Our Family News Christmas 2019
Psalm 121 (NIV) e mountains— I lift up my eyes to th come from? where does my help the LORD, My help comes from and earth. the Maker of heaven ot slip— He will not let your fo you will not slumber; he who watches over es over Israel indeed, he who watch nor sleep. will neither slumber er you— The LORD watches ov ; e at your right hand the LORD is your shad you by day, the sun will not harm t. nor the moon by nigh you from all harm— The LORD will keep ur life; he will watch over yo d going over your coming an the LORD will watch rmore. both now and foreve
Blessed Christma and a Ha s ppy New Year !
God Watches Over Us A warm Hello, Hi, Howdy, Eita, Howzit from myself, Desirae Pillay. I could try to impress you by greeting in our official languages too, but I will leave that to our toddlers who impressed me because they are learning to greet in nine of the official South African languages. They are at an amazing stage of their lives, discovering and learning all the time. Shannon Mathevula is their new head teacher and I sat down for a chat with her which I have written about in our “Toddler news”. Since September I have been employed at the Door of Hope Children’s Mission as the Donor Relations and Communications Officer. This role gives me the opportunity to engage with all the departments. It was a labour of love putting this newsletter together to share the stories of these different departments with you, our partners. Moreover, I am also reminded about the depths of God’s care for each of His children. In Psalm 121, we are reassured more than once, that He is watching over us and ensuring that our needs are met. In our Baby News article by Nadene Grabham, she shares the story of one our little ones who is a testimony of God’s watchful eye over his life. You will find yourself so encouraged by this “Evening Blessing”. Another blessing that we are mindful of are the groups of volunteers who have come from the United States and from within South Africa to assist us in the development of our Door of Hope Village. Rose Perry shared an experience that she had with an elderly volunteer in our “Volunteer News”, and Jeffrey Nell updated me about the progress that is being made in the rezoning application in “Our Rezoning Journey”. When I am at the Village and looking out to the ridges, I see only as far as I can see and only what is in front of me. In moments like these, I am reminded that God sees over all of His creation. And our work here in the south of Johannesburg is not overlooked by Him. This is never truer than when support comes to us from other countries. In our “USA Highlight”, Jim Tucker from our office in the USA, met with one of our supporters to talk
about how using their talents as a company to help the Door of Hope, has a deeper significance to them. We end 2019 with great anticipation of how God will use the Door of Hope for the glory of His Kingdom in 2020. Our CEO, Richard Allen shares his heart with us for “Vision 2020” and I encourage you to please partner with us in prayer towards our goals for next year. Psalm 121 v 7 “The Lord will keep you from all harm, He will watch over your life” speaks to me about our babies who find a home with us until they are united with their forever families. In the face of the proposed Children’s Act Amendments in South Africa which will likely have devastating effects on adoptions, Nadene’s article “A long, long time ago” reminds us of the greater impact our work has on our community and to the world at large. My heartfelt THANK YOU to all our donors, our prayer partners, our supporters and everyone who works with us in caring and protecting babies who have no one else on their side. I pray God will continue to use you in a mighty way to spread His message of Faith, Hope and Love. Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year. May you fully know that a God who neither slumbers nor sleeps watches over you. Desirae Pillay Donor Relations and Communications Officer
We have our own fundraising page on GivenGain. Here you can donate to one of our projects - choose from assisting with our everyday needs through to one of our major events.
doorofhope.givengain.org
A long, long time ago… It was the year 1999 where a pastor from the Berea Baptist church, together with some of the elders came up with a ‘Thomas Edison Idea’ to save the many babies who were abandoned and left to die. The “lightbulb” moment idea was when Pastor Cheryl Allen thought of introducing The Baby Box. A hole was cut out in the wall of the church and a Baby Box was secured in the space. The news spread that there was a safe place for mothers to leave their unwanted babies instead of abandoning them to the city streets or vacant plots of land.
Twenty years later we have saved 1685 babies of which 224 came through our baby box. 722 of our babies have been adopted while 67 babies are currently in our care. Since 1999 South Africa has 33 baby boxes throughout the country and the ‘Baby Box’ idea has reached all corners of the earth. Countries like Japan, Russia, Switzerland, Germany and the USA have baby boxes. It is a sad reality that baby boxes are a need all over the world, but what a relief that there is a way to save the life of a child because EVERY CHILD MATTERS.
1,685
224 Babies saved to date
Babies SAVED via our “Hole in the Wall”
(baby box)
722 adoptions 67 Currently in our care
Vision 2020 Earlier this year I sat down to write the first article for our March Newsletter, and I outlined our two greatest concerns for 2019 which was the proposed amendments to the Child Care Act and our concerns about the rezoning application for the Village. Now as I reflect on the year passed and the year ahead, I am reminded of how God fanned the flames of my faith to sustain me for this year: by impressing the story of Ezra and Nehemiah on my heart. We are still waiting on the outcome of the proposed amendments to the Child Care Act. This will indeed impact our vision for our Village and for our babies. Yet, still we look forward to 2020 with great expectation and with the same conviction that just as God led Ezra and Nehemia, He is leading us to victory. For 2020, I am excited to see how God uses us to save more babies and I am excited for our part in uniting them with their forever families. With that as one of the important areas for us, we are alarmed that 2/3 babies who are abandoned, actually pass away before they are saved. We want to find ways to intervene and be used by God to save babies earlier and for them to not only survive but to thrive in life. The Village which is a symbol of hope for the children who will not be adopted remains a priority for 2020. We are hoping and praying that the timeline we were given for the full rezoning application process to be completed which was 2020, will indeed be complete in 2020. Desirae Pillay, our Donor Relations and Communication Officer, finds the words of the Ascents in Psalm 121 especially encouraging as we trust God during this process. When the land is rezoned it will be full steam ahead with the construction of our Village.
From your team at the Door Of Hope Congratulations on the most important union of your life! To find love and hope in the company of one another is God’s beautiful blessing called marriage.
Another key area of our organisation is our staff, and in 2020 we are keen to be intentional about continuing to create a caring, dignified, uplifting, disciple-making environment for our staff and volunteers. Our prayers are for God to give us wisdom in how best to invest in our staff as they invest in the lives of our babies. While we pray for our babies to have a relationship with Jesus Christ, we too want to be in right relationships with each other through Him. This season as we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, on behalf of our staff and our babies, I wish you a Blessed Christmas. I pray that the LOVE of Christ will touch your life and you will know, as we know that no matter the circumstances, Jesus Christ is our hope and our reward.
Richard Allen, CEO
Our Rezoning Journey This year has been challenging as construction at the Village was almost slowed to a halt because of the delays in the rezoning process that is underway. We are deeply appreciative of our many prayer partners and donors who journeyed with us this year, as we have steadily worked at obtaining the necessary compliances to complete our rezoning application. As we approach the end of year, we are working very hard to complete the application as best as we can when it is almost impossible to obtain clearances from service providers like Eskom (the national electricity supplier), due to complications within their administration processes. This November we sought the Lord with more urgency because we are concerned that the Department of Social Development’s proposed amendments to the Child Protection Act in relation to adoption would be brought before parliament soon. If these amendments are agreed too, then adoptions to international families will cease and this will have devastating consequences on the number of children who will not be adopted. This in turn means that we will have to be in a position to bring the many children who will not be adopted home to the Door of Hope Village. Hence the urgency for the rezoning application to be passed soon. Our property development manager Jeffrey Nell has been working on completing the detailed application and on obtaining the compliances. The paperwork has finally been submitted for public participation. This process is open for thirty days and if this outcome is favourable, Jeffrey can then submit the documents for the next phase in the rezoning process which is a further waiting period of a few months.
We know that is almost too much waiting, and we can easily feel despondent in this time of working towards our vision of which the realisation keeps moving a little further than we would like it to be. But join us in our vigil as we await God’s hand to move and as we trust in God’s promises to His children. Psalm 121 v 3-4 promises that “He will not let your foot slip- He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” We trust that God will bring this to a favourable outcome for the benefit of His children. We can attest that spending a day at the Village making bricks with a group of friends or your small group or even your work colleagues inspires our visitors to keep the faith with us. Your participation in helping us to develop this land into a safe place for God’s children is an act of that faith. You are most welcome to email teams@doorofhope.co.za for more information. If manual labour is not for you, then please consider partnering with us in developing this Village by donating to the construction. You can give online by clicking here.
Volunteer News Our Door of Hope Village is set in an area that is a Green Conservancy. We are amongst rolling hills on a terrain that is a combination of rocky outcrops and slightly sloped flat areas. At this present time, as we await the finalisation of our rezoning application which commenced in 2018 and is expected to be completed in 2020, we could give into the skepticism that has become a trademark of the times we are living in; when having to wait for an outcome is against the current “I want it now” mentality. Yet, when we look out from the doorways of the Play and Learn Centre or from the four homes currently on the Village, to the rolling hills around us while our volunteer workers busy themselves with projects on the land, it is never more obvious that we are a witness to the living words of Psalm 121. When help comes to us from within South Africa and from across the world, that is a confirmation to us of God’s faithfulness that He is our ever-present help when we lift our eyes up to the hills. Our Door of Hope Village is our passion project and the Volunteers who come out to work on this project with us, are very special. The vision to create a Village in the south of Johannesburg that is planned to be home to hundreds of orphaned or abandoned children, is a vision that we hold before God with much prayer. Our Volunteer teams are our answer to prayers and they too find the experience of being at the Village a transformative experience. Rose Perry the Volunteer Coordinator in South Africa says that many volunteers have described this experience as life changing. This year Rose helped facilitate ten Volunteer teams at the Village. Rose says it is always interesting to listen to the Volunteers express how having left the comforts of their own homes and having committed to giving themselves to something bigger than themselves, it becomes an emotional experience to witness the faithfulness of God in really hard circumstances. Volunteering means that people come up close and personal with the reality that babies are being abandoned, and sometimes left in unsafe
places to die. Having worked at the Village, knowing they literally were a part of building a safe place that will become home to these vulnerable children, takes on a far deeper meaning for the Volunteers on their departure. One Volunteer this year was an elderly gentleman and he said “I am asking myself what more can I do to serve God? I feel that at this stage in my life, when I thought I had done enough, I realise I can do more.” Rose was struck by this impression that the experience had on him, and she said that while Volunteers come to give of themselves to our Village, they too receive something beautiful that only God can give. Throughout this year several local corporate and church teams also volunteered to make bricks, assisted in planting a vegetable garden and helped to create the toddler’s playground. Local teams also enjoy the experience, and although we are not a team building facility, it feels that this is the side effect of what organically happens when groups spend a day at the Village. Volunteering at our Village is construction-style labour, but making the bricks is a process that children, adults and the elderly can do. For church teams, corporate teams or groups who want to partner with us in this project, it is an act of faith, a gift of hope and a seed of love that you give to every abandoned child in our care. To learn more please contact teams@doorofhope.co.za. To see our teams in action visit us on Facebook.
Baby News! On the late evening of 23 September 2019, the police knocked on our doors cradling a little abandoned baby boy. Before coming to our door, the police took him to the hospital for a medical assessment where they were informed by a health care professional that the baby was in very poor health. Yet he was not admitted to the hospital. The policemen were unperturbed because they knew that there was a place where they could take him. Our aunties at the Door of Hope Baby house welcomed this little treasure with open arms not knowing the difficult road ahead. He was severely dehydrated, malnourished, weak and full of scars. He could not even suck on his bottle and for the first night we fed him using a syringe. As soon as we could, we took him to the paediatrician. When the paediatrician completed her tests, she delivered the ‘not so good news’: our precious boy had hydrocephalus and spina-bifida. The diagnosis of spina-bifida meant that our beautiful boy is a paraplegic. Every life is precious, but to us there is something a little more to this little boy. He is a little fighter and since being with us, he has made wonderful progress. He had a few more medical appointments and looking ahead,
he has a long road of therapy appointments. This little warrior prince has crept deep into everyone’s hearts and the aunties argue about who is going to feed him and exercise him next. Which is so awesome to watch because they were too scared to hold him when he arrived, as he was so fragile. Today our warrior laughs, babbles and absolutely loves food. We know that there is a special family out there for him but until then… he is ours to love and hold. If your company, small group or your group of friends or family are looking for a way to support a baby every month over a long-term period, then please consider becoming a LifeSaver in our Adopt-A-Crib programme.
We know that there is a special family out there for him but until then… he is ours to love and hold.
Dedicated to Our Care Workers (known as aunties or grannies)
The Finger of GOD Through Their Loving Hands This is an extract of a letter received from one of our Door of Hope babies, Thomas. He joined his forever family when he was nine months old. This year as he embarked on the new chapter of his life after finishing high school in America, he thought about the care workers at the Door of Hope Baby Home who took care of him in the earliest months of his life. “I am thanking you on behalf of the hundreds of babies you have saved and helped. I am sure that many of them you never hear from. I know that some of them are in heaven. My dad knew Daniel Coza. He went to heaven as a baby. It was sad. For all of the American, Europeans, and others who are alive and prospering because of you I offer thanks. We would not be where we are without you. Who knows how many more you will save and nurture before Jesus returns? Who knows what they will accomplish for the kingdom of God in Heaven and on earth? Only God knows – but He does. Thank you Grannies for all you did for me and all you do for others (like my brother Nate). I am forever grateful and touched by the finger of God through your loving hands. A child of God and of the Door of Hope Baby House Thomas Mark Phiri Stahler “Tom” P.S My dad said to say “hello” to Margaret if she is still there. She was there when I was. “Hello!”
Thomas, I agree with you. Without our aunties at the Door of Hope being the finger of God through their loving hands in caring for our babies, we would struggle to provide the nurturing and loving environment that we have. You can read the full story about Thomas on our Facebook page.
Our aunties, we love you and we thank God for you.
Toddler News! On November 02, when the South African Rugby team, the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup our country erupted with excitement and jubilation. The South African flag was raised almost everywhere and at most public gatherings our National Anthem, Nkosi Sikelel’ Afrika was sung with extra gusto. To our ears there was not a more beautiful rendition of our anthem than from our toddler group. At the Play and Learn Centre (at the Door of Hope Village), the toddler group more affectionately referred to as our “big kids” have been learning all about South Africa under the guidance of their new head teacher Shannon Mathevula. Shannon was appointed the head teacher when we tearfully said goodbye to Tania Jurgeleit who was a long-term volunteer with us, overseeing the education of our toddlers amongst other areas where she served with great love and passion. For the last school term of the year, Shannon and her teaching team have been focusing on teaching our big kids about our country. It is no surprise that our children can find South Africa on a world map, they know all the colours of the South African flag and are learning to greet in nine of the eleven official languages of our country. They can also recite Psalm 23 and the Lord’s Prayer.
Head Teacher Shannon Mathevula
It is so special to watch how their personalities develop when they begin attending “school” at the Play and Learn Centre. The big kids become more confident in expressing themselves and like all children they begin challenging each other’s boundaries and personal space. This is all part of the natural development that children follow. Our education team deeply value these aspects of their work with children who have not ever had the opportunity of developing these traits within a family unit. Through Play, our children Learn so much about themselves and the world around them. As we end this year, we are very proud of all that we have achieved with our big kids and we look forward to welcoming our kids back next January for more exciting learning opportunities.
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Our toddlers learn from young about national pr ide
USA SUPPORT HIGHLIGHT: Simpsons Printing ‘’The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.’’ Psalm 121 – 8 For twenty years the Door of Hope Children’s Mission has been a testament that our Lord is always watching over us. He continues to provide for our needs so that we can care for our babies in a God-honoring way. We are grateful for the people who God directs to partner with us in prayer and we are grateful for those who partner with us to provide practical help and support. One such supporter to our office in the United States is Simpsons Printing in Rapid City, South Dakota. Jim Tucker oversees our marketing and development in the United States and he recently met with Jon Simpson. “Simpsons Printing is a valued partner of Door of Hope who have been generously providing printing resources that are crucial in raising awareness for Door of Hope and the ongoing work of saving abandoned babies.” says Jim.
It goes a long way when you see smaller organizations who are actively being the hands and feet of Christ. The Door of Hope is that type of organization. Being pro-life is not just opposing abortion, which I do; but it is actively supporting mothers and babies in any way we can. In this way we also minister to our customers and our employees by expressing our love and faith in Jesus when we show our love to those who are the most vulnerable.”
Jon first learnt about the Door of Hope Children’s Mission from a BBC article that he saw online and he felt that he needed to connect with the mission. He cannot explain why he felt so strongly about the Door of Hope except that as a believer he knows that God works in ways we do not understand.
Jon is passionate about supporting non-profit organizations and He wants to encourage other companies to partner with the Door of Hope. Even though the children who benefit from the support that Simpsons Printing gives to them, are a world away; Jon believes that individuals, churches, and business owners can make a huge impact. Jon said to Jim “That is the best part to me: what we do is printing, yet that is actually felt as support and extends to benefitting vulnerable children. I would love to place a challenge to other individuals and companies to look at how their talents can be used for the purpose of supporting the Door of Hope Children’s Mission”.
Simpson Printing has always believed in supporting non-profit organizations with a Gospel-centered approach. Whether the organization is local or international, Simpsons Printing are intentional about giving their support, and are especially moved by organizations who are supporting children in vulnerable situations. As Jon said ‘’I feel led to try and do what we can to help organizations who I feel are making a real impact on meeting the physical and spiritual needs of people.
Simpsons Printing we thank you for your support to our babies.
Update on our office in the USA Elaine Haber and Jim Tucker from our USA office have been busy during 2019. They: • Organized and supported 11 volunteer teams, 10 from the USA, 1 from Holland, and organized 15 short term Baby House volunteers. • Welcomed new board members: Chairwoman of the Board, Brenda Kelling and Treasurer, Danielle Phillips. • Received their 501c3 non-profit status from the US Internal Revenue Service. • Raised awareness about Door of Hope Children’s Mission in multiple churches in November through Orphan Sunday, and • Presented the Door of Hope story to six new churches. • Welcomed 80 first time supporters as well as 4 new LifeChanger supporters, and • 4 new full supporters plus 1 new partial supporter in the Lifesaver Adopt-A-Crib. To join our Door of Hope Family in the USA please email elaine@doorofhopesa.com or jim@doorofhopesa.com
We need your help! Nan Optip
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To assist please contact info@doorofhope.co.za
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Follow up Nespray formula Nido or powdere d milk Baby Cer eal Nestu m, Purtiy or Nestle 1, 2 and 3 all flavours Purity bo t and 4, sa tled food 1,2,3 voury fla vours Pronutro , Future L Oats and if Corn flak e, Jungle es DisChem Vouchers
Thank you to our supporters who make it possible for us to provide food, education and a safe environment for our babies and toddlers. Our needs also include assistance in keeping the lights on and the water flowing each month. Please partner with us in giving towards municipal costs to ensure that our babies are warm and comfortable in all areas of their care by joining our LifeChanger programme.
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Door of Hope 15 Barbara Avenue, Glenvista, 2091, South Africa Telephone: +27 11 432 2797 Email: info@doorofhope.co.za www.doorofhope.co.za
Non-Profit Organisation: 009-149 • Public Benefit Organisation (Tax Exemption): 9208/629/15/5. All donations are tax deductible. Section 18A certificates issued on request. Please provide full name and mailing address. Bequests are exempt from payment of Estate duty.