12-27pm
It was a typical new years eve on the highveld when Pippie’s Dad lit a braai using a flammable fire lighter. What happened next was anything but typical. The fire lighter exploded setting his 2 year old daughter alight.
Pippie was rushed to hospital, clinging to life. Not expected to live her parents anticipated the worst. But God had other plans & today Pippie is known across the country as the little girl who should have died. This morning I went to the launch of the book “Pippie”. It’s the heart-wrenching story of the accident, as well as Pippie’s historic treatment and rehabilitation. It was a pleasure to meet Pippie and her tenacious Mom, Anice (pronounced Anika)…
Anice is a breath of fresh air! I always feel a bit uncomfortable going to these media events. The author is very important and I always feel very insignificant. But there’s no airs or pretenses with Anice. She is relaxed and chatty and puts everyone at ease.
Pippie is now 4, but doctors say she has the development of about a one year old. She can crawl, sit and say many words. Her future is looking good, but there is still a long way ahead. Anice has God-given gifts that make her the perfect Mom for Pippie. She was not prepared to take no for an answer & since the accident has been very involved in all aspects of Pippie’s treatment and recovery. She regularly mentions her Christian faith and dependence on God. Without Him, she would not have been able to cope. Anice has her hands full. She has a gruelling schedule of rehabilitation to ensure Pippie’s optimum development.
The whole story is captured in the book “Pippie” written by Colleen Naude. Anice spent hours recording what happened in audio format, which was then transcribed and used by Colleen for the book. Reliving the horrible details was not easy and many tears were cried. The book is inspirational and covers the story from Anice’s perspective as well as from many of the surgeons and doctors who worked on Pippie…
The media interest is intense…
“Pippie” is Colleen’s first book, but it certainly won’t be her last. After I interviewed her, she was off to sign a contract for the next!
40 days after the accident, Anice had great expectations for the future. She & her husband were clinging to God. She had seen amazing evidence of how this experience was turning people back to God. Amidst it all, she read Job 5:8-9 “My advice to you is this: Go to God and present your case to Him. For He does great works too marvellous to understand. He performs miracles without number.”
What an amazing verse. Pippie and her family are a remarkable family. And God has indeed performed miracles without number in their lives. There are more to come.
Watch this space!
God bless you loads!
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂