Tutela
(Written by Lorie)

A place the kids and I have enjoyed going to since we’ve arrived in South Africa is Tutela. It is a home/school for children (infant-high school) who have been abandoned by their families or whose families are not able to properly care for them. It is sort of an orphanage. We take the short walk on Thursday afternoons to play with the kids, sing songs (they love to sing “Happy Birthday To You”!), and do crafts.

A few days ago, the Nieucommunities staff decided to head over together and hang out with the remaining kids who didn’t have any extended family to stay with during the holiday break. Mike, Arthur, Bryan, and Luc played cricket with the boys (and some girls!), while Melissa, Daleen, and I did some painting and crafts with the teen-age girls. I bought some elastic thread and beads to make bracelets with the girls but realized I didn’t have enough for all the girls who were sitting at the table. So I told them I would buy more and come back next week to make the bracelets with them.

Part of my idea for making the bracelets was actually motivated by a phone call I received only five days earlier from a dear friend in California. I was disturbed to hear that her teen-age daughter had just tried to commit suicide the day before. As I listened to my friend’s anguish, I was thinking, “What can I do to help?”

Since I was spending time here with teen-age girls, I thought that perhaps one of them could make her a bracelet. I shared with the girls about my troubled teen-age friend in California while Nthabiseng set to work on a colorful bracelet for her. The girls didn’t really ask any questions so I moved on to stamping bookmarkers and note cards with them. Then, one by one, the girls began handing me the bookmarkers they made to give to my friend. Mukhethwa even wrote this note for her:

Dear Julia,
Hi. How are you? I hope fine. Just wanted to tell you we care about you and mostly we love you. Don’t give up on your life. You still have a successful future ahead of you. Please don’t give up. We are here, here for you. We are praying for you.
With love, Mukhethwa

(Mukhethwa is pictured here on the far left.) I have to admit, I was really touched! I guess you have to know the situations and lives of these girls to know how profound their gestures are. Here are girls who have little or no familial support, little or no money, living in a government-run facility, not even able to go home for school holiday, and yet in spite of all their problems, their hearts go out to a girl 10,000 miles away!

This experience caused me to do some reflective thinking. No matter how hard my situation is, there is always room for me to care about someone else. At times, I have gotten all worked up over little things that would cloud my vision, and I had nothing to give to others because I was so wrapped up in my own issues. And yet, I see these girls in a situation worse than I’ve ever been in, and I’m humbled by their response!

If you will, take a moment to pray for resolve and hope for Julia. Also, pray for these young girls at Tutela that they will continue to open their hearts to God and be used by Him to change the world!

On another note, we celebrated Lacey’s 7th birthday this week. She had the adventurous opportunity of riding an African elephant (6 ton bull!) in the bush! We also went to a restaurant for dinner where she was sung “Happy Birthday” South African style. And finally, we had a celebration at Pangani during Sunday’s braai – thanks to Julie Chestnut who sent her a “Strawberry Shortcake Party in a Box”. She repeatedly said that it was her best birthday ever!!

Thanks for all of your friendship, love, and support!