More than one million abortions in South Africa- Where do you stand?

Life is cheap. Mistakes happen. Our world is a mess. So how can we help?

When you see or hear this statement, it is easy to think that one cannot do anything to change this law or situation. The media is currently showing us that we are walking on shaky moral ground in South Africa. How do we as citizens start to stand up and take a different stand?

I am a member of a community church where we want to stand and be counted. What is happening to children is not OK. Abortions, abuse and a lack of education is not acceptable. As a church we have taken a stand in the community.

We launched a Pregnancy Support centre to help any young girl/woman who may find herself in this situation. Rather than condemn or reject, we want to help them understand that there are alternatives. The next step in the process is that we have Bethany House, a home for babies that may be abandoned or where adoption is the alternative for this mom. The third option is Play with a Purpose. A place where the young mom can study to become an early childhood teacher and find work and support her baby. We work with all the schools in the area, offering emotional and life skill support for the teachers and learners. We also have a new group that has started this year for matriculants who cannot get into tertiary study. We are walking alongside this group to empower them with life skills to enter the next phase of life.

In the Dinokeng Scenarios (www.dinokengscenarios.co.za ) the WALK TOGETHER scenario is an engaged civil society together with an efficient government. On the one hand we need to DO and on the other we need to vote and voice our stand. Today I feel like our community has made a HUGE step in the right direction.

The pictures on this note:
1. Baby Ester, the first baby born since the project was launched.
2. Planting baby crosses ( to represent the million babies) at the entrance of the community church property to ensure that the community understands that we are there to help and love whoever may need hands and heart.

If you would like to help any of these projects with finances, please be in contact with me. lgsmith@mweb.co.za

Your children are my children

There are about 30 000 schools in South Africa. Only about 6000 of these schools are working with any sense of excellence and giving the children an education that may prepare them for a 21st century world. Education is a basic human right and currently the state of our nation is a disgrace when we measure ourselves against this part of the agenda.
We are all citizens of this nation. Daily we hear and read about this challenge. It seems hopeless and one may feel helpless. The easy route is to comment and continue to be a spectator in this debate. The challenge is to engage and become an active member of society. Through the Dinokeng Scenarios we are called to become active citizens if we want a WALK TOGETHER scenario for this nation. (www.dinokengscenarios.co.za) Will you continue to be a consumer who takes from society or will you become a citizen who gives?
Each of us has something that we can offer. One does not need to be a teacher to take hands in this journey. Refirement Network is engaging with projects across our nation to help find solutions. We are building a database of volunteers in each part of the country, sourcing projects where you can volunteer and together building the nation, ONE CHILD AT A TIME.
Here are some of the ideas that come to mind. Most ideas are simple and just need hands and feet to make them work.
• Start a Scrabble/Chess/Music/Art Club
• Read at your local School
• Use your business and leadership skills.
• Offer your help to coach soccer/any sport
• Computer literacy
• Support teachers and principals through life skill training
• Become a mentor
• Spend time at a home for children without parents
• Work with an organization that manages the orphaned and vulnerable children in our nation.
The list is never ending. The challenge is to change our attitude from consumer to citizen. We need to engage, become involved and help to EDUCATE THE NATION. Every child deserves to be educated, loved and cared for. Will you become an active member of this community and help us mobilize this dream.
On the Refirement Network website you can add your details and skills for national projects. There is also space to subscribe to the free monthly newsletter that will connect you with projects on the radar to build the nation. Currently busy with a pilot called. “School at the centre of Community” Please, be in touch if you would like to be involved in any way? Go to www.refirementnetwork.com to register.

There are 24 000 schools. We need at least 24000 business owners to step up to help adopt a school close to their community. Secondly we need 24 000 business mentors to work with the principal. This will involve 8 days of volunteering in one year. This may look like a mammoth task. All it will take is a change of attitude and the realization that these children are your children.