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Faith with
a Salvation Army Captain.
Click
image for larger version |
By
the time Faith was 16, she had begun volunteering. "I heard about
Masiye from a group of church youths who had once attended it and so I
was interested. When I went there for the first time, it was a really
fantastic experience, playing with children and stuff like that."
She went to the Camps during holidays, and to the Kids Clubs over the
weekends, "It was great to volunteer, it pays to be a volunteer,
you learn and experience a lot of things in life. I got to know what other
people are going through and it was really a challenge in my life. Many
people are suffering and few people know about that."
Faith explains,
"I started volunteering because I had a love for children and
wanted to work with them. I had a passion for working with the destitute
and I still have.
"I didn't know that any of my parents was going to be sick or they
were going to die. But my aunt had died of AIDS and I knew already how
it was to have AIDS in the family and the children she had left behind.
I asked what she talks about with the children, "Well, I tell them
about my experience, it's easier that way and it makes them feel at ease
and be willing to share with you their own experiences, too.
"I believe it gives them confidence and hope to open up and also
know what kind of person you are, too.
"We would talk about hope in life and the way forward. I mean, how
to go on in life after losing parents or someone that you love. I usually
tell them that it doesn't matter what people say your parent died of,
but what matters is for you to carry on and build your own life."
Faith still volunteers, "Yeah, I'm still a volunteer camp counselor
but not full time like I used to do before because I am now part of the
Splashgirls. I go there some of the weekends. Or when I have off-days
I do go to Camp. I mean, that's where I grew up, so it's a part of me
now." |