Khothatsong – Foster Care
What is being done?
The foster care program is organized by a subcommittee of volunteers from the Free Reformed Church in South Africa. They are responsible for the operation of two foster care homes in Shoshanguve. The East house has five children, four of whom are school aged and the west house currently has two preschool boys and is awaiting even more children. The committee hires, trains and supervises the local house mothers who provide the day to day care for the children. They are either HIV positive or have been abandoned by parent(s) who were not able to look after them because of their own struggle with HIV/AIDS. As a consequence the committee organizes for special supports to deal with their trauma. As the children become school aged, they are supported to attend Christian school.
Challenges
- Retaining staff who have the skills and aptitude to nurture the children
- Supporting the black staff to get past some traditional practices that prevent them from working in the best interests of the children
- Supporting the children to get past the trauma experienced before coming to the foster home.
For the mothers, who took up such a loving task to bring up children, who are already damaged in life. We pray the Lord to give them wisdom to teach the children to see Jesus Work in their lives. He died that we can live.
For all these foreign mothers, who leave their babies anywhere to die or to be found. And others who sign their children off. We pray that they learn about God`s love. In the deepest darkness, He is their Saviour. We also pray that the socio-political situation in South Africa will change so that foreign people feel they can offer the children a future in this country.
For the babies, who never knew their earthly mothers and fathers. May our foster mothers be their mothers and our Father in heaven their father.
