What can YOU do with $20?

Today on my lunch break, I went around town to a few resale shops and managed to purchase 5 t-shirts, one hoodie and a new-ish pair of little boys dress shoes, ALL for less than $20.

Seeing as how I have no children of my own to be buying these clothes for, I'm sure you are all wondering, "Who are the clothes for?!"
I'll show you who....

Meet Siyabonga.

Is he perfect or what?!

I met Siyabonga at the very first feeding that I helped with in Mbonisweni. He was one of the first children to arrive at the church and I was the first person he ran up to to play with and get big, white girl smooches and snuggles from. He was the sweetest, most perfect little guy there and I instantly connected with him.

For the rest of the week, up until that following Wednesday, I was so anxious to go back and play with Siyabonga again. We arrived at the next weeks feeding early to prepare the vegetables for the meal that was being prepared for the children who would arrive once they got out of school. After everything was chopped and ready for cooking, the team members and I relaxed in the shade while we waited for the children to show up. Siyabonga just so happened to be the first child there, along with a younger boy that he had brought with him. I was so excited to see him that I ran right up to him and snatched him up into a bearhug. These boys were emotionless. We couldn't figure out what was going on with them, but the fact that they were the first ones there, before all of the other children, was a good sign that they may not have been in school that day, leading to the thought that something may be happening at home. And then there was the idea that these boys may not even HAVE a proper home or family. The language barrier made things hard because we were unable to find out what was wrong with these sweet boys, and the looks on their faces were almost unbearable.

At one point during the feeding, while all of the other children are jumping rope and having a blast, Siyabonga came up to me and set the little boy, who we believe may be his little brother, in my lap, while he knelt down beside us with his arm around me. I tried everything I could to get the poor little boy to smile. I tickled him to pieces but couldn't get as much as a grin out of him. These poor boys broke my heart.

Throughout the rest of the day, anytime you saw Siyabonga, you'd see him holding hands with his little brother, walking around with absolute blank looks on their faces. I felt so helpless. I didn't know what had happened or how I could help, the only thing I could think of to do was look them in the eyes and say "Ngiyakutsandza" and "Jesu uya kutsandza" which are Siswati for "I Love You" and "Jesus Loves You." I got no response, but I knew that they understood.

At one point I went into the church for five minutes, and when I came back out, my boys had already left and I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to them. Probably my biggest regret in South Africa.
My friend Kacy, who is part of Ten Thousand Homes, is working to find out more about Siyabonga for me. I know nothing about this child, but cannot seem to shake his face from my mind.

Which brings me back to my $20 purchase. One of Kacy's cousins is going to visit her in South Africa this month, so I am going to be sending her a package of clothes and pictures for her to take with her to Africa. Kacy told me that she is going to try and find out more about Siyabonga and personally deliver my package to him at his home. This little boy is very special. I wish I could be there to help out first hand, but until I can go back this is what I have come up with.
So now, it looks like I have two perfect children of my own to sponser and learn about along the way.