Parabens (Congratulations), Chef Catarina!

Our foundation, the Sunshine Approach Foundation, seeks to uplift and transform the lives of the poor, widowed and orphaned. Our Sunshine Homes serve two equally vulnerable people groups- widows/abandoned women and orphaned/abandoned children. By pairing one of these women with 4-6 of these children, we create families. While it is often the cute little children living in our homes who garner all the attention, we are as committed to our moms as we are to the little darlings for whom they care. 

It is our goal for our children that after receiving a full education and training, they will be prepared to enter the real world and live independent, self-sustaining lives as productive members of society. We have the same goal for our mothers when their children have left the family home. We have yet to have a child or a mother “age out” of our program, but for now, we are doing what we can to prepare them for this moment in their future lives. 

For our mothers, this means providing them with the training and tools they will need to live successfully on their own…much the same as what we are doing for our children. We shared with our moms that if there is an interest or training they desire to pursue, we will provide what they need to realize their dreams. All our moms have taken preschool teacher training courses to grow their skills as leaders for the community children’s projects they conduct at their homes. Zelda and Ilda have completed cake baking and decorating courses and are now baking and selling cakes in their community (not to mention our need to purchase cakes for the numerous birthdays for our children, moms, and community project celebrations which keeps their ovens running). These accomplishments have increased our mothers’ self-esteem and abilities, and we are proud to see their gains. 

Catarina is the mother at our 5th Sunshine Home. Faustino (12), his sister Beatriz (10), and their friend France (11) were the first 3 children we brought to her home in April 2021. She has done nothing short of a miracle in training these children who came to her ill-mannered, angry, and mistrustful. All 3 of them had been hurt and abandoned and never were privileged to learn the basic skills of living in a family. Catarina dug in her heels and took on this challenge. She was firm and loving, consistent, and present. Eventually, all 3 children have transformed under her watch into well-mannered, caring, and disciplined family members. 

Then in June 2021, 10 year-old Fernando and his little 7 year-old brother Antoninho (whom we affectionately refer to as our “bichinho”- little bug). These boys came from a life so difficult that they chose to live on the streets rather than remain in their father’s house. Catarina took them and blended them right into her existing family.

I love the patience and fortitude Catarina has displayed in her parenting of these children. I equally love Catarina’s zest for life and laughter. No matter her mood or situation, one is always greeted with the biggest of smiles and the happiest of tones in her voice. It makes you feel like she has been waiting all day just to see you! You get the sense that you are the joy in her life just by showing up! 

I cannot remember a time when I have entered Catarina’s home and not found a cooking show playing on the television. Usually, it is just background for her as she works about the house. But on the rare occasion, you find her sitting and watching the programs as famous TV chefs prepare delicacies whose ingredients I cannot even pronounce. At such times, I will sit with her, and we chat about foods, cooking, and our favorites as well as our failures. These visits led to a discussion on whether she would like to participate in a cooking course. Was she ever excited about that! 

We looked around and found a general culinary course at Escola Culinario, a not-too-distant walk for her in Matola. We got her registered and were pleased to discover that a course was starting the next week. The course was only 4 weeks long but being a full-time mom made this no easy task. Each day began with her seeing her 5 children off to school. She then prepared a lunch to leave behind for them when they returned from school at 12 noon. She then got herself ready and was in class from 10:00 until 2:00 each day, returning home about 3:00. You always knew when Catarina got home. In her usual authoritative “mom-manner”, she entered the home and started calling out the children on whatever chores they had disregarded in her absence, asking if they had eaten their lunch and calling back in anyone who instead chose to run off and play, and checking to see who did or did not complete their homework yet. She does make me laugh! 

I am pleased to announce that Catarina completed the course with great success. The end task was an exam where she was to purchase materials, prepare a full meal at home, and then bring it to her school to present to the professors. She chose to make a curry and amazing cake! Needless to say, the professors were pleased, and she passed, receiving her certificate. 

We now look forward to seeing what Catarina will do with her newly acquired culinary skills. She now has the ability to not only prepare nutritional and delicious meals for her family, but she can prepare meals to sell in the community or to cater events. We know that whatever she decides to do, she will approach the task and succeed. Well done, Catarina. Parabens!!!

Victory Comes in Small Steps

There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a life transformed. I have been privileged to witness many lives of the women and children in our Sunshine Homes and community projects, as well as with our company employees changed in our time in Mozambique. 

When people of any age are given security and value, they thrive. They are able to let go of their fears and take risks. They shed their low self-esteem and boldly walk in confidence. They are no longer disregarded and ignored, but they realize they have worth and importance. 

My very favorite experiences in life are when I catch one of our Sunshine children in moments of quiet victory; when I see them stepping out in their newfound confidence. One such example is our Faustino, now 14 years old. 

Faustino was only 12 when we brought him home. He was sorely beaten down, angry and distrustful. (See https://sunshineinafrica.blogspot.com/2021/04/forgotten-no-more.html to read his full story.) To say we were concerned about him is an understatement. Life had been hard on him, and he was a hard little boy. He had never been taught respect, diligence, or manners. He didn’t know of love or that he has value. He was disrespectful to his house mom. He was mean to his brothers and sisters. He provoked our other Sunshine children. He came to our weekly church gatherings with his hood up, his head down, and did not participate or speak a word. At the end of the gathering, he was the first one to exit out the gate. Our biggest fear for Faustino was that he would run off and join a gang of street boys. 

We prayed for him and we loved him despite his ways. His house mom, Catarina, stood firm with him and held him accountable. Our program administrator, Delcio, talked with him after altercations helping him to understand how to be a part of a family. We all hung in there and made sure he knew that he was loved and that we were there for him. 

Slowly, he began to soften. We saw it in little ways at first. The victories were few and far between, but we rejoiced with each one. As time progressed, you could see a visible difference in his face and in the way he interacted with others. He was kinder and gentler. He asked for an ABC book so that he could teach his little brother, Antoninho, how to write his letters. He spoke up and participated in our church gatherings (with his hood off now). He became an active help to his mother. He began making friends of our Sunshine children. He worked very hard in school and caught up to his peers (after not having attended school for two years). 

Recently, he called me to speak privately for a moment. I had a flashback to the early days when he asked for such audiences. It was usually to ask for money, to the angst of our other children who emphatically told him, “You do NOT ask Mama Terri for money!” So I hesitantly walked off with him to a quiet place away from the other children. He pulled out a sheet of paper from behind his back and started to read…

“Mama Terri, I am thankful for all that you have done for all of us. Thank you, Sunshine. I am here thank to you, Mama Terri. Thank you very much for giving me a life. All of you, Sunshine, are very good. Thank you, Mama Terri. 

Kisses to you, Mama Terri. 

I am Faustino da Sonia Carlos Sambo and I am 13 years old.” 

With tears in my eyes. I hugged him and held him until he let go. I shared with him how loved he is and how proud I am of him. I told him that he is a good, good boy. 

They say that as a mother you often must wait until your children are in their 20s or even 30s before they come back to you and thank you for all you have done for them. I didn’t have to wait this long with Faustino. He has come to realize the love and safety and opportunity he has, and he showed me how much he appreciates it all. 

And did you notice how he signed his letter? It was more of a declaration than a closing. He was confidently declaring who he knows he is. He is proud of himself. He knows he is somebody and that he is important.