ATLARELA BABY HOME
The little ones continued participating in school, learning, playing, and growing each day alongside other children in a place where they are also taught about God. Now, we’d love to share a little update about each child in our home.
Mr. K is doing very well and is truly enjoying school more and more as he grows in confidence and comfort in his environment. We are proud of the bravery he has shown in trying new things and stepping outside of his comfort zone. Recently, we were especially encouraged to hear that he volunteered to pray alongside his teacher in class—something that once made him very fearful. We are thankful for these meaningful little steps of growth.
He also participates in kindergym at school, which is helping support his physical and developmental progress in wonderful ways. After long school days, he can sometimes struggle with obedience at home, and we would appreciate prayer for wisdom, patience, and consistency as we continue teaching and correcting him with love.
Mr. L, the Growing Conversationalist
Mr. L is growing and developing beautifully, and we are especially thankful for the incredible progress we have seen since he started school. Both his speech and physical development have improved tremendously, and he is now able to hold wonderful conversations with those around him.
While he continues to struggle with tantrums and a strong desire to be in control, we are committed to helping him work through these challenges with loving consistency and correction. We would appreciate prayer for wisdom and patience as we guide him through this important stage of growth and development.
This has been a long journey, as she arrived with no immunisation records. Through the faithful support of a patient nurse in Centurion, many early morning drives, careful scheduling, and much perseverance, she is now fully up to date. We are so grateful for the Lord’s provision throughout this process.
Lady L continues to have strong emotions and frequent temper tantrums, as she is a very determined and strong-willed little girl. We are committed to walking with her patiently and consistently as she learns obedience, self-control, and healthy ways to express her emotions.
Lady N, the Brave Little Learner
We praise the Lord for His continued care over Lady N and for the growth we have seen in her development. It has been encouraging to watch her make steady progress, especially through the support of therapy sessions twice each week. These guided activities have also given us valuable tools to continue practicing with her at home. Lady N has begun imitating speech more frequently, especially during games and social interactions such as saying “goodbye.” We have also seen exciting developmental milestones as she begins using toys for their intended purpose. Recently during therapy, she connected that a drumstick is used to hit a drum and actively searched for the drum when she only had the stick—such a special moment to witness!
She continues to build strong relational bonds, intentionally approaching others with warm hugs and beautiful smiles. While screaming and tantrums remain challenging, they also reflect developmental growth as she learns to express frustration when she cannot have something she wants or must share with others. Lady N is also becoming more mobile, pulling herself up to explore higher surfaces and showing growing curiosity about the world around her. As she continues to grow physically, caring for her has become more demanding, especially since she prefers to be carried and is not yet walking independently. We would greatly appreciate prayers for strength and wisdom for the ladies caring for her daily. We are also exploring potential homes that may be able to meet her needs well, and we pray the Lord would provide the perfect fit for her future.
Mr. B, the Sensitive Sweetheart
Mr. B has had a more difficult month emotionally. He has been struggling more with obedience and has experienced some regression in his potty-training journey, including more accidents than usual. Despite these challenges, he continues to love learning, and we work hard each day to engage and stimulate him through different activities and opportunities.
We are focusing intentionally on consistency—correcting, teaching, and also encouraging him whenever he makes good choices. We also look for opportunities to take him on little outings and special moments that help him feel valued and loved.
Mr. B often thrives with one-on-one attention, cuddles, and reassurance. We would appreciate prayer for patience, compassion, and unity as a team as we care for him well, especially during this season where many of the older boys are experiencing exciting changes while he may feel left behind at times.
Mr. N, the Singing Star
Mr. N is growing and developing well, and we praise the Lord for the positive progress we have seen over the past few weeks. He has been obeying much better both at home and during therapy sessions, which he thoroughly enjoys. One of the biggest celebrations recently has been his potty-training journey. Although he still has the occasional accident, he has made wonderful progress and has even started successfully going number two on the potty as well—we are incredibly proud of him!
Mr. N continues to bring joy and smiles to those around him. We would deeply appreciate your prayers for progress in the legal aspects of his case, as we are hopeful for important developments in the coming month. Like many of the children, we believe he would truly thrive in a loving, godly home, and we continue praying for the Lord’s guidance in this area.
He still absolutely loves singing and dancing, and it is amazing to see how many songs he knows and remembers so well. He confidently knows his colours and the days of the week, and we are looking forward to introducing a calendar routine that we believe will help him and Mr. B better understand and engage with daily life routines.
Our older children also started attending school, and we are so grateful that God opened this opportunity for them. Both they and we have truly enjoyed this space where they can spend time with children their age, continue learning, and grow in every way. The younger ones are growing as well and reaching new milestones every day, and we’d love to tell you more about that below.
Baby S, the Sweet Smiley Snuggler
Baby S. is a very sweet little boy who is quick to smile whenever someone talks to him or calls his name. He loves “swimming” while lying on his stomach, although he sometimes becomes frustrated when his hard work does not quite get him where he wants to go.
Baby S. enjoys being cuddled and held close, especially when he feels lonely or unsettled. He is learning to babble more and more, particularly when he is excited. Baby S. loves observing the people around him and is quick to laugh when something catches his attention. His joyful spirit and gentle nature make him a delight to be around.
Baby T, the Little Milestone Champion
Baby T. continues to amaze us as he confidently moves through developmental milestones with ease. He frequently pulls himself up to stand and is army crawling all around the home as he eagerly explores his surroundings. While he enjoys being with others, he also loves discovering new spaces and moving around independently. Baby T. enjoys chatting and making little noises to himself, especially as he drifts off to sleep. He carefully studies people’s faces and often tries to imitate sounds and facial expressions. He is a happy, content, and curious little boy.
Mr. Ph, the Busy Explorer
Mr. P experiences life with wonderful enthusiasm and big expressions of emotion. While screaming is currently one of his favourite ways to communicate, he is steadily growing in using words instead and is learning to calm down more quickly. His vocabulary continues to expand, and he is beginning to speak in full sentences.
Mr. P loves being where the excitement is and enjoys snuggles—though usually only briefly before he is off exploring, running, and staying active. Sitting still for long periods is not his favourite thing, but his appreciation for story time is growing as he learns to patiently turn pages and enjoy pictures. He especially loves toys that make noise and delights in copying the sounds and actions of others.
Mr. P, the Joyful Musician
Mr. P is a joyful boy whose laughter brightens every situation. He tends to take things in thoughtfully, quietly observing and processing the world around him. Recently, he has begun imitating others, often leading to lots of giggles, and he especially enjoys speaking in funny voices. Mr. P continues to love playing the guitar and approaches music time with great enthusiasm. He is very gentle with the younger babies, often comforting them when they are upset. Affectionate and kind-hearted, Mr. P loves giving hugs and caring for those around him.
Mr. NJ, the Friendly Adventurer
Mr. NJ continues to show a strong love for learning and problem-solving. He enjoys helping around the home and takes pride in being useful and involved. Always eager to try new things, he embraces adventure with enthusiasm. Mr. NJ easily makes friends and connects well with others, often greeting people warmly and confidently. It has been wonderful to see his growth in self-regulation, as he is learning to calm himself more quickly and express big emotions in healthy ways. He is a friendly, caring, and relational boy who naturally notices and values those around him.
Your prayerful support means so much to us. Below is a list of specific prayer requests for our two homes, so that you can partner with us in praying intentionally for the children and staff.
ATLARELA BABY HOME Prayer request:
- Praise the Lord for the growth and development we continue to see in the children.
- Praise God for His faithful provision in many unique and unexpected ways.
- Pray for protection over the children and staff as sickness continues to spread in schools and surrounding areas.
- Pray for the finalisation and progress of Mr. N’s case.
- Pray that the Lord would provide the right home for Lady N.
- Pray for Mr. B as he is currently struggling emotionally and behaviorally.
MUPHAMUZI BABY HOME Prayer requests:
- Please pray for our boys and for our nannies as a bad flu is going around. Please pray for quick recovery, especially for the smaller babies.
- Please pray that the Lord would continue to help us grow in unity as we seek to work well together as a team. Please pray that we would continue to grow in sacrificial love as we seek to put the Gospel on display daily.
- Please pray for our boys' court cases to progress and that they will be placed in loving forever homes soon.
- Praise God for all the ways he has provided for us this past month as he sees our needs and meets them in an amazing way, again and again.