Highlights of 2017.

Today is the start of a new year, a year full of new opportunities.

2017 was a busy year. A year with difficult times, but mostly a year full of joy and laughter from my kids. I can’t explain how much I love my children, they are very precious to me.

I started 2017 admitted in the hospital with 4+ malaria. I was pretty sick but luckily recovered well.

Mid January Shakira and Shyreen joined my family. Two very malnourished and sick babies. Challenging weeks followed with difficult times in different hospitals and lot’s of prayers. The girls are now 1 year old and doing great. Shakira and Shyreen will return back to their home village November 2018. The grandmother will care for them.

Beginning of 2017 we moved to our new house. We are enjoying the house so much. We have much more space and no fights for the bathroom anymore! Incredible thankful for this enormous gift.

Also beginning of 2017, three children who stayed with me for about 18 months, went back to family members in the villages. I’m still supporting the children with food and other basic needs. Most important is that they are all doing fine and enjoying to be back with their family.

We gained more new children in 2017. In June Tikondane joined after his aunt was murdered in the village. (The mother of Tikondane died during childbirth). In July Elijah joined after his mother passed away and in August Caleb joined after his mother died during delivery. In October Happines and Vanessa joined after their mother passed away due to HIV. In November Madalitso joined after his mother passed away a month after delivery.

    

With the increasing number of children I explored options for adoption. At the moment there are 4 children in the process of adoption. Difficult but exciting. Some of the children have stayed with me for a long time so it will be difficult to see them going but I’m very thankful there are families willing to care for them and give them more love and attention than that I can offer them.

Jonas is still the child I worry about most. He is often sick and they are not managing to get his HIV under control. He got admitted in the hospital almost every month in 2017. Please pray with me that there will be a family who is willing to adopt him and his 6 years old sister soon.

Katie is doing very well at her boarding school and in November during sports day she became best athlete of her school! Katie is working very hard and I'm very proud of her she is realizing at young age how important school is. Katie lived on the streets for many years and never had anybody caring for her however she is turning into a beautiful, intelligent young lady and I feel honored I'm a part of her life. 

My own girls, Maria and Diana, both turned 5 years old. They are growing up so fast I wish sometimes I could stop the time. I enjoy having them around and they are absolute the greatest blessing I have ever received. Maria is a lovely girl who loves school and singing. She enjoys typical girl things like braiding her hair and playing with dolls. Diana is completely different. Her best friend in school is a boy, she loves to climb in trees and is always full of energy.
 

Beside all happenings in my house I also help 200 children in the villages. On a daily base they come to my house with questions, issues and problems. It is a huge amount of time and energy to help all these people but on the same time I’m so thankful that I’m able to help them.
Also I’m incredible thankful for the 9 babysitters who work for me. They spend many hours of walking around with crying and sick children but never complain. Especially this last year we have had many critically sick babies, without the help of my babysitter they would have never been as healthy as they are today.

I would like to say thank you to everyone who prayed for me and my children, donated to my project, came to visit or helped in any other way. I love meeting so many people who have the same calling and I’m looking forward to make many more friends all over the world this coming year!

Love,
Nicole