From the Streets of Johannesburg

For months, people we believed to be Zulus had been battling young ANC loyalists in our township. Houses were destroyed. Family members killed. They were bombing, burning and chopping people. I couldn't get to work. And finally, when they burned my house down, I just ran and ran, through a border area between our township and an Asian neighborhood called Palm-Ridge.

Exhausted, I realized I had nothing with me--no money, no identification. I was about to sit down and let whatever was going to happen just happen. I was crying out in my heart, "God, if you don't want to help me, that's okay. I don't care anymore. It's up to you." And then I looked down. There in front of me was 20 Rand, enough for bus fare and some food and a phone call to the bank where I had some money saved. It restored my faith in God!

Homeless Life

Perhaps my childhood prepared me for the hard life of living on the streets. My mother was an alcoholic and my father disappeared early on. She rejected me as a child, so I lived in foster homes. I learned to dress like a boy, to be shapeless and avoid attracting attention. When I could, I attended school. If I read something, I don't forget it. I even dreamed of being a teacher, but we were not encouraged to think of such things. One Afrikaaner family protected me and I studied English so I could get a better job but now there are no positions and no money.

After awhile on the streets in Johannesburg, I found The Muka Boys, living together, sharing a blanket and whatever food they could find. Peter, the leader, had been born in South Africa. His father was active in the freedom movement so others were hunting him and Peter's family fled to Zimbabwe. Peter had a vision, calling him back to South Africa, but his father's family was afraid to have him around so he was living on the streets. It was hard for him because he was not used to what you have to do to survive. He had some experience with drama and music and he believed that people would pay to see a play about homeless life, so he started the Muka Project in 1995.

I joined in January of 1996 and used my money to get a place where we could live together-- about 25 people, men and women, with only a curtain for privacy. We stayed there and performed at recreation drop-in center in Hillbrow. The Director gave us some money so we made costumes but we had to move out because we could not pay the rent. As the weather got colder and we had more trouble, the group got smaller. We met a German Lutheran Pastor, George Dalka, who was starting a feeding project for homeless boys. We went there and volunteered. At first we didn't tell him we were homeless too, but when he learned of it, he let us stay in the church basement.

Chosen Family

Now we are seven, five men and two women, committed to the Muka Project. We were asked to perform an AIDS education play and were looking for another female. At a shelter where where we were also volunteering, we found Nokuthula, a good dancer and easy to get along with. It's a constant struggle to look for work, to bathe regularly and have clean clothes. We help each other.

We perform our play whenever we can and we do a lot of volunteer work in homeless shelters and drop-in centers, to teach and encourage people. I also write for Homeless Talk, a monthly newspaper that supports many people with a little bit of money from the 30,000 copies sold. People seem to like what I write and that gives me a sense of hope. With the money from Homeless Talk, I have moved to a rooming house run by St. George's United Church where I share a room with two other girls. Sometimes I remember having my own house but I never want to go back to that place again.

In America

We were able to come to the United States because of a connection made by Otis Finck, who has been like a guardian angel for many of us. He volunteered at Central Methodist Church and writes on Homeless Talk. When Roy Barber came to South Africa, Otis brought him to see our play and Roy began to work with us to make it something that Americans could relate to. Now, because of the Seekers Church and St Andrews Episcopal School in Washington DC, we are here for three months to perform in the play which tells the story of our lives.

I see now that God has been with us in all that has happened. When I was growing up, I didn't go to church very much because those were the worst kind of people. But now I see a different side of the church. That is where we have found some shelter and food. Peter is our leader and he believes we are here because of the vision God gave to him at the beginning. We pray before each performance. I often think, "If he can believe with all that has happened to him, why not I?"

Virginia Maubane lives in Johannesburg, South Africa and is in the United States for three months with the Muka Project, performing Roy Barber's play, "The Gift" at the Source Theater in Washington, DC. (See Roy Barber's article about his journey to South Africa.)