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Like most people who live in Limete, an area in the centre of Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Therese Atatu has not had an easy life. Now 63, Therese has brought up 14 children, all of whom were born in military camps when her late husband was a serving soldier. Yet although she has reached an age where most of us would be looking forward to taking things more gently, Therese has turned her energies to bringing up an even greater number of grandchildren. Among Therese's extended family is her daughter-in-law Josephine, who came to live with her after her husband died of AIDS five years ago. Josephine is herself HIV-positive as is her son Junior, who is 16 but looks about half that age. Although Josephine also comes from a different tribe, Therese refused to follow the usual custom of rejecting her son's widow. On the contrary, Therese decided she would take in all her grandchildren in Kinshasa who have lost one or both parents to AIDS. She reckons that she has brought up or is bringing up a total of 18 grandchildren! Besides that, she is involved in her local church, taking part in their work of distributing food to the poorest people in the capital. Josephine receives support from one of Christian Aid's partners in Kinshasa, Foundation Femme Plus, who offer help with health care, psychological counselling and income generation to women who are HIV-positive. They also organise seminars for people like Therese who are caring for family members living with HIV/AIDS.
Therese's grandchildren know that their grandmother is a very special person. Eleven-year-old Gloria explained: "When we're naughty she scolds us but she never smacks us. She tells us we won't have anything to eat as a punishment but she soon calls us to come and eat after all. We love her very much." Seven-year-old Dorcas said simply, "I love her, she cuddles me". When Therese was asked what motivated her to devote herself so unstintingly to caring for her family she replied: "It's the love that I carry inside me. I can't abandon the grandchildren or my daughter-in-law - where would they go? It's much better to have them with me. Since I was young, giving is all I've known how to do. My Christian faith helps me to live and builds up feelings of love within me". This year Christian Aid Week (11th to 17th May) is focusing on ordinary people like Therese who are changing the lives of people around them, some of them from the UK, others from overseas. You can join them and help change the world through your gifts and your prayers. "How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?" (1 John3.17). |
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