“When someone refers to charity one does not immediately comprehend the true meaning, impact and sacrifices of giving. But something that is completely hidden to the eye of the outsider is something you can only discover with perseverance and involvement, the hidden treasure of giving is this: ”Through giving you actually gain much more in life than what you have given.” Christiaan Greyling.
A Godly perspective
Friends
When Kirsty Hatt phoned me to ask whether I would be interested in meeting a young man who wanted to stay on the mountain for a week and run to and from work and donate the money raised to Starting Chance, I leapt at the opportunity. One of the joys of being part of a Trust is you never know who will run along your path, who you will bump into and who will help you climb what seems to be a mountain. When we met Christiaan, we needed help to get our name out there to let people know what we were doing. Apart from the money he raised for us, his story has touched the minds of work colleagues, friends and strangers and through him we have had the opportunity to spread the word about our work through radio, magazines and newspapers. But even more than that we have met others who want to support our cause and feed the children we support.
Was it easy for him? Certainly not. The sacrifice and the discomfort that went with the cold early morning runs, getting lost in the mist, getting sick made it hard at times to continue. “Monday evening was the toughest drag up the mountain, it was cold, dark and the mist made it almost impossible to find the trail to the hut. I had a lingering cold going into this week, and I was questioning myself why I am doing this challenge.” Christiaan Greyling.
Did he give up? Absolutely not! With the support of friends and colleagues, he pushed through and inspired others to do the same. “When I explained my story to the HomeChoice management team I sensed a feeling of support and interest which I could never imagined before. This really carried me to be motivated enough every day to leave work and run up the mountain. Homechoice and each and every colleague who supported, donated and asked about the progress of the week really contributed to the success of the week.”
Arrival at Orangekloof
Trust work is much the same. There are times when it is really tough and nothing seems to be going right. There are times when one questions whether it is all worth it. There are times when the mountain to climb seems just too high. But like Christiaan, this is where perseverance, training, tenacity and dedication to a greater calling pushes you through the tough times. The tough times bring out the very best in us if we keep our eyes on the purpose not the problem. With the Trust it is also the friends, colleagues, and strangers who step up and support and suddenly it all seems worth while. Christiaan’s example and dedication inspired us and others to rise to greater heights.
“As much as my Monday motivation was lacking to get up the mountain, the sunrise on Friday made me sad to leave the mountain after a week. Every morning I saw the city from the top of the mountain and it gave me a Godly perspective about our everyday problems.” Christiaan Greyling.
These children are why we do what we do. To give South Africa a chance to succeed we need to start with education at preschool level and give these children a “better start for a better future”. We would love it if when you read this blog you feel a stirring in your heart to join us to make a difference. Please contact us – we can’t wait to hear from you.
Emmanuel children want a starting chance
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