Bless the Bo – Mme

Blog by Danell Czarnecki, Oceans’ Board Member 

I recently had the privilege of being at Beautiful Gate Children’s Center in Lesotho, South Africa. I traveled with my daughter and a life long friend and her daughter. It was amazing to experience life at Beautiful Gate through their “first time” eyes. I loved watching our two daughters serve the Bo-Mme and fall in love with the children of BG; and them falling in love with our girls. Ah, to love and to be loved, one of God’s many gifts.

I too couldn’t help but love the little ones at BG, but every time I travel there, my heart is drawn to the Bo-Mme. Bo-Mme translates to “mother” in Sesotho, the native language of Lesotho. And the Bo-Mme of Beautiful Gate are super mothers in my opinion.   Each Bo-Mme cares for 12-15 children at a time between the age of birth to 5. Their day consists of endless loads of laundry (which need to be hung on the clothes line every morning so they are dry by afternoon), to folding the clothes, cooking 3 meals plus snacks and feeding, changing diapers, bathing, dressing and tending to a myriad of other needs as they arise; and they do so with such joy and love!! The children in their care are happy, content, and have so much love to give back to those who serve BG in other areas because they trust in their caretakers. The Bo-Mme give these orphaned children a family and a hope for a future; such a beautiful gift. I cringe to think what might have happened to these beautiful children had God not brought them to Beautiful Gate.

As I watch the Bo-Mme “mother” the 70 plus children at the orphanage/children’s center, I am reminded of how our Heavenly Father tends to our every need. Phil. 4:19 says “And my God will meet all your needs…” But God is not satisfied with just meeting our physical needs, as BG and the Bo-Mme provide a home and a family for the vulnerable children of Lesotho, God does not leave us orphaned, but adopts us into His family, making us heirs to a future filled with hope. As the Bo-Mme give of themselves, many sacrificially, so the children of BG will know they matter and they are loved, God greatest desire for you and me is to know we matter and to know and share His deep love for us. And like my heart for the Bo-Mme, as they loved on my daughter, my love and desire to bless them grew deeper. I think God feels the same for us; as we give away His love and serve others, God’s blessings for us increase.

I had the privilege of praying with some of the Bo-Mme and to hear their stories. Watching the Bo-Mme take great delight in the children, rejoice over them with singing and quiet them with (His) love took on deeper meaning as I knew what they sacrificed to do so. God takes great delight in us, rejoices over us with singing and quiets us with His love. (Zeph 3:17) He too sacrificed much so we would know His love and care. I am grateful He sent His son so I might be rescued from my abandoned state, I cringe to think of where I might be if He hadn’t claimed me as His own and cared for me every need.

I pray you too know the love and care of our Gracious Abba and can someday experience the Kingdom in the Sky of Lesotho with me or someone you love. In the meantime, won’t you join me in praying God will continue “Blessing the Bo-Mme” in their work at BG, and as we do I trust He will also bless you and bless me.   Molimo a o Hlohonolofatse!! (God Bless You)