Living in Hampshire, England - I’m a nurse, married to Matt, and mama of two beautiful boys: Joseph and Zachary. Learning to thrive with the challenges of chronic illness and disability. Enjoying photography, making things, gardening and reading along the way. Withness. Emmanuel. God with us. I embraced this word unexpectedly, or rather it wrapped itself around me and I learnt its meaning and what it can bring on the darkest of days.

When I was younger, watching Ed, Edd, and Eddy on Cartoon Network, I was struck by a line flippantly delivered by Eddy: “You know what they say, a little childhood trauma builds character.” I figured that it was okay; whatever I was going through would make me interesting with a wicked sense of humour. And while that was true, looking back over my life, I have seen the ugly underside of that pearl of cartoon wisdom.

My name is Sikelelwa. I am writing from the Eastern Cape where I grew up. I was fortunate that my grandparents from both sides of my family raised us up in the Lord. I was born in a world where we did not ask if God existed but as children we debated what God was like.