SonShine Care Group, Aberdeen

24/08/2024

What an absolute privilege it is to help these children heal and grow. At 70 plus years old, we could be resting with feet up, but instead we are in a fight for these children's souls, minds and lives.
We try to introduce as many "normal" activities as we can, such as baking. Here in the photo she has just been trusted to break the eggs for pancakes, and this includes counting the eggs used, the remaining eggs....and then she could tell how many eggs we started with.
They have to learn to trust again, so we try our hardest to always do what we say we will....
They have to learn autonomy, or decision making, so they choose what to wear; they have a choice for what they want to eat example for breakfast....but then they must take the consequence of choices. But there are also strict boundaries over important issues.
"Is there school tomorrow?" "No, it is Saturday, then Sunday, but school is on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday"- always filling in the basic knowledge gaps.
While we cannot take them out as a family in the car....(a 5 seater and we have way more children than that....anyone have a 12 seater bus for us??), we have a trampoline, swings, a scooter, and today thanks to https://www.facebook.com/debrinfoxcroftphotography we have a 2 wheeler bike for the children....with tough tyres for these roads...
What a privilege and joy!!!

20/08/2024

Alone with her 6 year old, she started labour in the middle of the night. With no phone herself, her neighbor heard her cries, and called for the ambulance. Finally she arrived at the hospital, and birthed a beautiful baby girl. Her so called boyfriend was meant to bring us the other child for care, but he was nowhere to be found....luckily a neighbor cared for her. Today we were called to give her a lift home, We supplied nappies, blankets and some baby clothes.....she also went home with sandwiches for supper. Home to a house with no support, no electricity, no candles........

16/08/2024

Today I heard of a one year old in desperate need, the mother has nothing for her - no clothes, nappies, toiletries, bedding etc. So let's see why.....
The child has no birth certificate, so no all pay/benefit.
The mother could not register the child for a birth certificate as she has no ID, which is needed to register the child, so as to get a birth certificate then benefit.
The mother could not get an ID as she has no birth certificate, as her mother has no ID because she has no birth certificate.

Every child has a right to a nationality/citizenship....but in reality this is not happening for many, many children here in South Africa. Shame on Department of Home Affairs.
What has been happening in the example below is just petty bureaucracy, which stands in the way of people's lives.

For the past eight years, Mqokeleli Sigwintshi has been trying to get a birth certificate from the Department of Home Affairs for his now-9-year-old son.

13/08/2024

We see so much that hurts us, but we help where we can. We are focusing on our littlies, trying to give them security and love, and plenty of food.....
Someone once told me that as apartheid ended so many years ago, every child has the same educational opportunities. I didn't agree then, and now I think that this statement is absurd...what these children go through would make us collapse.
A 3 year old who I know has watched her mother being beaten...now sitting on her friend playing by "pretend strangling".
No birth certificate because the money lender has the mother's ID.
And then these children are not put into school, so are our early street kids.
The allpay/benefit is for the children's needs, and within a few hours of the money being drawn, women (and men) are drunk, sitting in the road still drinking, and toddlers are running around the bottles.

But yesterday I had a group of kiddies come play on the swings and trampoline, and they had such fun.
Today I made a birthday cake for a girl whose family we know, turning 6, and we had fun.
And these fun times hold us, and I know that these children will remember this time and space, and maybe things will be a bit better for them as they remember, knowing that someone cared.

30/07/2024

It's not ok..... a 2 year old arrives with his mom after 5 pm. As I am getting his nappies, and a container of food, I notice him quietly watching me. I pick up a warm boiled potato, and offer it to him. He takes it and pushes as much of it into his mouth as he can. I ask his mum when he last ate, and she said that he hadn't eaten today. He went on to eat 4 or 5 potatoes in a row.
I am providing food for quite a few littlies... a 14 month girl who wears a newborn stretch and grow... a 2 year 2 month weighing 8 kg....and so it goes on. So many needs.....real hunger.....
And my favourite (at the moment) verse is Matthew 18 verse 10...talking about children...."and their angels are always before His face." WOW

26/07/2024

Imagine...the most beautiful vase, created by a master potter, painted and glazed by an expert....then put on show for all to see - or to be used for a purpose, high or low.
Then one day the vase is broken, maybe on purpose, maybe not. The grieving owner does not throw the pieces away, but patiently and carefully glues each piece back in place. But the cracks are visible, so he has a painter touch up over the cracks, but they are still seen. Do not expect these children to be and act the way you want or expect. They are on their journey.
Our children are like this , hurt and broken when they arrive here, but they heal slowly with love and care, but they will always hold the damage in their inner most beings. In Matthew 18 verse 10, we read that children's angels always "see the face of the Father". I wonder what they are telling Him...the angels of those children who are loved, those children who are abused.
We pray for all our children, and we pray that those cracks will be outlined in gold from their Father.

24/07/2024

What blessings we have had lately....bags of kiddies and teenager clothes. These are so needed. We have recently had 2 littlies come stay, and there clothes boxes are now full. Wonderful. We hand out to children who come for food, as so many are in desperate need of supplies.
So where do we store the clothes to hand out? Well, normally in a completely inaccessible place, but my hard working husband is busy completing new shelves and hanging space for me to use. When complete (and tidy) I will put on a photo.
Thanks so much to those who sorted out their cupboards and passed on the clothes to Sarah at the Community church in Graaff Reinet, who then shared them with us.

06/07/2024

We were blessed to be given the wood from an old swing and climbing frame, and Gordon transformed it into a "house" and a set of swings.... and with the paint it is a glorious play area for the children here, as well as all the children who ask to come "jump on the jumping castle".
About a month ago, 2 extra little girls, aged 5 and 7, arrived as mum has no fixed abode, and she drinks in excess. With this, the children cannot be looked after safely. Neither are in school, they are behind on immunisations, and their birth certificates are lost. After about a week she collected them, but I was sure that I would see them again this month at allpay/benefit time. I was right, she dropped them off yesterday, wanting them to live here. I already have a letter from the social workers to apply for new birth certificates, and with these we will have these girls in school, while we look for extended family. The local second hand clothing shop had quite a few right sized clothes as they only had what they were wearing, and I also found a box of girls clothes that I had packed away "waiting".
Now before anyone is too judgemental, remember we are shown mercy over and over by our beloved Father, and He expects us to do the same. We truly believe that we must walk WITH these families, shining Jesus by how we live and what we do more than by what we say.

27/06/2024

Some people call it rubbish, some call it waste, but we call it a blessing.
Thank you Pick and Pay for the donations to Karroo Community Church in Graaff Reinet, who share with us. The children and families have truly enjoyed the yogurt, and the bread and pastries.

22/06/2024

I cannot believe the amount of food that comes into this house or is prepared in this house, and then before you can blink it is gone and the fridges, freezers and cupboards are bare.
This week Thursday, Friday and Saturday have been bread baking days, roughly 14kg of bread flour in total used. And I have none for the freezer, and what I have will need to be replenished on Monday, as it will all be gone.
We share food with quite a few families, and what I love is that they then share this with others as well, not keeping it all to themselves. At least nothing gets passed it's use by date....as if.....
This photo is of today's bread bake...missing 2 loaves already given out...

07/06/2024

Lately I have been doing some reading on how the early church responded to the poor, whether adults or children. And then this morning, reading Psalm 95, the Psalmist says: And said, "It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways..."
The early church followed God's ways, showing His character in how they cared for those in need, even through epidemics at the cost of their own lives. The poor were cared for, infants were saved and adopted, and strangers were fed.
Somewhere along the way it has seemed to become more important to follow religious traditions than follow His ways, and so the care of the vulnerable was handed over to government services, even if they were just paying for the care. And now funding is cut.
Will the body of Christ stand silently by, or will they die to self, serve and sacrifice. This could be the church's finest hour, it all depends on you.

Gauteng non-profit organisations voice urgent concerns after funding cuts and bureaucratic hurdles push essential services to the brink of closure.

06/06/2024

So tonight we have an extra 2 girls for the night, 6 and 8 years old....What can I say, I try not to judge, but alcohol is flowing freely. Tomorrow we will try and see the social worker, have a plan, find the mum and get her sober, and then try and enroll them in school. Pray for these girls, they are precious.

24/05/2024

Good days and bad days...we all have them. But this week has been exhausting, as well as good. Last Saturday Mark vir die Huisvrou (market for the housewife) in Graaff Reinet shared with us bags of potatoes that were a bit old for sale...we shared these all into the community. Great!!
One of my messages to the people who come here is that there is no hitting of children...I talk about children learning by example, and if we want to stop family violence, we must stop letting children see and experience violence. Anyway, this morning, a little girl runs in to me to tell me that Aunty hit her brother over the head..... (a very common experience for the children). Well, of course I went out to speak to the group, the aunty was caught, no excuse. I just loved the fact that this little girl had internalised the message that she is meant to be safe in our grounds. Loved it!!
This afternoon a girl came with her little brother, (who I had helped birth during covid, when his mum could not get the ambulance to come). It is bitterly cold today, and he had on shorts and a thin t-shirt. After raiding my children's boxes of clothes, (packed Marie Kondo style), he went home in long pants, a zip up jacket, and shoes - looking warm and cozy.
I am busy internalising Matthew 6 verse 25. We open our hands and the Lord has proved so faithful to supply our needs. I am learning not to hold on to what I may need later, but someone else needs now. Trusting Him for everything...He knows what we need.

17/05/2024

Violence against women and children is extremely prevalent in our community, and the damage to little lives cannot be measured, it is indescribable. Community members tend to shut their eyes and ears to what they see and hear, and I want to say that this is NOT OK!! If ladies and strong men, and community members stand together, we CAN bring about change. But we do have to count the cost of what could happen. I have been there, and counted the cost, and I have faced perpetrators.....
Start by telling women that it is not OK to being hit...that nothing a woman does makes her deserve a beating. Don't ask a woman or child what they did to deserve a beating.....nothing they did deserves a beating.
Children learn by example, and so this behaviour passes through from one generation to the next. Come on people, be the one to break this behaviour, make it unacceptable. Stand up for women and children in the community, be a safe house for children to run to, and make a difference.
Want to talk? Come see me...

05/05/2024

With eight (8) children and only a 5 seater car, we cannot all go out together. One of our goals is to give our children what we would call "normal, every day experiences", so every few months we take our littlies, MJ and Annerika with us to Graaff Reinet, to enjoy a meal at Our Yard. This restaurant is amazing, and since our children have been first with us, they have welcomed them, made them welcome, and have never shown us anything but excellent service. So here is a photo of our littlies, eating at their home made "Our Yard", and having fun.....

12/04/2024

Much of the time we have more valleys than mountain tops.....let me explain with an example.
This morning was minus 2degrees on the roof, oh so cold, and a "regular" couple came for pap, with 2 littlies under 6 and a month old baba. The 2 boys had thin long sleeved t-shirts, and pants...and the baby had rags wrapped around for a nappy, and a plastic bag with holes in for his legs to go through for a waterproof. A thin baby grow was wet, no vest or socks, and the first of 2 blankets was wet. Their cards are with the money lenders, and dad is recently out of jail. (And yes, they ate, children jumped on the trampoline with warmer tops on, and the baby got some dry clothes, nappies, and had the blanket and wet clothes washed).
Hurting families, hurting children.
But these children are prejudiced against, due to colour and socio-economic status. Their starting line in the race of life is well behind the average child, they cannot compete. From food to books, from health to schooling, they are on the losing end.
And then I see photos on Facebook, of the top learners in each grade, from "our" school in Graaff Reinet, and I cringe. In today's age, we know that there are so many factors involved in "intelligence", why do we still favour those who do well in standard exams? There are so many other reasons to cheer them on .......
It is topics such as these which hurt, and send us into the valleys, but that is where we find Jesus. He is with the hurting and the oppressed, and He is with us.

05/04/2024

03/04/2024

Crime prevention organisations are concerned about the number of babies being abandoned across the Cape Flats.

31/03/2024

https://www.aljazeera.com/program/newsfeed/2024/3/28/babies-are-dying-of-hunger-and-dehydration-in-gaza

Starving two-month-old Laila Junaid was brought to hospital in northern Gaza weighing a fraction of what she should.

31/03/2024

One of the things I have learnt in the past few years is to think about and question the things which I believe. I have learnt that the Old Testament is a "foreshadowing" of the new, and needs to be read with this in mind.
I have learnt to question the traditions of religion, and my faith has grown stronger and simpler. I read the words of Jesus, and see the character of God reflected in them. What do I mean?
Well, in the Old Testament God is very clear about His followers' responsibility to the poor and oppressed, the alien (foreigner), the widow and the children...and Jesus reflects these. In Mark 9 v 36, 37 Jesus speaks of His expectations that we will care for children. He does not say this is dependent on race, ethnicity or religion. It is an expectation that ALL His followers will act in this way.
And then I read and watch an article in Aljazeera news, about starvation being used as a weapon of war. And I have read from believers who say this war is right, and who cheer it on.
Cheering on a war where children are targeted and starved does not match the words of Jesus, and therefore I would suggest those writers will question and consider what they are believing, as something, somewhere is wrong.

21/03/2024

I must say that this is the "hungriest" holiday that I can remember.....At present we are not giving morning pap to men, as we are focusing on children and the mothers....and even then we didn't have enough pap. So tomorrow it will be three large pots of pap.

20/03/2024

And we are coming to the end of another day, and what a day it has been. I started off early, making 2 large pots of pap, was then busy handing out and washing up. Once clean, the kitchen was once again in use...cooking a breyani for the 5 or so families who take food for their homes....they also had bread and toppings for lunch. I knew all the breyani would all get eaten, so then I cooked another pot of rice for the boys who seem to rely on us for their needs....with a soup gravy on the rice, their tummies are full. The house finally emptied out around 4 pm, the boys are now eating, and our littlies have had some "us" time, and are happily playing - (they were at preschool this morning). Nico, the 3rd muskateer, has been sponsored by Debrin's photography business, so he joins MJ and Annerika 3 mornings a week at preschool. Wonderful. (Please support Debrin's photography business in Wellington if you can).

And tomorrow we do it all again.

19/03/2024

School holidays are here, and pap is cooked in the morning....first children and their mums are fed, and if the pap isn't finished , the men get. But there is much more to it than just handing out pap.... I get up early to make pap and be ready to hand out at 8am...there is gas, sugar, and then the dishes.....all in all plenty resources and energy used. Here Silo is washing dishes...we all take turns.
Once the children finish eating, they play with MJ"s trucks, or run to the trampoline to bounce...they call it a jumping castle. But this takes supervision as it frequently gets rough. Oh, they just don't want to leave - often they hide hoping to be left behind.

27/02/2024

The days flow into each other, the same but different. The hunger and hopelessness is increasing....
But there are great things that happen every day, that lift my heart, such as..... one of our young men in prison in another town, phoned us as a correction officer would be here. " Could you please send me toiletries and some movies on USB sticks". Someone had donated a TV, but they had no movies. So he has now received a "care package" from us, with other stuff as well. (See Matthew25)
We have been cleaning the garden, and some ladies who were going to the bush to cut wood (for cooking fires) just went to our back yard and filled their bags with already cut wood...while the children jumped on the trampoline.
Three ladies with 4 children came long after the pap/porridge was finished, but I invited them in. There was a pot of oats I had cooked, as a "just in case". They dished up, everyone ate, and the children laughed and played on the grass which Gordon so carefully nurtures. The ladies just sat and chatted, then all went home with meal -in-a-bag's. "Ons gaan lekker vanaand eet"..."we are going to eat well tonight".
Plenty of squeals when Chrissie, who used to live with us, came to visit.
Being able to bless others, is such a blessing to us.... How privileged we are to have such "God moments" in our lives.
But there is heartache amidst this blessing.... break-ins are increasing, especially during load shedding. And the most sought after item? Food. The local supermarket was broken into, and 2 bags of rice stolen. Children are becoming malnourished, and some families may not eat for 2 or more days between meals.
Bread is always a standby, and I bake 3 times a week, 4 to 5 kg flour at a time. None ever goes to waste.
Oh, I can go on, but enough for now. I am just amazed that the Lord trusted us to come and care for these children. Such needs....

21/02/2024

So much of the time I am torn into many pieces by what I see, but here the children were having lunch on the lawn, and then they played on the trampoline and in a strong sprinkler...(we have a borehole). Now 5 littlies have gone home (reluctantly)to the township, and our two are here.

11/02/2024

Sunday morning, and the 3 ladies and 5 children stood at the gate, hoping for something to eat. They had been to the bush, to hack down some wood for a fire. The 2 year old with bare feet, and no pants or nappy, stood and looked at me. I cannot turn hungry children away, so they ate last night's home made pizza and then went off home with the ladies carrying their firewood as well as meal in a bag.
Once again the church bells were ringing for worship, and I thought of what Isaiah 58 calls the "true fast"...is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked that you cover him....
Have a read of Isaiah 58, and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you through it...if you truly mean it, you will never be the same again.