Where There Is Hope, There’s FaithChapter 1:

The weight of regret

Chapter 2: The Weight of Regret

Tonderai walked through the busy streets of Harare, his worn-out shoes scraping against the rough pavement. The weight of the sack slung over his shoulder, filled with empty bottles, felt lighter than the burden pressing down on his heart. He had left Martha, his wife, to fight for her life alone.

He told himself it was for survival, that he had no choice. The hospital bills had drained them, and there was never enough money. Collecting and selling bottles barely put food on the table. But deep down, he knew—he had given up.

The streets had become his home. He slept under shop verandas, scavenged for recyclables in garbage bins, and spent hours under the scorching sun hoping to make a few dollars. But no amount of hard work could silence the voice in his head, reminding him of the woman he had abandoned.

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her—lying in bed, frail and weak, yet still smiling at him with eyes full of love.

"Tonde, God is with us."

Those had been her last words to him before he walked away.

He shook his head, pushing the memory aside as he approached a scrap dealer’s shop. The owner, a stocky man with rough hands, weighed the bottles and handed Tonderai a few crumpled bills. It wasn’t much, but it would get him through the day.

As he walked away, he passed a street preacher standing on a corner, Bible in hand, speaking to a small group of people.

"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted," the preacher called out. "He saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Tonderai slowed his steps. He wasn’t a religious man, but something in those words struck him. Was he brokenhearted? Or just a coward running from his guilt?

He glanced at the crowd, then turned away. He didn’t belong there. Not after what he had done.

As the sun set, he found a quiet alley and sat on the cold ground, his back against a wall. He had food for the night, a place to sleep, but he felt empty.

For the first time since he left Martha, he wondered if he had made a mistake.