Saturday/Sunday
The blog for Saturday 29th June is a day late because some server maintenance was being done. Thank you to Adrian and Stacey for sorting that out. I’ll just blend the two for today.
So Saturday Mike, Julian and I headed into Cape Town to the Ladies’ Christian Home (LCH). It is a huge building very close to the Company Gardens (Wandel St). Nugget from my journey: The Ladies Christian Home was an absolute answer to prayer for us when Granny became too frail. She began to need night care and that was something we didn’t have a plan for. It largely came to a head when one morning, I woke early to go to work and found her sitting on the floor in the lounge with blood streaming from her head. It looked like a crime scene. There was blood everywhere. She had gone to the bathroom in the dark and fallen, banging her head against the edge of the bath. Resilient and determined, she had righted herself onto her bottom and slid herself through to the lounge, reaching up to her head from time to time to stem the bleeding. A trail of blood on the tiled floor led from the bathroom to the lounge.
In February 2013, she visited the LCH and spent a weekend there. She was happy to return permanently. It was the place she spent the last 7 months of her life. They were absolutely wonderful to her.
Yesterday they had their winter market, so we went along to support them. After visiting the crafts and books, we went to the dining room for tea. The door to the rose garden is right there and so Mike and I walked out into the garden. Completely unexpectedly tears sprang to my eyes and I was overcome with emotion. Granny loved the garden. The roses are not in bloom right now but when they were, we pushed her around the garden in a wheelchair so she could admire, touch and smell them. This is Granny in the rose garden at LCH.
The last time I was at the LCH was when I came to pick up some of her things after she died. I was fine when I arrived, but the moment I stepped into the garden, it all came back to me. Precious Granny is now with the Lord, which is much better.
I asked the manager how it was going. She said very challenging….mainly from a financial point of view. She said it is very difficult to raise funds for Christian organisations. So true. If ever there is an organisation worthy of support it is one that cares for the poor and the widows. It has been providing care for older women in Cape Town for 143 years….since 1876. Amazing.
From there we walked through the Company Gardens. I love the gardens. Three ducks having a chat…
And a hungry squirrel – 
Our reason for going into Cape Town was to find the spot a picture was taken in the city centre pre-1900. No cars, only carriages, but looking carefully, we can see the pillars from the building on the left.
That building is still there – it’s the Standard Bank building and the flower sellers are still there…
A century has passed. If those pillars could speak, they would tell quite a tale. Amazing that the flower seller spot has stayed the same all these years.
Another reason to love Cape Town.
Today, we had breakfast and then took Julian to the airport. Afternoon is free.
Jeremiah 39:18
Because you trusted Me, I will give you your life as a reward. I will rescue you and keep you safe.
These are the days.
Keep the smile going.
God bless you.
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂
Gym:
Yesterday, I got up in the dark, the cold, the wind and the (little) rain and I went to gym.
- 30 minutes on the treadmill
- 15 minute ab class
- 15 minutes weight machines.
Today, rest day!
Braces:
- Saturday 228
- Sunday 229