Gwanda couple with triplets seek help

By Richard Muponde

Ishmael, Samuel and Emmanuel are divine names of prominent people in the Bible who found favour with God and their lives were full of blessings and abundance.

Ishmael, in the Bible, was a child of favour who was born after Abraham slept with his servant Hagar to produce an heir after his wife Sarah failed to conceive.

Ishmael means “God Hears”. However, through no fault of his own Ishmael failed to become the heir after Sarah did give birth to Isaac through a miracle of God.

During the time Sarah had been barren, Hagar flaunted her child. When Isaac was weaned, Ishmael mocked his half-brother. Angered, Sarah told Abraham to cast the two out. God, however, did not abandon Hagar and her child.

However, favour seems to be eluding Gwanda triplets who were christened after the three great men of God as they are starving with their parents failing to put food on the table, let alone clothe them.

The trio of Emmanuel, Ishmael and Samuel who were born three years ago to Ms Siphiwe Siziba (33) and Xolani Kunene (35) are a pale shadow of their namesakes as their lives have become hard at a tender age and appear to be out of favour.

Like Hagar Ms Siziba is praying for an angel to show them a well to quench their thirst and find manna to feed her family.

In an interview the triplets’ mother, Ms Siziba who goes to United Free Apostolic Church in the mining town said life for her and her family was unbearable as they were starving. She said she and her husband, Mr Kunene were failing to cater for their six children including the triplets as he gets a wage of $100 which all goes to their lodgings.

Ms Siziba said her woes started when she conceived the “miraculous” triplets as her health deteriorated until the day she gave birth. She said she was admitted to hospital for two months to recuperate and came out of the health institution faced with a huge hospital bill which wiped out the family’s meagre wage.

“Right now I am just at home and survive on begging. I wish I could work but the problem is I can’t raise the capital to start the business I am thinking of doing. If I find someone who can sponsor me I can fend for my family and look after my kids,” said Ms Siziba.

The boys, the triplets, Emmanuel, Ishmael and Samuel dressed in matching red and blue golf t-shirts and red shorts, a regalia of a cruising company, Pacific Ocean Cruise, seemed unperturbed with what was happening around them as they ran up and down the Sunday News office bumping into furniture.

“Even the clothes they are wearing were donated to them by a Good Samaritan from our church. I dressed them when we were coming here. It’s their special clothes,” she said with a chuckle.

Ms Siziba said those who might want to help them may contact her on 0771012110 or her husband on 0777612971. Sunday News