On the 6th of June, we welcomed our 100th baby to our Babies’ Home! The four-day-old girl’s parents had chosen to release her for adoption rather than abort her - which is so often seen as the easier alternative. Urban Life Church, through Botshabelo, has impacted so many children. This has had a ripple effect into the hearts and lives of families where children have been restored back to their own family, or adopted and fostered by families both here and abroad. Since opening in March 2000, 36 children have been adopted, 31 have been restored to their own families and 11 have been placed in foster families!

A highlight during 2008 was to see our first HIV positive child placed in an adoptive family! The stigma and understanding of the disease has changed to being understood as a chronic illness that can be managed with treatment. It is no longer the “death sentence” it was seen to be  inthe early days when we first opened the home. There is a need for more families to offer a real home to children who are on treatment, and needing to lead a normal life, rather than to grow up in institutional care. As caring as this alternative home is, this is never the best option for any child.

To assist families who are fostering or who have adopted children, we have started a “support group” that has been running for about a year, where we can share the joys and struggles as well as just have some fun together. We want to build on this and come alongside families or individuals who are embracing children into the fabric of their hearts and lives.

Another way of helping children lead a “normal life” as far as possible is through allowing them to be involved in local schools. Here they have the opportunity to participate in the routine of going to school and making friends outside of the Children’s home setting. We have several preschool age children, and we would love to send more of them to preschool when they are ready. Elma Jones is currently working with some of these children to help them catch up on the development that they may have missed. This will prepare them to enter the more formal schools. “Teacher Elma” is fast becoming a favourite among the kids. It would be wonderful if families could consider sponsoring a child to go to school – whether it is for a month, a year, or longer.

If you are interested in fostering or adopting, or would like to be a support to these families, you can contact me for more information. While not everyone can offer a child a home, there are other ways of making a difference in the children’s lives. If everyone was able to get involved in some way, either through contributing their time, expertise or financial support, it would make a huge impact on the lives of the next 100 children to come through the doors of our “Home of Destiny”.