Speaks volumes

[MajGenl.Meade]

This is a letter written by Naledi Mafa (12 years old) who stays in Bolokanang. "Naledi" means "Star" and indeed I call her my little star and she calls me 'grandfather' -ntate moholo which is really to do with having grey hair. A group from Bolokanang visited a boy, Senzo, who had been severely burned and is in Pelonomi hospital. He may come to Bolokanang if he survives. She wrote down her feelings after the visit.

(It is typed exactly the way she wrote it on Wednesday after I'd helped her with maths homework and Mosala with his English)

"We as children of Bolokanang we are so lucky to live here and being protected by our carers. We have seen from Senzo we felt so much pain seen him like that. Senzo is the first example for us children of Bolokanang we have learnt that if we were outside Bolokanang we would have been more than we saw Senzo. Even though we spoke to him not all of us spoke to him but we were nine the most we afraid to talk and five of us we not there to see Senzo. I was more than broken heart when I first saw Senzo. I even wanted to cry but I swallowed my tears but the greatest thing is that those nine people just told Senzo about God but the greatest thing is that Kagisho did n’t let himself down. He also told Senzo that he was also burned but with God’s word he has been healed. So we told Senzo to keep up the faith of being healed. Senzo has made me think that I must never laugh at people like him. I am going to say thank you God for giving us the opportunity to live in Bolokanang. I thank God and the management of Bololokanang. Senzo And I chatted so nice with no shyness. Senzo has given me a lot of ideas.

Naledi Mafa 7/3/2012" (March 7th 2012)

[Lord Jim]

That's beautiful General...

So many unspeakably awful thing are happening to so many African children, it's great to see accounts from those who feel secure and hopeful....

Those are things that every child should have a right to feel, and kudos are in order for those who are bringing it to young ones who otherwise would not.

[MajGenl.Meade]

BTW Kagisho wasn't saying that God's word healed him of his burns like some physical miracle. He refers to his anger and isolation when he first came to the centre after recovering from the burns. What he found was acceptance (odd thing for children to manage but sometimes they come through!), a shared faith and along with the others he really enjoys a good foot-stomping, conga-line Sunday worship service as do we. Again, perhaps odd for 'Church of England' which it is - with its liturgy and books - but TIA and nothing stays too much like a stuffed shirt when the locals get a good hold of it. Yes the staff at Bolokanang, difficult though things can sometimes be (misunderstanding is rife), deserve a lot of credit for their caring.

Meade

[Timster]

Wonderful and inspiring. Keep up the good work.

[loCAtek]

Excellence! Good Genr'l sir, may I send you and your camp some small gift for Easter? Pls PM me.