Tag Archives: South Africa

Day 2687: Visiting Breath of Life in East London, South Africa

The meaning of love is not to possess – that’s what Michelle Rielly reminded me.

It’s 1 : 35 PM on day 2687 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Psalm 29:11 and promote my 50 New Feet Campaign benefiting MiracleFeet – raised $6 876 only $5 624 more to raise by June 17, 2018 to help 50 kids with clubfoot (thanks so much to everyone who has helped out so far).

Two days ago my sister and I were blessed to visit Breath Of Life – a place of safety for infants in our city whose parents are unable to take of them (to-date 125 kids have been loved and looked after by Breath of Life and 18 000 women in crisis have been counselled by Breath of Life councillors ) – Breath of Life is able to accommodate six infants at a time though when we were there only three were present (Allister, Alec and Aaron, all under the age of one) the kids are taken care of by House Parents Michelle and Andrew Rielly and the lovely ladies who employed by Breath of Life. Before I arrived there I thought I would be most enamoured with the infants (I LOVE babies they represent hope and possibility) but when I got there I couldn’t stop watching Michelle with the babies I saw in her so much love and gentleness and I could not imagine loving other human beings so much knowing I would eventually have to hand them over to their adoptive parents it would absolutely break my heart but being in Michelle’s presence has reminded me that the meaning of love is not to possess. Thank you to Breath of Life and to the Rielly family for their extraordinary service to our city it is noticed and much appreciated. To find out more about Breath of Life and how you can help visit http://www.restoretrust.co.za/projects/breath-of-life/ ,

Images supplied by Michelle Rielly (who is pictured above )

Day 2670: Congratulations to the Class of 2017. #MatricResults2017

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“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.”― Henry David Thoreau

It’s 12 : 32 PM on day 2670 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Lamentations 3:22-23 and promote my 50 New Feet Campaign benefiting MiracleFeet – raised $6 816 only $5 684 more to raise by June 17, 2018 to help 50 kids with clubfoot .

This morning Matrics (12^th graders in South Africa ) found out their final examination results some did well while others have an opportunity to try again this year but to all I say in the end it’s not your report that defines but rather the person you choose to be from this day on. Be in this world the kind of human you want to see and while some people will treat you badly as you go through life remember that freedom is what you do with what has been done to you. Congratulations to the Class of 2017 I’m so very proud of all of you.

Day 2570: Visit South Africa #WorldTourismDay

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In the middle ages people were tourists because of their religion, whereas now they are tourists because tourism is their religion. – Robert Runcie

It’s 11: 52 AM on day 2570 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, have breakfast, read Esther 4:14 and promote my 50 New Feet Campaign benefiting MiracleFeet -raised $3 556 only $9 844 more to raise by June 17, 2018 to help 50 kids with clubfoot (thanks to everyone who has helped out so far) .

Today being World Tourism Day I thought it appropriate to share some pictures my family took while we were on a road trip across our beautiful South Africa in 2009. Enjoy and be sure to come visit South Africa very soon you’ll be so glad you did.

Day 2556: A Night in the Life of An Average South African Woman

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The life I’m living is someone else’s dream– that’s what I keep being reminded of.

It’s 1 : 35 PM on day 2556 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, have breakfast, read 2 Thessalonians 3:10 and promote my 50 New Feet Campaign benefiting MiracleFeet – raised to $3 452 only $9 048 more to raise by June 17, 2018 to help 50 kids with clubfoot .

This morning I was reminded that the life I’m living is someone else’s dream -our housekeeper told me she barely slept last night because her neighbour threatened to pour acid on her while she slept I was horrified for her I asked why she didn’t report her neighbour to the police and she basically told me the police is tied up in bureaucracy – every day I’m thankful for the problems I don’t have and the prayers I don’t have to pray sometimes I wish I could invite every person living in every township in South Africa to come stay at my house nobody deserves to live in a place filled with rats and roaches afraid that someone will break in to their dwelling, rape them or kill them in their sleep (President Zuma how about you invite some of the people who voted for you to stay in your Nkandla home you did pay for it using state money – the lack of moral fibre in my country’s current “leadership” absolutely breaks my heart and shatters my spirit).

Day 2544: Casual Day 2017 #CelebrateDiversity

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Different is cool – that’s my message to the world.

It’s 12 : 09 PM on day 2544 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Nehemiah 1:11, have breakfast and promote my 50 New Feet Campaign benefiting MiracleFeet – raised to $3 290 only $9 210 more to raise by June 17, 2018 to help 50 kids with clubfoot .

Today is Casual Day – a day when all South Africans wear wacky and wonderful clothing and buy stickers to show their support for the differently-abled. Thank you SO MUCH South Africa for celebrating diversity I really feel extra special seeing all the Casual Day pictures on social media.

Day 2523: Hope and South Africa

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Hope is essential to life and living – that’s what I keep realizing.

It’s 11 : 37 AM on day 2523 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Psalm 119:28, have breakfast and promote my 50 New Feet Campaign benefiting MiracleFeet – raised to $2 875 only $9 625 more to raise by June 17, 2018 to help 50 kids with clubfoot .

Recently I’ve look at the state of my country and felt deeply disappointed but I still have hope for a better day if only because citizens like myself are standing up and speaking out about issues that are of concern to us (feeling disappointed sometimes is okay but it’s not okay to throw your hands in the air and quit rather stand up, speak out and do something no matter how little that something may be).

Day 2521: Happy Women’s Day

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“Women empower, girls compete!” – Catherine Constantinides

It’s 3 : 35 PM on day 2521 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Proverbs 19:11, have breakfast and promote my 50 New Feet Campaign benefiting MiracleFeet – Yesterday Nadine Stander donated $22.70 (thanks so much Nadine for your visit and donation it was a highlight of my somewhat gloomy day) which brings the total raised to $2 875 only $9 625 more to raise by June 17, 2018 to help 50 kids with clubfoot – and had a Woman’s Day braai (barbecue) with the family at my cousin’s house – with my family is the only place where i’m not trying to prove i’m capable it’s so refreshing that with them and to them i’m not a philanthropist, ability activist or anything else i’m just Nisha who is loved and equal i LOVE that and I LOVE them.

Today is Women’s Day here in South Africa – a day that commemorates the 1956 march of approximately 20 000 women to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to petition against the country’s pass laws – which has got me thinking about the role of other women in my life everybody from my mother, sister, cousins and extraordinary friends have made me who I am it really does take a village to raise a child, especially a girl child. Happy Women’s Day everyone and to all who’ve made me who I am I thank you so much.

Day 2499: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Nelson Mandela

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There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.- Nelson Mandela

It’s 12 : 30 PM on day 2499 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read 3 John 1:11 have breakfast, and promote my 50 New Feet Campaign benefiting MiracleFeet – raised to $1 775 only $10 725 more to raise by June 17, 2018 to help 50 kids with clubfoot .

Today being Mandela Day – a day during which people all over the world spend 67 minutes of their time in service of others in honour of the late Nelson Mandela’s 67 years of service – and what would have been Mr. Mandela’s 99^th birthday I can’t help feeling extremely privileged to have shared this planet with this extraordinary human if only for a short while I never got to meet him but his life taught me so much about forgiveness, humility, integrity and leadership. Happy 99^th Birthday Tata Madiba you have left this planet but you will never leave my heart I strive every day to be the kind of human and citizen that God, my family, you and my Superhero Catherine Constantinides would be proud of.

Day 2474: Her life, My Life and A Country of Two-Halves

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The life I live is someone else’s dream– that’s what I’ve realized

It’s 11 : 03 AM on day 2474 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Ephesians 5:25, have breakfast and promote my 50 New Feet Campaign benefiting MiracleFeet – between today and yesterday Anonymous 1 and Anonymous 2 donated $150 between them (thanks to them them both) which brings the total raised to $810 only $11 690 more to raise in 359 days to help 50 kids with clubfoot )won’t be easy but very doable with God in me) .

This morning our housekeeper described to me something horrible that happened to her friend’s son and she said her friend just laughed off the heinous abuse of her son in that moment I realized that although our housekeeper and I live in the same country we live in two different worlds she’s told me of gang rapes and other stuff I can neither unhear nor unimagine I’m surprised I sleep at all her stories are in my head and when I’m with her I’m acutely aware of my middle-class privilege I try not to feel guilty about it but it’s hard knowing that had I been born to different parents that would have been me.

Day 2462: THANK YOU to the Heroes of the Garden Route

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“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” – Joseph Campbell

It’s 12 : 23 PM on day 2462 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, have breakfast, read 1 Chronicles 16:12, go to church, and learn a new word – Definitions for aegis 1.protection; support: under the imperial aegis. 2. sponsorship; auspices: a debate under the aegis of the League of Women Voters. Classical Mythology. the shield or breastplate of Zeus or Athena, bearing at its center the head of the Gorgon.

Recently parts of South Africa have been ravaged by fire and while it has been devastating I’m heartened to see South Africa coming together to support those in need. Thank you to the firefighters who are risking their lives to rescue people and to everyone else helping out in different ways.