It is Oeboentoe’s 21st anniversary! As we look back, it is with grace that we experience the most precious and special time in our lives. This is such a great milestone in Oeboentoe’s existence that we still cannot believe we're there yet.

Over the past 21 years a total of 307 youngsters have been cared for by Huis Oeboentoe. At present there are 11 children in the house of which are 3 big boys (already finished school), 7 scholars and a 3 year old teenager.

These children were all placed here from a fairly young age and form the core of House Oeboentoe. Here are their names, ages and periods that they already have been part of our lives:

At the beginning of 2015 we needed to make a decision not to take more children into the home as we wanted to give our full support to the 3 matriculates. We are hopeful that they will pass matric with good results as to start their journey in the adult world.

The 3 grown-up boys are settled into a job for which we are very grateful. Ruan, whom stay with his mother in Rustenburg for a period of time, returned to Pretoria. He passed his matric and his desire is to study Graphic Design. Riaan’s dream is to be trained in an electrical field in order to obtain his red seal. This obvious is a very expensive process. We trust that they will receive the necessary help in order for them to play a valuable role in the community.

The 3 girls in matric will follow a “GAP” year programme at an institution like Target Life which is presented at out church. During this year they will have the opportunity to decide what it is they want to do with their lives. Their home will always be with us as they don’t have any other home or family to return to. We will thus, always be their Mom and Dad. What an honour!!

Allen, whom is 15 years old, is without doubt the most active sportsman in the House. He already received North Gauteng colours for Cycling. He was also chosen to play in the Blue Bull’s under 15 team and we watched him played at Loftus about 3 weeks ago. He was also named player of the match and was very excited about this! He was also chosen as second captain in his school’s under 15 rugby team. Last year he play cricket in the school’s first team. We praise God for his talents and looking forward to see what his sporting talents impose.

For each matric daughter "matric farewell" is one of the biggest BUZZ words of the year. Which make our year so interesting is that 3 of the girls are in matric now and the challenge is 3 times as big. The good news is that they each already have a dress for this very important occasion. We trust that all their other needs for this day will also be fulfilled.

The other children are doing well at school and extracurricular activities. Although their days are busy and full, they need to work hard in order to have a successful year.

Erica and I are doing well although we face the normal challenges at and beyond the 50 mark. After coping without a medical aid for 14 years, we now had to obtain a hospital plan. I visited the Orthopaedist and has to go for a double knee replacement and a Hospital Plan seemed to be the only way out. This is an expensive operation and Steve Biko hospital has a long waiting list.

We attend to look into a medical aid for the 7 adopted and foster children as you know medical costs are rising by the day and to receive free medical care becomes more difficult by the day.

Below are a few challenges we now face:

• Urgent: Maths & Literacy Help Gr12
• Painting of Baby house and outer building
• Sponsor for medical / hospital plan for children
• Upgrading of security system
• Stationary needs for the preliminary matric and final exams
• Replacement of outdoor lights
• Help with fishpond’s pump and filter systems
• Floor for carport

Again we just want to say ‘thank you’ for every Oeboentoe supporter for their continuous support throughout the past 21 years. Also thank you for the difference you bring into the lives of the Oeboentoe Huis children.

We hereby attached an invitation to our 13th Gholf day which is taking place on 19 November 2015 at Woodhill Country Club.

2012 en hierdie deel van 2013 was sekerlik die woeligste jare in die 18 jarige geskiedenis van Huis Oeboentoe.

Eerstens wil ons graag elkeen bedank vir sy onbaatsugtige ondersteuning aan Oeboentoe. Hetsy finansieël, telefoon oproepe om sommer net op te beur; sommer ‘n vinnige inloer of die uitneem van kinders en die belangrikste van als: GEBED; waarvan ons nooit genoeg kan kry nie. Met 4 tieners in die huis en 6 aspirant tieners sal julle verstaan ! Net een tiener in 'n "normale" huis bly ‘n uitdaging.

Sonder hierdie ondersteuning wil ons julle verseker kan Oeboentoe nie bestaan nie en kan ons selfs nie ons opdrag uitvoer of ons skeppingsdoel uitleef nie.

Oeboentoe se bestaan het gekom met Jean-Pierre wat heel eerste as 6 maande oue baba, in 1994, in ons harte kom in kruip het. So het het Oeboentoe in Oktober 2012 AGTIEN geword.

Ons het Jean-Pierre op ‘n jaar aangeneem en word hy dan hierdie jaar reeds 19. Boeta Jean–Pierre was in die afgelope 2 jaar ’n besonderse uitdaging met ‘n klompie tienerstreke en ongelukkig ‘n besluit om skool te verlaat in die middel van 2012. Einde Augustus verlede jaar gaan maak hy vir ‘n tydperk van drie maande ‘n omkeer in sy lewe op Vulanculos in Mosambiek by ‘n sendeling vriend Jaco en sy gesin. Hy keer weer in die middel van Januarie 2013 terug na Vulanculos en as als volgens plan verloop kom hy einde Maart kort voor sy verjaarsdag huis toe om dan by ‘n hotel skool aan te sluit vir verdere opleiding.

Thia wat op 20 dae gekom het is hierdie jaar 17 jaar oud en ons het haar ook aangeneem. Chris-che en Onnica wat in 1998 as klein dogtertjies by ons ‘n spesiale plek kom inneem het word ook hierdie jaar 17. Aldrie is vanjaar in Graad 10.

Allen en Lerato het altwee op 10 dae oud gekom en hulle word hierdie jaar alreeds 13 jaar oud en is in Graad 7. Allen verwerf einde verlede jaar Noord–Gauteng kleure in fietsry waarop hy en ons ongelooflik trots is.

Barend en Anerize is in Januarie 2003 by ons geplaas en word hulle onderskeidelik 12 (Graad 6) en 11 (Graad 5) hierdie jaar en neem ons hulle ook in permanente pleegsorg kort na hulle aankoms.

In die afgelope twee jaar is Ruan ,Riaan, Samatha en Heila suksesvol met hulle families herenig. Hulle was onderskeidelik 9 jaar, 8 jaar en 5 jaar by ons in Pleegsorg. Dit gaan goed met die terugplasings.

Ons is bevoorreg om 2 aangenome kinders, 6 pleegsorg kinders asook 13 kinders in veiligheidsorg in ons sorg by Oeboentoe te hê. Daar is twaalf skoolgaande kinders waarvan drie in die Hoërskool en nege in die Laerskool is. Ons kinders se ouderdomme wissel tussen 16 dae en 18 Jaar.

Op hierdie stadium is ons besig om die buite weer as ‘n baba sentrum in te ruim sodat ons die babas en kleuters afsonderlik kan versorg . Die kleuters sal dan in die een huis en die groot kinders in die ander huis versorg word en die babas in die baba sentrum. In die agtien jaar van Oeboentoe se bestaan was ons bevoorreg om reeds die lewens van 285 kinders aan te raak met die Genade van die Here.

Ons het die volgende behoeftes en versoeke:

• Ons het betrokke geraak by ‘n projek wat deur ons vriendin en haarkapster gedryf word waar ons Hoërskool kinders; meestal dogters; van die omliggende skole help met hulle voorbereidings vir hulle matriekafskeid aan die einde van die jaar asook die Valentyns- en die Lenteballe. Hierdie kinders kan ongelukkig nie al die voorbereidings bekostig nie en is die gedagte dat ons hulle help om nie hierdie geleenthede te mis as gevolg van iets waaroor hulle nie beheer het nie.
• Ons wil graag vra as daar Aandrokke, Balrokke of enige formele klere (seuns en dogters) wat geskik is vir sulke geleenthede by julle hang of nie gebruik word nie vir ons aan te stuur sodat ons dit ook vir hierdie kinders spesiaal kan maak. As daar enige iemand is wat op enige ander manier wil betrokke raak soos byvoorbeeld hare doen, naels versorg, juwele koop, foto’s neem of selfs ‘n voertuig (oud of nuut) beskikbaar wil stel vir ‘n rit na die matriekafskeid of bal sal die erg waardeer word. Laat weet asb as julle wil betrokke raak.
• Ons oudste drie dogters in graad 10 gaan in Junie maand op ‘n Gasvryheids toer na Thailand wat ons glo is ‘n geleentheid wat ons nie by hulle kan laat verby gaan nie. Ons wil graag dankie sê aan almal wat reeds bygedrae het, ons glo ons gaan binnekort die doelwit bereik.
• Ons ander behoefte is klere van prem baba regdeur tot by die oudstes seuns en dogters.
• Kruiderniersware reg oor die spektrum is nou ook behoefte nou dat ons ‘n totaal van 21 kinders en drie groot mense is.
• Ons grootste uitdaging op hierdie stadium is dat ons verlede week ons Toyota Venture na amper 15 jaar diens onwillekeurig gesaai het. Ons was by ‘n atletiek byeenkoms en toe ons moes terug keer huistoe het die "nuwe eienaars" net vir ons die oop gaatjie gelos waar ons ou strydos gestaan het.

Dit maak die vervoer van Oeboentoe ‘n uitdaging maar daarom is die volgende gesegde vir ons belangrik oor die jare:

"The test of real commitment is not how we act when all goes well, but how we react to a challenge."

Die woord van die Here sê ook: "Geen versoeking wat meer is as wat ‘n mens kan weerstaan het julle oorval nie. God is getrou. Hy sal nie toelaat dat julle bo julle kragte versoek word nie, as die versoeking kom sal hy uitkoms gee sodat julle dit kan weerstaan." (1Korinthiers 10:13)

Mag elkeen van ons met hierdie wete die lewe vierkantig in die oë kyk!

Dankie vir die verskil wat elkeen van julle in die lewens van ons kinders by Oeboentoe maak asook in die lewens van ander kinders maak.