Female2Female

Bambelela

Posted on 02. Nov, 2009 by Guest Contributor in Real Life

5 Years ago, my children and I joined my husband at Arauna Ark Ministries after my husband had been living here for 9 months. He had come here as he was addicted to cocaine and had been a drug user from the age of 14. It was the first place that had been able to help him to clean up his life. When I came here for the first time I knew it was where I wanted to be too! It is the most amazing place. We made an old cottage habitable and moved in with our children as soon as we could.

I am a teacher and seeing all the children in the streets of the surrounding community every day made me realize what a huge need there was for the children to be focused on and educated. The reason we have so many adults here (The Ark is a shelter for homeless and destitute people as well as for addicts) is because they were often not properly educated and loved when they were young and impressionable. Left to their own devices, they were soon in trouble and drug addicted or in prison!

I felt strongly that we could make a difference to prevent what was happening by helping the children in the community before they grew up to be the future destitute, homeless and drug addicts of the community. There are thousands of children being cared for by other children. They can be seen sitting on the side of the highway in little groups ranging in ages from babies in arms to early teens with no adult in sight. They are starving and neglected and started coming to my home en masse for food. None of the children I spoke to attended school and gave the reason for it as being that they did not have uniforms.

I began to think about what I could do. My hearts cry was to develop a little crèche from which we could love, feed and educate them. But the needs of the Ministry itself are so huge that it is a full time job providing food and clothing for the 150 people who presently are in the Ark. I just could not see how it could be done but I was sure one day God would make a way.

A few weeks ago, a teacher from outside started coming in every Thursday to hold craft classes with the few children who live in the Ark. They held these classes in my lounge. During one of our chats I told her my dream of being able to help the children in the community. She was very supportive and we decided to open up the classes to the community kids as well. A week later with some benches and tables, hastily put together by Ark residents, and a few crayons, some paper etc. that we managed to have donated, we waited expectantly to see if anyone would come.

By 8 am I was convinced no-one was interested. I walked up to the gate as a group of women and children started to arrive. They continued to pour in until 9 am. They had walked for miles to get here. It was cold and wet but they had braved the weather in their meager clothing and were coming, albeit a little nervously, in the hope of something better for their children. What a sight. About eighty thin, bedraggled children and mothers whose spirits should have been crushed by the circumstances, under which they lived, all joined together in our tiny half- finished church to sing and draw, listen to stories and play with puzzles. None of them had even held a crayon before let alone seen or held a book.

They were shy at first but their determined mothers seized the opportunity and helped by encouraging them to participate in every activity we had put out for them. At tea time they each gratefully held out two little hands for the slice of bread we were able to provide by the grace of God.

Every person that assisted agreed afterwards that they would never be the same after having witnessed what we saw that day.

We do not have a room from which to operate on a permanent basis nor any toys or outdoor play equipment, but we hope to inspire others to assist us in our endeavor to attain the things that are so necessary to continue and grow our little classes.

These are things such as stationery and toys that are probably thrown out of most households when their novelty has worn off. Also, Wendy houses or Jungle Gyms that are no longer used. Especially garden sheds and Gemini huts that people no longer need. We can come and take them down and erect them here as classrooms. Just clean out your cupboards. Talk to your friends. Toys, clothing, food, blankets, furniture, stationery, anything can be used by people who have nothing.

I appeal to anyone out there who can help us to make a real difference, directly into the lives of hundreds of children.

Yvette Steytler

084 5599885

Arauna Ark Ministries

Cliffdale

KZN

Email: rokijoy@hotmail.com

Tags: Bambelela, Charity, featured, helping the community