ROSES WILL BLOOM

By

LINDIWE HALL

This is Book Two of the continuing saga of Swazi, a young African girl who endures hardship and abuse to realize her dream of becoming a nurse. She triumphs over overwhelming economic and social odds to escape from the ghetto of her origin. Her quest to seek a better life for her daughter and herself is an inspiring and heart rendering account of personal sacrifice, determination, and faith.

About the Author

Lindiwe Hall was born in Hlathikulu, Swaziland in Southern Africa. She is the daughter of the late Norman Malinga who served as ambassador to the UN for thirteen years. She was raised in New York, but now lives in the Midwest. She is a counselor of Psychology, which enhances her ability to pace her story. “She cleverly intrigues the reader with her suspenseful, coherent, and skillful writing style. She's a magnificent new writing talent you’ll love.”

e-BOOK

Maverick Publishing

HOUSTON, TEXAS

Roses Will

Bloom

By

LINDIWE HALL

BOOK TWO

Of The Series

e-Book 2003

www.mittymax.com

Copyright 2003

ROSES WILL BLOOM

By

LINDIWE HALL

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Copyright 2003

e-Book

Maverick Publishing

HOUSTON, TEXAS

ROSES WILL BLOOM

By

LINDIWE HALL

Book Three

ROSE

Will be available soon---get it and watch the continuing saga as the Khumalo family moves to Kenya.

e-Book

ROSES WILL BLOOM

By

LINDIWE HALL

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to Lindokuhle, my little sister. I love you Sister Rose even though you don't understand me.

God Bless!

e-Book

ROSES WILL BLOOM

By

LINDIWE HALL

INTRODUCTION

Swazi’s story continues as she moves from the ghetto of Swaziland to a prestigious nursing career. Experience the trials of the Khumalo family as they battle tradition versus the modern ways. Grow with this loving family as they go through many trials during the absence of their beloved Vusi. He goes to America to gain an education that will help him improve life for his family.

LINDIWE HALL

CHAPTER ONE

In 1968, the world had experienced a new Space Age, Neil Armstrong had made a “small step for man and a great leap for mankind”. The world was an exciting place to live; the possibilities were endless. The new age was definitely here. The first man had finally set his foot on the moon. The new space age was changing the world. Life found Swazi busy with her new nursing career and supervising her growing household. She did not have much time to miss her new husband, Vusi. She was constantly challenged with her new found independence. Swaziland had finally acquired its independence from Great Britain and Swazi was enjoying her liberation from Traditional Witchcraft and freedom from the series of abuses her life had once been. At times, she missed her husband, Vusi, but she enjoyed her leap to middle class.

Life around the house was exciting and stimulating to your funny bone. But on this particular day, the house became quite. The maid was outside pruning the rose garden and Thandi was outside coloring her Rose Collection coloring book. She truly enjoyed the bliss of being a child. She finally could relax and take life easy. After coloring the last page in her coloring book, she got an inclination to go back into the house. She could not locate her little sister any where. Just as she was leaving the house, and had almost given up looking for Phumula, she saw a frightening sight. She saw a small black presence with something white in her hands. Phumula had been in her mother’s black shoe polish. After she smeared her face with the shoe polish, she had run into the bathroom and grabbed the toilet paper and was running all over the house, from room to room. The toilet paper made a long trail around the house. Thandi was in hot pursuit after her sister. Phumla saw the living room door open and saw an opportunity to escape. She ran past the maid and the garden boy. As she got to the second rose garden. she sat down and began to eat as much dirt as her little hands could hold. By the time Thandi, the maid, and the garden boy got to Phumula, she was eating another round of dirt. The maid, the garden boy, and Thandi were laughing so hard at the hilarious sight of Phumula. Finally they caught her and brought her into the house.

Life was intriguing and full of laughter. The new Nazarene Minister had dropped by for a visit. She was a large frame, loving woman with kind eyes. She stated. “Thandi, we would love for you to visit our young children’s Sunday School class.” Thandi became very excited at the possibility of visiting the class. She often sat in the kitchen and listened to the kind minister talking to her mom about the coming of the Lord. She could hardly believe that people would actually fly up in the air to meet the Lord. She often looked forward to Mrs. Zwane's home visits and attentively listened to all her stories. The visits often left Thandi day dreaming wishing the Lord would come back so she could know what it was like to fly.

She confided in Mrs. Zwane and expressed her desire to go to Sunday School. “I can’t wait until I am old enough to walk to Sunday School. My mom is afraid to drive. Would you please talk her into letting me walk to Sunday School?” Thandi was almost begging,pleading with Mrs. Zwane to go. Mrs. Zwane saw the desperate look in her eyes and she replied, “Child, I will personally see that your mother gives you permission to go to Sunday School by yourself. You are a very obedient, trustworthy child.” When Thandi heard those words, she jumped for joy.

Sunday morning arrived very swiftly for Thandi. She was awakened to the aroma of fresh cooking bacon filling the house. The maid was up cooking breakfast for Thandi and Phumula. Thandi laid in bed for a few minutes thinking about the conversation she had with her mother. She was overjoyed at the possibility of being able to walk to Sunday School by herself. She quickly jumped out of bed and brushed her teeth, then splashed cold water on her face. The cold water on her face really woke her up. She took time and chose the fanciest dress her father, Vusi, had shipped her. The red dress with the matching hat and boots looked smashing on her. As soon as she got dressed, she dashed downstairs to join her sister and the maid. Phumula and her sister gave each other a hug. The maid had prepared some delicious breakfast. The scrambled eggs and bacon tasted very good to Thandi. She was a child with a good appetite. She laughed and giggled as she sat at the table and watched her little sister taking her eggs and hiding them under her chair as soon as the maid had her back turned. The maid turned around and asked Thandi, “Why are you giggling so much this morning, Thandi?” Thandi did not want to tattle on her little sister, especially after she had received a good spanking from her mother for getting into her shoe polish, and wasting the toilet paper. Thandi winked at her sister, and stated. “Nothing”. From that moment, the two sister developed a bond and covered for each other. Thandi then told the maid. “I have to hurry now Ma'am. I will be late for Sunday School. “ Thandi hopped off the chair at the table and dashed towards her Bible. The maid and the garden boy finished cleaning the breakfast mess, and Phumula went to the toy room to play with her toys.

The sun was shining brightly and Thandi’s mood was as bright as the sun. The houses in Thandi’s neighborhood looked extra huge and beautiful this morning, Thandi thought as she skipped down the road to Sunday School. The rose gardens were pruned meticulously and the rose fragrance filled this beautiful upper middle class neighborhood. Thandi was taking in all this African beauty, and feeling very blessed. She had been so excited about walking to Sunday School for the first time that she forgot to lock the gate behind her. As she was lost in her thoughts, she was startled by a new sight. She saw some very pale children playing. They were well dressed, but she wondered what happened to their color. And why were they growing horse tails on their heads. Thandi froze! It was her first encounter with Caucasians. As she was thinking about why a horse’s tail was growing on a child’s hair, her thoughts were interrupted by the word, SA! (which means dogs attack) The vicious bulldogs ran toward her. Thandi screamed at the top of her lungs. She remembered that the kind Nazarene minister had taught her to say the name of Jesus when she got into trouble. As the dogs were charging toward Thandi, she screamed, “JESUS!!!” and then closed her eyes. As her eyes were closed, a big white angel swept Thandi off her feet and took her towards the river bank.

When Thandi opened her eyes, she was wonderfully surprised. She was expecting to be torn to little pieces. Instead, when she opened her eyes, she saw some wild roses growing by the river bank. The aroma of the roses calmed Thandi’s fears. She bent over and started picking them for her Sunday School teacher. As she was picking them, she heard a loud, startling noise. Her mind went back to the stories her maid had told her. “Thandi, the Sangoma (African Witch Doctor) is a loud African presence. You will know you have encountered him when you hear the loudest laugh and noise you have ever heard.” Thandi looked up towards the loud noise and laughter. Her fears returned as she saw the ugly presence of the Witch Doctor. His teeth were pearly white, and his hair was in red mud bangs with some beard around his neck. The bad odor that was around him immediately blocked the sweet aroma of the roses that were growing along the river bank. Thandi felt sick to her stomach because of the horrible odor of the Sangoma. She saw stars as the Sangoma was rapidly approaching her. Thandi knew from the stories the maid had told her that the Sangoma’s favorite meal was little African children. Her legs were too weak from fear to run. She suddenly passed out. When she almost hit the ground, the Sangoma thought that was the easiest hunt he had ever had in his life. As he reached into his bag of magic potions to get a knife to cut up his dinner, he was blinded by a bright light. He looked up and saw a legion of angels carrying Thandi off to Sunday School. The Witch Doctor was so scared by the host of angels his knees knocked together till all his magic bone fell out of his bag of magic potions. He too fainted from fright.

When Thandi awakened, she was under the big green pine tree where Sunday School was regularly held at the Nazarene Church. The beautiful Sunday School’s chorus, “Jesus Loves Me” immediately took away all the fears Thandi had. She came to her senses, and her mind was now focused on the beautiful singing the children were doing. She joined in with joy in her heart. The teacher passed out some cookies and koolaid to reward the children for their beautiful singing. Thandi listened attentively to the beautiful Christmas story. Soon, it was time for the big service. All the children gathered their Sunday school lessons and headed inside the church.

Thandi was the last child to enter the church. She was still trying to figure out how she got to church and what became of the Witch Doctor that was trying to eat her up. Her thoughts were disrupted as the minister started the song service. She felt the sweet presence of the Lord in the church and her thoughts became tranquil. She heard the minister saying, “Jesus can calm all your fears. Just come to the altar and lay all your heavy burdens on the Lord”. Thandi was the first child at the altar. She said a silent prayer thanking the Lord for rescuing her from the Witch Doctor and the Boer children that sicked the English Bulldogs after her. She said a long silent prayer asking the Lord to touch her mother, Swazi, to overcome her fears of driving. Her father, Vusi, had bought a beautiful new Volvo for his wife, but she was too afraid to drive it. She had resorted to working nights so she could know what was going on in her house during the day. Thandi’s eyes filled with tears as she was pouring out her fears to the Lord. As she got up from the altar, everybody had gone back to their seats.

After church, Thandi was the last child to leave. She waited around until all the children were gone. She visited and charted and played until the last child was gone. Her fears returned. She thought about the awful odor of the Sangoma and the mean faces of the pale children as they sicked the Bulldogs after her. She reached into her pocket and felt for her money. She could go to the General Store and buy her favorite candy.

She walked as slowly as she could until she reached the General Store. The sweet aroma of the fresh African bread baking got her mind off her fears. She saw the kind store clerk greeting her. “What can I do for you, little girl.” Thandi pointed to her favorite candy. The kind clerk gave her extra candy and complimented her on her pretty dress and matching shoes. Thandi slowly went out the door with a shy “Thank you, ma'am.”

As she got outside, the sunshine and the birds chirping cheered her up. She could not wait to get home and play with her little sister. The pleasant thought kept her mind off her morning encounters. Her favorite candy tasted so good she started skipping and singing the new songs she had learned in Sunday School.

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