In researching a book about Living Hope, I continue to be amazed by God’s power to heal and restore. In addition to telling the history of this nearly 11-year-old ministry, the book will feature about two-dozen “people stories,” every one of them testifying to the loving touch of the Creator.
One of my favorites so far involves Tarryn and Thorina, 15-year-old twin sisters who live in the Mountain View community. Like Red Hill, where I spend a lot of my time, Mountain View is an informal settlement, meaning it’s basically a collection of aluminium shacks with communal water taps and toilets. Substance abuse and host of other societal problems plague the community, and it was in this environment that Tarryn and Thorina grew up.
But through involvement in Living Hope’s after-school programs, as well as in a nearby church, the girls came to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. Now they’re helping lead the way in bringing His love to their peers and neighbours.
In speaking with me, Thorina made one of the wisest statements I’ve ever heard from a teenager, from any culture. “I used to think I had to do certain things to fit in,” she said. “I tried drinking and smoking once, but I didn’t like it. I said, ‘Why do I need to fit in? I was born to stand out.’”
In surroundings like those of Mountain View, that’s one courageous individual.
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