Gift's poem

Below is the poem Gift wrote while a patient in our Soweto hospice:

THE GIFT

By Gift Khontyaphi

 

My Lord I ask you now,

Help us children and me;

To grow up until we die.

I thank you Jesus,

Because you help me when I'm sick,

I thank you Jesus for our mothers,

 Our doctors, our sisters.

They love us so much.

Please Lord help me

To grow up until I die.

I have lots of sickness

Since I have been small

Now I am better

I feel well.

To feel sick is not good

I feel tired

And don’t want to drink my medicine,

I feel sad, I want to see and be with my family.

To die is not alright.

Don’t think about dying.

If you think,

 You are going to die fast.

Because to die is not alright

I want to grow up,

Grow up until I die.

My HIV is not alright 

I want to drink my medicine

Please Lord give us Power

I know children want to grow up

But if you don’t take your medicine

You will die

I feel bad, I feel sad,

I feel naughty, cross and angry,

I feel everything has been stolen from me

My life has no control.

It makes me want to be naughty

Please Lord help me.

My Lord I ask you now,

Help us children and me;

To grow up until we die.