Visit 1: Rachel and Adam
Today we went to see a lady Lucy, who came from Mozambique in April last year and her family joined her later in the year in July! She lives in the town of Mluti with her 4 children in a small house. When we went to visit, her children were at their aunts house because their aunt has a tv! The children cannot go to school as they are not documented as citizens of South Africa, and there is a waiting list for undocumented children and school places. But they are struggling to speak the local language as they currently speak Portuguese as that is the language in Mozambique. Both the mother and father do peace work to get money for food and lifestyle. The mother sells food, and the father makes bricks for peace work. However since the mother had a baby she has not had time to make and sell them.
Lucy does also volunteer at the care point sometimes, there housing situation is unstable as they are currently house sitting for a gentleman living in Johannesburg, but he can come back at any point and demand them leave the property with no notice meaning they could find themselves without anywhere to live.
Visit 2: Pippa, Oliver and Nick
Today, Nick, Oliver and Pippa went on a Holy Home Visit that was only a few minutes from the Care Point. The journey was down the hill from the Care Point to the small brook at the bottom where we crossed over using stepping stones and up 1-2 minutes the far side to a house where we were met by Libby, who was caring for her boyfriends younger brother and a neighbours child.
Prudence and our Care Worker, Tracy, began conversation with the Libby (18yo), she told us that the parents of the children where away for the day doing piece work and she was not at school due to restoration following a storm. Libby is in Grade 10 and has aspirations to be a lawyer. Libby had a 7 month old baby she was also caring for. One piece of good news we received was that Libby and her child have papers and are waiting to hear back from their application for government grants.
The reason for the visit was that the two younger children had not been attending under-5s in the mornings to receive a breakfast due to not wanting to cross the brook. We could not come to a solution to this problem at the visit however for today when we returned to the care point we took the children with us who would then return home with the older siblings.
Thank you for two more interesting holy home visit reports. You are all doing great out there and these visits mean so much to those who you visit and to the care workers who accompany!
ReplyDeleteAnother inspirational blog the work you guys are doing is breath taking and it's been a real pleasure reading every blog xx
ReplyDeleteThank you for your messages about the Holy home visits. The stories tell us so.much and I'm feeling so sorry for the children who don't like crossing the brook. I don't like crossing water!!
ReplyDeleteCarry on doing God's work, your hands are God's hands.
Angela
Mmm, further thanks, all. I so remember the long walks to homes and for water in particular … we have it all so easily… Once more thanks for being our links: eyes, ears, hands of course, and probably above all, the smiling presence.
ReplyDelete