The story of Amos

[ LEES DIE BERIG IN AFRIKAANS ]

[ BERIG IN TSHWANE BEELD : 18.2.2009 ] [ ARTIKEL IN ROOI ROSE, JUNIE 2009 ]

THE STORY OF AMOS

Although this story is about Amos, he is not the only person involved. I't is also a story of pain and hurt, death of the human spirit, and then, through God's grace, being transformed into a new and blessed person, able to bless others.

My name is Isabel Wagner, and I am a reflexologist. My work is my passion and gives sense and purpose to my life.

Our family has been through devastating crises during the last six years and in April this year I reached an all-time low point. On the advice of friends, I approached a spiritual councillor for help.

This meeting did absolutely nothing to encourage me. It was bluntly stated that my work was of the devil, and was the reason for all the problems in our family. My intellect rejected this view, but it put me into a downward spiral resulting in total depression. It was a "violation of my soul's purpose". My life was apparently one enormous mistake...

After three weeks I realised that I needed urgent help, and so I found myself spending Tuesdays with a therapist in Atterbury Road . This was in May 2008.

Yet, even in my befuddled state of misery I was still vaguely aware of a man with a facial deformity, standing at the roadside, begging.

By October my condition had greatly improved and I was again able to look outside of myself, seeing others and recognising their distress. Then one morning on my way to my appointment I came to a stop right next to him. I had time to look at him, staring shamelessly. And with my medical background it was obvious that he must have had enormous problems even trying to function at the most basic level. By the time I reached home I knew that I had to help him.

I remembered reading a report in Beeld about Operation Smile, and went in search of information. The search took me to Prof Coetzee of Pretoria Academic Hospital, who was prepared to take a look at this case. But then I had to go back and search for this stranger beside the road.

Eventually, the following day, I found him, but could barely understand a word he spoke. Nevertheless, a few days later we were en route to the hospital for the first of many exhausting days we were to spend there. But previous experience had directed me to take paper and pen, and so we were able to bridge the communication gulf. And this is how the story of Amos took shape in the hospital's waiting rooms.

[ LEES DIE BERIG IN AFRIKAANS ]

[ BERIG IN TSHWANE BEELD : 18.2.2009 ] [ ARTIKEL IN ROOI ROSE, JUNIE 2009 ] 

AMOS' STORY 

Amos Sibanda was born in Messina about 24 years ago. He never knew his father, and his mother died when he was only 10. Inevitably he had to leave school.

As a young man he was employed in Vivo, and later took a job on a farm near Brits. He became a foreman on the farm and took on many responsibilities, including that of wage clerk.

On the 5th of October 2005 Amos' whole life changed in a flash. There was a collision between two vehicles in the warehouse, and he was caught in the middle. The impact was almost fatal for him, and he was airlifted to hospital where he was put on a ventilator, and fed intravenously. Amos' skull had been fractured in five places and he had a hole in his palate. He also lost the major portion of his lower jaw. Damage to his tongue healed incorrectly due to the build-up of scar tissue, making him almost completely inarticulate. He could not drink without the fluid flowing out of his nose. His hearing and speech were so badly compromised that he could no longer communicate normally.

The result was that a highly intelligent and competent man had been imprisoned by a world of incomprehensibility - it was practically impossible to understand him because the movement of his tongue had been so restricted, and his tone was extremely nasal. His deformed profile added to his misery by creating the impression that he was also intellectually challenged.

After the accident and his months in hospital he was eventually discharged, weak and traumatised. Shortly thereafter he lost his job and his accommodation on the farm, and ended up at a shelter for the homeless. He survived here by distributing pamphlets for R30 per day. Just enough for food...

And so he ended up begging on the street.

Amos now lives with his wife and young son in a Zozo hut in Mamelodi where his rent is R500 per month. His roadside begging earns him R100-R130 per day, of which R32 is spent on taxi fare.

[ LEES DIE BERIG IN AFRIKAANS ]

[ BERIG IN TSHWANE BEELD : 18.2.2009 ] [ ARTIKEL IN ROOI ROSE, JUNIE 2009 ]

ISABEL'S INVOLVEMENT

I was deeply affected by the distress and misery of this man, but realised that I could not help him alone.

I believed that if people got to know his story they would be more likely to help him. So I summarised Amos' story in a letter and gave him 40 copies to hand out at the roadside. He gave them to people he thought would be sympathetic, and then the miracles started to happen! In total, 25 people responded to my letter and out of this response the following has happened:

Amos has been seen by Prof Kurt Butow, a brilliant, world class specialist more than capable of taking on the intricate reconstruction that is required. With the right treatment there is apparently every hope that Amos' face can be reconstructed and that he will be able to talk normally, to work and to lead a decent life again.

However, it will take radical surgery firstly to repair his palate and to free up his tongue. Thereafter his lower jaw will have to be reconstructed. This will require a special instrument that has to be imported from Germany at a cost of around R150,000 - not to mention other costs such as operating theatre & staff, surgeon, nursing, recovery, and physiotherapy.

Now that this information is available to us another of Amos' benefactors, Prof Dieter Gloeck and I have registered a trust fund. The trust is called "Amost Better Life Foundation". A cheque account has been opened at Standard Bank, Menlyn. Details of the account can be obtained by contacting me on 0827727828 or isabelwgnr@gmail.com

My wish for this Christmas season is that enough money will have been collected to make it possible for Amos to have his operations, starting early next year. That would give him a new life and make it possible for him to regain his dignity and independence as breadwinner for his family.

[ LEES DIE BERIG IN AFRIKAANS ]

[ BERIG IN TSHWANE BEELD : 18.2.2009 ] [ ARTIKEL IN ROOI ROSE, JUNIE 2009 ]

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