Message by Mr Paul Momsen
It is very sad to retire from service at Abraham Kriel Bambanani, but on the other hand my wife Betsie and I are ready to embark on the new phase of our life together and are looking forward with expectation to a simpler and less-stressed lifestyle.
I have been exceptionally privileged to serve AKB and its beneficiaries since 1987. I treasure the fact that I was in the wonderful position to live my calling and passion to promote the protection, care and development of children and young people in need of care for most of my professional career.
During this time our country transitioned into a democratic society for all of its citizens. This transition impacted profoundly on the transformation of AKB into an organisation now not only serving children of all communities but also serving children and young people outside of the confines of its residential care facilities. The expansion of the traditional children’s home services to an array of diverse services included the establishment of satellite homes, early childhood development services, home based care services, drop-in centres and skills development services. To strengthen the sustainability of AKB, the AKB team also established child and youth care worker training and student accommodation, as new revenue streams.
One of the treasures of AKB is the quality of its people. One will have to go far to find the same calibre of people dedicated to the calling to serve God through their service to the children and young people entrusted to AKB. I am profoundly grateful for the privilege to have known and worked with the people of AKB, whose dedication and willingness to sacrifice knows very little boundaries.
I have been extremely blessed to work under the guidance of many board members, people willing to share their precious time, vast knowledge and exceptional skill with the management of AKB, at no compensation. Under their guidance the AKB team developed a governance system that supported not only the operations and service delivery, but also the reputation of AKB in the eyes and experience of all of its external stakeholders, including the donor community and the state.
My gratitude extends to the thousands of donors and supporters of the work of AKB. These include individuals, corporates, foundations, trusts, the church’s leadership and its congregations, committee members and volunteers, too many to single out. The generosity with which you gave and supported is truly inspiring. I am convinced the fruit of your generosity will be visible for many decades in the lives and families of our beneficiaries.
In closing I want to honour God for his grace in providing in all of the needs of AKB. For a hundred and twenty-three years He has been providing in exceptional ways in the needs of AKB, its staff and its beneficiaries. He deserves all of our gratitude, our praise and our honour, for now and forever. Thank you, God.
‘n Boodskap deur Mnr Paul Momsen
Dit is baie hartseer om na 38 jaar diens by Abraham Kriel Bambanani af te tree, maar aan die ander kant is ek en my vrou Betsie gereed om die nuwe fase van ons lewe aan te pak en sien ons met verwagting uit na ’n eenvoudiger en minder stresvolle leefstyl.
Ek was bevoorreg om AKB en sy begunstigdes sedert 1987 te dien. Ek koester die feit dat ek in die wonderlike posisie was om my roeping en passie, om kinders en jongmense in nood te beskerm, versorg en te ontwikkeling—vir die grootste deel van my professionele loopbaan kon uitleef.
Gedurende hierdie tyd het ons land verander na ’n demokratiese samelewing vir al sy burgers. Hierdie verandering het aanleiding gegee tot die transformasie van AKB na ’n organisasie wat nie net kinders van alle gemeenskappe dien nie, maar ook kinders en jongmense buite die grense van slegs residensiële sorgfasiliteite. Die uitbreiding van die tradisionele kinderhuisdienste na ’n verskeidenheid dienste het die stigting van satelliethuise, vroeë kinderontwikkeling, tuisversorging van kinders, inloopsentrums en vaardigheidsontwikkelingsdienste ingesluit. Om die volhoubaarheid van AKB te versterk, het die AKB-span ook opleiding vir kinder- en jeugsorgwerkers en studentebehuising gevestig as nuwe inkomstestrome.
Een van AKB se grootste bates is sy personeel. ’n Mens sal ver moet gaan om dieselfde gehalte van mense te vind wat toegewyd is aan die roeping om God te dien deur hul diens aan die kinders en jongmense wat aan AKB toevertrou is. Ek is opreg dankbaar vir die voorreg om die mense van AKB te ken en saam met hulle te werk. Dit is mense wie se toewyding en bereidwilligheid om op te offer, min grense ken.
Ek was geseënd om onder die leiding van verskeie raadslede te werk—mense wat bereid was om hul kosbare tyd, uitgebreide kennis en uitsonderlike vaardighede met die bestuur van AKB te deel, sonder vergoeding. Onder hul leiding het die AKB-span ’n bestuursmodel ontwikkel wat nie net die bedrywighede en dienslewering ondersteun het nie, maar ook die beeld van AKB in die oë van al sy eksterne belanghebbendes bevorder het.
Ek is dankbaar vir die duisende donateurs en ondersteuners van AKB se werk. Dit sluit in; individue, korporatiewe instellings, stigtings, trusts, die kerk se leierskap en gemeentes, komiteelede en vrywilligers – te veel om individueel te noem. Die vrygewigheid waarmee julle gegee en ondersteun het, is werklik inspirerend. Ek is oortuig dat die vrug van julle vrygewigheid vir dekades sigbaar sal wees in die lewens en families van ons begunstigdes.
Ten slotte wil ek God eer vir Sy genade in die voorsiening van AKB se behoeftes. Vir honderd drie-en-twintig jaar het Hy op uitsonderlike maniere voorsien in die behoeftes van AKB – personeel en begunstigdes. Aan God, al ons lof, eer en dank—nou en vir ewig. Dankie, God.