Maria Marais lives in Durban, South Africa.  She is a devoted, full-time mom to her two teenage sons. Maria is passionate about art and enjoys the emotional expression poetry affords her.   Now that her boys are older, she relishes the time she has to write her autobiography. 

Having lost her sister and mobility in a freak accident, losing her first child at birth, and then losing her husband, Maria is no stranger to loss.  Hand in Hand was inspired by the desire to share, motivate, and encourage others through these and other life tragedies she has experienced. In sharing both the good and the bad lessons learned along the way she hopes to leave a message in your heart, that despite going through the darkest, unimaginable time of your life, or how impossible a situation may feel or seem, you can find faith to focus forward, and love, to live. Trauma and triumph, loss and love, tragedy and testimony, they all can go hand in hand. Heartache can co-exist with hope and you will not be defeated.