Sina Mohlape is a house parent at Abraham Kriel Children’s Home Nylstroom. For her, the work she does each day is a calling that requires love, patience, understanding and dedication.

Sina believes that every house parent should have a sound understanding of children’s emotional, psychological and neurological development. This is especially important when children have experienced difficult and sometimes traumatic circumstances and need to learn to trust people again.

“Our work requires us to be calm, firm, consistent, dependable and responsible. A house parent must work well as part of a team and be able to make decisions quickly, but wisely. This role is not only about being physically present, but also about being therapeutically available,” says Sina.

For our children, a house parent often provides a safe haven – someone they can cry with, turn to for advice, rely on for support and trust as they begin to believe again that they matter.

According to Sina, house parents also often fulfil the role of a parent. “They give their time, support the children through difficult moments and help them make happy memories together.”

“It is a privilege to mean something to these children: to be a shoulder to lean on, a helping hand and a safe place where a child feels seen and valued,” Sina concludes.

The house parents at Abraham Kriel Children’s Home Nylstroom care for the children in partnership with God, knowing that He created each child for a purpose. As Jesus says in Luke 9:48: “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me.”

Through their daily care, presence and love, our house parents make a lasting difference in the lives of the 170 children at Abraham Kriel Children’s Home Nylstroom.