One of my older brothers from Canada visited me in 2009 and I decided to take him and Gamu to a Wildlife Reserve, wanting to surprise Gamu for his 16th birthday. Neither Steve nor Gamu had ever been to one, so it was a special and memorable time for all of us. Another one of Gamu’s desires was to become a Children’s Church leader. He diligently fulfilled the required training and got a “certificate of completion,” just before I moved to South Africa. Although the academic world remained a big challenge for him, he continued to amaze me with his progress and persistence in so many other areas. It was obvious God had His eye on him.

During my visit to Zimbabwe in 2011, he told me he wanted to become an usher at our very large church. He didn’t have the black suit required for the usher training, so we went shopping and I bought him one. It was during this time that Gamu’s HIV/AIDS doctor informed me his body was developing a resistance to the 1st dose of ARV’s, and he had put him on the latest and final regime. If his body rejected this ARV protocol there were no other options.

Gamu had not been taking the drugs as prescribed, so I explained to him what the doctor said, and how important it was for him to take his pills regularly. I also reminded him he was, indeed, “a walking miracle,” and God still needed him to help people. As I left his house that day, he said, with tears in his eyes, what I hadn’t heard him say in years, “Life is hard.”

The Sunday before I left, I attended the service at my old church. As I sat in my seat waiting for the service to begin, I spotted Gamu standing in the aisle ushering people to their seats. This brought tears to my eyes. They were the tears of a woman that, for six years of not knowing what she was meant to do or be in this special young man’s life, had been transformed into a mother.

I was now witnessing one of my sons raised from the ash heap, having overcome through his courage, persistence and choices, sitting as a prince on God’s throne of honour. He was making this mother and his heavenly Father very proud. Indeed, the Father had opened my eyes to yet another one of His hidden treasures. I realized my own willingness and desire to dig deeper had led me to discover this precious treasure, in the form of a little boy, now transformed into a young man that was digging for his own treasures.

I visited Harare again in 2012, and when I saw Gamu he did not look well. His doctor told me Gamu hadn’t been taking his ARV tablets, and had nearly died the previous month. He asked if I could find out why. On questioning Gamu, he said they hurt his throat when he swallowed them.

Tearfully, I shared with him how I didn’t want to receive a phone call, while I was in Cape Town, informing me he had died. I encouraged him to see the big tablets as one of God’s ways of healing his body. Thankfully, he has been taking them, and the last report from his doctor (2013) said his CD4 blood count was higher than it had ever been—meaning he was healthier than he had ever been.

As I shared previously, Gamu told me his dream in life was to become a pastor and to help people, by telling them about Jesus and praying for them. He has prayed for the physical healing of many, and on numerous occasions, has witnessed their restoration. I’m not surprised that now, at 20 years of age, he still says he wants to be a pastor. Since my departure from Zimbabwe, I am grateful for those the Lord provided to continue to champion Gamu on towards his amazing journey of overcoming all odds, and pursuing a life of love and good deeds.

I remember describing this son as my hero when sharing his story during a visit to Canada. He is a young man I admire for pushing through every conceivable obstacle.

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Tell us what you think: Do you think older people can learn from the youth? Why? Why not?