When I grow up I want to be… a stay at home dad so that I can always be at home with my children and have lots of fun with them.
Cale’s mother passed away in May 2012, and social workers brought him to us after trying in vain to search for his relatives. Despite his circumstances, he could walk and even say a few words – proof that even though his mother had very little, she loved her son and tried to take care of him. He is now a very energetic whirlwind of a boy, doing everything at great speed and with enthusiasm. He loves sports, and excels in track and rugby.
He finds academics difficult and overwhelming at times, but still tries hard and has a positive and cheerful attitude. He is currently in Grade 8 at Saxonvil Independent Learning School.
When I grow up I want to be… a firefighter, I have even had an interview with the local fire chief to see what it takes.
When we first met Zac, he was 2 yrs old. He was left naked, lying all day in the sand outside his house. Due to the abuse, he was physically and emotionally stunted, having the appearance and strength of a 10 month old. He has been diagnosed with attachment disorder, which caused him to struggle in a large mainstream school.
We are currently homeschooling Zac; he is studying through Koa Academy and has a tutor that comes in to help him 3 times a week. He is currently in Grade 7. We have found that the homeschooling environment meets his needs better and allows him to feel as if he is making progress.
Although he still carries the emotional scars, he has blossomed from being a despondent, angry, tentative boy into a mischievous, fun-loving giggler with a bit of an obsession for cars.
When I grow up I want to be… independent and successful.
One of the kindest, most diligent and polite boys you will ever have the privilege of meeting, S’celo came to us in December 2014. With the help of dedicated tutors he started to learn English for the first time, and began thriving at school, even helping the other Hearts That Hope children with their English and math homework. Being the typical “big brother” he taught most of his siblings to ride bikes and skateboards, and always passes down any new skill he learns. He has a large group of friends, and has great leadership potential.
S’celo loves being outdoors; from playing sports, to catching the shorebreak at the beach or riding horses he is always up for adventure and a new challenge. He is currently in his first year at the University of Pretoria studying B.Admin but is hoping to transfer to B.Com Supply Chain Management next semester. He is loving the new level of independence that varsity life has for him, but he is sorely missed by his entire Hearts that Hope family.
When I grow up I want to be… a traveller, a high school teacher and a photographer.
In July 2015 Umhlali School informed us that one of their pupils had sadly lost her mother, and needed a place to live. Ollie is a true extrovert with a bubbly personality, and fits in very well with the other children. She has such a loving heart, always looking for someone around her who might need help.
She is currently doing her Matric year through Koa Academy. She is loving the new freedoms and challenges that this online learning environment provides. She is not sure what life after school holds for her just yet but we are sure that whatever she decides to do she will put her entire heart and soul into.
When I grow up I want to be… a seamstress, a fashion designer or a singer (but I don’t really like to be on the stage), maybe a model?
Zee, along with her three younger brothers, she arrived in March 2015. Zee’s mother was a neglectful and abusive alcoholic, so Zee had been forced to take over the role as the primary caregiver to her younger siblings.
At first it was hard for her to play with the other children because she was always looking after the youngest, Lou, and making sure they were all fed and taken care of.
Zee never had the opportunity to go to school when she lived with her mother so we started home schooling her in the Hearts That Hope Home School. In the beginning she didn’t know how to hold a pen and she had no idea what the primary colours are, let alone an understanding of the basics such as letters and numbers. Unfortunately because of the delay in her foundational learning she wouldn’t be able to get a Senior Certificate.
Zee spent a lot of time at a special school that enables her to have a good understanding of english and math so that she could be independent as an adult. Zee also spent a lot of time with a local clothing designer and seamstress and used these skills to earn some money.
Last year after a trip with the family on the OM Logos she fell in love with the vision and mission of the team and has since completed a 4 month training course so that she can join the ship and travel with them- spreading the good news of the gospel and serving the local communities.
When I grow up I want to be… an architect and design creative buildings.
Sonny, Zee’s younger brother, is such a delightful boy with bundles of energy. We’ve loved having him in our home since day one. We have never seen Sonny in a bad mood and he seldom pushes the boundaries. He always wants to help out around the house and is the first person to run up to greet visitors.
He is always in the mood to be outdoors having fun. Sonny loves fishing, riding bikes or scooters and skateboards. We started homeschooling him in June 2015, he has progressed so well that he is now thriving in a main stream government school. He is currently in Grade 9 at Northwood Boys High School. He does have ADHD and still struggles with controlling his emotions but he is a wonderful boy.
When I grow up I want to be… a scientist and study people, cars and houses.
The youngest of the siblings, Lou came to us at the age of two. He was like a parrot when he first got here – even though he didn’t know any English, he would copy everything we said and would laugh after every attempt. A terrifying event happened in June 2015 when he managed to climb over our fence and tumbled 5 meters (16ft) down the retaining wall, landing head-first onto the pavement below. As we ran up to him we thought he wouldn’t make but then, thankfully, he started crying. We rushed him to hospital where it was found out that he had fractured his skull. Three days later Lou was home – as if nothing had happened! The power of prayer was just amazing. Lou, our little miracle, loves life and is a blessing to us all.
He is currently in Grade 5 at a wonderful school called Game Changers. He is loving the inquisitive environment that he is a part of there.
When I grow up I want to be… a pilot and an artist.
In November 2015, we received a phone call from a creche in Groutville. The creche spoke about three children whose 23 year old mother had come to them to say that she didn’t want her children, and she needed help because she couldn’t cope with or take care of them. We were at capacity at the time, so we were not able to take in three more children. We stayed in contact with the kids, providing for physical needs where we could, and in March 2017, we were able to welcome the three children into a safe family.
Nkosi, the oldest of the three, moved in when he was 7. When he moved in, he came with sores covering his body, and had difficulty developing an appetite. As his body is healing and his appetite returning, we’re getting to see more of his personality break through. He is slotting in well with our group of young and energetic boys, loving to run, bike, and play in the dirt! Despite only learning to speak English at the age of 6, he is doing so well academically.
There has been so much healing in Nkosi over the past year and we are so encouraged at how much he has developed as a person. His new school has been so good for him. He is currently in Grade 8 at Northwood Boys High School. He is loving this new environment and has matured a lot.
When I grow up I want to be a dance teacher.
Portia, the sister in the trio of siblings, moved in when she was 4. She also came covered in sores and with a lack of appetite. As her appetite has grown, and her skin has healed, a big personality has come out of her tiny body!
Portia is quick to join the boys in on their rough and tumble games – never wanting to miss out on a wrestling match or dance off! She has a natural gift for ballet and has just started lessons, which are the highlight of her week. Portia loves to giggle, and is almost never seen without a smile on her face.
She is in Grade 6 at Game Changers. She loves the social nature of school and loves that her school in particular allows for freedom and movement during the day
When I grow up I want to be a nurse.
Angel arrived in January 2018. She had attended a Zulu-speaking school, but put a lot of time and effort into learning english and it has really paid off. Angel is currently her final GED exams as well as interning in the kids ministry department at Christ Church North Coast. In the afternoons she teaches Basketball wit Kents Yatchs of Fun Academy. Once her exams are done we will take her to an industrial psychologist to help her with her career choices.
She fits right into the home, and all the girls love playing with her. She loves taking time with the younger girls, doing their hair and teaching them how to do others hair. She really embraces the role of big sister so well.
When I grow up I want to… have fun and laugh.
Siya joined our family in January 2022. We received a call from our social worker saying that they had a 1 year old boy who had been abandoned at the hospital and needed a home ASAP. We had been saying “no” to more children over the past 4 years because finances had been so tight; but something about this call felt different. We said YES!
He had been severely neglected and was very malnourished when he arrived; but with so many arms to love and hold and feed him he quickly turned into the chunky, full of life toddler he should have been. He still has a fair amount of health issues but we can honestly say he is thriving in our home and we can’t imagine it without him.
He is currently in Red Group (Grade 00 or Pre-K) at So-High Methodist Pre-Primary School. He loves his school, and teachers and friends and always come home with the best stories.
When I grow up I want to be… a professional sports player- preferably in hockey or basketball.
Nathi is our wonderful house manager Lungi’s son. We have taken him under our wing as well and are dedicated to ensuring that he receives as much assistance in terms of his education as possible.
He is currently in Grade 6 at Eden Village, and is already being scouted by high schools because of his sporting abilities. He has just been chosen to represent Ilembe District for hockey. He does struggle a bit on the academic side of things but we are hoping that with some extra attention to this area he will managing well.
When I grow up I want own my very own ice-cream shop so that I can have whatever ice-cream I want whenever I want it.
Noah arrived with his siblings at age 2. He wasn’t covered in as many sores as his older siblings, but he came with a tummy full of worms. Once he was medicated and we were able to rid his little body of the worms, we started to see his big personality show! He loves to talk, joke, snuggle, and is quick to greet everyone with a smile!
Noah is currently in Grade 3 this year. We have decided to keep homeschooling him until he is emotionally mature enough to handle the stressors of a school environment. He loves all the time and attention he gets at home when the others are away.
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