Four-year-old Lakhiwe came to Blessed Gérard’s Children’s Home with his siblings. Maresi Rehder remembers how quiet and shy he was at first. One day he took her hand and climbed onto her lap. All he wanted was a hug and the closeness of someone he trusted.
On his first outing to the beach, Lakhiwe played in the sand with the other children. Before long he grew tired and came back for comfort. He was seriously ill and, despite the care he received, the team could not save his life. Maresi writes that his shy smile and his little hand in hers have stayed in her memory. His story strengthens the team’s resolve to give children safety, affection and dependable medical care.
Source: Newsletter No. 37 (2018), p. 4; account by Maresi Rehder.