found Cynthia’s daughter at the daycare, but we still struggled to reconnect. Finally, over a year later, Cynthia reached out to my daughter Natasha via WhatsApp, and we were overjoyed to hear from her.
Cynthia and her family—her daughters, son, and grandchildren—now live in a shack in Tembisa, South Africa. There are 11 of them sharing a small space, with only a port-a-potty for a bathroom, old mattresses on bricks for beds, and a single electrical cord shared with neighbors for power. They have no heat, and sometimes no electricity at all. They are in need of everything from food and clothing to a vehicle and a proper home. A vehicle would help the children get to school and give her son a chance to find work. My hope is to help them get to a safe place, so they have the opportunity to grow and support themselves.
Seeing Cynthia’s family’s living conditions broke my heart. After reconnecting, I realized how urgently they need help. Any support, big or small, will make a real difference in their lives. With the current exchange rate, your donation can go even further. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for caring and for giving hope to a family who truly deserves it. Bless you!
Due to the high crime and lack of opportunities in South Africa, we eventually moved to the USA, where we have lived for 24 years and are now American citizens. Cynthia found work at the daycare my daughters attended, and her own daughters worked there too, but the daycare has since closed. Life got busy, and despite our best efforts, we lost touch with Cynthia for over two decades. It took 22 years to find her again. My oldest daughter visited Johannesburg in January 2025 and found Cynthia’s daughter at the daycare, but we still struggled to reconnect. Finally, over a year later, Cynthia reached out to my daughter Natasha via WhatsApp, and we were overjoyed to hear from her.
Cynthia and her family—her daughters, son, and grandchildren—now live in a shack in Tembisa, South Africa. There are 11 of them sharing a small space, with only a port-a-potty for a bathroom, old mattresses on bricks for beds, and a single electrical cord shared with neighbors for power. They have no heat, and sometimes no electricity at all. They are in need of everything from food and clothing to a vehicle and a proper home. A vehicle would help the children get to school and give her son a chance to find work. My hope is to help them get to a safe place, so they have the opportunity to grow and support themselves.
Seeing Cynthia’s family’s living conditions broke my heart. After reconnecting, I realized how urgently they need help. Any support, big or small, will make a real difference in their lives. With the current exchange rate, your donation can go even further. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for caring and for giving hope to a family who truly deserves it. Bless you!