He has very little control over the muscles in his face so eating and speaking are very difficult for him. I am working with him on his colors, shapes, putting together puzzle pieces, and feeding him. I take him to see an occupational therapist in Somerset West 2-3 times per month so she can monitor his progress, work with him, and suggest new activities for us. It takes a lot of patience but we are making progress. In the next few months we are hoping to potty train him and teach him to bite and chew.
Samuel
I am spending 30 minutes a day one-on-one with this guy (the small one driving), Samuel.
He has very little control over the muscles in his face so eating and speaking are very difficult for him. I am working with him on his colors, shapes, putting together puzzle pieces, and feeding him. I take him to see an occupational therapist in Somerset West 2-3 times per month so she can monitor his progress, work with him, and suggest new activities for us. It takes a lot of patience but we are making progress. In the next few months we are hoping to potty train him and teach him to bite and chew.
He has very little control over the muscles in his face so eating and speaking are very difficult for him. I am working with him on his colors, shapes, putting together puzzle pieces, and feeding him. I take him to see an occupational therapist in Somerset West 2-3 times per month so she can monitor his progress, work with him, and suggest new activities for us. It takes a lot of patience but we are making progress. In the next few months we are hoping to potty train him and teach him to bite and chew.
Hair, hair, hair
Hair is a big event here... the girls need their hair done about once/week, less often if they have the braid extensions (which make daily maintenance easy and look pretty cool). I've learned how to apply hair food and relaxer and know how to pick out moisturizing spray and the hair extensions for the braids. For the younger girls, it's a traumatic experience. Somewhere around 7 or 8 they learn how to suck it up and at least appear like they're not in severe pain.
Anthea and Deslin working on Jeannie's hair.
Lizzie braiding Sisipho's hair.
Washing Jeannie's hair. She basically cries through the whole process. The only hope for comforting her is to give her a bag of raisins.
Anthea and Deslin working on Jeannie's hair.
Lizzie braiding Sisipho's hair.
Washing Jeannie's hair. She basically cries through the whole process. The only hope for comforting her is to give her a bag of raisins.
Meliska
Meliska is "my child" who attend school M-F in near the Cape Town airport. Meliska is one of the sweetest and most polite 9 year olds I have ever met. When she is home on the weekends, she is a huge help, always behaving and helping with her smaller siblings, translating for me and insisting that they listen to me. Meliska was born with spina bifida and as a result has difficulty walking and no control over her bathroom function. She came to Agape when she was 3 years old, having suffered severe abuse and neglect. She spent several years living in the Asiphe House and always receives a warm welcome when she returns for a visit. Here is Tannie Lizze plaiting her hair. 
Elzandre'
Elzandre (“Zandre”) is five years old and attends school on the Agape 1 premises, so I have some time alone with him before he goes to school (since he just has to walk outside to be at school). Karlien is his teacher and mentioned to me that Zandre could use some special attention stimulating his brain. He and I have been spending time learning how to write his name and make other shapes (stars, hearts, etc.). Zandre came to Agape out of a very abusive environment and has some issues with aggression. On one hand he is very afraid of ghosts and the dark and loves sitting on my lap, on the other hand he can be very aggressive with his classmates and siblings.Silliness:
Deslin
Deslin is a 15 year old high school student here in Grabouw. She is growing up very near Agape and has been involved with the church, children’s homes, and youth group for several years. About 8 or 9 days into my stay at Susan and Mathias’s house, I was asking for some help… it was a lot of work… so arrangements were made with Deslin’s family so that she could stay with me and help taking care of the children. She has been a huge help and it has been fun getting to know her. She doesn’t love school and has a dream of studying to be a chef in Italy. She is a very hard worker and is very talented in the kitchen. When she gets busy in the kitchen it is guaranteed that something tasty will emerge.
First Mother's Day
On May 10th, my first Mother's Day, I had 7 children. Susan and Mathias are houseparents at one of the Agape 1 children's homes, and they left for Zimbabwe to visit their eldest daughter and do some work on their house (otherwise risk of it being nationalized by Mugabe). The kids are Jeannie (3), Duwayne (4), Zandre (5), Pelo (7), Meliska (9), Deon (11), and Brandon (13). Here is a picture of my little ones on my first full day with them. Proof that I had them ready for school in time to take a photo.
Asiphe Housemothers
There is no one at Agape I admire more than these women. From left to right – Katie, Katrina, Charmaine, Lizzie, and Pina (short for Phillipina).
They are the housemothers of Asiphe, a home for 15 children with severe disabilities. All except Lizzie (who works 8-5 M-F) work 24 hour shifts 4 days a week. They are cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, changing diapers, administering medications and feeding tubes, feeding children, comforting sad or crying children, playing games and administering the various physical therapies required for each of the children. My living quarters connect to the Asiphe house, I am able to spend a lot of time with these women and the Asiphe children. Some of my most cherished moments so far have been late night conversations with these women. They finally have a chance to rest and eat dinner at about 10PM, after the children are in bed and the work is finished. The shift change happens at 8AM, and we begin each day with singing, prayer, and a devotional, usually read in Afrikaans by Katie. Charmaine’s singing voice is so beautiful and I love when I can hear her singing from my room. Ami calls the Asiphe children the Angels of Agape, so I call these women the caretakers of the Angels.
They are the housemothers of Asiphe, a home for 15 children with severe disabilities. All except Lizzie (who works 8-5 M-F) work 24 hour shifts 4 days a week. They are cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, changing diapers, administering medications and feeding tubes, feeding children, comforting sad or crying children, playing games and administering the various physical therapies required for each of the children. My living quarters connect to the Asiphe house, I am able to spend a lot of time with these women and the Asiphe children. Some of my most cherished moments so far have been late night conversations with these women. They finally have a chance to rest and eat dinner at about 10PM, after the children are in bed and the work is finished. The shift change happens at 8AM, and we begin each day with singing, prayer, and a devotional, usually read in Afrikaans by Katie. Charmaine’s singing voice is so beautiful and I love when I can hear her singing from my room. Ami calls the Asiphe children the Angels of Agape, so I call these women the caretakers of the Angels.
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