Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Grateful for our partner: Frost and Sullivan!

It was a beautiful winter's day in Capetown on August 22nd, where over 200 visionaries, innovators and leaders gathered at Frost & Sullivan's Global Community of Growth, Innovation and Leadership Conference.  Held at the Table Bay Hotel in the V&A Waterfront, the objective of the conference was to provide senior executives with the winning tools and strategies that they could then take back and deploy in their own companies to accelerate growth and inspire innovation.

A 3-year partner of Monte Christo Miqlat (MCM) and our ministry efforts at Bowy House, Frost & Sullivan: Africa, was the host of this year's conference.  As host, they invited MCM CEO, Aletia Grundling, to speak to the group about Growth, Innovation and Leadership from a charity point of view.  Many of the attendees were moved by the MCM story and were eager to learn more about the various ministries.


We were also given the opportunity to discuss MCM and Bowy House with many of the attendees when they visited us at the booth that we displayed throughout the conference activities.


The day after the conference, Frost & Sullivan staff spent the morning with the Bowy House children and gave a lot of attention to our little ones.  Several of our children came away with beautifully painted faces and they thoroughly enjoyed the balloon games and other activities provided.



Frost & Sullivan is an outstanding partner in so many ways.  In addition to their generous financial giving, which amounts to an annual percentage of their profits, the office staff is encouraged to donate children's toys and clothes throughout the year.  And the children and staff always look forward to the amazing Christmas party that they provide during the holidays.  

If you want to learn more about Frost & Sullivan, we encourage you to go to their website at www.frost.com.

Staff of Frost and Sullivan...WE APPRECIATE YOU!!!!!!!!!

Sunday, August 19, 2012

The kids are on the move at Bowy House!

Things continue to be busy at Monte Christo Miqlat's (MCM's) ministry at Bowy House.  On September 20th, 2011 last year we shared a blog posting about our new Occupation Therapist, Eleen van der Merwe, and the progress she was making with our children at Bowy House.  Well the progress continues!!!  At the time of that posting, two of our non-walkers were actually beginning to move better, and showing signs of crawling.  Since then they have not only mastered crawling, they are beginning to walk!  Those two children are pictured below, this first one in a standing frame with which she 'practices walking' for up to 30 minutes at a time.  Her feet and ankles can also be pushed into 90 degrees in the frame which allows her to participate in other group activities in which the Bowy House kids are involved.
This second child has also made fantastic 'walking' progress and is practicing his walking in between rows of the children's chairs.  Many of us feel that this is nothing short of a miracle, as he was so stiff and unable to perform the simplest of moves when he was a baby. 
In these next two pictures, Eleen divided our children up into two different groups.  This allows her to provide activities that are more age specific.  The younger children practiced their artistic skills in the creche, finger painting and mixing colors in their pictures.
And our older children participated in a new garden project that is underway at Bowy House.  This older group is very eager to participate in the garden, especially when it comes to working with the dirt.  Kids will be kids!!!
We continue to be blessed with volunteers who come and spend time with our children.  Michael and Pamela Hudson are two of those volunteers.  Two years ago, they actually lived on the Bowy House property for several months, offering their assistance during a very important time in our Bowy House history.  They continue to visit on a regular basis, offering their assistance and love where needed.

We still have visits from some of our Bowy House alumni who have been placed in a home environment.  We LOVE to see their smiling faces return for a visit!

But when these children move on, it makes room for other needy children.  Pictured below are some of our newer children who have come to Bowy House in the last few months.  They all have various medical needs, and we are honored to care for them ...however long that turns out to be. 
We are all blessed to be a part of these children's lives, and helping them to become all that God wants them to be. 

We are grateful to all of you...our Bowy House partners, supporters and volunteers!!!  We hope you all will join us to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the opening of Bowy House (October 14th-19th, 2012)!  We have a number of fun activities planned that week and we would LOVE to share these sweet smiles with you!


Saturday, August 18, 2012

A Visit from the Netherlands

Monte Christo Miqlat (MCM) was thrilled to have a visitor from the Netherlands this past week. Representing Stichting Small Change Foundation, long-time supporter Frank Van Berkum returned to Mbekweni in Paarl to see the progress being made at Lukhanyo Community Care Center, an MCM ministry that he and others at the foundation have been supporting for years.  Frank was pleased with what he found, and enjoyed his time with Sydwell Magqazana, Lukhanyo's Center Manager, Aletia Grundling, MCM's CEO and other Lukhanyo staff members pictured here.
         Back: Frank Van Berkum, Yolanda Magqazana, Lonwabo Mshede, Mpathi Vazana, Sydwell Magqazana                         Front: Aletia Grundling and Eunice Paul

Stichting Small Change Foundation was founded in 2007 after the Lukhanyo staff participated in helping with a Dutch-South African film production.  At that time, our staff helped with finding extras and film locations and as a result endeared themselves to some of the actors and film staff.  These new friends were very impressed with Lukhanyo and established Small Change in order to help improve the living conditions and future prospects for the children of Mbekweni through the work being done there.  The foundation has also assisted with the feeding scheme programme, as well as the provision of much needed equipment to the Center.  They have subscribed to the following motto "A small contribution can change something...a small change can mean a lot."  
In 2009 and 2010 Frank van Berkum, who is an organizational development adviser by profession, worked with Lukhanyo during a sabbatical leave.  During that time, he helped with the development of drama productions under the Lukhanyo Arts and Culture programme.  It has been a blessing to have him back with us, and we are grateful to him AND to Small Change!