She was a single mother set to lose her income. At the eleventh hour, help arrived. LIZANIA SEPTEMBER told KATY MACDONALD what happened, why she believes God allows us to experience challenging situations, and encourages anyone struggling not to give up hope
‘I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t eat, sometimes I couldn’t even drink anything,’ says laundry lady Lizania of the lead-up to being made redundant. ‘I started to feel angry with God’ | Photo: Leentjie du Preez
Lizania (35) grew up in Cape Town’s Lavender Hill and attended Levana Primary and Lavender Hill High. She was brought up by Daphne, her single mother, and has two boys, aged 14 and 10. They all live with Daphne in Pelican Park
‘I’ve worked with my mom in laundry and cleaning jobs since I was 17. As a schoolgirl, I worked during the holidays and after school to help Mom pay the bills. After school, I worked full-time with her and a few other ladies for 17 years in an ironing business owned by a lady called Sharon. I enjoyed the work. I liked the way it allowed me to bring up my babies. I could bring them to work, watch them grow. All the customers got to know them.
With Covid, things started to change. We lost most of our customers, and even after Covid the work didn’t pick up. We moved to smaller and smaller premises. Sharon couldn’t afford to advertise and, in August 2023, she said we’d soon have to close down.
Oh my word, it was the worst thing I could ever hear. Sitting at home with no work would be terrible. I needed to put my boys through school! I started handing out CVs wherever I could: supermarkets, everywhere. But I didn’t hear anything. It was very terrifying and I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t eat, sometimes I couldn’t even drink anything. I was on my knees praying for God to please send work for me and Mom. To intervene, to guide us, to help us. Mom was also worried but didn’t talk about it to me because she knew I was anxious. So we couldn’t help each other. We just had to keep on trusting that God was going to make a way.
not my proudest moment
It came to the end of November, our last day of work. I knew God always comes through so that, even if I had no job, He’d provide somehow. But I didn’t see anything happening and I started to feel angry with Him. It’s not my proudest moment!
We were busy moving everything out of the rental premises. Then one of our customers contacted us and said she’d found a place for us in a building in Kirstenhof called the Life Centre. It was attached to a church called Church of the Holy Spirit. I’d never heard of a church where you could do business, but she said we must hurry and go there. I was like, ‘Maybe God has given us the solution!’
Lizania’s mom, Daphne, who was also worried about them both losing their jobs. ‘She didn’t talk about it to me because she knew I was anxious. So we couldn’t help each other,’ says Lizania | Photo: Phinius Sebatsane
The following day, Mom and I walked up and down Kirstenhof looking for the church but we couldn’t find it. We came back the next day, a Sunday, and then we heard music and saw the building. The service was almost done but everyone was very warm, and made us feel welcome. We met the centre manager, Mark, and everything happened so quickly. Even though I still don’t quite understand where the money came from, we managed to pay a month’s rent for a room and we started working there the very next day.
The Life Centre in Cape Town’s Kirstenhof where, after months of stressing, Lizania and Daphne found a room in which they could run their ironing business | Bottom photo: Leentjie du Preez
The first thing I did was WhatsApp all our old customers with our new location. This wasn’t convenient for all of them, but many of our longstanding ones stuck with us. We also got new work from the people who work at or visit the Life Centre, and others who drop by the coffee shop or attend the church. We had only one ironing board but once we got enough business, we were able to buy another. So, I never ended up without an income! Oh my word, I’m so grateful.
My ironing room at the Life Centre is big and beautiful and people are really friendly here. This isn’t just a business to me. I love it when customers tell me that our ironing is a help to them. The great thing is that we’re all doing each other a favour.
One customer brings just three or four items and we talk while I iron. We’re so close, we know everything about each other and can encourage each other. It’s the same with other customers who are taking care of sick family members and need frequent linen changes. I listen to them if they have a bad day and cheer them up, and they uplift me too on other days. This means a lot to me.
‘This isn’t just a business to me,’ says Lizania. ‘I love it when customers tell me that our ironing is a help to them. The great thing is that we’re all doing each other a favour. I listen to them if they have a bad day and cheer them up, and they uplift me too on other days’ | Photo: Leentjie du Preez
‘The Life Centre is a really welcoming place, people are friendly here,’ says Lizania
My mom always told us there’s a God above us but I always wanted to challenge it and know if He was listening. Over time, I’ve found He always comes through. People say He doesn’t always answer prayers but I believe He does. I’ve noticed that sometimes He leaves us in a challenging situation a bit longer to strengthen us and show us His hand at work. So, we don’t always get what we want at the time, but it works out in the end.
It can be frustrating and tough. I can think, ‘Oh no, here I am again.’ But then I have to work out what God is telling me. Sometimes we don’t want to accept the answer He gives us but I am convinced He has a plan, He’s in control and He knows what’s best for us.
There’s lots of drugs and gangsterism where I live, but I now know that I can put my trust in God even if I can’t see the outcome, and I can trust that He knows. My goodness, He’s so real to me now. I write Bible verses in a little notebook and when it’s lunchtime, I go through my notes and that’s when I hear God speak to me. The scriptures are so alive. One of them says that a person who doesn’t work, can’t eat. I thought that was only meant literally, but recently I realised it also means we won’t find spiritual food unless we look for it.
Lizania: ‘I’ve noticed that sometimes God leaves us in a challenging situation a bit longer to strengthen us and show us His hand at work. So, we don’t always get what we want at the time, but it works out in the end’ | Photo: Leentjie du Preez
My dream is to get my boys educated, and to turn the ironing service into a laundry that employs others. There are so many people looking for work, if I can help people I want to do that.
If what I’ve experienced gives someone else hope to hold on until God comes through, that will be amazing. I want to encourage people to put their trust in Jesus, he’s there to help us. I think we often refuse his help and want to do everything ourselves to achieve our hearts’ desires, which can make us stumble. But he’s waiting to reach out his hand and help us up.’
Lizania’s sons, Jonathan (left) and Tyrone. ‘My dream is to get my boys educated,’ she says. Another dream is to develop the ironing service into a laundry that employs others. ‘There are so many people looking for work. If I can help people, I want to do that,’ she says. ‘If what I’ve experienced gives someone else hope to hold on until God comes through, that will be amazing.’
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