Only with Christ: An odd Holiday

I have been home now for a week after our unexpected extended holiday to South Africa. I cannot quite explain this holiday it was "odd". We had plans, we wanted to do certain things but it definitely turned out to be the holiday we were not expecting. One thing I do know is that God was with us all the way. An unexpected hospital stay which taught me to be grateful for what we have in the NHS. Being in the lifts and in the passage ways left me feeling like I was walking through a horror movie. The Lord was good, He certainly answered prayers. Instead of Darren being in hospital for 4 to 5 days it was only 2 days. I don't think you would have seen anyone run out of a hospital as quickly as we did when Darren was told he was discharged 5 minutes flat. Yet in the midst of the dismissal place he got the correct treatment and I am so grateful.

The last week (well meant to be last week) we enjoyed staying with our friends Liz and Rinze who run The Army's children home called Ethembani. They look after 61 children between the ages of 0 to 4 years. These children have all been abandoned. Some have been left there by the parents who don't want them, some have been found in the streets in drains, bins, riversides. One came in with the ambidical cord still attached. There was a little baby girl who's beautiful little face had been eaten by rats. It hurt listening to some of their stories for such little lives. I experienced a young baby girl (6 weeks old) being left by her mum. I still don't know how people can do it. Those kids are so happy to see volunteers. It certainly taught me to appreciate my son more. Tyler I think learnt a big listen as well. His eyes were opened. There was this lovely little baby boy (approximately 4 months old) called Stanley, he spends his day smiling and giggling when people give him he slightest attention he is so precious. I could have brought him home.

We then moved on to spend time with our dear friends Major's Margie and Jeff Stafford. They were our officers in Goodwood, Cape Town. Margie married us and Jeff was Darren's bestman. We ended spending nearly 2 weeks with them so we got to experience the life of Officers. If you think they have an easy life well you are very very wrong. I sure learnt a lot. We had a fantastic time with the family and their kids, Natilie who was our flower girl, Nicole, and twins Matthew and Mark. I accompanied Margie on some of her daily duties and Darren went along with Jeff, I did a Home League, attended a training morning with her for the Police in which she did a slot on Human Trafficking. It is so scary as what actually goes on in trafficking and yet it is right under our noses all the time. It happens so quickly all it takes is a blink of the eye. I experienced how they help with woman who leave there homes due to Domestic violence and how they come into hiding with their young children. We watched how people less fortunate than us life in Social Centres. I am not a morning person at all but hey at 8:00am in the morning I was having to sit in and listen to Pathologist explain why it is important for the police to call them at death scenes ect. We saw photo's of babies that had been abused, cot deaths, a man who hung himself. I strongly believe that God placed me in these situations for a purpose and I look forward to know the reason why.

Here are some pictures of the childrens home.