Newsletter March 2016

March 2016
Dear Casa Caritas Parents and Friends
Indien u verskies om die Afrikaanse weergawe, Casa Nuus, te ontvang kontak asseblief
claus@triotrade.co.za of 0795069089.
Morning tea with Sonja Herholdt
Saturday 12 March was a wonderful experience with
Sonja Herholdt entertaining and inspiring the 69
ladies and one man in the audience. Some of her
really meaningful messages were:
“There is light outside the boundaries of your
existence that you only discover when you are
confronted by something you cannot resolve.”
“We have not been created for time, but for
eternity.”
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his
mighty power at work within us, to accomplish
infinitely more than we might ask or think.”
(Ephesians 3:20)
Sponsors who made this event possible are Robbie Robertze, Freddie Esterhuizen, Tana Coetzee,
AGS Emmanuel Kempton Park and Edleen Spar. We deeply appreciate your support.
Louise Robertson, Annetjie Vrey, Didi Bekker and
Eva-Maria Geiger
Marilize van der Walt, Deirdre van
Deventer and Marietjie Swart
Sonja sang popular hits such as Jantjie, Bonnie Tyler’s I need a hero, Laurika Rauch’s Die mense wat
ek liefhet, and an Afrikaans version of the beautiful Gabriella’s song from the film As it is in Heaven.
The song that stirred everyone’s emotions deeply though, was Phil Coulter’s Scorn not his simplicity
(lyrics on the next page).
Sonja paid tribute to the mothers of handicapped residents by handing them a “Pêrelvrou”
certificate and a CD.
Sonja sang beautifully. She was inspiring as well as funny and everyone really giggled at her
naughty remarks. We appreciate her and we value this event that we will remember for a long
time.
See the child
With the golden hair
Yet eyes that show the emptiness inside
Do we know
Can we understand just how he feels
Or have we really tried
See him now
As he stands alone
And watches children play a children's game
Simple child
He looks almost like the others
Yet they know he's not the same
Scorn not his simplicity
But rather try to love him all the more
Scorn not his simplicity
Oh no, Oh no
See him stare
Not recognizing the kind face
That only yesterday he loved
The loving face
Of a mother who can't understand
what she's been guilty of
How she cried, tears of happiness
the day the doctor told her it's a boy
Now she cries tears of helplessness
and thinks of all the things he can't enjoy
Scorn not his simplicity
But rather try to love him all the more
Scorn not his simplicity
Oh no, Oh no
Only he knows how to face the future hopefully
Surrounded by despair
He won't ask for your pity or your sympathy
But surely you should care
Scorn not his simplicity
But rather try to love him all the more
Scorn not his simplicity
Oh no, Oh no, Oh no
(Phil Coulter)
Farewell
At the end of this month we bid farewell to two Board members who served on the Board of Casa
Caritas for a very long time: Clive Husband and Natie van der Merwe. We wish them a wonderful,
peaceful and meaningful retirement.
Clive Husband first got involved with Casa Caritas in the early 1990’s when his driver knocked the
electric gate off the rails after the gate closed on his bakkie. He was delivering a donation to the home.
Clive arranged for the repair of the gate and upon his visit, Maggie Coetzee too him through the home.
From there on he donated
whenever he could.
He sponsored a cycle ride
from Johannesburg to
Cape Town in August
2004, in aid of Casa Caritas. He arranged for meals
and fuel services at Engen
service stations on the
route.
The Engen dealers in
Kempton Park also held a
golf day in aid of Casa
Caritas during which they
raised R22 000,00. It was
after this event that
Maggie convinced him to
join the Management
Board – and he stayed
until now. He says Casa
Caritas has always been
and will always be close to
their hearts!
Clive is currently in the
process of selling his
service station in Isando
and once the deal is finalised
Clive en Elmarie Husband
he and Elmarie will move to Jeffrey’s Bay on a permanent basis – only returning to JHB to visit the
grandchildren and of course to pop in at Casa Caritas!
Clive and Elmarie wish Casa Caritas the very best for the future. Their hope is for the Management
Board to keep up their good work. He says he will miss the interaction and his final words were,
“God bless you all.”
Natie van der Merwe sent a letter in which he elaborated about the priviledge of being involved
with such a prestigeous insititution
for 38 years.
Natie looked back on their first
encounter with Casa Caritas in a
home in Maxwell Street in 1978.
They approached the home to take
in their daughter Marna with great
apprehension. They compare the
home then with Casa Caritas at
present and realised that all of their
expectations have been exceeded.
Natie and Elaine remember with
nostalgia the events where parents
pulled together to raise money for
the new premises it started occupying in 1985. This was the highlight
of their involvement with Casa Caritas.
Natie en Elaine van der Merwe
At a parent meeting following the inauguration ceremony, Natie was selected as the first Parent
Chairman of Casa Caritas. With the assistance of the Board and the cooperation of parents, a sound
relationship between the parents and the Board was formed. It was decided that the Parent Chairman
should sit on the Board and Natie has therefore served on the Board since 1985 with close involvement
through good and bad times.
Natie is concerned about the current lack of parent involvement and his wish is that parents will again
take responsibility for the Home with fundraising initiatives, especially in the current economic
climate.
Natie thanked all staff, especially those who took care of Marna with so much love during her stay of
28 years until she passed away in April 2006. On a lighter note he remembers with a smile how Marna
exposed all the staff secrets. Although her communication was broken she was able to understand
and speak 5 languages and the staff never realised what she observed and talked about!
There have been many highlights during their involvement with the Home. To mention a few: Elaine’s
Ladies’ Tea mornings, the additions of the Heikesaal, the first bedroom wing, the bathroom, toilets
and larger washroom, the second bedroom wing and the parent lounge. They experienced many more
highlights.
Natie and Elaine are saying goodbye (not farewell) with mixed feelings. Their prayer is that Casa
Caritas will continue to thrive. They reiterated that they take beautiful memories with them.
March birthdays
Happy birthday to the following residents who celebrated their birthdays during March:
4 March 2016
Hans-Gustav Coetzee (25)
6 March 2016
Danny Coetzee (21)
7 March 2016
Warrick Myburgh (14)
12 March 2016
Michelle Buck (18)
18 March 2016
Wessel Bekker (26)
21 March 2016
San-Mari van Heerden (25)
31 March 2016
Fiona Twidale (32)
Thank you
The Jesus Disciples Biker Ministries paid Casa Caritas a visit
on Sunday 28 February 2016. They brought a donation of
groceries and they spent time with the residents. Their visit
is much appreciated.
Gavin Sargent, President of the Club, is holding Lené Steynberg
(right).
Community Provision and Social Services
(COMPASS) made a donation of diary
products and soft toys to the Home.
Photo right: Chantelle Smit (Compass), Sister
Retha Pienaar (Casa Caritas), Moses Masina
and Shaun Francis (both from Compass).
The donation is much appreciated.
Annetjie du Preez and her friends knitted
much needed warm socks for the residents
(below).
Life at Casa Caritas
Fred van Deventer and Ruchelle Stoter are
enjoying a nap together.
Paulina Mampuru’s new baby, Katlego.
Casa Caritas contact details
Tel : 011-976 3457/3417
Fax: 011-393 5003
Cell: 072 107 1989
We are also on Facebook
e-mail : casacaritas@telkomsa.net
Website : www.casacaritas.org.za
P O Box 12405, Anton Manor, 1620
Casa Caritas is very blessed and we are eternally grateful for that.
Warm regards
Claus Coetzee
Parent representative on the Management Board
claus@triotrade.co.za, 0795069089