Tuesday, 21 June 2011

WHO IS WILLIAM AND WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM?

I did not think about it that so many people will read this blog that has not met William yet.  William is from the Transkei and speaks Xhosa, Afrikaans and a little English. About 12 years ago I was looking for someone to help me start up with a project with children from a very disadvantaged community. But normally when you find a worker you need to always be there to supervise this worker. My message was that I was looking for someone that likes to work for himself.

From the winecellar I got a message that the worker I am looking for is on holiday from the transkei and is travelling with his sewing machine. Where ever  he is he will start doing amends on clothes and get some money in. I showed William my plans and I will never forget how enthusiastic he was. His wife (they are now seperated) was still in the transkei and would only join him much later.

William started as builder, then painter, then gardener and finally he was the best teacher for our Grade R children. The children lovingly calls him "Boetie", meaning Brother.

Early in the start of the project William found children abandoned and sleeping on weekends under the bushes because of abuse in the community. William took them into his own home and later sponsors from Holland put up a small hut for these children. One of these "children" - Andile became William's attacker and another one - Lethu  is now a personal carer of William.

Andile for a long time was a problem maker and for the last two years we have refused him entry at the project. He turned out abusing alcahol and drugs. Drug abuse are increasing in Bonnievale and he wanted money from William. But he was not alone, another person also joined the attack. Both of them are now in prison awaiting trial for this attack but also for other crimes.

They stole R 2000.00 from William and with the brutal attack on him, he was left for dead, his life are changed forever.

Saturday, 18 June 2011

photos from last weekend

Children wanting to help with wheelchair at the project.
Elsie and Zano with their children

Kholeka and her youngest boy

During church service everyone came to greet William first the men, then the woman and then the children. From the oldest to the youngest all on their knees...
A lot of dancing made all of the churchgoers very sweaty

Dancers in front of William

Some of William's injuries. Wound at the back of the head is finally healed.

Lethu helping William out of the wheelchair

Lethu busy putting braces on Williams hands

Sunday, 12 June 2011

Weekend with William

William ist at the moment in the Western Cape Rehab Centre, close to the Airport in Cape Town.

He is allowed to go for a weekend "home" to Bonnievale.

For William to return "home" I had to take Lethu for training on how to take care of William. Lethu did very well with the training and staff at the Rehab centre complimented him on his caring attitude. But when I took Lethu home he said to me that he does not mind doing this for William but he is a young man, only 21 years old and he does not want to do it all the time.

William has no control of muscles in the torso and that means he has no use of his arms, hands. He cannot sit on his own. Everything that we do for ourselves without thinking twice - a carer now must do for William.

So we had to take Zano (husband of Elsie - employed at the project) last wednesday to do training. On Friday I could pick the two of them up. I arrived at 12h00 and finally at 14h00 we were on the road back to Bonnievale. Normally a two hour drive.

William was in good spirit, I bought him an ice cream and he enjoyed it very much. On the farm he was very tired and I send Hugo with Zano back to Bonnievale. Zano wanted to see his family again and Lethu would stay with William for the weekend. Big was my surprise when Hugo cam back not only with Lethu but also with the three children of William. Phumesa, Ayanda and Pakamani - had to make another bed for them.

On Saturday I took William to the project and left him there with helpers to pack his things. It took me another two trips to bring all his furniture and stuff to store on the farm. Now the two rooms that he occupied we can use for the baby room. We are registred now to take care of 6 babies and we want to start doing just that.

Saturday evening William was very tired and after putting him into bed we were all tired. It was quite a picture as I sat unwinding watching a film with the children of William and Lethu all in a row next to me. Lethu was very attentive and every now and tehn checked with William to see if he was ok.

On Sunday I took William to a church service of his church the Zion Church. They organised to have it in the big wendy house at the project. I left him there at 11h00 and at 16h00 I went back to pick him up. But they were still busy with dancing, singing and praying. I took some nice photos and will post it later in the week.
Lethu stayed in the Squatter Camp and Zano came out and is taking care of William tonight. But they are both tired and when I looked in they were both asleep at 21h00.

Tomorrow I have to take the children to school at 07h45, then William has to see the police, and we have to go to the Bank. Then I will take the farm truck to Paarl for a service, at the moment I am the only one with a valid licence to drive the truck. Hugo will come to Paarl with William and we will together go to the rehab centre.

We will stay over in Milnerton and on Tuesday Hugo has a conference in Paarl and I will then take the truck back to Bonnievale.

This week is a short week, Thursday is a public holiday.

Wochenende mit William

William ist im moment in der Reha Klinik "Western Cape Rehab Centre" in Mitchells Plain, nicht weit weg vom Flughafen in Kapstadt.

William durfte fuers Wochenende nach Bonnievale kommen. Aber...

Letzte Woche Mittwoch habe ich Zano zur William gebracht fuer Training als Versorger. Am Freitag konnte ich die beiden dann abholen. Um 12h00 war ich da, um 14h00 waren wir endlich dann wieder auf dem Weg nach Bonnievale. Ja im Rollstuhl ist alles nicht so einfach.

William war aber sehr gut drauf, ich habe ihm einen Eis gekauft und er hat es mit Genuss geschleckt. Unterwegs hat mein Handy immer wieder gebimmelt - Verwandte und Freunde von William wollte wissen wann er dann endlich kommt.

William ist im Oberkoerper gelaehmt. Er kann die Beine bewegen aber er kann kaum stehen und kann garnicht gehen. Die Arme sind bewegungslos und die Finger kann ruehren aber er kann nichts greifen. Er muss gefuettert und gekleidet werden. Und alles andere natuerlich auch was wir so selbstverstaendlich machen kann. Er ist aber sehr gedulgig und positiv eingestellt. Er wird sehr gemocht im Reha Centre wegen seiner Persoenlichkeit.

Freitag Abend zu Hause habe ich Hugo mit Zano nach Bonnievale geschickt. Zano wollte zurueck zu seiner Familie und Lethu der schon training gemacht hat als Versorger sollte kommen. Gross war meiner Ueberraschung als Hugo zurueck kam mit Lethu und die drei Kinder von William. Musste dann noch einen Bett zurecht machen fuer die Kinder. Phumesa, Ayanda und Pakamani.

Am Samstag sind wir zum Projekt und habe ich William dort gelassen mit Helfer. Die haben seine Sachen zusammen gepackt. Noch zwei mal war ich zum Projekt gefahren, jetzt sind seiner Moebel und Sachen in einem Abstellkammer auf der Farm aufbewahrt.

Die zwei Zimmer wo er gewohnt habe werden wir jetzt als Babyzimmer einrichten. Wir duerfen jetzt 6 Baby's versorgen und wollen dann auch damit anfangen.

William wohnt bei uns im Haus, habe einen Zimmer mit Zwei Einzelbetten eingerichtet. Er ist sehr zufrieden. Samsatagabend war er schon ganz schoen erschoppft. Ist frueh ins Bett gebracht und ich habe mit den Kindern und Lethu Fern geschaut. Das war ein Bild - ich mit 4 Schwarze Kinder auf einer Reihe. Gott sei Dank hat Hugo kein Problem damit. Lethu war sehr aufmerksam und ist immer wieder hoch und hat nach William geschaut.

Am Sonntag haben seine Mitglieder von der Zionkirche einen Gottesdienst arrangiert im grossen Wendyhaus am Projekt. Ich habe William und Lethu gegen 11h00 dort hin gebracht. Gegen 16h00 wollte ich William wieder abholen aber kam gerade noch in Zeit wo letzter Tanz und Gebet gemacht wird. Habe sehr schoene Fotos gemacht - werde die spaeter in der Woche auch auf dem Blog bringen. Und dann wurde noch gegessen.

Lethu und die Kinder von William sind dann dort geblieben und Zano ist wieder mit als Versorger fuer die Nacht. Zano ist sehr empatisch, Ehemann von Elsie (Angestellte am Projekt) und er hat im moment kein Arbeit.

Ich muss William am Montag ( Morgen) zur  Bank bringen, auch muss er zum Polizei. Es gibt gute Nachrichten, beide Attentaeter sind gefangen und sind im Gefaengnis.

Morgen 07h45 bringe ich die Kinder zur Schule, dann William zur Polizei und Bank. Dann wieder zurueck auf die Farm. Hugo faehrt mit William dann nach Paarl und ich mit dem Laster. Laster muss in die Werkstatt in Paarl und ich bin im moment die einsigste auf der Farm mit gueltige Lizenz. Von Paarl fahre ich mit zum Reha Centre. Abends werden wir in Milnerton uebernachten und am Dienstag hat Hugo Konferenz in Paarl. Dann werde ich wieder Laster abholen und zurueck nach Bonnievale fahren.

Die Woche ist wieder kurz, am Donnerstag ist Feiertag "Youthday"

Thursday, 2 June 2011

Thursday, Thursday...

IZAK IN FRONT OF A VERY CLEAN GARDEN




LORETTA WITH THE EARLY DANCE GROUP....