Trish Waboraro: Inspiring women through music and words
Trish, you are involved in various ministries related to women, worship and young people. Can you give our readers a glimpse of these ministries?
Usually I identify as a worshiper. I am worshiper first and everything I am and I do flows from my worship and relationship with God. So I am an author of 4 Christian books, 2 are manuals on the basics of the spiritual and practical aspects of worship and 2 are inspirational motivational books. I am also a motivational speaker that speaks to women and young people on different issues and aspects of life. This has led me to be the chairperson of the national Board of Directors at Stepping Stones International, an NGO that deals with orphans and vulnerable children.
In addition I am a Christian event MC/Host; having hosted prestigious events such as Botswana Gospel Music Awards and Gospel Is Alive Concert featuring Bishop Benjamin Dube and Bucy Radebe (2019 & 2022). I have also featured in the prestigious INGOMA Awards in South Africa (2022) and will be making my second appearance with these awards again this year set for August 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
I also do a lot of school outreaches with my brand through Scripture Union Botswana where I also donate sanitary pads to different schools.
You have shared courageously before about the role of your Christian belief in your journey out of an abusive relationship. What encouragement and hope can you give to those struggling in an abusive relationships?
Recently a friend I had lost contact with years ago made contact with me and was shocked to see where I am in life. That is because he knew my story and was aware of the abuse I was going through back then. I think my life, my progress and achievements and just how far I have come is an exhibit of the grace of God. Had anyone told me that I would be where I am today I would not have believed them because the place that I was in didn’t have any silver lining at all.
But today I am here because through it all I fought to get up and I persevered and never gave up.
So I know the pain of being in a space where it seems bleak with no hope, I know how it feels to go through so much that you give up on your dreams, so I understand how someone that is going through an abusive relationship now feels like there is no hope. But if I came out of it and made it this far, surely there is room for you and enough grace for you to get out of that space and pursue your dreams.
So in the midst of the chaos, may God give you the grace to say enough is enough the way He did with me so that you master the grace to get up and dust yourself, over and over until you make it through.
About 40% of South African children are being raised by a single mother. What challenges have you had in raising your son and how have you overcome them?
I think one of the main challenges as a single mother is the stigma and negative stereotype that has already been built by the society concerning being a single parent. Actually it’s not supposed to be single motherhood but rather single parenthood. Single parenthood acknowledges that it has actually nothing to do with the marital status of that ‘mother’ but the state of solely carrying the responsibility of raising a child by yourself in the absence of another parent and this state can be caused by different circumstances of life; that the other parent is late, working in a different place; or the notorious one that the other parent willingly and knowingly absconds from the responsibility of parenthood. Unfortunately this is the most common single parenthood and is really a course for concern. However, there are families with both parents at home and only one parent is carrying the weight of the children alone and the other parents chooses to be absent as a parent though present at home.
Personally I’m one of those in the 40% statistics with a parent who has willingly chosen to abscond as a parent and rather chooses to be a parent only when it’s convenient for him. So it has brought a lot of strain on me financially, emotionally and in every manner thought of. As much as it has caused a strain on me, I have seen it over the years taking a toll on my son. Because the other parent chooses to withhold financial support in order to fix me, the child’s school and wellbeing suffers in general.
The absence of another parent really strains a child and can affect even the way the child looks at himself because of this rejection.
The financial strain never gets solved as the child grows because the needs grow as well. The emotional strain I try to occasionally take my son for professional counselling in order for them to help him deal with certain things that I cannot handle in a professional way; for instance to help him find his identity and where he belongs when his other piece of the puzzle is not available to him or to help him accept his situation and learn to live life to the fullest still in the absence of another parent. I try by all means to create a safe and loving space in our home, I avoid hostile atmospheres and situations that will not make him enjoy not being home.
As a motivational speaker, what issues do you focus on when you speak to teenage girls?
Mostly I speak about personal identity and finding purpose in life. I also speak to young mothers about navigating life and parenthood and how they can also find their identity in God, how they can pursue their dreams while being a young parent. I also speaking inner healing from the traumas of life.
In John 4; 24 we are told ‘God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth’. As a worship leader, what does this scripture mean to you and what guidance does it give for corporate times of worship.
First of all, both Spirit and truth represent Jesus. Meaning there is no worship outside a personal relationship with this Jesus. So one ought to be aligned with God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. So before you can lead anyone in worship as a worship leader, your life ought to be personally in spirit and in truth aligned with Christ so that when we all cooperatively come together in one accord as in Acts 2, we experience the move of God in the same manner.
Navigating the world of work and the Christian ministry environment as a woman comes with many challenges. What challenges have you faced and what values have helped you overcome those challenges.
One of the challenges is the misconception that Christianity and being a lawyer does not work together. Apparently lawyers are liars which is not true. We are the administrators of justice. So I constantly check my own walk with God as a legal practitioner so that it doesn’t contradict my walk with God and ministry.
Character and integrity are my main core values that I stand on that help me balance these two worlds.
I usually give an example that I cannot be a lion to you then try to preach to you, it’s contradictory. So no matter the circumstances I face with anyone in the space of work, I deal with them with character and the integrity knowing that before this person is anything else they are a soul; a soul that at the end of the day I must win to Christ and in fact I’m going to account for in heaven.
My motto is before you are anything else, you are a soul; so deal carefully with the soul. Because at the end of the day I’m not going to account to being a good lawyer, but rather I am going to account for every soul that I came across as a child and servant of God.
