Social worker rescues bush children
Two young children were found roaming the bushes near Alkantstrand.
TWO young children roaming the bushes near the beach at Alkantstrand, were rescued, removed and resettled, after the intervention of a social worker.
Following the rapid removal of the Afrikaans-speaking children, aged three and five last Wednesday, the social worker could find no suitable placement on short notice due to critical shortage of screened foster parents and places of safety nearby.
His official car kept stalling and the indicators failed, making it unsafe to drive and transport children, but he soldiered on searching for help.
As night crept in with no help on the horizon, he decided to take them home with him, when a retired foster couple agreed to assist one night only, despite her recovering from a back operation.
Answered prayers
The local bush telegraph abuzz, a pastor answered the call, alert after attending a human trafficking awareness campaign the day before.
The children’s plight immediately touched her heart and the close-knit family agreed to take them without hesitation.
Needing character references for the background check, the pastor made some phone calls.
But, instead of vouching for their good name only, kind-hearted volunteers brought clothes, bedding, shoes, medicine, toiletries, toys, books and money.
The pastor, whose identity is withheld to protect the children, cried for joy, as she touched the items and blessed all the helping hands.
And the social worker, she says, is a hero.
‘His car had to be pushed by bystanders to do the house inspection, but finally just broke down.
‘He did everything to ensure the children were not traumatised in any way.
‘He was friendly, patient and wise, despite all his predicaments.
‘If he had the means to do his work properly, he could move mountains.’
On Thursday, the two children were warm, fed, clean and playing happily with a mountain of toys, friends, dogs and a cat.
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