67 Minutes for Mandela Day

 

 

Yesterday, 18 July, Nelson Mandela turned 95 years old. He is undoubtedly the most loved man in Africa who has changed our country forever. 

In honour of 67 minutes for Mandela Day, a friend organized an afternoon at Edith Benson Children's Home which I jumped at the opportunity to join. I had been wanting to volunteer at a children's home for so long but got so wrapped up in my busy life that I just never got around to making enquiries so when I received her email I immediately said yes!

 They have 60 children at the home ranging from 0-5years old. We had a tour of the home and then got to visit the children. They have 3 division, 0-18 months, 18-24 months and then 24months-5 years.

The 18-24 months was the first division we visited and it completely overwhelmed me how these little tots physically cry out for love and affection. As you walk in they come running up to you hugging your legs or with their arms out stretched wanting to be picked up. If you sit down you will have at least 2/3 children trying to sit on your lap. They are very precious and a lot of fun.

 

 

Next we visited the 24 months - 5 years and wow are they energetic! There was complete chaos with kids running around everywhere with balloons and face masks and plenty of sweets. All of them telling you 'happy birthday Madiba' which was so precious. They were on a complete sugar high celebrating Madiba's birthday. I found this age group quite overwhelming and hard to interact with.

 

Lastly we visited the 0-18 month division where I lost my heart a million times over. This is where I spent most of my time. These little sausages are tiny and completely dependent on their care givers. There was one little boy who stole my heart, he was between 4-8 weeks old and had been dropped off the day before by his parents. He was so tiny and helpless and I just couldn't understand how any parents could disown him. There was a set of twins boys who had been adopted by Danish parents and were being collected the following week, such a happy story where their little lives are going to be changed forever.

 

 

 

It was the most heart wrenching experience yet the most fulfilling. I have so much love to give a child and if I cant give that to my own child it is such a blessing to be able to give it to these little tots who so desperately need it! 

 

 

 

As Nelson Mandela says above, its always impossible until its done but imagine a world where every family adopted an orphan. Where every single child in the world had loving parents who changed their lives. What an amazing, happy world that would be x