Blog

SOUTH AFRICA: Embraced, loved, and supported
- by Ashleigh Hooker
- October 8, 2024

Sanelisa was aged 17 and in her final year of school when she became pregnant. Her baby’s father broke up with her and without much family support, it was especially difficult when her daughter was born with special needs. “This was not easy for me to hear and accept. I was now not only a young mum, but my daughter had health challenges,” said Sanelisa. “As a young mum with no support, I had many questions and nowhere to get answers.”
Earlier this year, a team member from Timion Disability Counselling and Community Development phoned Sanelisa and invited her to attend a carer training camp with her one-year-old daughter. The camp was life changing.
“The week was more than I could have imagined,” said Sanelisa. “My child and I were embraced, loved, and supported.”
At the camp, for the first time ever, Sanelisa learned about her daughter’s disability, its causes, and how to answer people’s questions about it. She received assistive devices to make daily life activities easier and also found support from the other carers that were going through similar challenges. “All of a sudden, the load felt lighter. I feel encouraged and I have strength for engaging with my child,” said Sanelisa.
Sanelisa was also greatly affected by the devotions at the start of each day at camp: “I was told God had not forgotten me and my child. My heart has been hurting a lot and I haven’t had a space to lay it all down. Here I could just be. I was allowed to cry and share my heart. I was allowed to ask questions. What a difference this has made in my life.”
Pray:
- Give thanks for Timion sharing Jesus’ love with families who have children with disabilities.
- Pray that many more children and carers will know Jesus’ love through Timion.
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