Day 11 - Houtbos Holy Home Visits - Visit 2: Oliver and Nick

Nick and myself walked with Virginia, Penelope, Care Worker Nelli and local pastor Dumi approximately 45 minutes from the Care Point to meet Jackson and his family at their home in a rural area of Osheok. In the home lives Jackson and his wife with 4 children; a 17 year old from his first marriage, a 7 year old, 4 year old and 4 week old from his current marriage. The 4 week old was doing very well and gaining weight well. 

Jackson was telling us about how his wife went into labour at approximately 2am however they had to wait until later in the morning when the labour was progressing to then walk up the mountain to get to a road where they were able to get a car and travel to the hospital. Jackson was originally from Eswatini, as is his first born child, however his wife and other three children can be registered as South African, get ID and therefore are eligible for grants. 

When we arrived, Jackson was watering his vegetable patch. It was explained that as Jackson was a hard worker in the community and even comes to the care point to help chop wood and cut the grass - Hands at Work had provided him with some seeds so that he was able to start a vegetable patch. They also had provided the materials needed for a fence to protect his growing produce. 

He was growing spinach, lettuce, beetroot, onions, green peppers and a small amount of cabbages. He also had lots of peach trees as well as some self set avocado trees. Jackson explained that some of these will feed his family, however the majority he will harvest and then go and sell door-to-door at the border to get money to buy more seeds and other food for his family.  Some members of our visit assisted Jackson in watering his vegetables and they way Jackson watered each plant individually reminded me of the parable of the lost sheep told in Matthew 18: 12-14 and that if Jackson lost 1 plant then he would do what he could to rescue it as each one is precious. 

Having been joined on our visit by Pastor Dumi, we were privileged to have him share some words of encouragement with the couple. Pastor Dumi spoke about Psalm 27:1-5 (below). Dumi encouraged the couple and ourselves to always praise the Lord for what we have and even on the days where we don’t have anything to still thank him, and to remember to trust in the Lord for he will provide. 

After the encouragement provided by Pastor Dumi, we then asked Jackson and his wife for prayer points - they advised that they are still awaiting confirmation and certification of South African identity for 2 of the children and asked for prayer for these to come quickly so they could claim the grant and for these continued growth of the vegetables so that they can benefit from them. 

We then walked back to the Care Point - accompanied some of the way by Jackson - allowing us to get to know everyone a bit better and ask questions about each other’s lives. 

27 A psalm of David. 

The Lord is my light and my salvation-so why should I be afraid?

The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?

When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.

Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid.

Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident

The one thing I ask of the Lord-the thing I seek most-

is to live in the house of the Lord all the

days of my life, delighting in the Lord's perfections and meditating in his Temple.

For he will conceal me there when troubles come;