“I want to use my scars as a testimony of God’s grace and that He alone has the final say,” says Mrs South Africa semi finalist Marion Peake in a note to Gateway News about her latest journey of faith.
Marion, who together with her husband Matthew, provides loving, temporary shelter to vulnerable babies, toddlers and children in their home in East London, says she thought her life dreams had come to an end three years ago when she had a double mastectomy.
“Was I still a women? Was I still worthy? Was I still beautiful? This lead to great depression and weight gain. I then set a goal for myself, If I could loose 40kgs by the end of 2021 I would then have to step out of my comfort zone and rise up,” she says.
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She achieved her weight goal and recently entered the Mrs South Africa competition through which she says: “I want to empower vulnerable women facing anxiety, depression, and weight gain due to life, poverty and marriage struggles.
“I want to be a beacon of hope and symbol of encouragement for women to rise as I did. I’m one with scars like theirs. Our scars all look different — some are seen and some are deep in our hearts.”
Marion and Matthew are already a beacon of hope in East London. Five years ago — soon after Marion was diagnosed with cancer — they began their caring organisation, “Helping Those in Need”, with food parcels for the needy and soup kitchens.
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After about a year they started opening their home to children in need of shelter. Says Marion, their home is built on a foundation of family, love, peace and joy and through this ministry they are used to bring healing to young girls struggling with suicide urges, rejection and a sense of worthlessness.
Marion says when she recently returned to her home full of children after 4-days away in the first round of the Mrs SA competition: “I received the most amazing 26 different hugs, kisses, joy and talks”.
“When I was prophesied over and called ‘Mother of the Nation, those words resonated with my heart. I’ve since mothered over 250 children in our home from all over our country. Now it’s time to enlarge that
prophecy,” says Marion.
Describing her decision to enter Mrs SA, she says when she read an article about the competition online she immediately felt led by God to enter. She asked Matthew what he thought and he encouraged her to go for it.
She says Mrs SA had evolved from being just a “pageant” to becoming a female-empowerment movement and a vehicle for Influencers to showcase the virtues of real, relatable South African Women.
“Allow me to empower women and children. Help me to birth a women’s shelter in each city, we have a
voice. Allow me to create a place to assist our homeless children on our streets that have nowhere to go and to curb crime committed due to need.
“Allow me to be the voice of those who have been silenced. Allow me to bring hope for our South African girls so that they can hear the words: “You can rise above your circumstances! Love who you are!” she says in her appeal to supporters to get behind her campaign.
She needs people to vote for her by liking her photo on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/…/a.52958…/5294549167230419/.) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca4JHrQKhIu/..), following Mrs South Africa pages on both social media platforms and lastly by dialling 47587, and picking option 1 or all 3 to vote.
She also needs four companies to invest in her journey. The companies receive four months marketing on the Mrs South Africa network. Any company keen to invest in Marion’s journey should contact her at +27 72 348 4528 or helpingthoseinneed.el.sa@andre-van-wyk
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