Blessed Gérard’s Children’s Home

has seen major growth during the past year. It is a loving home to 28 children at present. The home is overseen by the principal care-giver Mrs. Sandy Porter. She has been an asset to the home and has breathed a breath of fresh air into the daily lives of our children and care-givers alike. Mrs. Porter, under the guidance of the Project Coordinator, Mrs. Clare Kalkwarf, has begun to collect books and videos for a library. She has created a home-work room for the school-going children and encourages the care-givers to take more responsibility and helps them to bring out the best of their qualities. The children are given a chance to develop their confidence and their own personality by being given little tasks to do around the home.

The increase in the number of children has meant that we have had to increase our permanent staff. One care-giver was transferred to the housekeeping department of the Children’s Home and another care-giver was employed.

Many more children suffering from AIDS have come to us. We are very privileged to be able to love and care for them.

The building of Blessed Gérard’s Care Centre houses Blessed Gérard’s Children’s Home and Blessed Gérard’s Hospice on different floor levels. Although the two projects are run separately they complement each other very well. For example, if a child becomes ill, he or she will be transferred to the hospice on the ground floor. Once the child’s health has improved again, he or she will be transferred back to the children’s home on the second floor. No matter what their health problems are, we ensure that the children can live as normal a life as possible.

Three of our children attended the local primary school during 2004 and five attended the local nursery school. The other little children were stimulated by undergoing a formal play programme, to make integration into a public school an easy transition for them, when they are old enough.
The Children’s Home has been given the wonderful gift of a minibus. The Udo Jürgens Foundation donated the money, through the German Malteser Auslandsdienst, to buy the vehicle which was blessed by His Eminence Wilfred Cardinal Napier on 18 September 2004.

This page is part of the Newsletter No. 24 of the Brotherhood of Blessed Gérard

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This page was last updated on Tuesday, 15 January 2013 12:50:11