Kai is turning two

Kai will be turning 2 on the 11th of August.



I started thinking about his party around May (I plan ... ahead ... way ahead ... ), what we will do, what the budget will be, what the theme might be .... I looked back on last years budget and realized we spent a whopping R5000.00 on his first birthday party.

(Could have bought us a year of school, anyway).

Around the same time my social media pages got flooded with sick kids, people losing babies, babies being born with all sorts of diseases and illnesses. I looked at what I spent on his first birthday, I looked at what I might spend on his second and I just got flooded with so much sadness and guilt!

How can we spend so much money on trivial things when there are so many people who have so little?  While we are so blessed!  We have a healthy normal kid.  Of course we have had the bouts of flu, the chest infections, the tummy bug from hell at 8 months, but none of that is life threatening, none of that can not be treated with lots of love care, and a good doctor to give us the right meds.

SO many people don't have access to good health care. Life in gang infested areas where bullets fly around like we blow bubbles at home. Almost daily I hear on the news to and from work of shootings, kids who have been killed by stray bullets.

I phoned the The Red Cross Children hospital and spoke to one of their public liason officers there.  She told me how many moms drop their sick kids off at the hospital, and then can not visit them again for a week or more.  They just don't have money for travelling.  They do not get off work, and even if they did they can not afford to take the time off, because they need to feed their other kids.

Its all heart wrenching and so sad.  I can not stand it.

So Klaus and I spoke and decided this year, we are counting our blessings and in honour of Kai we are not doing a party.  We will donate some cash to the Red Cross and we asked our friends and family to instead of wrapping a gift for Kai, make up a parcel for Red Cross.  Something to keep the kiddies occupied during their stays. 

I feel honoured and blessed. I feel so fortunate to be able to do this very small thing.

Thank you God for the many blessings, the countless chances to be a better person. And for my health and that of my amazing family!