Widow who fostered 30 children shares her heartfelt journey
A 77-year-old Hillcrest widow attributes her successful journey in child fostering and adoption to unconditional and strong faith, having had the first child in 1991. She shares her decades-long path, starting from the day a newborn baby was found abandoned in Glenwood.
FOSTERING a child provides a safe, loving, and stable environment for a child in need, offering them the opportunity to heal from past trauma and develop into healthy, well-adjusted adults. It allows foster parents to make a profound difference in a child’s life, while also experiencing personal growth and fulfilment.
One woman has walked the path, and she reckons, given a chance, she would do it over and over again.
“I’m a retired widow, 77 years of age. Over my younger years, my husband and I had more or less 30 children through our home. Our very first baby came to us in 1991 and has never left. She is a teacher, she was abandoned in Glenwood, and taken to Addington Hospital, from where she was placed with us.
“We were crisis parents and supposed to have children for short periods, but that system didn’t seem to work, maybe because of a shortage of children’s homes or foster parents. So some stayed for nine months. Most abandoned babies went to families who wanted to adopt. Other children had a parent and had been removed,” she narrated.
Also read: Process of child fostering unpacked
Again, in February of 1994 a baby was abandoned in Addington at 780g. “She was given to me at 1.25kg. Nine months later Welfare wanted to put her into a home but my husband announced that we already had another daughter. She is 31 years old today. She worked in the USA for two years and is back looking for work and studying IT.
“We have two biological daughters and it was a family decision to take in children. My 50-year-old daughter has also registered to take in crisis babies but has yet to receive one,” the foster mother added.
Throughout the years, and after her husband’s passing, she has been running a catering business and owned a bakery.
“I would do it all over again. My recipe to blend them into my family was my very strong faith and to love them as yours and treat them as such. The two children we adopted are an absolute joy in my life. No baby should be left in hospital for one day let alone a month ,” she concluded.
Also read: Challenges facing SA foster care system
Why Is Foster Parent Training Necessary? The Salvation Army provides training sessions for potential foster parents. “Imagine facing trauma, instability and uncertainty throughout your childhood. This is the harsh reality for thousands of children in foster care. After suffering neglect, child abuse or even grief and loss, these vulnerable youths often feel like they have no one. But welcoming a foster child into your home is a monumental commitment full of joys and challenges. That’s why proper preparation through comprehensive training for potential foster parents is absolutely crucial.
“By completing the training requirements, dedicated foster parents learn how to build supportive relationships and gain the knowledge needed to be a reliable, comforting presence these children have always longed for. The training also helps foster parents safeguard their own well-being and family life throughout the process. With clear expectations set, potential foster parents can make an informed choice to become foster parents,” the Salvation Army shared.
Fostering a child involves applying through the Department of Social Development or an accredited child protection organisation. One will be assessed by a social worker, and the process may involve the child’s biological parents, depending on the circumstances.
For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook , X or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.
Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here
