Six years ago, a tiny yet fierce, fighter made her debut into the world in the West African country of Sierra Leone, fondly referred to as “Salone” by those who live there. Her parents never could have imagined what a brave, beautiful survivor was about to make her mark on the world when they named her Kumba, a name that means, “Roar” in an African language. While her mom was still pregnant with Kumba, her parents moved from Guinea to Sierra Leone to start a new life.
As subsistence farmers, her hard-working parents farmed by using machetes and hoes, tilling the land by hand. Shortly after moving to Salone, Kumba’s father died very unexpectedly, leaving Kumba’s pregnant mother struggling to support her family in a new country without any family or support system nearby. Tragically, Kumba’s mother succumbed to famine and passed away when baby Kumba was only 6 months old. In a remarkable moment of divine intervention, after her mother's passing, Kumba was discovered miraculously alive, having survived by still breast feeding on her deceased mother.
When Dorcas, the Sierra Leonean grandmother and nurse who lovingly cares for all of the girls, first saw Kumba, her heart melted. Dorcas recalls her first impressions of the petite 6-year-old this way, “She was suffering so much. I took one look at her and could see that she was malnourished from the head down. Her hair was a yellowish color, she had sores all over, many cavities and was showing definite signs of starvation. I was drawn to her.” Although Kumba had never had the opportunity to attend school, Dorcas was impressed by how well Kumba could speak in her native languages. She immediately sensed that there was something quite special about this little one.
It has now been a fabulous, full, and fun year since Kumba, the orphan who survived against all odds, arrived at Mamaland. Kumba has been described as a flower, that has blossomed beautifully, in her new life. She is smart, talkative, a quick learner, a leader among the other girls and has certainly not lost her dauntless, plucky spirit that amazingly helped her to survive after both of her parents had tragically passed away. This ambitious young girl now speaks four languages: Fullah, Kurankoh, Krio and English. She endearingly charms everyone she meets with her sweet spirit, generous offer of a hug and a splendid zeal for life.
When asked about her life at Mamaland, Kumba shared the following in her own words, “They took me from the village and brought me here. My mother is dead. My father is dead. Grandma (Dorcas) takes care of us and does everything for us. I like my Grandma. I like to learn. I eat plenty of food; my favorites are rice with banana, fried chicken and fish. I am learning how to read. I like to wash and to play with my four sisters. We play football, we laugh and we play games with each other. I have been learning about God and I pray to God. My favorite Bible stories are about David and Goliath and the birth of Jesus. I have a joy in my heart!”
Although Kumba’s life got off to a very rough start, with her journey nearly ending before she was old enough to walk, she is a valiant survivor who has come roaring back to life. Please join us in celebrating and praying for Kumba, the very first daughter of the Mamaland Children’s Village. As a vibrant, courageous daughter of God, she has a very promising future ahead. Instead of just surviving, Kumba is now truly thriving…so much so, she now excitedly dreams about becoming a nurse when she grows up! What a privilege it will be to see Kumba continue to flourish as she now enjoys a life overflowing with much love and a remarkable hope for tomorrow.
