Mother and daughter reunited after 37 years
With a daughter’s deep connection to her mother, and one photograph she clung to throughout her childhood, Jabulile Khuzwayo never allowed anything to deter her from finding her mother.
The photograph of her mother was her only link she had, and kept alive her dream and pursuit of meeting the face etched into the grainy paper. 37 years later, the photograph found its way across Facebook into the hands of someone who, it seems, was fated to reunite the mother and daughter.
Khuzwayo grew up with her paternal grandmother, whose care her mother left her in when she was two months old. Khuzwayo knew she had a mother, but apart from the photograph her grandmother kept for her, she knew nothing else about her.
“All I was told was that my mother was an Indian from Northdale and my father was black. He had died before I was born, and she had made the best decision that she could. I could understand why my mother left, things were different back then. But I just always wanted to meet her. My mother carried me for nine months and brought me into this world, I had to find her,” said Khuzwayo.
In her lifelong pursuit of finding her mother, she finally resorted to Facebook, posting on community groups that covered Northdale and Raisethorpe and surrounding areas, in the hopes that someone would recognise the name and face of her mother from years before. In what can only be described as fate, community member Shallaine Naidoo came across the post and felt impressed to assist Khuzwayo with her search for her mother.
“The post touched me immediately and I had this urge to help her. I made contact with her for more information, and then she sent a photo that almost knocked me off my feet. It was a picture of my uncle baptising her mum. Sadly, my uncle had passed on and I couldn’t get answers about her mum, but I felt like this was a sign that I was meant to help her. We faced many challenges; some even told us that her mother had died, but we kept the faith. I encouraged Khuzwayo that, no matter what, we will find her mother.”
They eventually received information tracking the mother to Bethlehem. Shallaine reposted the post on all the Facebook groups in the Bethlehem area. Two days later, she got a reply that someone knew her. “Within a few hours we found her mom,” Shallaine recalled.
Shallaine was the one who first made contact with the mother, and witnessed first hand the emotional response from both parties. “There was a feeling of excitement and happiness. I felt so at ease knowing the mother and daughter were reunited,” Naidoo said.
Khuzwayo said she was overjoyed when she found her mother. “I was so happy to find her. I know she really loved my dad and that she was also so happy to meet me. It is an emotional time and there is so much we want to talk about and learn about each other. I look forward to all the times that we are going to spend together. I found out I have other siblings, and it was so good to meet my younger brother,” said Khuzwayo.
A week ago the mother and daughter met for the first time. Khuzwayo feels connected to her mother in so many ways, as they learn about the similarities both of them share. “We both have the same sense of humour and are both very strong women.” The timing was perfect, as her mother is sadly suffering the final stages of Leukaemia; now at least she has her long-lost daughter by her side.
Khuzwayo advised those who are also desperately searching for their family members or loved ones to never give up. “Never give up. If you really want something, you must pray about it. Give it to God to guide you. If something bad happened a long time ago, remember things were different then, forgive and don’t give up,” said Khuzwayo.
Khuzwayo thanked everyone who helped her find her mother. “People were praying for me and sending me messages. To Shallaine, thank you so much. You have a great heart and I am just really thankful,” said Khuzwayo.