A Day In Their Shoes by Amanda Norjie
As the newly appointed fundraiser for the Thembalitsha Foundation, the best way for me to familiarise myself with our incredible projects is to spend time at each one over a period of time.
My introduction to ThembaCare Grabouw was one of great encouragement and humility. I am encouraged by the work being done on a holistic basis and the humility of Sister Thandi who is the Project Manager.
Apart from the seven-bed in-unit facility that ThembaCare has, they offer home-based care which is truly something special to be experienced. Patients are visited in their homes for medical and general well being check ups.
Earlier this month I had the privilege of going out into the community with some of the amazing ladies that are the care workers. Please take a moment to travel that mornings’ journey with myself, Marlene, Cindy, Ntombizonke and Cynthia, who are four of the caregivers.
We leave ThembaCare at 0900am in our little car to start the rounds. We need to collect a patient from his place of work and take him to the local hospital for his medication and check-up. ‘Where is he going to sit?’, I wonder looking at the 3 ladies in the back. ‘No problem’, they say with big genuine smiles and they move over willingly to make that little needed extra space to fit our patient in. So now there are four adults in the back of our little Golf. Off we go!
After dropping our patient off at the hospital, it’s time to make some home calls in Grabouw. There are various locations and the one that we are visiting today is called
Iraq. ‘Why Iraq?’, I’m wondering - although this is quickly answered as we step out the car and start our walk/climb up the sand dunes. The children playing in and around the shacks are familiar with the care givers and happily run along side us chatting, although they are notably unsure of me.
We visit at least three shacks which are far apart from each other and I cannot help but wonder how challenging this walk must be in winter when it rains for a good few months. ‘The walk must have its challenges in all seasons’, I think to myself whilst climbing another sand bank. The conditions today are hot; really hot, and yet these ladies arrive at each door as though it’s their first visit for the day, always with a smile and a huge amount of love and patience. Some patients are not at home when we arrive and so we wait for a while as we are told by the children that ‘they are coming’. Most times they do. Patience is a virtue.
Almost all patients are willing and co-operative. Some are mentally challenged and some are still babies and do not want to be taken away from mom to be weighed but the greatest love and respect is shown by the care givers and that always brought about a positive outcome.
Food parcels are delivered then our patient from earlier this morning is picked up from the hospital and taken back home and more patients are seen in and around the area. I must add at this stage that our little car is required to ‘think big’ at times and suffice as a 4 x 4 on the rough terrain as Grabouw is a farming community with the roads to match.
My time with these lovely ladies came to an end and I found myself nodding off in our little car, heading back to ThembaCare. Emotionally tired and of course physically tired but encouraged, hugely encouraged.
If you, the reader of this newsletter, ever visit Grabouw, I invite you to visit ThembaCare, be uplifted by their incredible works and just simply spend ‘a day in their shoes’,
