Last week I attended a prayer send-off held for a group of nyaope addicts in Daveyton who were sent to rehab.
A group of 47 young men with four ladies sat there with their luggage, this time all of them very clean, with some even dressed in designer clothes.
They looked excited but also anxious, like primary schoolchildren going on a field trip.
Their parents (mostly mothers) were there to wish them luck and see them off, and you could see that they have been through hell and back for their children but still love them.
Many parents of drug addicts have lost valuables, fought with neighbours and paid bail for their children because they stole to feed their addiction; but are still there at their children’s sides.
I heard one of the parents saying during a speech “akuna dusbin yo ntwana”, which means there is no dustbin to throw your child into (loosely translated).
This means that as a parent you cannot throw away your children but must stick with them to the end.
When the bus arrived to take the 47 off to their two-month rehabilitation journey, they were hugged and, in between long silent moments, there were orders from parents for them to look after themselves and behave.
I could see that both the parents and the addicts were scared of the challenging events that lay ahead but knew that they had to happen.
I could see that some of the mothers would prefer to undergo the rehabilitation journey on behalf of their children, or be there to help them through it, but knew this was impossible.
Their children have to be strong and fight this demon on their own.
You see, this is a mother’s love – they would rather be the ones to walk over burning coals to shield us from the evil of the world and see us happy and safe.
These mothers haven’t given up on their children, despite their stupid decisions and the disappointments they have been put through.
No, they are still there for them, hoping for the best, praying for a better tomorrow for their children.
