Die kinders is die blomme en die rede vir ons pleidooi en geveg. Dis winter in my mooie land, Suid-Afrika. \r<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ons is almal intens daarvan bewus dat elke winter sy unieke uitdagings meebring \u2013 van fisieke storms tot innerlike storms wat in die gemoed afspeel. Winter is vir my simbolies die seisoen waar geleent\u00adheid is om na binne te kyk, innerlik sterk te word en te groei. \r<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vir ons as volwassenes is dit ‘n uiters nodige seisoen, want vir soveel van ons is daar die kind wat sentraal binne ons seisoen en realiteit staan. \r<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hier aan die begin van Jeugmaand is dit vir my so belangrik dat ons meer as ooit erns moet maak om ons kinders teen die winters van hierdie lewe te beskerm. Hierdie saak l\u00ea my so na aan die hart dat ek dit in woordkuns probeer saamvat het.\r<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Junie kom stil oor die vlaktes van Suid-Afrika, met ys op die gras en wolke wat laag oor dorpe en stede hang. Die wind dra verhale van swaarkry, van huise wat deur water bedreig word, van le\u00eb tafels, bekommerde o\u00eb en harte wat soms te moeg is om nog te hoop. En in die middel van hierdie w\u00eareld staan altyd die kind \u2013 die kind wat lag sonder rede; die kind wat vrae vra waarvoor grootmense nie altyd antwoorde het nie; die kind wat nog glo dat m\u00f4re mooier kan wees as vandag. En ek wonder \u2013 hoe beskerm ons hulle teen die koue winters van hierdie lewe? Teen woorde wat sny, teen verlies wat stilweg kom sit, teen die donker wat soms langer bly as wat dit behoort? Miskien begin dit hier \u2013 met arms wat oopmaak; met hande wat vashou; met mense wat kies om lief te h\u00ea wanneer dit makliker sou wees om weg te kyk, want daar is nog soveel goedheid in hierdie land. Dit leef in die onderwyser wat vroeg opdaag; in die ouma wat haar laaste brood deel; in die buurman wat help wanneer die storms kom; in die ma en pa wat elke dag weer probeer; in elke volwassene wat besluit: “Hierdie kind sal nie alleen staan nie.”\r<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aan elke kind van Suid-Afrika: Mag jy besef dat jy kosbaar is; dat jou naam met liefde in die harte van mense wat jou dalk nooit eens sal ontmoet nie, geskryf staan. Mag jy onthou dat die winter nie vir altyd duur nie; dat selfs die kaalste boom reeds die belofte van nuwe blare dra; dat die son altyd terugkeer \u2013 selfs n\u00e1 die langste nag. En wanneer die w\u00eareld koud voel, mag jy die warmte vind van mense wat soos komberse om jou vou; wat jou sal beskerm; vir jou sal opstaan; wat jou sal herinner …\r<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jy is nie die probleem van hierdie w\u00eareld nie \u2013 jy is die hoop daarvan. Lank nadat die storms bedaar het en die winter uiteindelik plek maak vir lente, sal die liefde wat in jou geplant is, bly groei. En dalk, eendag, sal jy self die skuiling word waaronder ‘n ander kind veilig kan rus.\r<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tot dan, kleine mens, mag jy sag slaap onder die sterre van Afrika, mag jy veilig wees in die hande van di\u00e9 wat omgee en mag jy altyd onthou … daar is meer liefde as haat; meer lig as donker; meer goedheid as seer. En jy word diep, innig en onvoorwaardelik liefgeh\u00ea.\r<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mamma, Pappa, Ouma, Oupa, Oom, Tante, Stiefma en Stiefpa \u2013 mag ons nooit moeg word om hulle wat God aan ons toevertrou het, met liefde en deernis te versorg nie. Hulle het mos nie gevra om hier te wees nie. Hulle verstaan nie die redes en omvang van jou grootmens-seer nie. Hulle hoef dit ook nie te verstaan nie. Hulle het nodig om nog kind te wees. Hulle is nie veronderstel om as buffer te dien teen die vuis- en mondgevegte wat daar tussen julle bestaan nie. Daarom my pleitende versoek aan jou … wil jy nie asseblief, in godsnaam, die seer van jou verlede oplos nie? Kan jy nie raaksien hoe jou onverwerkte seer en pyn ‘n bose kringloop geword het nie?\r<\/p>\n\n\n\n
En dis asof ek ‘n kinderstem die volgende hoor s\u00ea …\r<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ek het nie groot beloftes nodig nie \u2013 ek het jou nodig; ek het jou glimlag nodig wanneer ek twyfel; jou hand wanneer ek bang is; jou stem wat s\u00ea alles gaan oukei wees, selfs wanneer jy self nie al die antwoorde het nie. Wanneer jy na my luister, voel ek belangrik. Wanneer jy tyd maak vir my, voel ek geliefd. Wanneer jy my beskerm, leer ek dat die w\u00eareld nie net uit gevaar bestaan nie, maar ook uit goedheid. Jy wonder hoe om my teen die winters van die lewe te beskerm. Die antwoord is eenvoudiger as wat jy dink … bly naby my \u2013 moenie moed verloor nie; moenie ophou omgee nie, want elke keer wanneer jy my kies, kies jy hoop.\r<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wanneer ek jou liefde ervaar, leer ek iets wonderliks \u2013 dat daar inderdaad meer goedheid as seer in hierdie w\u00eareld is. \r<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eendag sal ek groot word. Dan sal ek onthou hoe jy my veilig laat voel het. En ek sal dieselfde warmte aan ander kinders gee. Dankie dat jy daar is.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Winter is vir my simbolies die seisoen waar geleent\u00adheid is om na binne te kyk, innerlik sterk te word en te 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