Why did you decide to become a teacher?

[Leanie]

I'm just curious why you have decided to become a teacher? Do you still find it interesting and rewarding? If you could choose over what you wanted to do with you life - will it still be teaching?

To be a teacher today are not easy at all!! Learners have more rights than you do as a teacher!

[Ramona P. Jacobsz]

When I was a little girl I was considered a "bright bulb" and I really wanted to be a teacher. However, I was terribly sensitive and cried easily... I mean I was a real "cry baby"... I think I drove my mother "nuts" - but she loved me unconditionally. My father took me to a doctor and there was nothing physically wrong with me. I was actual only 15 years of age when I matriculated. I really desired to be a teacher. I loved my teachers (most of them) (nuns) as I attended a convent. We, as little children loved to give teacher an apple and I often gave my "favourite nun" an apple.

I want to share a little "silly" poem with you that I actually find inspiring for teachers:

AN APPLE A DAY

A if for aptitude - intelligence to teach,
P is for patience - when they're hard to reach
P is for prayer - when my day's work is done.
L is for love - may I love everyone!
E is for empathy - a feeling heart.

Mix them together and now we start!

To come back to my love for teaching... My father decided that I was too sensitive and nervous to become a teacher and instead I had to follow his advice and went to College to become a Secretary (or P.A.) as they now call it...

But I certainly do wish I had become a teacher instead. I adore children although some are unruly and rough... I am sure that with patience and love we can make them "smoother"...

I taught at Sunday School for 10 years and loved every moment of it and the children loved me too. I must admit that possibly it was because I spoiled them with sweets every Sunday! But that was not bribary or corruption... it was just my way to show them THAT I LOVED THEM SO.!

My own decision would have been fine - if my father let me!

But, I married a teacher who became a professor and he taught students how to become teachers that would serve God and mankind... He instilled the love of Jesus in each of those students and I sat learning at his feet for many years. I used to type a lot of his assignments,etc.

The reward for being a teach would not be monetary but it would be seeing someone becoming a brilliant teacher who teaches children not by force but with love!

Stay well, dear Lea and all aspiring young teachers - and don't give up on our kids because God never gives up on any of us!

Fond Love Ramona P.

[nardinerene]

My father was a teacher but it never cross my mind that I would become a teacher even though my kids use to tell me mommy you should become a teacher, because I use to love to visit their schools and classes, and most of the time I ended up giving a speech to the entire class. One day I decided I was not happy with my job even though I was making a lot of money, until one day I got on my knees and asked
God of the gifts and talent He had blessed me with, what does He wants me to do, because I have been a jackie of many trades, and I did master most of them, but my content did not surface until God told me to go back to college and become an educator, not just a teacher but I had to start from home. I went to school to become a owner of a childcare facility which happened but, to start home sent me back to school again because in the state where I live, in order to start a family childcare you had to have different training and licensing and that's where I had to become humble.

It is rewarding even when I was raising my own children my favorite part was to be home when my kids arive from school and they yell mom I'm home, or I can hear them coming the down the street and I know when they walk in the door they were happy to see me there. Well at my home based child care facility I still get the same joyful rewards to see all the children run up to hug me as I walk in the door, the delight on their faces and the joy that they express when they see me is enough to knock me down if I'm not standing firm. I love children and they are my passion and that's my ministry.

As a child growing up in a country that is considered to be the poorest nation so they say (Haiti) I use to witness the abuse of children, and when I left at the age of eight I knew I would someday go back to help my people, and the children of that country, and at the age of 44 I did just that, I went home and open a school to educate children and hope one day to have an orphanage to take in the children of God that needs someone to love them too, and my ministry is ArisingChild. Raising and touching the life of one child at time, because Jesus himself loved the little children, and so do I.

[Ramona P. Jacobsz]

Dearest Nadinerene

Your whole motivation is totally awesome! This is a powerful testimony and praise God that He has led you in this. My mom always wanted to "open" and orphanage. She liked children much more than adults. I think it is wonderful.

Also, it is wonderful how God has personally touched you and inspired you. It is not strange to me that you tell me that your father was a teacher... People like my late husband was an inspiration and I know there are some teachers that he trained that are doing their level best for the kids in this "crazy mixed up world". Remember that what you do today can become a great big CIRCLE OF LOVE..

I will pray for you and your task - which to some might sound very daunting but if God has laid it on your heart you will grow from strength to strength and may God bless your ministry ArisingChild abundantly. I want you to stay in touch with me. You will be in my prayers - you and your family and loved ones... and that will include all the little children whose lives you are touching.

Be blessed abundantly and thank you so much for sharing this amazing Testimony with me.


Fond love in our Saviour Jesus

<:))))><<
Your Friend
Ramona P.

[nardinerene]

Dear Ramona

Thank you for your kind words that almost brought tears to my eyes. Yes I do love Children and they are attracted to me just the same, I use to wander to my self why children would wave at me at the grocery store, or come up to me and start a conversation without knowing them, they would tell me all soughts of stuff and I use to be amaze by that, but God new better.

I'll take a hundred child to one adult and I can do miricales with them. I have a difficult time adjusting to adults but children are my passion and my world. I can go on all day talking about children because they amaze me. They are teachable, loveable, and adoreable, most of all sincere, and they tell it like it is, my favorite age to deal with are one to seven year olds, because they are at the aged when they need that one on one attention.

When I hear people talking about children going through the terrible two's, to me ist not the children that's terrible, but its the grown up that miss under stood them, this is their age of discovery, and learning to make decisions for them selves, only if we as parents would learn to give them win/win choice it would not be so terrible. I can go on and on about them, and again thank you for your kind loving words and prayers and may the God we serve bless you and your family.

ArisingChild, Nardine Rene

[Ramona P. Jacobsz]

Dearest Nardinerene
Thank you so much for your comment... I also love children and on Saturdays when I am totally free I go to the mall and I "evangelise" people. I go "fishing" for Jesus. And it is amazing how adorable the children are... Especially the little Indian and African kids. They all give me the thumbs up (we in South Africa call it "sharp") sign and "take five"... Often I say : "Come with Granny - I'll take you home"... and they come willingly. The parents are so happy when I take notice of their special children because they all love their children.

Unfortunately I had the sad occasion to "adopt" a baby whose mother was pregnant from a married man and the Great Grandmother is my domestic helper. Her daughter is the Grandmother. Now I arranged for a grant for the baby but I bought him clothing and food and I thought they were looking after my baby. His name was "Gift" (Zolani) and I cherished him. One day he became very ill and I gave Emily (my one domestic) money to take him to the doctor. Her daughter Selinah took him to an Indian doctor (but he is excellent) and she said the doctor did not say anything... and so she took the sick baby home. I arranged that evening that an ambulans take him to hospital! I was very upset because I heard from doctor Osman that my baby was suffering from mal nutrition seriously... I immediately decided to place him in a creche and started to look for one. When I saw my baby he looked like a little tramp - I wondered where his clothing was. I later found out that the ladies drink alcohol and smoke and they must have sold the food and clothing I had bought him to buy this... Little Zolani's nails were filthy dirty (at 5 months!!!). And I can tell you he was beautiful - like a little angel. My heart was totally broken. I had him tested in case he was HIV infected... but he was not! He was just suffering from Quacoisha (extreme malnutrition!!!).

I was giving Emily every Tuesday off with full pay to go to a "school" where they receive training on how to care for a baby "properly"... She lied to me and told me that she was looking after the baby herself and she had he daughter-in-law living with them who had also had a baby and she was helping her to care for my baby. This was a lie. The baby was with Selinah, a total alcoholic. And one day somebody saw Selinah at a Shebeen (place where they sell alcohol and drink and dance) and Gift was stark naked.

I prayed about a chreche for my baby and a lovely lady Louise who runs a creche took pity on me and said she would accept him although she does not normally take such tiny babies. Zolani had to get a camping cot and bedding and I bought him new clothing and formula and Purity food which I left at the chreche. I had to give them my doctor's information in case he became ill. He became very ill and they took him to my doctor who was shocked to see how underdeveloped Gift was. He could not even sit up and he "never smiled"... I think his suffering was too gross! We had him hospitalized immediately again. This was on the Thursday,,, I was almost "mental" with grief and horror. My doctor said that this was culpable homicide and I should have the Grandmother and Great Grandmother charged... I was beside myself. I visited the little darling on Friday and Saturday I could see he was "slippng away"... on Sunday morning, very early the sister called me to tell me that my baby had died.

I was beside myself with grief and I "hated" my domestic helper. I have two of them - Emily (Great Grandmother of Zolani) and Alinah (a devout Christ follower).

Emily said they were arranging for the funeral and stayed away from work for two weeks ... Then the hospital 'phoned me and asked when we were going to bury the baby as nobody is pitching up to fetch the little corpse. I then arranged for someone to make me the most beautiful coffin and clothing to bury him... Alinah and I went to the mortuary and they allowed us in and we bathed little Zolani and dressed him and put him in his casket. I was totally out of my mind! Then we asked the family to fetch him. (I even went to our Municipal offices to buy a little plot of ground to bury my baby)... It was then just up to them to do the burial... I did not attend because I would have done something irresponsible or said something irresponsible. It took me about three or four months before I even spoke to Emily again! But God's word taught me to forgive and I have had to forgive them for MURDER.

I will send you a poem next time that I dedicated to my baby.

So love your children and take care of them... You will be blessed. I know God blesses me because I love children. They are so small and helpless and if we do not care for them they could end up like my little darling....

Fondest love in Jesus
<:))))><<
Your friend
Ramona P.
THANK YOU THAT I COULD GET THIS OFF MY MIND... SORRY IT IS SO SAD...

[nardinerene]

Dearest Ramona

May the peace of God be with you, and I'm glad you were able to get this out. It's part of my ministry or should I say God's calling on me to have an open ear and an open hearth to listen to suffering parents and to minister to them.

I have taken a counselling class just because, but God has used it to teach me to counsel hurting parents that are going through lifes storms. I hear you and I felt your pain and anger, Gift was truly a gift from God, sometimes we go through the vallies of life dealing with dificulties we may not understand but God seems to use it for our own good that we may be to blind to see at the moment because of our griefs and pain, but He is able.

I have a parent at my center who just recently had a second child that was taken away from her and flown to a special hospital for babies because the baby heart rate fell below normal so they had to do an emergey c-section and the baby was put on life support with brain injury and defect. Through all this I have been praying with her, talking to her about no matter what we are going through remember God is using you, and one day your story will help someone else that may be going through a similar situation knows that there is a God, eventually it will all work itself out if we allow God to.

I conside all children to be my children, and when I talk about them to people I also relate them as mine as though I had given birth to them. We share something great in common and we have a strong bond for the love of children. My dear sister don't ever think you cant reach out to me, you can and I will be here willing to listen to you at any time you need to talk.

Yes, we must learn to forgive enven those that hurt us the most, because even Jesus ask for forgiveness for His murderes because He said "they know not what theyre doing". God will heal your heart and bless you according to His richness and glory.

Love your ArisingChild Sister in Christ,

Nardine Rene

[Ramona P. Jacobsz]

MY DEAREST NADINERENE
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR UNDERSTANDING... I WEPT SUCH BITTER TEARS FOR THE LOSS MY MY LITTLE XOLANI... MY GIFT FROM GOD.

I MUST TELL YOU THAT MY DAUGHTER MARI WAS BORN 15 YEARS AFTER MY SON AND SHE WAS ALSO A GIFT FROM GOD. SHE WAS TWO AND A HALF MONTHS PREMATURE AND SHE WAS SO TINY! BUT SHE WAS MEANT TO LIVE AND GOD HAS GIVEN HER SUCH STRENGTH AND COURAGE. SHE IS MARRIED TO A PASTOR AND SHE GAVE UP HER CAREER WHEN SHE HAD RUBEN (SHE HAS A MASTER'S DEGREE AND IS A TEACHER) AND THEN SHE HAD JESSICA THREE YEARS LATER. THEY HAVE A BABY HOME AND OFTEN SHE BRINGS A LITTLE AFRICAN BABY TO OUR HOME FOR A WEEK-END TO RELIEVE THE STAFF FROM THEIR DUTIES. WE HAVE SEEN SUCH WONDERFUL MIRACLES. TWO DOCTORS FROM HOLLAND ADOPTED A LITTLE BOY WHO WAS DIAGNOSED AS HIV POSITIVE... WIFE AND HUSBAND ARE BOTH DOCTORS. THE SCANDANAVIAN COUNTRIES AND HOLLAND ADOPT OUR AFRICAN BABIES. AND THEY ARE SUCH BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN... ALSO MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN DUMPED INTO RUBBISH BINS AND HAVE SURVIVED BY GOD'S GRACE. ONE LITTLE GIRL WAS LEFT CRYING IN A SHACK AND SOMEBODY FOUND HER AFTER THREE DAYS! BUT SHE IS THRIVING AND MARI SAYS SHE IS SUCH A BUNDLE OF JOY - ALWAYS SMILING AND JUST TOO BEAUTIFUL!

I WROTE THIS POEM AS A TRIBUTE TO MY DARLING LITTLE AFRICAN BABY AND I SHARE IT WITH YOU...




A TRIBUTE TO MY AFRICAN BABY XOLANI..



XOLANI, XOLANI, MY PRECIOUS LITTLE GIFT

THE JOY YOU BROUGHT ME WAS SO BRIEF

YOUR STAY WAS SHORT AND YOUR DEATH CAME SWIFT

YOUR LEAVING SO SOON BROUGHT ME SO MUCH GRIEF...



YOU ONLY STAYED A VERY SHORT WHILE

BECAUSE FOR YOU THIS WAS NOT A PLACE OF JOY

I NEVER, NEVER, SAW YOU SMILE

WERE YOU SO SAD AND SICK, MY DARLING BOY?



I LIVED A DREAM THAT NEVER CAME TRUE...

THIS DREAM I HAD WAS NEVER TO BE

BECAUSE GOD HAD A VERY DIFFERENT VIEW

AND I WAS SO STUBBORN I COULD NOT SEE!

YOU LIVED YOUR SHORT LITTLE LIFE FOR A WHILE

YOU LONGED TO LEAVE THIS CRUEL, ANGRY PLACE

AND THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD MAKE YOU SMILE

I ONLY SAW GRIEF AND SORROW ON YOUR BEAUTIFUL FACE



I GAVE YOU MILK... NOT FROM MY BREAST

I GAVE YOU FOOD AND CLOTHES TO WEAR

AND NOW MY DARLING WITH A SOB AND A TEAR

I PRAY THAT OUR FATHER WILL GIVE YOU REST!



I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU AND THINK OF YOU SO

BUT REALISE YOUR LIFE WAS SHORT AND FULL OF PAIN

I KNOW NOW THAT YOU WILL NEVER, NEVER GROW

INTO THE BIG AFRICAN MAN I WANTED TO KNOW

WAS LIFE SUCH A BURDEN, SUCH A TRIAL...

WERE YOU ALREADY SO OLD AND SO WISE

WAS THAT THE REASON FOR THE MISSING SMILE?

OR WAS IT BECAUSE NOBODY HEARD YOUR CRIES!

AND NOW MY PRECIOUS I MUST LET YOU GO...

AND SEE A VISION OF A HAPPY LITTLE BOY

WHOSE LITTLE HELPLESS BODY WILL GROW

IN A PLACE FULL OF LAUGHTER AND JOY

I PRAY THAT MY "AFRICAN DREAM" COMES TRUE

ONE THAT WILL LAST FOREVER IN MY HEART

IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT GOD'S LOVE IS WITH YOU

IN YOUR NOW HEALTHY BODY... IN YOUR BRAND NEW START!



Ramona P. Jacobsz

27 March 2008

<:))))><<
Your friend
Ramona P.