2007 | 2006 | 2005 | Going back...2004 | 2003 | 2002
December 2005
Once again, we have come to the end of another challenging year, where we have seen and experienced the mighty hand of the living God in our midst!
The new facilty for 60 babies has been functioning very efficiently from June this year—we have had an influx of babies, God-planned adoptions and lots of fun and fund-raising and plenty of hard work along the way!
Our absolute joy has been to expect at any time and recieve at any time, tiny weeny little bundles of pure joy—joy to us, but oftimes very traumatic for the babes! They have often been left in bins, on pavements, in toilets, in waiting rooms, on stations, in busses, and then the wait at the police stations, before they even reach us—tired, hungry, wet, dirty, smelly,sick, miserable and exhausted—but for us, this is the joy of helping this tiny scrap of humanity into a blossoming , healthy and happy child!
The Hi-Care nursery has seen little ones recover, and others not, and yet we have the peace that God has given us the best, for their comfort and security when they are so sick.
To do this, we have needed help in all sorts of ways, doctors, donations, manual help in gardens, maintenance on buildings such as blocked gutters,etc, and help with the plumbing that always comes unstuck! light bulbs to be replaced, tumble dryers that always stop working on the rainy and cold days, washing machines that flood the floors, cleaners and sweepers, and staff to look after our little charges and all the admin staff aswell as a supervisor, and lots of volunteers.
All have been bountifully supplied, we have a full staff of 20 permanent ladies, an Admin manager, a matron, a supervisor, and a CEO ,and we all work as a wonderful team.
To these folk, our special thanks for dedicated and comitted work over the past 8 years, ( Colin and Michelle) and the others, since June 2005!
A very special thankyou to Johan, the doctor who is available at anytime to advise, prescribe and treat the little infants, sometimes so sick, that only TLC can be prescribed! God bless you Doctor, we are always so grateful to you!
For all the incredible donations from friends, family, corporates, ministries, churches, neighbours,
retirement -homes, cubs, scouts, schools, congregations, pupils and helpers—a great big thankyou — you have all made this year possible!
To our American volunteer, Cathryn—we need you back—you are sorely missed!! Thankyou for your time, love and compassion for the babes!
To our supervisor—you have made light many others loads—bless you for your hard work and happy disposition!
To Colin and Michelle, our administrator and CEO—you are both dearly loved and admired for your dedication to the cause of Shepherd's keep, for your tireless and endless occupation of raising funds—we appreciate you! thankyou!
To our other volunteers who come along so happily, and readily don their uniforms to take care of sick and ailing, sometimes miserable babies, a great big thankyou!!
To our overseas visitors—thank you for taking the time and effort in looking us up—we do appreciate you all so much!
We have had Professor Bremner (surgery) and his wife visit from Pasadena in Los Angeles, we have Dr Davoli from Italy. Bless you!
Also , from Boca Raton in Florida, a wonderful visit from our friends there, danny, Dan and Beverly—thankyou and Gos bless!
We have been blessed to have our own church services in our chapel, the congregation being our staff, babies and any visitors.
A special thankyou to our board members who have consistently and sincerely given of their best to Shepherd's keep this past year in many ways.
For a wonderful year, we give God all the glory and thank Him for putting all you wonderful folk around us!
May God bless you and keep you at this festive time and a wonderfully happy ,healthy and prosperous new year to all!
In His grip
Cheryl
Matron
November 2005
A dedication service where 12 babies were dedicated on the same day--what a day of rejoicing that was!
Dedication of 12 babies
October 2005
We are ecstatic at our new facility's progress and have happy Christian staff who sing choruses all day and are willing to be involved in all kinds of chores!
The babies are all beautiful and thriving on excellent care and plenty of love.
We have one tiny infant who was given back to us by a doctor to "die" having no hope—she has pulled through and holds on to the thin thread of life like a dog with a bone—we are amazed at her tenacity and thank God for giving us all the necessary to keep her painless and comfortable. As we look into these tiny sad little eyes, we melt, but know that God in His goodness and with His grace and mercy, knows just what to do for her.
Our babies all had such a marvelous day today , out in the sun and under the trees--the tiny babes are enthralled with the waving boughs and leaves blowing in the wind!
We are looking for good trained South African staff who are fluent in English for various positions, (not live in)
Also for a visiting paediatricion and physiotherapist who would be kind enough to donate their spare time to these babes.
We thanks all folk who have travelled from all parts of the world to visit us in our infancy here, and pray God would richly bless them as they have blessed us!
Dan and Colin, co-founder of Shepherd's Keep
Beverly, Dan Colin and Cheryl
Jody with Sibusiso
We also thank all donors for gifts—we are ever grateful for all the love and concern shown from all sectors of life.
Bless you all, till next time
Colin and Cheryl
September 2005 — Shepherd's Keep first worship service in its chapel
The staff even sang a Zulu song.
August 2005 — work is progressing and the babes are thriving!
 After opening the new facility, we have been blessed to have baby after baby coming to the safety of Shepherd's Keep, in the dark of the African night and at the crack of dawn—little scraps of humanity, often wrapped in nothing but an old blanket or towel, frightened and hungry, desperately tired and just wanting loving arms and that bottle of warm milk!
The work days are long and the nights even longer, but the staff sing songs of Jesus and their pure sweet voices ring out like angels, bringing healing and deliverance—one baby was at deaths door—the doctors said, "just hold him" and he is thriving and putting on weight—this is only possible with God as man cannot heal him!
We are still in need of a few inside windows to make the building a bit warmer, anyone knowing of anyone willing to sponsor, kindly contact us through the website e-mail address—the cost of the large windows are R3000-00 each.
God bless you all out there who have donated funds and baby items—all are gratefully accepted and a big thankyou to all. To those who have donated their hands in real hard work cleaning up—a huge thankyou—we can't do it all and you have made our load so much easier!
February 2005 — Shepherd’s Keep Homes for abandoned HIV/AIDS Babies
The site is abuzz with excitement as artisans and friends rally around to try and get the finishing touches done so that we can at least open a couple of the new nurseries very soon!
Front doors to the new Shepherd's Keep
The lights are in and power is on, with over 500 lights and fittings in place.
Ramps in the new Shepherd's Keep
The geysers are in and the plumbing nearly finished, with many basins, troughs and baby baths to show for this.
The floors are beautiful and of soft colours to keep the general outlook light and bright, airy and spacy—the walls and doors painted in soft colours.
The incubation room ready to receive babies.
The garden is slowly coming on, with not much time given to it yet, but plenty of grass has been planted and the surrounds are green and lush.
Paving is being done between the chapel and the main building, the last of the paving delivered this week.
New baby cots in new rooms!
We are ourselves amazed at the huge venture and step we have taken, and need much prayer to get us through obstacles that may still have to be overcome, but we are more amazed at God’s greatness and His faithfulness in completing what He started out to do through us, and His faith in this project—when we look at it, we know we could NEVER have done this in our own strength, so we give God all the glory , because He certainly has done great things!
We thank ALL our donors and wonderful folk who have come around us at this time to make this dream physically come true—God uses people!
Grateful thanks especially at this time to Peter the electrician and Leon the plumber, more faithful folk , we couldn’t have been blessed with!
God bless you all
Colin, Cheryl and Michelle
Colin and Cheryl Pratley — custodians of Shepherd's Keep
2007 | 2006 | 2005 | Going back...2004 | 2003 | 2002 |
