Off once again.

Well my time has come to a quick end here in Canada. It was very good to be back but at the same time i'm looking forward to seeing what the future will bring!

The reason why i'm doing this post is because so many of you have opened up your hearts and helped Benji from TLC and are wondering how he is doing. I'm just gonna post a couple posts that Thea (founder of TLC) has put up on her myfamily site.

Jan. 6, 2007

Tomorrow morning at 7am Benjamin will have another operation. A big one. The plastic surgery. They will be taking skin from the inside of his thighs and putting it on his face. (I think the forehead).

He seems a little stronger within himself. He LOVES his PCP ... PLC ... MAYBE PSP? Gosh, I forget, but the little game he has. Thank God he loves it so much, because it keeps him busy and seems to offer some kind of challenge which he loves. He can barely take the time to eat or take his medicines, or whatever ... because he has to put the thing down for a few moments! It was really a good thing to buy for him.

Yesterday the Plastic Surgeon to a lot of the bandages off in preparation for the operation. We all got a little shock. Especially Benjamin. When he looked into the screen of his gadget he suddenly let out a yell. He could see his reflection there and it really spooked him! Ugh! My poor litte lamb!

Anyway, please pray for him that all goes well tomorrow morning. I am expecting a miracle from God. I know He can do it. I have full confidence in Him. Not arrogantly. I just know he can do it. Did you know that I died in a car accident exactly 20 years at almost the same time that Benjamin ended up in hospital? So, I believe in miracles. I am a walking miracle myself. I will tell you the story sometime when I have time. It's the reason I started this ministry ... the reason for a lot of things. :~)

Aaah well. Now I need to go to bed. I am going to put a couple of pictures of Benjamin up that I took this morning. Don't look at them if you are squeemish. They are not very nice. But they will inspire some of you to really pray.

God bless you all.

THEA

Jan. 3, 2008

Hello dear friends,It does seem that somebody fiddled with access onto this website ... I guess I will hear about it when my life settles down and I can have a normal conversation again. All I can say is my Myfamily page doesn't look anything like it ... hence the "test" I gather! :~)

Things are not getting much better for my boy. But I guess they are, really. To look on the bright side, he came out of theatre yesterday with those stapled things off his chest and arms. But that was the only good thing.

I had ushered him right into the theatre. He was so very, very scared after the last experience. I promised him that this time would be different. That last time they did not give him an anaesthetic but that THIS time they would and that the pain might still be there but it would be very little compared to before. Eventually he, very reluctantly, allowed them to push him through into the theatre and out of my sight, still waving a very nervous wave as he disappeared.

I had promised that I would wait at his bedside in the ward. Which I did. After 2 1/2 hours I could hear his screaming coming up the passage to the ward. When he saw me he went completely crazy. It was so, so awful and traumatic. He was literally climbing up the walls in agony. Even some of the nurses started crying. I was begging all of them, all around me to give him something that would knock him out. But ... they had to ask permission first. After what seemed like an eternity, they came back and said the doctor said he had already had a full quota of morphine and that he couldn't understand that he was still so strong. Can you just imagine how bad that pain was.

Then I got hold of the doctor myself as he came out of theatre and begged him to give him something else. Then the sisters came him a strong dose of valaron. AFter about 2 minutes he fell into a kind of stupor, shuddering and shaking. Oh God! This is the hardest thing I ever had to do!

Pippa took over from me later on in the evening. He came round at about 10ish and ate a little bit of food. But then puked it all up as she was getting ready to leave and that made his head ache all over again.

It seems that the forehead is the worst part and the doctor said that this part was going to be badly scarred. I kept thinking about it all night. I can't bear it ... my beautiful, special, big-eyed, handsome Benny ... so scarred. It's just beyond belief. I thought about it all night long. Trying hard to sleep ... yet wondering just how bad it was going to be?

When I got to the hospital early this morning he was not himself. You could really sense the aftermath of the shock. He was a little bit dead inside. I know it was very extravagant but I sent Pippa out to buy him a PSP because that is what he wanted. I had know idea what it was. Poor Pippa searched the length and breadth of Johannesburg to find one because they were all sold out after Christmas. Praise the Lord! At about 4 pm she walked in with one. A BEAUTIFUL ONE. A RED ONE! According to Benny you NEVER get RED ones! So, he was a little happier and it kept him busy from 4 pm until I left him with Pippa and came home.

But a wonderful thing DID happen today. First of all the doctor came to the Ward at lunch time. He told me that he was going to have to take skin from the inside of Benny's thighs so that he could graft it onto his forehead. He said he wanted to do this on Saturday morning. My anxiety levels shot up again.

Rhys came to sit with Benny for a couple of hours and I came home just to check on things and as I sat sipping a wonderful cup of tea, I started thinking about the fact that this doctor is a "trauma surgeon". Last night before I left home the two Karate Senei's came to visit Benny. The one, Sensei Clinton, is actually finishing his studies as a plastic surgeon. He mentioned casually that I should try to get a plastic surgeon to do the skin grafting, and not the traumas surgeon. I was just reflecting on that when suddenly I got a deep sense of urgency about this.

Brendon has been to a very good Plastic Surgeon highly recommended to me by the Professor of Plastic Surgery at the Pretoria Government Hospital who did all Brendon's initial surgery on his cleft palate. This man retired and he recommended that I go to Dr. Blok. I called him up after deliberating for a little while. He agreed that it is much better to get a specialist to do this operation because they have more training and experience in this field. I really begged him to take my little Benjamin and finally he agreed.

THEN I HAD TO GO AND SPEAK TO THE OTHER DOCTOR!!!!! UGH! Well, I plucked up all my courage and went to see him. Would you know, that man was SO GRACIOUS! He got tears in his eyes, took both my hands in his and said ... "Well OF COURSE my dear! You MUST do the very best for your little son. And I agree with you, Dr. Blok is the very best person to do this for you. I will very happily make all the arrangements for Benjamin to be transferred to the Union Hospital in Alberton tomorrow and if there is anything more you need from me ... just ASK!"

Oh my goodness! I am so so so VERY happy to have settled that. And I just know that the money is going to cover it all. I cannot bear my little Benjamin going into his life with his face all mutilated. THIS IS THE TIME to fix it ... not later.

I AM CRYING MY HEART OUT RIGHT NOW, do you know why? BECAUSE YOU HAVE MADE ALL THIS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! What would I ever have done without you lot????? What would my little Benny of done? God is SO good to have given you to me. God bless you all ... a million, billion, trillion times over! My dear friends, I will TRY to be a better person from now on. At least I will try and shape up to all your expectations of me. I am really not as grand as you all think. Only God and I really know what a simple creature I actually am. But I DO love my kids. I DO love my babies. And I DO love all of you. In THAT I DO think God has made a grand arrangement between us, somehow.

I am really exhausted now. I am going to take two Syndols again. Forgive me :~( It's the only way to get some sleep.

All my love to you all ... forever and ever.

THEA

So there's a wee bit of news for you.

Till next time..

A wee bit of news from Canada

Hey, just a quick update on the exciting life here in Canada.  Things are going well.  Work is work (can't wait till I don't have to serve ever again!!) and i'm starting to experience a whole array of emotions about my one way ticket to South Africa!

      

                                                                              

My family is just lovely here.  My nephew and nieces are doing great and growing up so fast.  I 

will miss them but I know there will be a time when I come back to my beloved country for awhile, so that makes it easier knowing that SA. won't be my permanent home, I think;o)

                                                                 

                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 Of course, as most of you know, my beautiful riders FINALLY won the Grey Cup!!!!

Hopefully it won't be another 18 year drought!!  Quite honestly with the team they have I do believe they will win

at least one more in the next five years, so don't worry all you international Rider fans, you will more than likely see another home coming once on home soil!

Those are just some photo's and a video of the after party.  Good times!

So that's about it for now.  Will be heading to Lethbridge to see Miss Jen and her sis in Dec. (looking forward to that!) and shortly after that is Christmas and then I leave!  Crazy!  

Home sweet Home!

Oh boy it's been awhile, eh?!?! I have NO idea where to start. I think I have to go back about a month when I went to a Zulu school with a pastor for a feeding.
The Salina's, missionaries from the states, invited me to come to this school where he would preach and then feed the children after. We rolled up in our 4x4's at the Intaphuka Primary school, introduced ourselves to the head master (I think that's what the principle is called) and waited for the teachers to gather up the students. They youngest at the front, the oldest in the back. They put a string line at the front so the students wouldn't cross it while people were speaking. I got a kick out of the designated students who would occasionally walk the line to see if students were crossing over. He had a stick in hand and if any unfortunate student was crossing the line they would get a gentle whack!
There were about 600 students. Remember school in South Africa isn't free and they have to buy uniforms. I'm not too sure how some of these kids can go to school as some of them are orphans and . I'm guessing the government and other people might sponsor some children. Not too sure.
After all the students were settled down they started in song for us. 600 Zulu's singing is like listening to a chorus of angels! It was very touching!
After they sang someone spoke and then Pastor Salina spoke. After he spoke some students did some traditional Zulu dances for us. I can't explain how much rhythm they have! And while they are doing it someone is singing. They have the most incredible voices!
I was certainly touched and I think in the near future I would LOVE to work with these children and the surrounding people where Sinakekele will be. This school is located near the future spot of Sinakekele.
When we were finished being entertained the students went back to their classes while we, me and people from a church whose name I can't remember, filled bowls with briyani to pass out class to class. I assure you that some of these children haven't eaten for days. Some of the children were seen putting their briyani in the back packs to take home to their family. They only got a plate full. The less you have the more you give rings true in my mind.
Paper cups were snapped up quickly as us "inconsiderate" church goers threw out the cups thinking they were of no more value after being used once. I just ate my briyani in disbelief as I watched the kids snatch up the cups as soon as they were thrown in the garbage bin. I didn't think that something like that could be of huge use to anyone after being used. I was wrong. So after I got a reality check we packed up our stuff and headed home and watched Apocolypto. It was kinda long...

Not much new is going on at Sinakekele. Ruth will get her new volunteer car at the end of Sept. The church purchased it from someone who is going to the Sates and he isn't leaving until the end of Sept. The plans have been handed in for the property so once everything is approved the levelling of the land will start, then the fencing and then the building. It's quite exciting because i'm sure when I get back in January the building of the buildings will be started.

So my last month was pretty simple. Carolyn, a previous volunteer from Switzerland, came in Aug. to visit for three weeks. It's too bad I only got to see her for a few days, but I plan on stopping in Switzerland on the way back for a visit and a snowboard on the Alps. How sweet is that?! So i'm really looking forward to January! I got a bit sidetracked here. I was about to talk about the kids but it went to snowboarding. Basically I took it easy the last couple weeks, hung out with the kids, Mel, Feggo and Cacolyn. It was a real blessing to work with Mel and Feggo these last few months!! It'll be weird going back to SA without them there! Thanks guys for so many awesome memories and I hope the day comes where we can be back in SA at the same time!








My trip was good back home. My last day there Caco, Feggo and I got up at 5:40 am to get the kids ready for school. I try to put a hard shell buy Siya made me shed a few tears when he prayed for me and I shed a few tears when I said bye at the school, but it's more easy this time because I know that i'll be going back in January. After dropping the kids off all four of us plus Zim went out for breakfast at Feggo's. Then it was time to head to the airport. Had a tea there and then off to the gate. I was doing good with the tears until the end of Feggo's hug. Mel came to me with big crocodile tears. That set me off. I told them to go cause I like to get good bye's over fast. And guys once I got through the gates I cried more. And when I sat down I cried. And when I opened the cards I cried.
The plane ride was good. Met some guy from Italy and then once in Frankfurt I met a fellow Rider fan. Go GREEN!! People don't worry about the banjo bowl, they let them win. I arrived in Weinerpeg at around 6 to Sarah and she took me to Hooters for buffalo wings. They were very good!! Woke up the next morning and drove into my beautiful Regina.. hahaha, that ones for you Zim if you read this! It's really nice to be back home and I forgot how clean and crisp the air is. It's sooo refreshing!!
I surprised my family and here I am writing on my blog from home. Lekker!!









My conclusion of this SA trip. This trip completely changed my life! When I went there all I expected to be doing is taking care of the kids and seeing Sinakakele grow and staying there for who know's long. I really had no direction in my life. Then I went to Destiny Harvest Church. I have been struggling with church's before I came here and where I fit in. What i'm about to write does not reflect at all with Pathway. Without Destiny and Pathway I came to the conclusion that most Christians and most church's were a complete FLOP!! Coldness, hypocrisy, having nothing to do with the people Jesus told us to minister to, etc. There are your good Christians and some good churches but in my eyes not nearly enough! Destiny turned my life upside down. They prooved that a church can have the whole package! The pastor there is something else! A good else! This man shines the love of God, he acts the love of God, his congregation cares, his congregation loves. His congregation has x prostitutes, drug lords, druggies, witches, etc.. The people God has called us to minister to. The grace of God is evident in the congregation. The Spirit of God is thick at Destiny. Any body that goes there will be touched and I was one of those people that were touched! This church is living proof that there is a Living God, a God who does care and does love. The Spirit of God got my full attention this time and this time there is absolutely no turning back. My eyes are set in one direction and that is with Christ.
Where does this fit in with my plans? Well Destiny is sponsoring me to go to Bible college. I'm gonna go and i'm absolutely pumped to go. The course is two years, but if you are serious about getting into the ministry it's a three year course. I'll be in the three year course. While I go to college I will be working for Sinakekele probably full-time. I would also like to learn Zulu and go to Intaphuka Primary school once in awhile and hang out with the kids and also get to know the locals around Sinakekele. I'm sure by next our spring Ruth will be taking in babies again. With that in mind, anyone want to volunteer?! We will need people.
So I will be in SA, i'm guessing, for the next five year. I call it my training ground before I come back to Regina. To do what? I have something in mind, but that'll have to wait. Gotta see what God rolls out for me.
For the next four months I will be getting a part-time job and just taking it easy. My time will be busy when I get back to SA and I have no clue when my next break will be. You can come on here if you wish, but I don't know how much i'll post unless there's people from SA. coming on here. If so please tell me so I can post snow pictures on here.
Thanks everyone for their continuing support and prayer! Many Blessings!







I just saw I could add a video. So here is a video of the girls dancing. Nevermind it didn't work. Will try again later.

Hey

Hey everyone, howzit? Well let's see what's going on. I'm a wee bit tired so this one may be all over the show..

Hmmm.. I'm thinking what I should be putting with the pictures i'll be putting on. Did that make sense? Where do I start.

A couple weeks ago Mel, Mego Fego and I went to a feeding at the poperty where Ruth's land is. Peopls from surrounding townships came to get food, listen to a sermon and hear Sonya speak about AIDS. It was mainly women and children that came to listen and get the food.

A girl that came to the feeding.

After the feeding we all went up to Ruth's land to have communion. It's really cool because things are starting to move. Funds are coming in and there are many people willing to deticate their time with helping out with the planning and building. Someone has offered to do building for free. Ruth just has to pay for the material, so that'll save a lot of money giving her room to build everything all together. The main house, baby house and the volunteer cottage. So by the time I arrive back in January things should be happening and hopefully by next spring babies will be coming in! Yeah!!

So besides that not much else is going on. Well actaully the other car that Ruth was driving is slowly coming to its death. It's just a matter of time. But the good news.. Ruth's church raised enough money for another volunteer car! She doesn't know yet and she never comes on here so I don't have to worry about her reading this.

Other than that here are some random photo's.

This is Siya giving blood. He just turned 6 and he just sat there and watched the needle go in and all the blood come out. He did it without a word of complaint!!

Some ladies from the local townships at the Salina's farm.

e-mail

Hey guys.. My Sinakekele e-mail isn't working so please e-mail me at my other one.. cindee_maritz@hotmail.com thanks!

Hello

Hello everyon, howzit? Well let's see what's going on..
Well as you already know we finally got the volunteer car and a few days later it got stolen while we were skating and unfortunatley none of us got a picture.. But Mel did get a photo of me in the cop shop reporting it stolen. We were trying to be discreet so Ruth wouldn't notice us taking the picture, but I realized after the picture they had one of those mirror windows in the back so i'm sure she saw us giggling.

Here a few photo's of us enjoying some skating while the care was getting stolen in downtown Durban. The ice is kak, but I got my own skates. Check out Mels skates.

The last couple weeks the kids have been on holiday. We kept them pretty busy. The first week was more lax and the second one was a little more buys. The people that are living by Ruth's property had a vacation Bible school. It was open to all the children living around the property. I should add that most these people are very poor, so it was a little different to what we are experiencing in "rich" Durban. It's good for the other girls as well to see a little more of Africa. Here are some photo of the kids. Thanks Mel for all these photo's.

After the car got stolen we couldn't go anymore;o( Shame, it was really nice to go out there. Instead we packed up the house because we had to be out of the house by Sunday! So that gave us about four days to pack up and get out. Megan, Mel and I packed the small things on Thurs. and Friday and the boys came on Saturday to move the furniutre. Let's just say that we're all happy that we are moved out and kinda settled in. The bonus with this house is there's a pool!! So it will be quite easy to keep the kids entertained!!

So that's all the news i'm gonna put on for now. I have to hurry and pick up Thandi from the old house and truck her over to the new.

Ciao!

First the good, then the bad...

Hello everyone.. Well guess what? We finally got the volunteer car. I am sorry to say I don't have any pictures because.....
It got stolen last night;o( Mel, Tazz, her friend and I went ice skating in downtown Durban and when we came out two hours later it was gone;o( More bad news.. It wasn't insured yet.
To top things off, Jay (Ruth's son) and I got in a big spat tonight because we will have to share the car again till another one comes in. And other things came into the converstion as well.
Can everyone keep us and Sinakekele in your prayers! Things are starting to move here and you can completley see it. God has been so good this last month and Satan is desperatley trying to do all he can to stop the move.
So please pray about that and also about the car.
Thanks everyone.