Notes from the Trevorhood

A few weeks ago, after an all-day power outage and a severe thunderstorm, on the rural road outside the orphanage where we had been visiting for three weeks, there was a horrific, fatal accident.

Marion Cloete and her family who run the Botshabelo orphanage (in the Magaliesburg, in South Africa) responded immediately and I joined them being some of the first people on the scene as we ran through the rain and pitch-black, mud-soaked, fields to reach the accident.
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I won’t go into detail but I was shocked to the core.

Not long after, many of the older kids in the orphanage arrived to help. I was touched beyond words by their compassion, composure, and kindness. In a truly touching gesture, as there were no blankets around, one of the kids respectfully donated his jacket to cover the body.

Because of the power outage, there was no cell phone service due to the storm and other factors. It took the emergency services over an hour and a half to arrive.

They directed traffic, managed the scene, collected belongings that were strewn along the road, said prayers for the man who lost his life and comforted the people who had come from the village and orphanage to help.

Words cannot describe this amazing community and how they came together as one during this gut-wrenching, terrible tragedy.

Botshabelo Strong!

In honor of all at the orphanage, I would like to share this little documentary video I made of a day in the life of my Botshabelo family.

Thank you all for the amazing, love-filled visit. I’ve just been back in the US for half a day, but I miss you all already.

This is Botshabelo.