EDUCATION PROJECT
Well, in January, we bought many School Uniforms for the children in Concordia, in our Soup Kitchen and Safe House. Adriaan at the Pep Store in Checkers is a wonderful person, who gives us a discount now for things we buy for our Safe House and School Uniforms. Thank you so much Adriaan. Thank you also to the Hawtin's in Austraila, who set up this project, for their continued support. Many children went off to school looking neat and tidy this year.
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LUKHANYISO SAFE HOUSE
We still have Nandipha and the three children in the Safe House, and they are getting along very well. Nandipha has passed her 1st grade Home Based Carer Course, and we want to book her in for the 2nd Grade, and let her do some volunteer work to get some experience and try and get her a job doing home based caring. She is a sweet and lovely girl, and very capable.
Then very sadly 3 weeks ago, one of our little Soup Kitchen girls was raped. It has been a traumatic time dealing with Police and Social Services. Ella has a different approach to these incidents. Her aim is to change people's lives. Ella grew up with an alcoholic mother, so knows exactly how to deal with situations. So she has the little girl and her mother now staying with her in her home. Low self-esteem and empty abused lives lead to misery and alcohol. Well believe me there is none of that at Ella's - it is bright and happy, filled with good food and loads of laughter. These two lives have changed dramatically since they have been staying with Ella.
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Then we received a little boy in the middle of the night about a week ago, a very sad little chap, missing his mother. Mother and granny absorbed in alcohol and emptiness. Ella does not see the answer to these problems in separating the child from its mother. So she has taken this whole family of 4 also into her home. Mother, granny, a little girl of 5 years and the little boy of 2 years. And let me tell you the smile on that little boy's face when he saw his mother was worth it all.
Since they have moved in, received good, clean living and food and laughter, new clothes, hair do's, you also would not believe they are the same people.
Our main needs for this time in feeding 6 extra people at Ella's and 4 in the safe house, are food and electricity.
We are in the process of extending Ella's house, so it looks like a building site there at the moment, and they have all been living there through all the hammering and bashing down of walls, poor things. Hopefully things will be better in about a week's time.
Thanks to everyone for your support during this time.
SOUP KITCHEN
The Soup Kitchen continues to operate daily, with approx. 30 children there for food. We might have a new Soup Kitchen soon, as we met a wonderful German family, Thomas Schad, and we are trying to set up another project for a counselling room for Ella and maybe a bigger Soup Kitchen. Then the great container that Mel and Jules donated will be greatly received by the Police as a station in the Township where they might have a base to operate from, which is what Mel and Jules originally wanted to do.
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ANIMAL WELFARE
This we practice on every tour - and thank you to all those who donate dog biscuits and feed all the hungry doggies all through the township. I even came across a spotted eagle owl being carried by two men in the township, and managed to get it from them, it was injured and I took it to the Knysna Veterinary Clinic. They checked him over and unfortunately had to put him down, but at least he does not have to suffer with one eye and a broken shoulder in a witchdoctor's smokey hut forever! Thanks Knysna Vets!
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Thanks to Anna in Holland and Jim and Janet in Canada for their terrific support. With their funds we are able to buy bigger things, like dog shelters, as most dogs just sleep out in the rain. We buy dog collars and leads for those tied up, so they are under better circumstances. We try to educate children and adults alike to look after their pets and thank Knysna Animal Welfare for their terrific support whenever needed. They are efficient, compassionate and always willing to help.
Thanks to everyone for supporting our projects and please pray that Ella has the wisdom, understanding, compassion and strength to continue her life changing project within her own home.
Our love to you all
Ella and Penny
Emzini Tours
082 338 6289
