Newsfeed March 2019
“It has been said that the simple act of caring is heroic! A very deserving group of heroic, compassionate women were treated with an outing to Kirstenbosch Gardens as guests of Light from Africa Foundation. The Care for the Carer day was organised by Orphan Care Foundation and all participants work with ‘at risk’ youth and children in Westlake Village.
We met early on a cool overcast day at Amazing Grace Upliftment Centre in Westlake and made our way to Kirstenbosch where the famous mountain was covered in cloud and mist. For most of us it was our first visit to the famous botanical landmark.
Almarie Pelser and Christine Dube of Light from Africa were our hosts for the day and welcomed us to the “safe space” where we were encouraged to share our experiences and feelings, hopes and dreams for ourselves and the children we care for. We began by introducing ourselves before getting our hands dirty with moulding a lump of damp clay. Guided by the guest art teacher, Sanet Visser, we discovered our innate creative abilities – some more than others – and transformed negative emotions such as despair or despondency into positive ones like hope, surprise, satisfaction, and joy. We giggled at each other’s little clay doggies. It was quite obvious which of us owns a special pooch.
As our spirits lifted so did the clouds and the iconic mountain was revealed as the sun came out. The healing power of nature was evident during our therapeutic, contemplative walk through the botanical gardens and over the Boomslang walkway winding and dipping its way through and over the trees of the Arboretum. We marvelled at the spectacular panoramic vistas of the surrounding mountains, garden and Cape Town. Before returning for lunch we posed for a quick group photo on the edge of the Otter Pond with its lovely sculpture of a Cape Clawless Otter by Llewellyn Davies.
After lunch we concluded with an introspective exercise making a poster mood-board from magazine clippings depicting our hopes and wishes for ourselves and for the children we work with.
We all left this beautiful place clutching our precious art works with a better understanding of ourselves, our partners and the work we do feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and energised”.
By Jane Fitnum
