Let me try narrating my journey as I remember it

"A THREAD"

Born when Mandela was announced president of South Africa. Sometime in 1994. I was born to a Zimbabwean mother my father being South African whom I never met because I don't have the memory https://twitter.com/AdvoBarryRoux/status/1249589141169455104

Grew up in the Rural of the Rural in Zimbabwe a place called Murehwa until the age of 7. School was 20+ KM away. So imagine what my grade 1 was like. Every time I try recalling the days, I choke trying to breathe.

As if it wasn't enough going tp school that far. I don't have a memory of myself wearing a jersey or sock to school during that period. My entire primary school I don't recall carrying a lunchbox to school. There was neither the box nor the food to pack

For me going to school was a nightmare. I don't know the meaning of crèche or kindergarten, bless yall if you visited th@ place. They , I first visited my fathers family when I was 7 here in SA who then assured my mother they will help with a birth certificate and nothing else

The money that was used for our travel (me and mom) coming to SA, is said to have been my school fees for the following year. So I took an involuntary gap year. But I didn't enjoy school either so year, either ways I was enduring hell.

Fast Forward>>>> at 15 Years the struggle continues. My mom couldn't take it anymore. She gave up the struggle against life, she died. I am sure it was simple hunger that killed her. My mother's fam decided to disown me. So I was on my own now no father no mother

I decided to walk one day from Murehwa to Harare. I didn't even know the direction, but thank God someone before I finished a few KM picked me up with their car. They asked me where I was going I said Harare. They took me with and we discussed a lot of issues along the way

I never mentioned about my my no longer existing families. I stayed in Harare for 3 months with the guy who picked me up. Then another 3 months in the street. Tell you what street life is everything, you do everything waiting for a day your life is taken or given "no difference"

Brainwave hit me one a day. I needed to find my father hell or wind. I carried my heavy soul to some truck drivers that I had heard of. told them I needed to go to SA, soon as I get there my father would pay them all their money (travel costs)

They all denied saying I had no paperwork no the means to travel. This meant I had to go back to the rurals to find my SA birth certificate. Knowing what the situation was like I knew this couldn't happen either. My mom's family blamed me for their impoverishment and moms death

I took my many strolls in the streets through the winters. I then came back to the truckers a week later and one of them offered a ride to Musina. I was grateful, yes when I first arrived in SA I was an illegal immigrant 15 years of age, smuggled into the country

I got to Musina. I stayed in the streets another year. I survived by collecting plastic and paper and sleeping in bridges. Life in the streets had no language except smiling and waving. I wanted to end my life but I wanted to do it in front of my father who was in KZN

Where was KZN? I didn't know. In the streets collecting paper would make you R100 after 3days tops. But I managed to save enough to go further south to Jozi. I couldn't bear 3 nights in Joburg, I stole money from one of the street guys and left for KZN

Durban @-16years now. I knew my surname and the world to me seemed so small I imagined finding my relatives in any town I got to. Durban offered me 3 months street life until going to Home Affairs to check for my father's details.

Little did I know Home Affairs had no affairs in helping others. Instead they threatened to deport me if I continued "insinuating". I moved to a town called Mzinto if you know street life this migration is very common .... Finding where food is easy to obtain.

This is where my life turned into something better something that I am today. Found my relatives towards my 17th year who then informed me that my father had long passed. They welcomed me.

Will finish the story in another thread. There are so many details twitter won't be enough