Running from the Guerrillas

By Erica Anne Richards-Sikhakhane

This is the dramatic, true-life account of author, Erica Richards-Sikhakhane’s traumatic life experiences when she was captured by the Renamo rebels in Mozambique during the brutal civil war. This memoir details the adversities she had to endure and overcome, and her escape to another country with the help of a remarkable woman she calls her “hero”, Lydia Mkhombo.

This fascinating autobiography allows you insight into the horrific world of innocents involved in this terrifyingly cold and inhumane war, which robbed many of their lives and innocence. Follow the author’s story and see how her resilience propelled her to her destiny, which indicated God’s remarkable presence in her life.

“You might have walked the unknown and painful path, but that does not mean you must not pursue your purpose and goals, and thrive for change.”

“No matter how many times life has knocked you down, you must always get up, dust yourself off and continue pushing towards your destiny.”

“Life was not meant to be perfect, but through its imperfections you can find the real you and be happy again.”

“Appreciate where you have been, ugly or unpaved, there was a purpose for you to have gone through everything.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Erica Anne Richards-Sikhakhane
• Release date: Feb 12, 2018
• ISBN: 9781370014767

Book preview

This book is about a little girl who was kidnapped at the age of seven by Renamo rebels during the civil war in Mozambique. The little girl was kidnapped in 1988 and she escaped in 1990. As horrific and devastating as the story is, it interested me to share with the world what happened to this little girl. This little girl suffered a great deal; she was tortured and abused, but she came out very positive about life as a whole. She understands that whatever happened to her was God’s will, she knows no one else deserved such things and therefore she acknowledges that at the end of it all, it had to happen to someone and that someone had to be her.

Don’t be shocked that she is normal after everything that has happened to her. Through everything she understands that no one else deserved such things to happen to them, that is why she is very encouraged and determined to live a life of purpose and to share her story to help others. She knows what she once faced was not the end of her but is the journey God has for her. She now understands her full purpose in life, and she is no longer bitter about things that she went through. She was a witness to the first attack that took place in Salamanca, a small village near Bella-Vista in Mozambique; that’s where she was kidnapped. That little girl was kept captive for two and half years by the Mozambican rebels without hope that she would ever see her family again; she became a little slave in the jungle where she was kept.

In this book, I’ve shared the most beautiful and painful moments that I as that little girl went through, and I hope that you will be encouraged in a positive way. I hope you will never let any circumstances control you or determine the kind of person you should become. I believe that you will choose happiness over hatred; I believe that you will be able to forgive those who have trespassed against you. I believe that you will forgive yourself for the time you have lived in not forgiving others. With this book I trust that you will seek the purpose of your life, and I trust you will never look at yourself as less of a man/woman because of whatever you may have encountered in your life. I hope that you will find it in your heart to completely forgive and to find healing in the process because whatever we ask for, God gives. That little girl who is now a woman is the one who has written this book to you. You’ve seen her, but you didn’t know who she was.

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge several remarkable service providers.

It is wise to always seek advice especially from those who have been on the same path as you.

I would like to give my highest gratitude to Sally and Warren for the selfless knowledge they gave in order for me to do things properly, and for the editing and production work they offered me. www.reachpublishers.co.za

You are remarkable because of how you make others feel.

My gratitude goes to Lythwood Lodge for opening its doors for me on the day of the photo shoot; I’m grateful for its generosity. www.lythwood.com

You may be artistic but there is always that person that can meet your thoughts and bring them to reality.

I would like to thank Thembi Mlambo for making me a gown that made me look like a princess; your work is outstanding. Instagram: @topstitch_skechiz_by_thembi

I still love those photographers who capture with passion, who still bring out the best image of you; their enthusiasm is what catches my mind.

This last Thanks goes to Nicole Haynes, the photographer who captured the photos used in this book. www.NicoleHaynes.co.za

Ultimate Purpose of this Book

The main purpose of this book is to encourage those people who are going through difficult times and those who have gone through terrible things to start picking up the pieces and rebuild themselves. Healing is essential; this book will give you so many reasons not to give up in life regardless of what you face on your respective paths. I’m sharing my story with you to help you find healing and to discover the person God intended you to be. I want you to know that there are many of us who have experienced things that were inevitable. Through it all there is hope for you to find peace and discover the new you, the new you is the person living inside of you but in fear of revealing who he/she is. The new you is greater than the person people think you are. You can’t live in fear anymore; it’s time to take the mask off, and it’s time to break the silence. The person inside you has much ability to give hope to the hopeless; the new you is actually the real person who God designed from the beginning, but you can’t discover that person without dealing with the issues that paralyse your productivity. There is no need for you to live in hopeless times anymore...We live a life full of the true promises that God promised our forefathers. God is a good planner of our lives regardless of what we go through, and there’s nothing that happens under the sun without His authority.

As you are reading this book, it’s more of a testimony than just a book; you will see how great and greater our God is, and you will be the one to acknowledge that God still does miracles on earth. What God did to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Daniel 3:23-25), He still does to this generation of ours. We may be put into danger and not know how we are going to come out, but God will always bring us out without us being harmed. Where we are harmed God still uses that pain for His glory. When we are tormented we often get angry at God, asking why couldn’t He prevent the situation if He does exist? But the fact of the matter is God is not against us but Satan is. If God was against all beautiful and good things He would never have created the ocean which represents the depth of His love, He would never have created the earth, heaven and mankind to live and enjoy this beauty.

Whatever you experience or go through on a daily basis, it’s God’s plan. Everything that happens to you surely moulds your character and makes you a better person.

When everything was taking place in my life I never knew what God was doing, I never knew the bigger picture behind my life; I only understood God’s plan after I had been praying and asking God to show me my purpose, and to let me be connected with the blessings He had set upon my life. During the time of adversity you may not understand why certain things have to happen in your life, but along the run of your journey all answers will be as clear as the rainbow. Seeking wisdom through your circumstances is imperative; in order for you to reach your purpose you need wisdom, nothing but wisdom. I didn’t know how I could go about encouraging someone else, but I believe my words can encourage you and give you hope in your situation; not only that, but also to look where I have come from and what I have conquered through Christ Jesus. Many people tend to lose hope after they have gone through adversity such as I have, and that’s not how it should be; you are capable of becoming anything you want in life and yes, you need to get over your past in order to be connected with your future. The reason many people are not connected with their futures is because they are still very much attached to their past in a negative way. I know I didn’t deserve what happened to me but I cannot be bitter about it, being bitter about it doesn’t add any value in my life or elevate me in any way. I gain nothing by being bitter about the pain those rebels caused me, therefore I have chosen to go the path of forgiveness so I can be connected to my blessings.

Yes, we may face things no one deserves to face, and sometimes we are judged by the circumstances we never asked for but these could happen to anyone...well that’s just life; we can’t change a single thing towards it, but we can change our attitude on how we take things into our hearts. I’ve taken a stand to share this, as hard as it is for me, but I feel it’s about time to give hope to that little girl out there who has undergone similar things or who has gone through even worse things than what you are about to hear...There is hope through every situation.

I’ve seen young girls and boys who easily throw their lives into drugs trying to ease the pain after being abused. Ironically, it is not supposed to be like that; you need to fight and show the enemy that you are a conqueror and you were created for a good purpose. Don’t give up unless you have run out of breath. I hope this book will touch the life of that young person whose heart is crying day and night but when he/she is with people he/she pretends as though everything is alright with him/her, I hope that young man/woman out there will seek help before he/she is destroyed by pain and I hope that little boy/girl out there one day will find a reason to smile again. I know the pain and I wish I could just hug you wherever you are and walk this journey with you.

Whatever you face today, it has the means to make you stronger and not weaker. Hold on to faith, and also pray to endure and to overcome...you don’t have to be too old to have faith. The reason why you are attacked is because there’s something great about you and the devil has already recognised it; that is why you need to stand your ground even though you can’t see where you are going or how you will get out of the situation you are in. I encourage you to stand strong no matter what the circumstances. We don’t choose things that happen to us, but we are chosen to go through them and to come out of our situations without marks. Isn’t God awesome? My understanding is that you as a person either choose to be a victim forever or be victorious in life. I chose to be victorious, and you too can. There’s nothing more precious than having faith in God because all you need to do is hand over all your problems to God and let Him be God in your life. Knowing God and possessing His wisdom is something just too precious; no one can take that away from you. Tell yourself that you are free from any bondage, yes you are free; never doubt the power that is placed inside of you by our Creator. There is something good in you, you are not a bad child, and you didn’t deserve the pain you went through. You are blessed if you have those who want nothing but the best of you and so are willing to ease your pain. Yes, they can’t take your pain away but with their loving hearts the pain can be eased. Only God can take away your pain when you let Him. Look at yourself in the mirror and say, I’m loved and I’m living for a purpose.

Chapter 1

The Birth of Me

I was born in 1981 in Bella-Vista, Mozambique to a single mother. I’m the fourth child of my mother’s children with her first husband; one brother and two sisters, with three other children from her second husband coming after me; two brothers and a sister, who is a last born and I’m in middle of them all. I was born different among all my half siblings, different in a good way though. I am the shortest among them all...short girls, let’s celebrate our being. I was very observant as a young child and I think I still have those characteristics. I always had many questions to ask, some of my questions were not answered but I’ll keep asking until they give me the correct answer that will sit well with me.

My mother had three children from her first marriage, and then after her divorce she met my dad, Sir Ricardo Richards and I was formed...boom! My mom was working at a one of the firms at the time and all her four kids including myself were living with her parents. My grandparents had such a warm home that was filled with visitors now and then; I grew fond of my grandparents given the fact they were the only parents I knew.

My three half siblings and I were so happy during those times when both our grandparents were still alive; they were the most loving and caring grandparents anyone could ever ask for. Our needs were provided by Mommy as she worked to maintain the mother and father figure she was to all four of her children, but with her parents it was even easier because they were hands on and very helpful in bringing us up. My mother was not staying with us; she used to come and visit us now and then. Well, it was never a big deal to me because I had two loving grandparents. Smiling.

During that time when my mother was still trying to find herself, something compelled her to leave for South Africa. War rumours. Despite the fact that my mother was not staying with us, to learn that she, her husband, and the two of the children she had with him then, were leaving for good and we would remain at our grandparent’s property felt like a sharp pain! My half siblings and I never made it a big deal even though our hearts were heavy that my mom was leaving. That was followed by the passing of my grandfather later in 1985. Bad things were just beginning to happen.

I grew fond of my granny before my mother because she was the only mother I knew and saw every day and every night; in fact I didn’t care much about my mother because at the time she already had two of her kids after me when I was very young. I was a jealous kid. I was so jealous that if I was given an option to choose whether I needed the other children who came after me, the answer would have been a big ‘No’. As a result my jealousy only made me feel safe and comfortable when I was with my grandmother because I didn’t have to compete with those two kids who were younger than me. I didn’t want the divided attention; to me it felt as though nobody saw me as being precious like they used to because when my mother came with those kids everyone only paid attention to them, and I must say my little soul was hurt from time to time when that happened.

What made me feel safe about living with my grandparents was that I was the only young kid at home, and both my grandparents made me a priority in the family. I was everyone’s concern and that made me feel secure and understand the power of love. I didn’t have to question whether I was loved or not; I knew deep down that I had a special place in their hearts. The only task for me was to play with my hen that Grandma gave me and sometimes it chased the hell out of me when I came close to its chicks. Laughing immensely. All was good for me; I didn’t have to worry about other kids who were younger than me unless my mom visited with her two kids, then the attention was paid to them and I would say in my silent voice, ‘Can’t you just take these babies back where you got them from?’ I thought it was that easy to return a human being to the hospital where I was told they bought them from. Funnily enough, today these two brothers protect me like gold; we love each other so much and they want nobody to come close to me. I’m blessed to have them, now she mustn’t send them back.

Chapter 2

Good Memories

My mother was very loving during the time when I was young and she valued herself very much and was one of those women who knew how to dress her kids well; she was very stylish during my early childhood. She was basically an amazing person with her flawless skin and she was one of those women who knew their story; she walked chest out with her permanent curly hair. Her beauty was outstanding and you could swear she was living on another planet. Some of my good memories which I remember very well are when they prepared all of us for a photo shoot and it was a very exciting experience; my mom and Grandma would go out of their way to search for a good spot where all of us would be seated. As young as my mother was, she embraced motherhood perfectly, despite the fact that her children’s fathers decided to walk out of her life. She was fearless, sophisticated and embraceable. It was always laughter in our home. Another family game I remember well is when Grandpa would tell us to dance and give us some money, but when we fell asleep he would sneak in and take away all the money he had given us during the day and when we woke up we all knew Grandpa took the money but it was never a big deal; it was a family game and we were all amused by it. Grandpa was trying to make us feel what it was like to have money for a few hours and in the morning it was gone again. It wasn’t a good thing of course, but it was another way of teaching us to be responsible with our monies. The point he was trying to stress was being able to look after our things. As much as he was just getting his point across, it was funny then. He would ask us to dance the following day and we would dance our behinds off, regardless of the fact he would sneak in and take the money when we were asleep. Those are the funny times I remember well, the times I treasure so much. There was so much love for one another in our family. Another thing is, there was no shop nearby where we could just go and buy something, only my grandparents used to go to the shop and of course my mom because she stayed in a small town. Happiness was created by things that seem to be nothing for today’s kids; having each other, playing with sand, tins, and chasing after hens saying they were cows are what made me happy as a child. There was always something to chase; either I was chasing cats or bees chased me if I dared to touch the hive. Grandpa was a hiver and that’s how I was exposed to bees.

There are little things you may take for granted but along the way you realise how precious they are, for instance having many fruit trees in our home, a huge land. I never knew that was every man’s dream, a precious and priceless gift. My grandfather worked at the game reserve. He had no pressure of raising his grandkids; my grandparents got most of the food from farming. For me it was a great and treasured experience to have been exposed to such a lifestyle. They planted almost every household food; rice, corn, sugar cane, grapes, mangos, guavas, granadillas, different types of herbs, onion, lettuce, garlic and cashew trees. The list was endless. I grew up eating unique fruits like cashew fruits apples, and custard apple fruits; cashew nuts were harvested in our home.

Another thing I admire the most about African culture as a whole is that, the Africans may have so little to live on but they are the happiest people on earth; they don’t get exposed to the fast life. Having a roof over their heads, a meal on the table and clothes is enough for many African cultures. As an African I feel I’m so privileged to be born African. We have big hearts, we do things for others without selfish motives, we don’t run in and out of courtrooms suing each other for things we do to each other. It’s magnificent to be an African. We don’t live to pay endless bills, we have our own land. My point here is that my family and I had so little to live on but what we had was enough, and having each other was the greatest blessing; we loved one another so dearly. There was love in the atmosphere.

I realise how fortunate I was to have lived in villages. This realisation only struck me when I had to move to a big city, Johannesburg. There I didn’t see much of what I called a normal life; all I was worried about each day was how to pay my mortgage and my car, a life I found very stressing. The more stress you have about something the less happy you will be. I’m a village girl; I still cherish the life I lived in my childhood.

Living in Johannesburg made me remember how fortunate my grandparents were, and how fortunate I was to have been exposed to such a life. But at the same time I understand that everything has it’s time and that times have changed. It was so nice to wake up to a mango tree and just pick some mangos yourself without going to a supermarket; almost every fruit was there. Now I look at my life and how my kids are going to grow; they don’t know what it’s like to be in that environment, they’ll never get to feel it.

With today’s life it’s rare to live freely without owing anybody anything, but of course there are some who are living a life free of the stress of paying bills. The point I’m making here is that we had a little to live on but we were happy. During those days there was never a day when we went to bed without a meal; my granny didn’t work for a boss but with farming she made money out of that farming. It’s amazing how she dedicated herself to farming to ensure we all were fed. One of the things my granny instilled in me was her raising me through God’s guidance and prayers; seeing her pray each and every day, mornings and evenings and sometimes during the day was something I treasured the most. She didn’t have to say anything to me but as I followed her to that special place that was made out of wood and had a small gate, I would hear