Nice to have a niche

Charlie Chaplin once entered a Charlie Chaplin lookalike competition and came in
3rd. But more about that later.

So with the Christmas festivities at an end and relative calm restored, I returned to Rehoboth, refreshed, revitalised and ready to go. I had had 10 days of brilliant relaxation with family and had a great time with Ali Clark who came for a mid-year break.

It was of course brilliant to see the children again and it was nice for the kids to have their climbing frame returned to them. They were also ecstatic to see Ali again, as she seems to have a real way with children and they love to play and chat with her.

However as soon as I arrived I had a sense of coming home. I'm a firm believer that the best feeling in the world is coming home and getting into your own bed. And it felt so good after nearly 2 weeks of travelling and moving from here to there, to finally plonk my head down on my bed.

If I didn't feel at home after the first night in my bed, then my workload definitely made me feel like I was back. It's amazing how many things build up in the way of promotional material while you're away. I have been working non stop since last wednesday. This is all in preparation for the 19th of January when we are having a celebration day here at Rehoboth in celebration (obviuosly) of Rehoboth being completed inside 7 years. It gives us a chance to invite everyone who has supported and sponsored us in the past 7 years.

So with possibly 300 people coming and everyone needing to be accomodated, alot of the promotional work has fallen on my broad and mildly burnt shoulders. It is however fine because, due to my misspent youth computers are right up my street. It had also given me a purpose here, a purpose I was struggling to find a while ago. I seemed to do little jobs and worked on the fringes but never really headed up getting things done. And now this event came along and created a niche that is perfect for me. So I am thankful for the oppurtunity given to me not only in my work but by the fact that God placed me here for this purpose. He did however give me another talent, being big. This week has been a testament to my size. Merely hours after Ali and I stepped off the plane in Durban I was in the pool throwing the kids from here to there, something that they'd been deprived of while I was away.

Also on Monday, one of our little boys got admitted to the local hospital. Yvonne has ben certain since he arrived that he had not only TB but meninigitis and everytime was told to get antibiotics and see what happens. So we went back on Monday, Yvonne and myself and this 9 month old baby and was told that he did indeed have TB and meningitis. So after 2 and a half hours and a sore head from trying to understand the Zulu nurses Yvonne finally got admission forms. All the while this little boy, struggling to breathe, having spasms every 30 seconds, cuddled into my chest, or what my grandmother lovingly calls puppy fat or what my brother not so nicely calls, "man boobs". Anyway, this made me think that if I was skinny and boney, his wait with me wouldn't have been half as comfortable. That leads me on nicely to Charlie Chaplin.
When I heard of this tale, I just thought they didn't recognise him in the lineup and passed him by. And as this week has progressed it made me think that they never saw what was in front of them. The same can be said for us. We search far and wide for something that is actually right in front of us. We search for talents we want and can't see what we have. I hadn't seen my size as much of a benefit until I came here. I didn't think my computer skills would be much use, I hadn't recognised what was right in front of me. So the message I want to leave with you this week is, don't hurt your eyes. Don't look too far for something that is more often than not right in front of you.

At time of writing the little boy is still in hospital and isn't doing too well. Please keep him in your prayers.

Until Next Week

Rob