Emmanuel Children's Home, Middelburg, South Africa

Counting Our Blessings

2012-01-20T11:27:00.000+02:00

We would like to share thank you for all the recent kind support we've had from our community of friends and colleagues - without them it would not the same spirit driving forward the home...

1. Kevin Chetty who made a donation in memory of a loved one. We were really touched by this generosity.

2. Marna de Vos and Elzanne Vosloo (two Occupational Therapists from the local hospital) who left Middelburg this last December - we thank them for their love and support for the home and the children, and Marna for her faithful contributions the past year.

3. Sanet van Graan and her husband for sponsoring the Xmas party for the kids.

4. Alf & Brenda for presents and other support.

5. Nehemia Ministries for the kid's Xmas party on the farm and for their presents.

6. Karen McEwan for her support and commitment.

7. Rhett Newton for his donation.

Clayton Prepares for a Big 2012

2011-12-22T01:37:00.001+02:00

ECYCC has a had a good success story in December. Funds have been raised for the first quarter of his planned Gap Year with the FCE (Foundation for Cross-Cultural Education). This chance for study and travel cannot be valued highly enough - Clayton will get to see life outside of Middelburg properly for the first time and even outside South Africa. We now look for sponsors to help fund the remainder of the Gap Year.

We owe some a lot of gratitude to friends of ECYCC who have helped secure sponsorship for Clayton and given him this life changing opportunity. Heartfelt thanks go out to Candice Nash and her company Servier Laboratories in the UK who have kindly donated funds to help set Clayton on his way and purchase the basic items needed for the start of the trip. Also we are very grateful to Tian and Karen Erasmus who have been instrumental in making this all happen.

We are proud of Clayton's desire to make the most of this opportunity and cannot wait to see how he develops in this big year ahead.

Renovations

2011-12-22T01:09:00.002+02:00

The home continues to be improved as resources allow us: some of the most recent projects have seen the TV room walls replastered and given a lovely light paint job to make it a nice environment to relax in. Thanks to everyone that helped make it happen, and to Clayton's extra efforts to finish it off with Carol. Now that spring has come we're also starting again in the vegetable garden in the yard, and we've had Ashley, Hendrico and Ronaldo helping prepare the ground and take an interest in planting. Well done boys...

Support for Clayton's Gap Year

2011-11-16T16:57:00.005+02:00

This is the story of Clayton Meyers. He is 19 years old and busy with his final matric exam. This sounds like any other 19 year old, but read on, there’s more to this exceptional young man….

Clayton currently lives at the Emmanuel Children’s Home in Middelburg Eastern Cape, South Africa. His mother passed away 7 years ago, and he has never met his biological father. He went to live with his grandmother in Midros in Middelburg. Conditions were appalling, and alcohol abuse was part of the daily routine. Clayton asked his social worker to remove him from these circumstances. He was placed in the children’s home funded by the Dianne Lang Foundation, and when it closed down in 2009, he requested to remain in the care of Bertus and Carol Deysel, who came from Ireland to be the caregivers of the orphaned and unwanted children at the Emmanuel Children’s Home. They are now his lawful guardians.

Clayton turned 18 last year, but asked to remain at the Home to complete his matric. Despite the fact that he was absent from school for long periods at a time when living with his grandmother, he has worked hard and diligently to catch up. Clayton is very health conscious, and enjoys his sport. He plays 1st team rugby, was captain of the 2nd team for a while, enjoys cricket and is a member of the gym. He also enjoys body building and is very fit. He was chosen as Middelburg High School’s Mr High School 2011, also winning the body building category, and the modelling category.

Clayton is well-spoken and well–liked among his peers. He is well-mannered, respectful to his peers and elders, and always ready to lend a helping hand. In his free time he helped to establish the vegetable garden at the Children’s Home, and completed a Skills Training Programme presented by Bertus. He is very neat and always looks presentable. He is a very friendly young man, with high moral standards. He attends the Agapè Church in Middelburg, is involved with the Youth group, and often leads Bible studies at the Children’s Home.

Clayton has not yet decided on a career, therefore he wants to do a Gap year next year at FCE (Foundation for Cross-Cultural Education). This involves a 3 month discipleship training course, and a six month mission training course in Zambiaand Malawi, where the students are trained to serve others, to understand the purpose of their lives, to be exposed to different cultures and life-changing encounters. Unfortunately Clayton does not have a family to support him in this dream, and the Emmanuel Children’s Home does not have the finances.

This is why we are sending this letter to everyone we know. We know Clayton, and we know God has a plan for his life. We also have experienced first-hand what this Gap year at FCE can do for young people, and would love for Clayton to experience this, to grow into the calling God has on his life. The whole year costs R30 000, including food, lodging, travel and personal expenses. We request you to please consider making a donation to sponsor Clayton for this very important year of his life.

Donations can be done monthly or as a once-off payment and must be paid into the following account:
Acc Name: Theron du Plessis Trust Acc
Bank: ABSA (Branch code: 632-005)
Acc Nr: 4048989040
Ref: Clayton

We will help him manage the funds and will also support and encourage him during the year at FCE. Thank you for reading this letter and also considering Clayton’s cause, we will keep you updated on his progress and experiences next year.

Regards
Tian and Karen Erasmus
Cell: 0825755006

Skills Training

2011-11-16T16:41:00.002+02:00

Well done to all the children who have been busy in recent months, helping around the house and garden where they can and learning valuable life and professional skills along the way. We are very proud of their efforts, and all the older children in the home (Ronaldo, Veronica, Hendrico, Ashley and Clayton) have been awarded certificates for them to keep as evidence of their achievements.

September Newsletter

2011-09-26T21:04:00.004+02:00

Dear all, we are coming to the end of a very cold period for all Middelburg folk, all the kids are doing well, are healthy and very happy to get into their summer gear after all this time.

The good news is that Poppie (Khazimla Haas), a 6 year old girl, arrived at the home very ill and weak one month ago, has made so much of progress that she was placed into foster care which is also a good home for her to be at. This little girl was placed here at the Centre for safe keeping under the watchful eye of Hospice, to receive some TLC in order to get better. Poppie will still be monitored by Hospice from time to time, we miss this bright little girl a lot though. Angel, Christiaan and Sinakwe are doing well - the small boys are fully potty trained by now and just wear nappies at night time. This was a very joyful breakthrough for us all.

Ashley, Hendrico and Veronica studied hard this term and we are expecting good results from them. Veronica just gave word to the social workers that she is very happy here at the Emmanuel Centre and would like to remain here, she feels safe and protected and as she put it herself, she even welcomes the rules and discipline. The social worker found that this gives her balance, stability and a sense of belonging.

Clayton is currently busy with his record exam at MHS, we pray for a successful outcome as Clayton would like to attend a Christian Finishing School in Cape Town for a period of one year. We are still looking for a sponsor concerning this.

Like always we are in need of fresh produce,etc, although we received a wonderful gift in the form of a donation from Starke Ayres in Port Elizabeth. We can now sow seeds of fresh veggies and looking forward in the next couple of months to reap our hard work and dedication. All of the bigger children will take part in this project.

Daniel Jordan, a German volunteer, spend a period of 6 weeks with us, which gave me the opportunity to have a well deserved break and to visit my family in Kwazulu Natal, Daniel "kept the fort" here at the Centre. He will be leaving for Germany tonight. We are looking forward to have Mark Nash, from England, here for a week as from 30th September. Mark is also an "old hand" and was the volunteer started out with me in May 2009. Mark
visits almost every year, please feel free to come and meet him.

I would like to wish all a very happy spring and may God bless.
Warm regards
Carol Deysel

Snow

2011-08-02T23:13:00.003+01:00

It's been snowing in Middelburg, everyone is wrapped up warm...

Profile: Angel

2011-07-14T22:11:00.004+01:00

Angel is definitely one of the biggest characters of the home. Despite not always having the words to express herself, she shares her emotions in warm and touching ways and her laughter and energy fills the home. Everyone who meets Angel is charmed by her. She has been with ECYCC for nearly a year now and we hope to watch her grow up in a fine young lady who is a credit to the home.

June & July Updates

2011-07-14T21:53:00.003+01:00

A lot has changed at the Emmanuel Child & Youth Care Centre, first of all, the home's name has changed as you may have noticed. This recognises the modern conventions with naming social institutions and it is a small but important step towards our registration with the Dept of Social Development.

We also welcomed 3 new board members in the past week, Alfred James as our new Chairman, Rhett Newton as Vice Chairman and Mr James Daniels as an Advisory board member. Welcome to these wonderful people and may this be a very exciting and successful year all round.

On behalf of everyone involved in ECYCC, we would like to thank Marna de Vos (Occupational Therapist) for organizing and making the necessary arrangements in order for training to take place at the Centre later this year, at which other NGO's will also attend. We are excited and looking forward to this. Thank you to Karen McEwan for making this contact, we appreciate and value both you guys.

Welcome to Martha Matthews ("old hand") who is joining our staff. Martha is a certified care worker with excellent training skills,we are happy having her back and wish her success in the future. As Martha knows most of the children, she's been settling in already with smiles all round. Most volunteers will know Martha as a quiet but friendly person with a passion for these children. Martha worked for many years at, and was trained by the Dianne Lang Care Home, before it closed down.

Warmest of greetings, from the management team.

Well Done Runners

2011-04-22T08:16:00.004+01:00

We want to thank Rima, Rob and Mark and say we are very proud of them. They ran sponsored runs in the UK (Derby Kilomathon 26.2 km and Brighton Marathon 26.2 miles) and raised money for the home, through their families, friends and colleagues. We are so grateful for the hard work they put into the challenges and are thankful to everyone that sponsored them. The funds will make a big difference to the ongoing care of the children.

Thank you, no words to describe how much this means to us!

Profile: Clayton

2011-03-21T23:45:00.002+02:00

Congratulations to Clayton....he recently won the "Mr Middelburg High" title at his school as well as a number of other categories. We are extremely proud of him and he deserves these accolades. He has also become a youth leader at church recently and he is starring in his school's rugby team this year, playing in the 1st team which just won 3 matches on a recent tour to Bloemfontein and he's training for the next rugby tour to George in 3 weeks time. We now need him to be positive in his final year at school and wish him all the best. Please friends of ECH, we need a sponsor for this bright young man in order to take him to new heights. Contact Carol on 049 8424414 or email us at emm.childrenshome@gmail.com. Clayton has grown into a very decent young man and he can achieve so much.

Thanking Our Patrons

2011-03-02T15:04:00.003+02:00

We would like to thank Dianne Lang who continues to support the home through her fundraisers. The funds have helped contribute to the running of home, as well as a day-trip for the children to the nearby Zebra Park which was thoroughly enjoyed. She has remained a good friend of ECH and our thoughts are with her.

Also kind regards to our Emmanuel Kumi who has kindly donated to the home - we thank him for his monthly support.

Profile: Christiaan

2011-02-20T19:27:00.004+02:00

Christiaan is just over three years old and despite his small size he shows us he's going to be a delightful little boy with a bright future. He uses few words but his eyes say a lot and he's always following what the other children are doing, chasing after them into the yard. He is so well behaved and we think when he has the chance to go to pre-school he's going to blossom.

Profile: Sinakwe

2011-01-27T23:10:00.004+02:00

Every month we'll post some profiles of our children. Starting here with the youngest...

Sinakwe is just over 1 year old and joined the home back in October. He is a very loving and inquisitive little boy, who likes to be stimulated all the time and has a very expressive face. He’s already taking his first steps and toddling around on his feet independently will mean he can start to follow the other children and explore.

Xmas Memories

2011-01-02T17:14:00.001+02:00

A lovely time was had at the home over Xmas with the children having fun and lots of kind visitors coming by to share in this. Here's some memories of this...

Welcome Ayema

2010-12-06T23:43:00.003+02:00

We welcome little Ayema into our home. He is a 4-year old and struggles with brain damage, but he is a good baby boy and never cries, sleeping well. Ayema was placed in our safekeeping since last week; he has a father who loves him very much but needs to work and cannot care for him full time. We have been asked if we can keep him more permanently as the nearest institution will be in Port Elizabeth, but this awaits for the courts to decide the best outcome.

In the meantime we try to make Ayema comfortable and enjoy having him as part of our growing family. Care of him is a full-time job which as always requires extra time and cost out of our already stretched resources. We are happy to take on this challenge, but if anyone would like to sponsor the care of Ayema directly while he stays with us it would be greatly appreciated, every little helps. Please contact us if you are interested in supporting this wish.

Our Supporters

2010-11-30T09:19:00.006+02:00

We were very happy to receive a visit from Francke Ferreira, winner of Eastern Cape's Miss Summer Heat pageant. Francke came bearing gifts for the children and donations which she tirelessly collected through fundraising activities. She brought her us her warmth to the house and the children were so pleased to meet here as you can see below. We cannot thank you enough Francke...

We are also grateful to our friends over in the UK. Recent volunteers Mark and Marlin, plus friends and family (Rob, Paul and Brian), undertook a big sponsored challenge to climb the three highest mountains in the UK (Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Snowdon in Wales), all in the space of 24 hours. Their hard work paid off, completing it in 23 hours and 38 minutes, and as a result raising over £3000 for the Emmanuel home. We thank everyone who showed kindness in sponsoring the boys, there are too many good names to mention but recognise their contribution. Well done and thank you for giving more hope to our children!

Recent News Articles

2010-10-23T14:54:00.006+02:00

Some recent articles which have appeared on the www.health-e.org.za website which reference ECH and one of our children Daniel...

Young and addicted

22.09.2010

While most children in Middelburg don’t have the luxury of living in a safe home, hundreds of their lives are defined by the alcohol and drugs that are crippling this 44,000-person community.

It’s not just the parents who are abusing. Intoxication has become a family affair, with children as young as nine years old becoming addicted to alcohol, dagga and glue-sniffing. In fact, an estimated 400 kids here spend most of their young lives on the streets, doing drugs, drinking, committing petty crimes and assaults, according to conversations with locals, teachers and children’s home owners. Many have learned from their parents.

“Sometimes you go to shebeens and taverns and find the whole family there,” said a resident and board member of the Emmanuel Children’s Home where Daniel lives, who asked not to be named for fear of alienating his community members.

“The mother sitting there, the father and children would also be there and I would ask myself what they eat at that time. The kids grow up knowing that what is happening is the right thing whereas it is not a good thing at all.”

Read the rest of the article here: http://www.health-e.org.za/news/article.php?uid=20032939

Substance abuse blamed for children’s woes
20.09.2010

Health-e News Service visited Middelburg, in the Eastern Cape, and saw how children suffer and are forced to fend for themselves as their parents live under the spell of alcohol abuse.

It’s in the middle of the day in Middelburg, in the Eastern Cape, long before school is out. Children of school-going age are roaming the dusty streets of the small town. If one didn’t know better they could easily pass off as street kids. They approach each car as it stops at the robot, begging for food or a coin. Their chapped lips and dry faces bear evidence of their hunger. They make their way to the Emmanuel Children’s Home where they will be given lunch.

After a short prayer the children dig into their meal - samp and freshly slaughtered meat. This is where many of the neglected children living in Middelburg go to get some food. The Emmaunel Children’s Home has been in existence for just over a year, providing food for many of these children.

According to the founder of the home, Carol Deysel, the children come from broken homes, where alcohol is the order of the day. Parents subsequently neglect their children.

“I would say the main thing in this town is poverty, which leads them to drink alcohol. Most of our kids here in the home are born with foetal alcohol syndrome. They can’t really progress at school as well. The little ones we have at the moment… they can’t talk and that’s all because of alcohol”, says Deysel.

The nearby townships, Lusaka and Midros, are also riddled with poverty. Unemployment is rife and so is the use of alcohol. Many of the children don’t attend school. They spend every day of their lives wandering the streets begging for food.

Read the rest of the article here: http://www.health-e.org.za/news/article.php?uid=20032904

Little Lebu

2010-09-16T14:48:00.003+02:00

At ECH there is always hope, but we have sad news that doctors are of the opinion that little Lebu is in the final stages of terminal illness. Lebu is 7 years old and disabled; life has been a real struggle for her and we can only be grateful that she's finally in our home to find some comfort and get some full-time care, for however long that may be. We want to help her so much. Carol and the team are doing a fantastic job so far working round the clock but as always they need to resources to care properly for Lebu, as well as the rest of the children who live at ECH.

Updated: Lebu is now being cared for, along with her sister, by an auntie. We really hope she is comfortable and continues to receive treatment for her conditions.

Click on the photo to enlarge it

Welcome Daniel and Illa

2010-09-10T23:39:00.004+02:00

Welcome to latest pair of volunteers, Daniel and Illa from Germany. We are so grateful for their help and we know the children are really benefiting from them being here. There's already some big smiles in the house, especially from some of our smallest children.

Click on the image to see it bigger:

Recent Photos

2010-07-26T22:51:00.002+01:00

New arrivals, birthdays, first time trips and smiles...

Valued Support

2010-06-21T21:56:00.003+01:00

We are overdue giving thanks to our kind benefactors - we cannot fully express our gratitude for supporting us and most importantly the children.

Belated thanks for Candice and Sylvia Currie and suppliers for the children's xmas presents

Volunteers Chris and Lucy from back in December, and also both their parents

Volunteer Gen from Canada

Continued support from the girls at VNG

Woord & Lewe Church from Sunward Park, Johannesburg

Kobus van Straaten from Middelburg

Shona Thompson in Scotland

Pastor and Ms Oboyo in Ireland

Anonymous donor through the NG Church in Middelburg

Thandi, our board member who commits herself to helping this home

Volunteers Mandy and Anja, their friends and family

Louise and Des Gudzeit

Nehemiah ministries

Eunice Pruis from Australia

Dieter Bucher

Special thanks to Henning Kroemer and the Leo Club Wuppertal in Germany

New Photos

2010-03-06T15:52:00.002+02:00

We have some new photos that have been shared by recent volunteers. We would like to thank Chris and Lucy (from UK) and Gen (from Canada) who have volunteered their time and effort to help with the running and improvement of the home - all their help is truly appreciated. Included in the photos is the new chicken coop that was funded and built by Chris and Lucy, so the home now has a great supply of freshly-laid free-range eggs!

In recent months we've had some new children come into our care (Thuso and young brothers Ashley and Hendrico) and we are delighted to have them as part of our family.

Volunteering

2010-02-10T00:21:00.009+02:00

We always in need of help from volunteers and are very grateful for their assistance, time and effort. Below is some information which help explains about volunteering at the home...

Background
Emmanuel Children's Home resides in the town of Middelburg, halfway between Johannesburg and Cape Town in the province of Eastern Cape.Currently we have 9 children who are fostered with us due to no other suitable home being found for them. These children have been neglected, abused or orphaned and the house has been the only real home some of them have known for the last 5 years. You'll be coming to us in a critical period where the home is re-registered with the Department of Social Development (DOSD) so we can aim to take up to 20 children who have been abused, abandoned or orphaned. There is a lot of community support to keep the children's home in Middelberg given the important service it provides for vulnerable children in this region.

Volunteer's Role
The children's home is currently operating under uncertain circumstances - great strides are being made to ensure it's bright future, but given that the home currently gets no government funding, in this interim period there will be a desperate need for private donations to keep it running from day-to-day. On top of the most important task: caring for the children on a day-to-day basis, there is also a lot of work to improve the home's facilities and environment. As a volunteer you should be prepared to pitch in with whatever tasks and activities are asked of you - this will likely include opportunities to work on the care, supervision and stimulation of the children, but also mean helping with practical tasks such as maintenance and renovation of the home, helping with cooking, cleaning and laundry, and office administration and general errands where needed. The bottom line is that we're looking for volunteers who are flexible, hard-working, positive and very friendly!

You will receive a briefing on arrival and an orientation from the Children's Home Manager who will explain what your volunteer role will entail. We can also discuss before your arrival what particular skills and interests you have (e.g. study help, social work, sports, arts etc.).

You will be working in a challenging environment, but the work is rewarding and your efforts will be contributing to a brighter future for this children's home and the vulnerable children of Middelburg.

Facilities
We have volunteer room that currently holds two volunteers at one time, with access to a bathroom with hot water showers. It is not big or great by western standards, but it is clean and neat. It is located in main building of the children's home.

You can eat the same meals that are given to the children, which are wholesome and nutritious. This is not a vegetarian diet so if you are vegetarian you have to buy and prepare you own meals. Volunteers can buy food from the local supermarkets and cook this in the kitchen outside of normal meal preparation times if they prefer.

Laundry can be done for free in our laundry room where we have a washing machine.

Please be aware that Middelberg is a small town, quite far from any major city. It has well stocked supermarkets and shops and there is basic access to internet. In your free time you should be prepared for a 'quiet life', although there things to enjoy if you like exploring the natural surrounding or getting involved in the local community life and cultures.

Requirements
To apply to volunteer with Emmanuel Children's Home we require you to fill out a volunteer application form, as well as forward on a police clearance certificate from your country of residence (to show no criminal convictions) and two letters of recommendation - we require this for every volunteer.

The application form can be viewed and copied by clicking here.

In your application form you should start what dates you would prefer to stay and work at the home. We normally ask that volunteers stay for a minimum of 3 weeks as this gives you time to bond with the children. There is no maximum length of stay within reason.

The reference letters should be a brief recommendation of your character from someone in a professional position if possible (e.g teacher, principal, manager).

Your transport to and from Middelberg is at your own expense.

We do not ask volunteers to pay for food or accommodation because we are extremely grateful for their time and effort they give to the home and the children. Given our challenging circumstances now, we do however ask volunteers to consider bringing with them donations or fundraising if possible as this can really help to secure the home's existence and help cover the essentials of caring for the children.

Travel
It is best to fly either to Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein or Johannesburg and get the Translux, SA Roadlink, or Intercape bus (reliable daily coach services) from there to Middelburg (Eastern Cape, not to be confused with the Middelberg in Mpumalanga). The easiest way to check bus times and book tickets is on the Computicket website, link here.We will collect you in Middelburg from the bus drop-off point. Buses coming from Port Elizabeth normally arrive at 11pm and buses coming from Johannesberg (the opposite direction) normally arrive at 1:30am.

Should you require any other information, please do not hesitate to contact us at emm.volunteer@gmail.com with your questions.

UK Charity Partner

2010-02-09T00:59:00.005+02:00

There is positive news for Emmanuel Children's Home now that it is affiliated with the UK charity Hope for Children (Helping Orphaned, Poor and Exploited children all over the world). We thank them for assisting the home by extending their support to us and hope this will be a long and fruitful partnership.

They have very similar values to ECH: "We are a low-cost and no frills charity and are proud to say that 100% of public donations go directly to cause for which it was donated. We manage to keep our costs low thanks to our volunteers. We work with grass roots projects around the world and we aim to catch those who cannot get aid, support or assistance elsewhere. We really do offer hope to those who need it the most."

Their project page for ECH is here, where the link to donate can be found. UK residents can make one-off donations through this channel, as well are regular direct debits. All funds are audited and they are able to claim Gift Aid on any UK taxpayer's donations which increases the value of the gift.

NPO Status Granted

2009-12-13T13:13:00.006+02:00

We're very happy to announce Emmanuel Children's Home is now officially a non-profit organisation (NPO) in South Africa, a status granted by the NPO Directorate within the Department of Social Development (DOSD). Our new number is: 073 629 NPO.

This is a very important milestone for ECH because it now means we can formally register the home with DOSD and make provision to offer care and shelter for more children. Being an NPO helps strengthen our creditibility because we are now held in account to a public office and we can hopefully find ways of getting benefits like tax incentives and funding opportunities.

The NPO that is named 'Emmanuel Children's Home' now oversees the management and planning of everything related to the home. It operates based on principles set out in an official constitution which has signed by the following board members:

Bertus Deysel (Chairperson)
Thandiwe Mblane, teacher at Nonyaniso Primary School (Treasurer)
Donald Smiles, Politician for the DA Party (Advisor)
Stanford Calvert, Manager of Good Shepherd Hospice (Advisor)
Zolile Gladstone Masimini, Regional Counsel Member (Advisor)
Carol Deysel (Secretary)

We believe we have a Board which is representative of the whole Middelburg community and will ensure everything the Emmanuel Children's Home does is in the children's and community's best interests. It is our intention to work in a positive partnership with everyone in the community and the Department of Social Development, reinforcing family values and providing refuge where no other home can be found.

Warm Hearts

2009-11-29T17:51:00.005+02:00

We would like to offer thanks to the many people who have supported us through their involvement with the home and those who have given us much needed donations. The home would not continue without such kindness. From recent months we would like to thank:

Principal Wagner from Middelberg High School
Nehemia Ministries for donations and prayers
PJs for food donations
Duvan's Dairy for milk donations
Van der Merwe primary school in Midros for bread donations
Continued help from Thinus and Jolene Buitendacht
Mike and Candy Ferrar for providing a vehicle
Ladies from the NG Church and the Gereformeerde Church for their collections
Werner from Middelburg Windmills
Ponnie and Kirsty for their individual donations

For the month of December we have two new volunteers living and working at the home: Lucy and Chris from the UK. We are very grateful for them committing to help us and the children over the Xmas period, and we look forward to sharing happy times together.

Daniel's Experience

2009-10-20T17:41:00.002+02:00

Daniel Blom is a very special child from the Emmanuel Children's Home. Daniel wants to become a policeman someday and Bertus thought it would be a positive experience to let him spend a day at the local police station in Middelberg to help him make this dream feel real.

Daniel got to spend some time with the dog unit and see the dogs in training. He also had the chance to sit in the Commissioner's chair at his desk "talking" on his phone. Daniel reported early on duty with Anzelle van Aarde to accompany him and was welcomed by Inspector Liz McEwan.

Daniel got to witness the parade done by the student constables and he loved it very much. Daniel was also taken to the forensics department and experienced having his finger and foot prints taken which he could keep as a souvenir. Daniel signed a special document "swearing him in" as a citizen helping to prevent crime. He took lots of presents back to the home to remind him of this special day as well as the pictures and stories which were reported in the local newspaper, the Middelburg Courant. Ever since, when a police car drive past the house Daniel runs to the window to see who is going pasr. He is very proud of what he did and we all are of him.

September Update

2009-09-29T21:58:00.003+02:00

Our children recently attended a youth summercamp which was hosted by the Agape Church Middelburg for the children and their parents/guardians. The church runs a project where they teach the kids life-skills and they are given a book they work through with the boys and girls separately...the names of the book: "preparing your daughter for every woman's battle" and "preparing your son for every man's battle". They handle these subjects at the church's Sunday school and the youthcamp was just to continue this and give chance to pray together. They had some lovely food, including braai and potjiekos, and also there were activities such as volleyball and tug-of-war to help team-building. Thank you to Agape Church for giving our children should a lovely opportunity to enjoy themselves and grow.

In separate news, Anzelle van Aarde is a new volunteer at the home. Anzelle is an energetic young lady from the local community who is kindly offering to support us, particularly with the children's studytime. She is already having a good impact and is loved by everyone in the home.

Kind Donors

2009-09-14T22:39:00.008+02:00

We continue to receive much-needed help from many good samaritans and we would like them offer them our thanks...

Agape Church, Middelburg
Mr Wagner from Middelburg High School
NG Church, Middelburg
Mr and Mrs Erasmus

We would also like to thank our recent volunteer Martyna who has now returned back to Canada. She was so kind and helpful and we cannot thank her enough for giving us and the children her time and effort.

In the past week we've welcomed little Willempie back into the home, a 3-year old boy who brings us light and laughter. He has sadly needed our care and we pray he is given a loving home soon. Donations like these mentioned help support us to continue running the home and allow our doors to stay open to shelter shining stars like Willempie.

Rest in Peace Jackson

2009-09-09T11:57:00.004+02:00

Emmanuel Children's Home lost a dear friend when Jackson passed away last week. Jackson has been working at the home since it started and we will never be able to replace his contribution. His loss is especially hard for the children who have all grown up in his caring hands, felt his love and compassion, and learned from his humble example. He was always a kind listener, offering help and hard work without prompt, giving advice and reassurance in hard times, a vital and respected link to the community of Middelburg. We will never forget these gifts he gave us and he will live on through the children whose lives he touched.

Thank You!

2009-08-25T15:04:00.003+01:00

We wish to give heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been so kind to support the Emmanuel Children's Home, ensuring that its doors can remain open and we can care for the children we hold so dear. For every dark day we've had, we've had someone come along and offer us hope through their kindness. Our list of recent donors include:

Brightsparx - WTF Creative - Minister du Toit - Marieda from Middelberg Properties - Pieter Jooste - Dieter Bucher - GM Security - Pastor & Mrs Oboyo of Divine Hope of Glory International Church - Thinus Buitendag and Jolene Jacobs-Buitendag - Francois & Arinda van Tonde - Hein & Ronel Deysel - Vicky, Nicky and Gillian at VNG - the people who donated through Mark Nash and Marlin Merholz:

Paul & Candice Nash - Adam Bruch - Melanie Hall - Kate Bonollo - David Bratt - Judith Suhleder - Pia Maurer - Georg Hoffmann - Simeon Mueller-Goette - Tilman Roers - Paco Langjahr - Heike Schacher - Elias Ordelmans - Sebastian Schacher - Jens van Rennings - Jenny Janßen - Franziska Frohs - Esther Merholz - Gabi Merholz - Nanni Post - Frank Schlebes - Hilde Schlebes - Margot Merholz - Walter Dobbek - plus the following people by surname : Maassen - Bauer-Droege - Mantau - Hoffmann - Esmann - Buszek - Mullender - Krengel

Home Improvements

2009-08-22T16:46:00.002+01:00

Over the last few weeks the home has been a hive of activity with a lot of work being done to improve the home's facilities and environment, and carry out much needed repairs. This has included creating a new office, cleaning carpets and mattresses, repainting the kitchen, putting new doors on the rooms, and fixing the back gate. Led by all round handyman Bertus, with the help of the volunteers and the children, the improvements are really making a difference and helping the brighten up the home. It's only the beginning for Emmanuel Children's Home and we have many other projects in the pipeline.

Mark Says Goodbye

2009-08-22T16:06:00.004+01:00

Mark, who has been a volunteer with the children's home for the last three months said a sad goodbye to Carol, Bertus and the children last week. Everyone has been through a dramatic time together, but it's been an amazing experience to share it and feel hope growing each day. Mark was sent off by a loevly display of singing and dance from the children, which was caught on video below. A big thanks to Luke for organising and leading this touching display! Mark will continue to help Carol and Bertus from back in the UK and hopes to come to help again in the not too distant future.

We are now pleased to welcome a new volunteer, Martyna from Canada, who will continue to provide much needed assistance for helping run the home and giving care to the children.

The Story So Far...

2009-07-24T10:27:00.010+01:00

Who are we?
We are Carol and Bertus Deysel who have taken over the management of the children's home at 18 Smid Street in Middelberg. We are setting up a completely new faith-based non-profit organisation that offers a fresh start for the care home. We are committing our lives to the simple and honest objectives of being there for the children who have no one else to turn to, to love and care for them as best we can, and to provide a safe home for the vulnerable children of Middelburg. It is our intention to work in a positive partnership with everyone in the community and the Department of Social Development, reinforcing family values and providing refuge where no other home can be found.

Our vision
A new non-profit organisation is being registered and it has recruited a Board of Directors which will be representative of the whole Middelburg community and will ensure everything the Emmanuel Children's Home does is in the children's and community's best interests. We are developing our plans with the aim of meeting these long-term objectives:

Improving the health and well-being of vulnerable and orphaned children in and around the community of Middelburg.
Exist to provide safe shelter and care for children from birth to age eighteen of all backgrounds and races.
Develop an environment for the children which is conducive to building their self-sufficiency and providing opportunities for them to positively contribute to their communities.
Provide other social welfare programs and services that serve a need gap identified in the local communities, principally in the area of support and skills-training for families

Why we are involved
We joined the children's home as volunteers in May 2009 with a view to taking over the children's home. We felt we had to become involved so that a children's home could remain to serve the needs of the community and continue to offer vital support and services. We believe that it is our life's calling to run a care home and provide nurture for these vulnerable children as they grow up. We chose the name “Emmanuel” (God with us) to reflect our strong faith in this endeavour. We are whole-heartedly committed to serving the Middelburg community and its families for many many years to come. Whatever obstacles we face, we will work hard to overcome them using partnership, humility and love.

Our plans
The charitable trust running the children's home prior to Carol and Bertus's arrival closed down on 30th June 2009 and the children's home is no longer approved by the DOSD. 32 of the children at the home were removed and have now been fostered in new homes, leaving us to currently foster 9 remaining children in the interim period. We are now going through these steps to formally reopen the Emmanuel Children's Home:

Register our new non-profit organisation and recruit a new Board of Directors
Convene community meetings to confirm the need for a children's home in Middelburg and allow all stakeholders to comment on our plans
Improve the home's facilities and environment so that we can be approved by an Environmental Health officer
Raise funds to allow us to continue the home's operation in the interim period
Become registered as a DOSD approved children's home
Build capacity to comfortably care for up to 20 children as a long-term goal

Fence Finally Finished

2009-07-05T10:45:00.000+01:00

The new garden fence, which has been a labour of love for the two volunteers Marlin and Mark, is now finished. Using some of their fundraising to purchase the materials, the fence has been over a month in the making (finding the right screws in Middelburg means waiting!). With the ground now protected we can start planting vegetables, including cabbage, turnips and spinach so we can start to gain some food self-sufficiency and benefit from fresh organic produce. Hopefully we'll have more updates on the vegetable garden soon and some progress to show.

Goodbye Marlin & Wiebke

2009-07-04T10:54:00.000+01:00

We sadly said goodbye to two of our volunteers yesterday: Marlin and Wiebke (both from Germany), who arrived at the home back in November 2008. We cannot thank them enough for their great work and the contribution they have made to the children's home - they will be missed very much, especially by the children.

Photo of all the recent volunteers from Germany: Wiebke, Franzi, Marlin, Christin, Simeon, Judith, Daniella (left to right)

Under New Management

2009-07-01T19:58:00.000+01:00

Carol and Bertus Deysel are the new managers of the Emmanuel Children's Home. As of 1st July 2009 they take over the running of the care home which was originally setup and supported by the Dianne Lang Foundation. They say "our honest purpose and vision is only to be there for the children, to love and care for them as best we can, and to provide a safe home for the vulnerable children of Middelburg to find refuge. We intend to continue the dedicated efforts of Dianne Lang and we commit our lives to improving the children's quality of life".

Click on the new family photo to enlarge...

First Photo Album

2009-06-30T20:14:00.000+01:00

Our first photo album of recent fun and games with the children can be found by clicking on this link here

Recent activities include a hike up to the hill overlooking Middelburg, making a delicious potjie on the open fire, and the children trying out different sports including tennis, football and netball. Here's a slideshow of these events...

Talented Children

2009-06-29T10:18:00.003+01:00

Our children are very talented, particularly when it comes to singing and dancing which is the heartbeat of the home. On June 16th we held a talent show which involved the children giving some great performances which were judged by the volunteers.

The boys (Michael and American) showing their best moves...

Other videos of the talent show can be found by clicking these links:

Some acapella singing here
The winning dance routine from Aya, Kholiwe and Nomhle here

About Middelburg

2009-06-27T12:50:00.003+01:00

Middelburg is a town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, in the Great Karoo. It is surrounded by three townships: Lusaka, Kwanonzame and Midros, which are still geographically separated from the town centre by roads and the river. Middelburg is on the N10 national route which is mainly used by trucks travelling to and from Port Elizabeth.

View Larger Map

The Middelburg population mainly depended on local factories and railway services for employment. As soon as these businesses closed down and some downsized, unemployment became rife with resultant poverty. Heads of families were compelled to go and seek employment in cities, mainly in the mines or seasonal jobs on farms. This separation also interfered with family ties and support, encouraging single parenthood and poverty. Discipline has lacked at homes, children drop out of school and illiteracy rates increase despite adequate schools.

Get Involved

2009-06-27T12:22:00.002+01:00

How you can help:

Donations
Food sponsorship
Fundraising
Volunteer work

Please contact us on emm.childrenshome@gmail.com if you can support us in these ways, or any other assistance you think would be of use.

Emmanuel Children's Home now has a Facebook group where you become part of our community - you can join it by clicking here.