Showing posts with label The Lighthouse Baby Shelter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Lighthouse Baby Shelter. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Unschooled and Homeschooled Kids Equal Socially AWARE Human Beings

Kids are playing, running around and squealing with joy.
Mommies are chatting and sipping on tea and having a good old time.
(you notice from the corner of your eye, YOUR kids are HIGH in a tree, encouraging the smaller folk to join...you quickly pretend to be..er.. otherwise, shake your head and sip sip sip sip)

Mommies are chatting about...darn it...schools!
Here goes.
"So where do yours go?"
Of course you're ALWAYS the last to answer.
"My Kids? Oh, we homeschool."
And then you brace yourself for 
The Ultimate Question...
"What about Socialising Your Kids?" (hand to mouth)

ahem...

M Y  K I D S  A R E  P L A Y I N G   W I T H  Y O U R  K I D S  !!!
And aren't I here?
At the same play date that you are at??
(ok thats what I say in my head)

But really?
Redundant question right?!?

I answer in the polite way and then

Problem solved...right?!?
No, its not.

Then they continue to ask...
"So, what about extra curricular...? they can make friends there, right?"

Socialising during a Jiu Jitsu lesson?!?
That's not going to happen!
I think the coach will make them drop and give him 50.

When there are other kids around my "at home" children play, chat...ahh, socialise with them.
I don't have an issue with the question, or rather, the assumption, that "at home" children are
less socialised - because let's face it, I question and assume a whole lot of stuff.

But in the mean time.

My "at home" boys are in fact awesome, and I might be biased, but ...
I'm going to go with it.
I watch them everyday share a part of themselves and that is beautiful.

These boys have helped plant a veggie garden to feed people less fortunate than us.
They've also been helping at a shelter for the past 3 years.

They might not speak a second language...(yet).
But the language of their hearts inspires me to give more of ME.
In the end its about the quality of relationships that you have with others that form you.
In the very beginning it was just CS Lewis and his brother.
Thomas Merton often had only his Dad.
Missionary kids, back in the day, had local villagers.
Frederick Buechner.
Leonardo da Vinci.
EE Cummings and I am sure you'll be able to add to that list.



I believe a deepness exists in all children.
This, I feel, is just the beginning of, GOD WILLING, awesome adults.



Love and Light

ps. I know that there are beautiful schools in South Africa sharing with local communities giving of themselves. This blog is NOT intended to discredit Schools, but only to credit that which must be credited.

Tuesday, is our day at the Shelter, and Teacher Kim did long and short!













Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Homeschool: Compassion

South Africa.
As much as there is Joy in our country there is sadness and heartache.
While we have beautiful animals.
Lions are at risk for the belief that their bones may bring some miraculous power...for men.
Our Rhinos, beautiful, but close to extinction.

Our people, have scars.
Xenophobia, apartheid, discrimination, fraud.
Prostitution, AIDS, poverty, and way more to add to that list.

And yet you can find happiness at a traffic light.
Young men selling art, mandarines, pecan nuts and sunglasses.
With smiles on their hearts trying to make an honest living.

Our primary decision in homeschooling our Boys,
was to teach them compassion.
Teach them that 99% of the world lives this way.

The Lighthouse Baby Shelter,  is a place for abandoned babies.
(unfortunately I cannot link their website, you can find them on Facebook)
The concept is based on the Door of Hope Ministries also known as Hole in the Wall,
here in South Africa.

A little Moses Basket is cut into the wall,
where if you are a Mommy who cannot look after her baby,
can leave him or her in there safely.
Once the baby is in, the door locks an alarm sounds,
this is all surveyed, and a caregiver gets the baby.

Elenor, the woman who runs The Lighthouse, is awesome.
She is strong, beautiful and blessed.
A heart like Jesus!

Every Tuesday, the Boys, Kim, her mom Anne, Sue, Michelle (my Sister in Law), Luke and Hannah
go to the Lighthouse. Here we teach, play and share our lives with these beautiful children.

I believe it is conditioning their heart to love.
I hope it grows.
Compassion.

Its not easy for a 6 and 4 year old to pour out their hearts.
Joshy and Lijie you are the most amazing boys.
Your hearts truly belong to Jesus.
Your Mommy loves you boys!


Atini: Caregiver

Kim Kohler: Teacher and Friend
Whole World in His Hands


All Kinds of Fun

Fun
Love and Light
>i<