A former drug dealer and ex-prisoner, who has dedicated her life to serving God and her community, yesterday fed 625 children and gave each one an Easter egg in Lavender Hill.
Each year, Charmaine Josephs feeds hundreds of children outside her home on Easter Monday.
On Monday, she cooked a 100-litre pot of bredie with mealies, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, and cauliflower, served with white rice.
Generous community members and businesses helped Charmaine feed the 625 children.
Charmaine’s life took a positive turn when she became a born-again Christian following a life of crime just over a decade ago.
She was married to the notorious drug dealer and 26s gang member, Sydney “Three-One” Josephs.
In 1999, she was sentenced to four years and eight months in jail for dealing in drugs.
She admitted to letting her children hide and pack drugs for her to dodge cops.
Today, she is part of Hope Prison Ministries and inspires others with her life story and travels abroad.
Easter feast: Lavender Hill children fed
“I have been doing this even when I was on the wrong side of life,” she said.
“When I was a drug dealer, I used to cook and give the children Easter eggs, but that was wrong because that came from drug money.”
She is usually sponsored by German nationals who visit her every year, but due to the Coronavirus they could not travel this year.
“I decided I still wanted to go ahead and bless these children with a plate of healthy food, and an Easter egg because many will never know what it is like to receive one.
“I also blessed each family with a bar of soap for them to wash their hands and a packet of Niknaks for each child.”
genevieve.serra@inl.co.za