The Restory Retreat Centre

* Stefan is een van Johan se werkers wat soggens die beeste melk. Ons het die weelde om dan, sonder dat ons hoef te bekommer oor voer of beeste aanjaag, koei-warm melk uit die kan te gaan skep. Een oggend dra ek 'n paar ou tekkies van my saam met ons beker af melkery toe. "This is a size 8, Stefan. Do you think you can use them? What size are you?" Met groot belangstelling word die skoene by my gevat en van alle kante bekyk. "I wear a size 9," sê hy, "or 8..." Die waterskoene word uitgetrek en die tekkies aangepas. Vir 'n rukkie staan hy doodstil met sy oë stip teen die een muur asof hy sy brein kans gee om wat daar onder gebeur ordentlik te registreer. Dan skielik stamp hy elk van sy voete met die "nuwe" tekkies aan hard op die grond. "Yes, they fit," kondig hy met 'n breë glimlag aan. Met my vol beker melk loop ek terug huis toe en dink aan Dalene Matthee se Fiela se Kind . Wanneer Elias ...

“You will find out that Charity is a heavy burden to carry, heavier than the kettle of soup and the full basket. But you will keep your gentleness and your smile.  It is not enough to give soup and bread. This the rich can do. You are the servant of the poor, always smiling and good-humored. They are your masters, terribly sensitive and exacting master you will see. And the uglier and the dirtier they will be, the more unjust and insulting, the more love you must give them. It is only for your love alone that the poor will forgive you the bread you give to them.”                                                                               - St. Vincent de Paul It is the annual knitting marathon of the CMR (English: Christian Social Council) of Volksrust. ...

Jasper, the Border Collie, at the river Photograph by George Angus You are the giver of all good things. All good things are sent from heaven above, rain and sun, day and night, justice and righteousness, bread to the eater and seed to the sower, peace to the old, energy to the young, joy to the babes. We are takers, who take from you, day by day, daily bread, taking all we need as you supply, taking in gratitude and wonder and joy. And then taking more, taking more than we need, taking more than you give us, taking from our sisters and brothers, taking from the poor and the weak, taking because we are frightened, and so greedy, taking because we are anxious, and so fearful, taking because we are driven, and so uncaring. Give us peace beyond our fear, and so end our greed. Give us well-being beyond our anxiety, and so end our fear. Give us abundance beyond our drivenness, and so end our uncaring. Turn our taking into giving … since we are in your giving image: Make us giving like y...