Woman married at 14 still believes in God amid turmoil

Making sure her children receive education and become better people, was the only thing that kept Ms Christinah Kone alive.

She is a single parent who lost both parents at the age of 12 and she got married when she was 14 years old.

She witnessed her whole family, including her parents and close relatives, getting killed for political reasons.

Ms Kone and her cousin escaped and ran to the mountains where they hid.

“My cousin was a bit older than me and after the funeral, she left to look for work to be able to support the two of us and to pay for my education.

“I was left on my own however, because my cousin never returned.”

Ms Kone was adopted by a pastor who raised her like his own child.

He however died two years after her adoption. A middle-aged man then married her. She did not have a choice, because she had nowhere to go.

Husband’s death

Marrying an older man made her shy and reserved.

The man took good care of her, but was over protective and locked her inside the yard and she had to wear long dresses.

“He began to cheat on me and days would go by without him coming home.”

Her husband became ill and died.

He left her with four children aged from 10 years to three months.

After the funeral, she was evicted from the house by her in-laws and she was wandering the streets with her four children.

Some people pitied her and gave her accommodation, but she had to look for odd jobs such as cleaning houses and doing laundry.

Ms Kone’s eldest daughter sometimes missed school, because she had to look after her siblings while her mother was working.

The second-born son also worked in people’s gardens to help his mother support the family.

Ms Kone (38) recalled she wanted to throw herself and her two youngest children into a river one night, but they were saved by two unknown men.

She wrote a letter to social workers and gave them permission to take her children to a better place.

“We did not eat for four days and I was breastfeeding my twins at the time.”

Ms Kone once managed to get a better job, but became very ill and was hospitalised for months.

Her children were taken to a place of safety during this time.

Illness

“I was very ill and heard visitors whispering that I should just give up and die, because I was just a skeleton.

“After hearing them say these things, I made a covenant with God that if He gives me a chance to raise my children, my lips will preach his Word and I will worship Him forever.”

Ms Kone recovered and someone helped her to get her house back, but she had no furniture and they had to sleep on the floor.

She landed another job for eight months, but when she left for work one day, she had a stroke in front of her house.

Her eldest daughter was supposed to study law after matric, but decided to give up her dream in order to take care of her mother.

“I told her that even if she decides to stay, she will not be able to stop me from dying if it is God’s time. I urged her to pursue her dreams.”

After Ms Kone had recovered from the stroke, she could not get her job back.

Her daughter managed to get a National Student Financial Aid Scheme which pays for the tertiary education fees and accommodation, but not food.

The family survives on the grants of the other three children and shares the money with their sister so she could buy food.

The last time they had new clothes was when her husband was still alive, but they now depend on second-hand clothes from the church.

“My children are a gift from God and when we do not have food, I tell them God knows our situation and we should trust in Him.

“When they return from school and find there is nothing to eat, they keep busy and I often hear them praying at night and then they sleep hungry.”

Ms Kone did not have a chance to get educated, but believes God gave her the wisdom to raise her children and to make sure they get an education.

Her second child is currently in Grade 10 and always passes with flying colours.

“I am worried that he might be affected by our situation, because he also tries to get odd jobs to help us.

“He works out a budget for the little money we get from their grants to make sure we buy the basic things and are able to send money to his sister as well.”

Ms Kone is confident she will soon find a job so she can support her family.

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