Ronnie van Rooyen and Godslove

There are such wonderful people on this planet. People who go to extremes to make the world a better place for someone else.Ronnie van Rooyen, a paediatrician at Stanger hospital is a dear friend and such a special person. Him and his colleagues have challenges here in kwaZulu-Natal with welfare problems as numerous as people that takes a severe toll from them.

With the hospital out of beds again, he brought a little orphan Zulu girl home for the weekend. Godslove was a bundle of bright magic in the last weeks of her 7 year short life. She was amazed at the shopping mall in Richards bay and was so busy choosing stuff for everyone she loves that she forgot to get anything for herself. Hopping, skipping and jumping, one would never have guessed how ill she really was. All laughter and smiles. Another child who contracted HIV before we knew better. Sad thing is that children are still born HIV positive in spite of technology available to prevent it.

Earlier that day I took a seventy year old dame, one of the aunts, horse riding. Off course she got the biggest, slowest horse. During the day I developed an opinion about her being very racist. Perhaps her liberal use of the word caffer all the time. I would soon find out the truth about that idea.

Back from the shopping mall, Godslove was really tired and overwhelmed by the day. The old dame, sensitive to the child as if she was her own picked her up and held her on her lap. She started singing a Zulu lullaby which can continue on indefinitely as one is supposed to keep on making new lyrics after the known part of the song is sung. She gently rocked Godslove to sleep. It was the way she held her and the way she sang to her and looked at her that proved me so very wrong.

Too many sick and recovering children and not enough space. Kids who are orphaned and kids who were abused end up sharing beds with other kids in the hospitals while other places where they can be placed are filled over the brim. Places like Blessed Gérard's Children's Home in Mandeni and Siyathuthuka in Obanjeni or alternatively Izulu Orphan Projects if there is a home available somewhere.

The answer to the problem is to create more space and employ more people to help the currently over burdened care system. And all of this costs money. Perhaps you can help? Even if it is just by making more people aware of the situation. We need space, special equipment like special beds for kids who are getting over weight from being bed ridden, etc, etc...

We need more good people! Here is a list of job opportunities in health care in KZN. And what a delightful place to live in with awesome people and great weather right through the year. You just may end up staying for good :)