Brotherhood of Blessed Gérard

1 December 2008: Father Siphosenkosi Titus takes over the office of the Administrator of Goods of the Brotherhood of Blessed Gérard from Miss Susanne Stauffer.

1 December 2008: Sister Thandanani Simelane starts her full time employment in Blessed Gérard‘s Hospice as registered professional nurse for our HAART Programme.

1 December 2008: World AIDS Day. Susanne Stauffer, Dr. Nzimande, Victor Himunchul and Wiseman Zulu attended functions at Nampak factories in iSithebe. The employees of Nampak had been donating gifts for Blessed Gérard's Children's Home and they topped it up with a visit at Blessed Gérard's Children's Home in the afternoon, where the employees had at least equally as much fun playing with our children at our playground as our children had. The Nampak employees were so impressed how well run Blessed Gérard's Children's Home is that they spontaneously pledged their continued support also in future.

1 December 2008: As our "Feast of Life" on World AIDS Day 2007 had been such a great success, we repeat this celebration this year. All our patients who are on antiretroviral treatment are invited to celebrate their life in joy and gratitude with us. A large crowd of close to 80 patients came and if World AIDS Day had not been a weekday, we might have had even more attending of those who are back to work.

„World AIDS DAY 2008

After thorough preparation by Caroline Beaumont and the Kitchen staff and all other staff members including the HAART TEAM and management, we are ready to have our 2008 World AIDS Day celebrations. The event starts promptly at 12:00 midday and Father opens it by welcoming all those present. By their broad smiles and frantic waving, when Father walks in, it is clear that these patients adore and are very grateful to Father. Considering that it is a working day it is well attended with just less than half of our 160 patients, on HAART, being present. Father introduces the entire HAART team including the new members, namely Sister Simelane and ENA Phumelele Magubane and also expresses his gratitude towards the staff. Dr Nzimande and Mr Wiseman Zulu also have e few words to say to those present. It is just wonderful and heart warming to see all those familiar faces, patients who were once bedridden, now fully ambulant and testifying on the regaining of their health following their usage of Anti –Retrovirals. The sincerity of their gratitude to Father as the founder of the Centre, and to the staff in general brings some of those present to the brink of tears. Lunch is then served and several issues are discussed. Eventually it is time to close, for everyone to go their separate ways, only now with more vigour and more spring to their step. It has been an emotionally absorbing day and it is on such days that one realises what a difference the Blessed Gerard’s Care Centre is making in so many people’s lives. That is, in a nutshell, World AIDS Day 2008 at 61 Anderson Road.“
(Dr. Nzimande)

4 December 2008: Blessed Gérard's Pre-Primary School & Crèche (which had looked after 37 boys + 21 girls = 58 children in 2008) celebrates its year-end-function with "graduation" of those children who will attend primary school in 2009.

4 December 2008: Meeting of the Councils of the Brotherhood of Blessed Gérard and of Blessed Gérard's Care Centre.

5 December 2008: Sr. Edith Zulu O.S.B. takes over the care of our eight oldest children, the "family group" of Blessed Gérard's Children's Home. As it is Sr. Edith's birthday today, we celebrate accordingly.

8 - 13 December 2008: Father Gérard attends a retreat at Inkamana Abbey.

14 December 2008: Sunday outing of the "family group" of Blessed Gérard's Children's Home with Sr. Edith Zulu O.S.B. to Twasana Convent.

15 December 2008: Mr Victor Himunchul is appointed as Project Coordinator of Blessed Gérard's Children's Home. Father Sipho is appointed as Project Coordinator of Blessed Gérard's Bursary Fund, Blessed Gérard's Poor-Sick-Fund and Blessed Gérard's Relief Fund.

15 December 2008: Farewell celebration for Susanne Stauffer at Blessed Gérard's Care Centre

16 December 2008: Susanne Stauffer returns to Germany after more than four years of most dedicated voluntary service at Mandeni.

16 December 2008: Father Gérard is appointed Diocesan Caritas Director & HIV/AIDS Coordinator of the Diocese of Eshowe by Bishop Xolelo Kumalo with effect of 1st January 2009.

17 - 23 December 2008: The German mission helpers Peter and Anne Hehl come to visit us and help us tremendously in our Christmas preparations.

21 December 2008: Sunday Outing of Children from Blessed Gérards's Children's Home to Zinkwazi