Orchestrate Events
I never thought that losing my job would have led me here. I walk through the airport security and greet the guards on duty—they know me by name. The voice…
The Last Time We Spoke
I stood beside her hospital bed, scarcely recognizing the emaciated woman lying against the white sheets. She was a shadow of the woman I’d met just one year earlier. But…
Shaken Confidence
It’s a dull ache—and long, low rumblings. I know what it’s like to wake up hungry. I came to South Africa to ensure that my children wouldn’t wake up with…
Surprised By Joy
“What happened, Veliswa? Did you meet someone?” my customer asks, her eyes meeting mine in the mirror as my hands skillfully weave extensions into her hair. “Yes, I did,” I…
I Will Build Again
The pavement is cold against my knees as I bend down and carefully pick up the beads from a broken necklace. They represent the little that is left of my…
A Flicker of Hope
It was the smell of smoke that woke me up. Disoriented, I rubbed my eyes and looked around. There was the distinct sound of crackling. I sat up with a…
Creating Opportunity For Others
I press the fabric down as I listen to the rhythmic humming of the machine. I stop the machine and hold up the shirt, examining the seams and admiring the…
I am Un-Targetable
They’d wanted to kill me. As I stood to offer words of hope and peace at this funeral ceremony, I closed my eyes. In my mind I imagined the scene,…
The Accident
A single event—that’s all it took. I couldn’t move. In a daze, I heard frantic voices. My eyes couldn’t seem to focus. There was the smell of burned rubber and…
Breaking Free
I held up the scissors. “We need to cut this off,” I said. Kendi’s* hands went protectively to the red thread tied around her leg. We made eye contact. It…