Cape Town - In a heart-warming discovery, an adopted 24-year-old from Gansbaai near Hermanus has been reunited with her three brothers and father.
It is the second time Rochelle Franken’s fate was met with an extension of her family tree.
Isidima Children’s Village founder and director, Soria Franken, adopted Rochelle when she was just a baby.
Rochelle recalls: “I remember at night how I would pray for a sister because I always saw how the other children would play with their sisters.”
In 2007, her prayers were answered, when she learnt her biological mother had given birth a year prior to a baby girl. Soria also took in biological sister Simonè, who has been in her older sister, Rochelle’s life since.
“I was over the moon when I got my baby sister, yes, now there are times we fight like cat and dog, but wow, what an experience, my sister means the world to me.”
As she grew older, Rochelle became curious about her roots.
“Being adopted, I knew my mom, but I didn’t know my dad.
“My biological mom said he passed on, but I still wanted to know where I came from, which culture, because of my looks. I then again started praying and in 2022 my prayers were answered again.”
Rochelle and Soria were approached by an old friend of their mother, who said he knew where Rochelle’s father was.
“And a plus to that was that I had three brothers!
“I went out to meet them, at first it was strange, but the next time, it's like we’ve known each other all these years. I learnt that I am Sotho, and I also learnt that I am no longer the eldest, so I had to give up that title to my older brother Kwena,” she jokes.
The eldest of the siblings, Bakwena Makghata, 28, remarked how he always had flashbacks about a time when he played with his younger sister.
When he found out these flashbacks were real memories, he was flooded with happiness. Soria thanked the mom’s friend for coming forward and completing her family.
“It’s a miracle to find your biological siblings, that doesn't normally happen and even if you do, the situation that you find yourself in, is that you can either accept them or not want to be part of it.
“For Rochelle and her siblings, this meant that their dignity as a forever family has been restored and that is what Isidima stands for.”