Second Tapestry Orphan Home Completed
Kayamandi, South Africa

Meet Mama Mary

Our new housemother,
Mama Mary, is an incredible blessing to the girls and Tapestry Homes. 46 years old and a mother herself to 4 beautiful and educated girls, Mary Elizabeth was one of four finalists for the position of housemother for TOHO #2.

She was a unanimous choice among the interview team with her many skills and abilities that include cooking, sewing, gardening, and dancing. She even has experience running a chicken-raising micro business.

If you'd would like to help by sponsoring a portion of Mama Mary's monthly salary and living expenses ($350), please click here and share your interest with us in the corresponding email, and we will be in touch to discuss the details.

Help Support a Home

Our new housemother,
If you'd like to help support a home, or would like more information, please click here.

Help Support a Girl

If you'd like to help support a girl, or would like more information, please click here.

Join Us on a Future Trip

If you'd like to join us and the Threads Africa team on a future trip to Kayamandi, South Africa, or would like more information, please click here.

Who We Are

Tapestry Homes is a Christ-centered non-profit organization that is focused on helping to solve the global housing crisis by "improving the living conditions of those in need living in third-world urban slums".

Our Tapestry Orphan Homes provide durable, fireproof, weatherproof and aesthetically-pleasing homes to the forgotten children--young teenage girls that have lost their parents to the ravages of AIDS and are in need of a safe and loving place to call home.

For more information, visit us at tapestryhomes.org.

A Journey of Faith

It is difficult to leave sunny Southern California in the heart of our summer and head to Kayamandi, South Africa where (being south of the equator) it is dead of winter--particularly since this has been one of South Africa's coldest winters on record. Would it remain cold and rainy, and how would this affect the construction of our second Tapestry Orphan Home? But God has a way of making the seemingly impossible possible.

Our team of 23 amazing individuals awoke on Monday morning to a beautiful sunrise, clear skies and warm temperatures in the high 60's which lasted the entire week. Perfect weather for building our Tapestry Orphan Home for six desperate, young teenage girls and their housemother. God is good . . . all the time.

Day 1

We gathered on site at 9 am Monday morning, together with our local Kuyasa partners, to pray over the construction of our second home and the ground that will eventually house a village of six homes for 36 girls. It was hard to fathom that the sacred ground upon which we were standing was once an open-air bathroom for the squatter community of Kayamandi. What a metaphor for God's transformative power. We could sense that our lives too were about to be changed forever.

What transpired from there was an impressive display of workmanship and teamwork as the insulated and fireproof panelized walls of the Tapestry Home were lifted into place. By 5 pm of the first day, the entire 3-bedroom, 1-bath home was fully erected and sealed, ready to receive paint, flooring, cabinetry and electrical and plumbing distributions.

Day 2

The second day began with a floor-signing by our team members. We blessed the home and the girls whose lives would be forever changed with written prayers and inspirational scripture verses.
Our team then turned in their writing markers for paint brushes and rollers and became a painting machine, attacking both the inside and outside of the home with a coat of primer and two finish coats.

Thereafter, laying of the laminated flooring began together with installation of the kitchen cabinets and countertop and electrical and plumbing work.

Day 3

On the third day, the flooring was completed, the kitchen countertop and cabinets were in place, electrical and plumbing fixtures were finished, the solar-heated water tank was operating and the home was ready to be cleaned and receive furniture and furnishings.

Landscaping also commenced on Day 3 in what turned-out to be an amazing blessing.

The Story of EC

When the owner of a local nursery where we had gone to buy plants learned of our mission, her heart was moved. "EC" followed us to the site and, after taking inventory of our needs, she returned with donated pallets upon pallets of plant material and grass sod to help us plant a vegetable garden and yard that exceeded our imaginations. We were reminded of Ephesians 3 where Paul writes that "God can do immeasurably more than we could ever hope for or imagine".

What we learned later was that EC and her husband were auctioning-off their nursery and farm where they had built their dream home and lived for decades on Friday of that week. Her husband had a heart condition that made it impossible for him to continue the business.

As she approached what she described as the most difficult week of her life, she prayed to God that He would bring a distraction to her week to help her keep her mind off the coming event on Friday. God answered her prayer by bringing her to our project. We were blessed by her generosity while we were able to be a blessing to her.

As Friday was approaching, we gathered to pray over EC when this woman of faith commented, "I may be losing my farm on Friday, but I've gained a heart for Kayamandi". Our God works in mysterious ways.

Day 4

The home was cleaned from floor to ceiling on Thursday morning followed by the move-in of all new furniture and furnishings organized by our dear partner, Nicky. She formed a relationship on our first home with Eric, owner of a local furniture manufacturing firm, who graciously donated all new custom-made furniture for the first and second home.

Final touches were put on the landscaping, and by day's end we were ready for the Welcome Home Celebration on Friday morning.

Day 5--Welcome Home Celebration

When we left for South Africa, we had been blessed with all the 24 sponsorships required to support the 6 girls once they moved into the Tapestry Orphan Home, but we had only 1 girl selected and no housemother. We depend on our local Kuyasa partners who work closely with the Department of Social Services to identify, screen and select the girls. While there is no shortage of girls needing a safe place to call home, the complicated circumstances surrounding these girls can often times make it difficult to extricate them from their current living situation.


But we serve a faithful God, and it was in faith that we traveled to Kayamandi trusting that He would work all things together for good. We were overwhelmed with gratitude come Friday morning when we learned that three new girls, Lusanda, Unathi and Snazo, would be joining Anella in their new home together with their new housemother, Mama Mary.


The look on the girls' faces as the front door opened and they set their eyes on the interior of their new home for the first time reminded us why we do what we do. What a privilege to be His hands and feet and provide a safe and loving place to these beautiful young girls who have experienced unimaginable hardship, abuse and rejection in their lives leading up to this moment. Our hearts were overflowing with joy knowing that they will be living as a family united in Christ, where they will be able to discover themselves and dare to dream big dreams of a purposeful life.

Following our private welcoming, the girls and Mama Mary joined us for a community celebration where they were welcomed into the Kuyasa Family with food, song and prayer. We expect to soon be inviting the remaining two girls into their new Tapestry Orphan Home.

TOHO #1

We are delighted to share that the girls in the first Tapestry Orphan Home (Aphindiwe, Nomzamo, Pretty, Portia, Sizophila, and Peace) and their housemother, Mama Theo, are doing remarkably well.

It is amazing to see the transformation in these girls. Last year when they entered the home, the pain on their faces was palpable. These were girls who had been living in the most desperate and abusive of conditions.

After just one year in their new Tapestry Home, these girls are smiling, their personalities have blossomed, they are achieving in school, and they are daring to dream big dreams for their lives. Thanks to all of our sponsors that have come along side these girls and Mama Theo to give them the opportunity to experience God's love and walk in His peace.

Grateful Hearts

We are deeply grateful to so many that make what we do possible. To Jenny and her Kuyasa Team for sharing her God-inspired vision for creating an orphan village for young teenage girls and for all that her team members (Heather, Cindy, Pumla and others) do to support our efforts.

To Nicky for her obedient heart and love for the girls. To Niel and his Flexi-Homes team who provide such a durable and functional home. To our capable, Christ-centered construction partner and dear friend, William, and his partner, Eric.

To Dave for his gifted leadership of the Threads team and heart for the people of Kayamandi. To all the team members who joined us on this amazing trip and worked tirelessly to prepare the home. To the board members of Threads Africa and Tapestry Homes for their continuing support and encouragement. To our home and child sponsorship partners at World Help for their commitment and generousity. And to our many supporters of the home and sponsors of the girls.

You all are a beautiful picture of the body of Christ. And most importantly, we give thanks to our mighty God who blesses us faithfully with His love and provision. Our hearts are touched and we are eternally grateful.


Blessings,
Cliff and Rose Ratkovich
Co-Founders, Tapestry Homes