Domestic gives family shelter
2008-03-20 08:02
Bloemfontein - When they had nowhere else to go, a woman, her daughter and her grandchild found refuge with a domestic worker at an informal settlement near the city.
Deseree Gouws, her severely disabled daughter, Felicia Prince, 27, and her two-year-old granddaughter, Vicky-Lee Stapelberg, recently went to live with Alina Thulo, 44, when they were homeless.
Alina, her husband, Frans, and their two daughters live in a small, two-bedroomed house.
Years ago, Alina had worked at a house in Wilgehof.
Next to this house, there was an outside room at the back of the property and Gouws rented this and lived there with Felicia and Vicky-Lee.
Gouws and Alina became friends.
Later, Gouws, Felicia and Vicky-Lee went to live with her brother-in-law and his wife in Kroonstad.
Gouws said: "After a while, they started behaving funny towards me and my children."
They could not endure it any longer and took a train to Bloemfontein earlier this month.
"I didn't have any means of supporting us and we slept at Bloemfontein station for two days," said Gouws.
She said the Lord spoke to her and she thought about Alina and phoned her.
Alina said she immediately had hired a bakkie in her neighbourhood to go and fetch Gouws.
Hopes to help them one day
She gave her guests food, bathed Felicia and Vicky-Lee and made place for everyone to sleep.
"They stayed with me for a week and I didn't have a problem with it."
Gouws, Felicia and Vicky-Lee are now living in a flat in the city.
Gouws said that she didn't know what would have become of her and her children if it hadn't been for Alina.
"We were very spoiled at Alina's house. I hope God blesses them for this deed.
"I want to say thank you very much to Alina and Frans for everything they did for us and I hope to help them one day if I get money."