Hans was born to a Congolese mother and father. Hans’ mother passed away when he was still in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). His father had left the DRC for South Africa. He stayed with his grandparents, who struggled to care for him until his father sent for him. Upon arrival in South Africa, he became estranged from his father. Hans currently has
no ties to the DRC or South Africa - meaning he is stateless.
Hans applied for permanent residence by exemption with assistance from Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) in December 2018. There has been no outcome on this application to date. Furthermore, the permanent residence section of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has been closed since the beginning of lockdown.
Hans is a bright young person whose future has been put on hold. His dreams seem futile as he awaits an outcome on his application for permanent residence. Hans has aspirations and hopes like us all.
Can you think about a time that you felt unwelcome somewhere? How did this make you feel?
Take a moment to think about a time where your God-given gifts were recognised and welcomed. Were you able to contribute to your community, recognised as a neighbour? How did that make you feel?
Jesus calls on us to welcome the stranger amongst us. When you reflect on Hans’ story, does someone else you know come to mind, someone seen as an outsider? How might you welcome them, appreciate their gifts and integrate them into your community?
