Once upon time there was a beautiful lady by the name of Gladys Zungu living with her only son, Prince. Gladys lost her husband due to an accident a few years ago when Prince was five years old. Prince who is now 13, lives with his 43-year-old mom in a rural place where there is no electricity and a shortage of running water.

Prince wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth as his mom was just a cleaner around a local clinic. He would wake up and walk almost 5 miles in order to fetch water so that they could cook, bath and do other essential chores at home. Gladys had lovely neighbours, but Roshell Mabotja, she was the worst one. Roshell had everything one could have in life, such as a big house, big cars and so forth because her husband, Michael Mabotja, had businesses. Roshell was stingy, egotistical and full of herself, but her husband was so humble without excess of pride. Michael also owned a cleaning company which was offered a tender by a local community clinic called Reitumetse where Gladys was employed.

Prince and his mom were staying in a two-room shack. One day when he was with his mom who was reading newspaper late at night, Prince asked his mom a tear-jerking question.

“Mom, when are you going to build a big house for us like Mr Mabotja built for his wife?” He swiftly continued without letting his mom to respond. “Aren’t you tired of this shack? Look around the community, we are the only family who’s still behind.”

His mom replied with her eyes filled with tears. “My son, everything has its own time and remember I am a single parent, and since your father passed away things are no longer the same.”

“But mom, how long will we live in poverty while our neighbours are diving in prosperity. Look at Mr Mabotja, he is driving a beautiful car, his kids are at private school, everything it’s just going well with them. Does God even exist because you always say, God will provide but it’s been a while though, I doubt he does, why would he let us suffer like this?”

“My son, I hear you loud and clear, but we are not in competition with our neighbours. Let me tell you the story of my life. Life is like a chocolate…” Prince interfered before his mom could finish up.

“What do you mean by that?”

Mom replied, “Look my son. it means that you don’t really know what a chocolate tastes like until you bite it. Once you you’ve tasted it, you will decide whether you like it or not. This applies the same for life. You don’t really know what every day of your life is going to be like until you live it. My son it takes a while but as long as you never give up in life. You will make it. In life, you need to have a big heart filled with perseverance.”

“But mom!”

Gladys jumped in quickly and said, “Remember the scripture from the book of Jeremiah 29 verses 11 says that “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” So, I didn’t give up my son, my time will come, I have faith in God, things will come around.”

Tell us: When things are tough where does your strength come from?