Jul 18, 2011 | In the Name of Love
Late last year I met a wonderful woman named Mirriam, and her grace, her amazing heart, and her incredible ministry challenged and humbled me. In a tiny home with tiny resources, she cares for children that have been abandoned or need a safe place to live. {Some of you may remember me sharing Mirriam’s story with you some time ago.}
At present, Mirriam has nearly twenty children in her care. She is a living picture of James 1:27, caring for orphans that are sometimes literally left on her doorstep.
{The first time we met Mirriam (centre), last October}
Last year, I shared her story with you, and closed with these words:
Invisible strings from HH’s and my heart have been pulled and tied to Mirriam’s ministry. Beyond blessing the children with shoes. Beyond giving when we are able. We don’t yet know how, but we want to be more involved. I’m looking forward to extending the invitation for you to be involved, too.
Although I didn’t foresee anything like this when I wrote those words, I believe today is the day for me to extend that invitation to you.
In the early hours of the morning today, Mirriam’s house burned down. Everyone got out safely, but then some of the older boys went back in to get some of the more expensive things in the home, and one of the toddlers ran back in following them. By the time they realised he had gone back in, they could hear him in the house but it was too late to go in and find him.
Mirriam and the children have lost everything, including one of their own, who was two years old.
For quite some time, a community project called The Grape Community has been supporting Mirriam as she endeavours to raise these children, ranging in age from two months into the twenties. They’ve specifically been fundraising and collecting gifts of building materials to help build a safe home for Mirriam and the children.
Everyone is hopeful that these circumstances will speed up the process of the new home being built, but Mirriam House is still in need of so much right now, including food, clothing, shoes, towels, bedding, mattresses and financial support.
This afternoon, I spoke with our friend Annemarie from The Grape Community, who is an advocate and great support to Mirriam House. Mirriam and the children will be staying in the nearby community hall tonight (where we hosted a shoe distribution last year.) She said that loads of mattresses and blankets have been donated, and many people have volunteered to cook food for everyone. They’ve been very encouraged by the outpouring of support from the local community.
Still, there is so much need for Mirriam and the nineteen people in her care. And I’d like to ask you to turn concern into compassion, and to do something to help.
I believe in the power of compassion, and the power of God, and the power of social networking. And I believe that standing together, we can do something amazing to redeem this tragedy, and to see good come from it.
Could we raise enough funds to provide new clothes…new furniture…new appliances for Mirriam House? Could we make a dent in the deficit that remains for Mirriam’s new house to be built? {ZAR 500,000} Could we pay it off?
I know you can’t do everything, but together, we can do something.
First, {if you’re the praying kind} please pray for Mirriam and the kids as they make it through this tragic ordeal.
Second, please think about how you can give.
Mirriam and the children have been overwhelmed with donations in the form of goods, and financial gifts are one of their primary needs at the moment.
I’ve created a GivenGain page for Mirriam House, so you can give online right here to help.
If you are in South Africa and would like to donate food, clothing, building materials, or any of the other previously mentioned needs, please contact info@thegrapecommunity.org.za or email me, or leave a comment if you would like more details.
If you are in South Africa and would like to make a financial contribution through a bank transfer rather than by giving online, these are the Mirriam House banking details: Mirriam House — TGC Community, FNB Cheque – 62261357571, Branch code – 200110.
Third, you can tell this story. Share it on Facebook. Tweet it on Twitter. Forward it to your contact list.
Perhaps you want to give $67 or share this with 67 friends in honour of the 67 minute campaign for Nelson Mandela Day. Or give 93 Rand because it’s Mandela’s 93rd birthday. Maybe there’s some other reason in mind…dig deep, find it, and share it!
Mirriam has been modelling this verse to the world:
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit widows and orphans in distress and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. {James 1:27}
I believe this is an opportunity for us to do the same. Let’s stand together and see what we can accomplish.
With Love for the kids and Mirriam,
xCC
A few notes:
I shared more of Mirriam’s story here and shared photos from the shoe distribution for the Mirriam House here.
If you decide to make a direct contribution, please leave a comment to let us know, so that I can update the givengain site and we’ll have a full tally of what we’ve accomplished together.
GivenGain is a website that helps non-profit organisations raise funds online. Other than the small fee that they collect for their valuable service, the funds you give will go directly to Mirriam House. Over and out.
Jul 15, 2011 | Baby Photos, The Parenthood
He’s already close to five months and I still haven’t put the four month photos up yet! How did this happen? I really can’t think of what could have been going on that would’ve put the important task of sharing these photos on the back burner for three weeks!
What a mystery.
Anywho, guess what? The Tank crossed the four month finish line! And during our last few days in Gordon’s Bay, we managed to document it!
I grabbed the feather duster, the Hubs got the camera ready…
We did our best to get some smiles and giggles…
and to get them directed at the camera…
but it was getting kind of tough…
and the Tank was unsure how he felt about the big fuss after a while.
So we had to go with what was working…
And this four-month old wanted to demonstrate his skillful standing!
We resettled him in one more attempt at a money shot…
And eventually, I think we got it!
{When you’re four months old, you’re cool with drool.}
{A belated} Happy Four Months, Little One!
xCC
Jul 14, 2011 | Guest Posts, South Africa
My sweet friend over at Se7en is hosting a blogaversary, and she asked me to share a post on her site in celebration of the special event. Privileged, I am!
{In case you haven’t been around here when I’ve mentioned Se7en before, she is the spectacular crafting, blogging, homeschooling Mom of Se7en + 1 (yes, eight) wonderful kids and lives in Cape Town. I shared about her and even did a home tour on a Travelling Tuesday right here! If she wanted to, she could rename her website thebomb dot com, she’s just that super.}
A wee little post featuring the Se7en + 1 Things I’ll Miss the Most from SA was featured on her brilliant site just yesterday. I thought I’d let ya know so you can hop on over there if you’d like to see the list!
But here’s one more thing I forgot that I’m really going to miss!
First one to remember what these delightful creatures are called, and name their closest relative gets a clever badge! Whoo-hooo!
xCC
Jul 13, 2011 | South Africa, Stories
In the days leading up to our departure, we sometimes felt like the town was bidding us goodbye. The friendly neighbourhood seal, whom I hadn’t spotted for ages, swam past the night before we left, putting a bright smile on my face. The day before he’d waved flipper to the Hubs to bid him farewell, too.
Those last few days were full of smiles and tears and prayers and well wishes — like life, often challenging, but sweet, and good.
Our last morning in Gordon’s Bay was a busy one. The folks moving in arrived promptly at 9 am, and we weren’t quite ready for them. We scrambled to get things together and complete some last minute errands, and finally departed the last address we’ll have in South Africa for the foreseeable future after noon.
A friend treated us to lunch and pancakes, and relaxing briefly on her couch our brains swirled in circles with all the things we’d completed, and the things we hadn’t. After lunch we needed to pass through the village again on one last errand before heading to Hermanus.
Throughout our time in Gordon’s Bay, if we were ever out after dark, we’d see this big cross, lit up and shining bright, about halfway up the mountain. During the daytime, we’d look for it, but we were never able to spot exactly where it was.
As Mr. Potato Head grumbled into the village for one last stop, for the first time ever, there we spotted the cross on the mountainside. It was as if the Lord was telling us — I was here before you, I who am and was and ever shall be, and I have always been here with you, even when you didn’t see. I will be here when you’ve gone.
Lord, bless Gordon’s Bay and watch over her.
We’ve always embarked on our day trips to Hermanus quite early in the day, and the sun shines bright on the mountains along the way. As a passenger in a right-hand drive car, I’m on the far left side of the road, and I stare out my window with them stretching skyward above me.
Mountains to the left, rocky cliffs and ocean to the right — I can’t think of a drive more beautiful than the coastal route we take to get to Hermanus.
With Gordon’s Bay in the rear view mirror, this time we were leaving in the late afternoon. The mountains were still beautiful, but different in the late afternoon sun. Their shadows stretched on ahead of us, as if they were leaning up the road, lingering as long as they could before saying goodbye.
We trust we’ll be back this way again, but only the Lord knows when. I turned to look back, through the dusty rear window of the car, and warmly stood our sweet village on the harbour, the sun’s red glow a backlight to the buildings in shadow.
I longed to turn back for just one more moment, one more sunset, one more walk with the boys. But like the water beside us that keeps on flowing — life, she keeps moving on.
xCC
Jul 12, 2011 | The Good Word, The Parenthood
The evening’s not quite over when he cries awake again. He has been stirring and unsettled, night after night for the past few, a tiny chest congested and a tiny nose running. We hear him through the monitor and I hurry to the room.
I fumble in, in the dark, slow slow tip-toe, hands in front of me like one who cannot see. Groping between blankets and pillows for a pacifier that has fallen from the tiny, slightly parted lips of the precious little soul half asleep and all upset in my bed.
No matter how many times he cries, we go back. With shushing and resettling, rocking and encouraging. Checking he’s not too warm or cold or hungry, his bottom isn’t dirty or wet.
I remember lying in a bathtub in the hospital, less than a day after giving birth to him. He was down the hall, being weighed and checked by the nurses. And though there may have been a dozen other newborns in the maternity ward, and I’d heard lots of cries, I heard his cry — my whole being knew it. I knew his cry, because he was mine.
And we who are privileged with the gift of this tiny life return to his bedside when his little chest sounds gruff in its breathing and his coughs wake him. No matter how many times He needs us, we go.
I ruminate as the fumbling continues, rearranging blankets and snuggling him in — isn’t the Lord that Good Father who hears every cry of His children?
Ever present, isn’t He always there? All-knowing, isn’t He sure of what’s best in every situation?
I am His and He hears me.
Back in our neighbourhood in Gordon’s Bay, I heard the sweet chirping of chicks on a walk one day, and spotted a guinea fowl with her young. She — uncomfortable with my presence — drew her chicks up under her fluffy feathers. Once they were all drawn underneath her, she lowered herself to cover them and their sweet chirps went silent.
They were covered, and comforted — they were safe.
How sweet it is to serve and know a God who can always cover me. Not a sparrow falls to the ground without Him knowing — and aren’t I of more value than many sparrows?
He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. {Psalm 91: 4, NKJV}
Whatever you’re facing, may you find refuge under His wings.
xCC
{Sorry we aren’t Travelling this Tuesday…taking care of a little one and taking extra time to help the Bear transition!}
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