High Tea and High Hopes

The “Baby Safe Girls” celebrate the small and big victories of 2010 – with a dress-up High Tea event

During tea, we looked back over 2010 and were amazed that the Lord brought hope – even in the midst of seemingly impossible obstacles.

In 2010, approximately 500 babies were dumped in Cape Town alone. A result of poverty, abuse, HIV/AIDS, hopelessness and desperation, the challenge seemed overwhelming.

And yet through Baby Safe, 50+ babies were NOT dumped. 78+ mothers chose life; they made a plan and sought help instead of a rubbish heap. 27+ women and children walked a road of rescue or restoration, to prevent these circumstances from even happening. 238 lives were touched, changed, challenged. Now in 2011, we look ahead with expectation that the LORD will do even more!

The Stats of 2010…

- 238 women and children were helped by Baby Safe

- 107 women were counseled before their Termination of Pregnancy at the local hospital (of these women, 20 of them changed their minds and made a choice for life-over 1/5th!-and possibly more that went unknown)

Note: In the US, 1 out of every 5 babies are aborted. Yes! That is actually true. We are excited that here on the continent best known for high abortion rates, 1 out of 5 babies intended for abortion (at the hospital where we offer counseling) was saved.

- 58 women, who made a choice to parent, were met on an individual level by our Baby Safe team

- 38 babies were born

- 7 babies were successfully placed in loving homes through adoption

- 8 children were put in a place of safety in our network of safety families, 4 of whom were placed long term while the other 4 were able to be reunited with their family.

- 27 women and children experienced intervention or preventing for either difficult or even life-threatening situations, many going through the process of discipleship

- 1 baby successfully in our local baby safe, as 1 brave woman chose to give her child a future rather than dumping it!

These women and children came to us from every background, circumstance, race and region.

We worked with countless from our local communities of Masiphumelele, Ocean View, and Fish Hoek, as well as surrounding areas like Muizenberg or even Khayelitsha. They were black, white and colored, Xhosa, Afrikaanse, Zulu, Zimbabwean, Malawian, and more. Each one different. Each one desperate.

Yet the LORD sees each of them and calls them by name. He called them to life and not death, to hope and to healing. He looks upon them and sees his children, forsaken royalty, calling them to a greater destiny.

“The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; and you will be called by a new name which the mouth of the LORD will designate. You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. It will no longer be said to you, “Forsaken,” nor to your land will it any longer be said, “Desolate”; but you will be called, “My delight is in her,” and your land, “Married”; for the LORD delights in you.” -Isaiah 62:2-4.

Note: Information adapted from Danielle Kittinger’s Baby Safe blog post.