Lend A Helping Hand…..
Last summer holidays Starting now SA and Protest Art held a camp that took place in between the mountains of Hartebees at Ha phororo Youth retreat, that specializes in hosting team building functions and or sanctions for the youth who are in pursuit of becoming self-conscious of the world under God.`
After many planning’s and fundraising the bus finally left the Christian Church Christ Care Centre, situated in Berea, on route to the North West filled with jubilant kids from the ages of 3 to 14, some anxious for the familiar experience and others welcoming the new venture.
Having known what these kids were going through, so early into their childhood, like one of our youngest boys Nkululeko Dangazele (a bright, way to intelligent for his sized kid) the SNSA and ProArt teams approached the trip with revered delicacy and sole intention of parenting the children, offering an entire weekend of companionship and relation between the two aged groups.
Coupled with Ivan our driver for the day and also the driver for the orphanage, together with two inspirational Sisters Portia and Sibongile, who help with the caretaking of the children for the orphanage, collectively ensuring the weekend away set to comfort and ease to the year end.
Upon arrival on Friday afternoon, the adults and Kids were “jetlagged” so to speak but quickly introduced and unpacked to after attend a meditative prayer session of welcoming by the retreat.
The time the rest of the ProArt team arrived (Later that night, including myself) I saw that everyone was exhausted and were in a state of spiritual tranquility, so we (the travelers I came with) changed and helped with dinner to be served and all the energies built to be exerted through feast and an evening movie,
This special night we allowed the children to remain up till late that (came Lights out) the dorms were filled with laughter and whispers, over satisfactions and mumbled conversations of anticipation to the following day’s program.
So the mourning rose and lightened everyone, now familiar with each other, making the interactions somewhat easy of approach, so much so that (Later discussed over bonfire by the SNSA/ProArt organizations) some of the children came to us individually during the day, surprisingly of their own accord ecstatic over the days event of games and walks, prayer and talks.
This I felt, had a unique touch on every individual adult because of my own experience shared with a little girl named Amahle, who had asked why we brought them there so bright and full of life, innocence in the question that my answer even though scripted, left me speechless and vulnerable. Amazed at how I shared the same eagerness in life, as her, almost wisdom of experience, that sitting there in our moment of embrace, I forgot who was the child and thought how her awareness of self in turn made me reflect on my own heading as a child of God.
Hidden behind her arms like a shield, she mumbled my name again, breaking the silence, said she loved the food, told me of the others and gestured a bump to my hip and ran off to another activity leaving me in thought…
Who she is, Who her parents are and does she look more like her mom or dad, or is it both reflections I see behind her shield, but of course these questions weren’t mine to ask and she was lost in not knowing the answers, so I watched her and she continued to surprise me during the whole procession, interacting and exchanging with the other kids like a big sister. In fact all the kids coming from 5cs showed a brotherly and sisterly bondage the adults could see.
These kids were each other’s family and the unity so young even though having experienced abundance, were able to commune so easily, showing each childs resilience, showing each childs unbroken sense of belonging,
So we played the rest of Saturday out until the night settled and the dorms were once again filled with laughter, whispered in conversations of sleep.
Still in thought… All the adults huddled around a fire, heavy hearts circulated, scheming on what must be done, that this weekend was not enough, until the Sunday morning, then, we decided this last day be the most memorable, to solidify our relationship with the children.
Following the program, we were adamant to have individual meetings with the child whom we felt most drawn to, and pictures were taken, hugs exchanged, some tears shed until departure time neared. The weekend was over and goodbyes were saddened moments, we could see in them and felt but what they don’t know was/ is that gracious weekend away was a wakeup call for us, personally, to farther extend a helping hand to the center and all whom have fallen victim to life’s unfold.
I think to myself especially throughout the year end festivities how the kids from 5c’s are doing those faces engraved in my heart’s desire,
I think that we may retreat but we can never surrender so I open an invitation of contact to YOU to make contact with SNSA at info@startingnoworg.com or Protest Art on Facebook at “Protest Art: The time is now” for details on how to get in touch with both organizations regarding the yearly plan on how we can help the children from 5cs, getting involved with the retreat as it runs a yearly program for the youth and adult sessions, not only them but our action plan for the coming years.
The time is now and has never been of so much urgency.
Article by Ramoloti Kganakga
YOU to make contact with SNSA at info@startingnoworg.com
Or visit their Facebook page at “Protest Art: The time is now”
