WHEN I WAS YOUNG

The British Monarchy, as the world knows, has just celebrated the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, in grand style to as we all saw!

The homes and streets were decorated in abundance with flags and bunting, my daughter, Shirley Ann and her family who live in Manchester, sent gorgeous pictures and their little cottage looked lovely with all the decorations and flags flying! I could feel the gay atmosphere here in  far off South Africa! No doubt about it, the English know how to throw a party, don't you think? And their patriotism knows no bounds. They are proud of their long and rich history.

My mind went into rewind, back to a time when I was a small girl and growing up in Gwelo, Rhodesia (now Gweru Zimbabwe).  Rhodesia was a British colony at the time and we did things as the British did.

In primary school before each assembly began, God Save the Queen was played, we all stood and sang out lustily in our off key young voices.

The cinema as no exception. Before every movie, God Save the Queen was played, we all stood, but were not expected to sing! 

Below is the town of Gwelo in the 1950's. I think this was rush hour.

I accepted these traditions without question. I took them as my own. The only flag I knew was the Union Jack. I also knew that Winston Churchill was a great politician. In fact the only politician who knew anything about anything, his praises were sang around me. Keep in mind that I was 7 years old!

I also believed The Queen and Winston Churchill were the only two leaders in the world.

Unbeknown to me, Rhodesia had it's own Prime Minister and flag! It was only overseen by Britain.

Below is the Thornhill Officers Mess in the 1950's.

As I grew a little older and was more aware of what was going on around   me I understood  more of what the adults in my life were speaking of. And then one day there was BIG NEWS, President Kennedy of The United States had been assassinated. There were two players in this game now, not just my beloved Queen. Why did I not know this, and where had he been all  my life?? Suddenly there were so many questions.

A small child doesn't know too much about politics do they, they don't need to. They just need to feel safe, secure and loved. Parents know EVERYTHING... well, for a while they do don't they? The older the children get, the bigger the world is, and it can be a dangerous place. There are many leaders and many countries I learned over the years and with it came wars and bloodshed.

And so quite suddenly I lost my Queen, in fact she had never been mine to begin with.

But one thing has never changed, every time I hear God Save the Queen, I still want to jump to my feet....

EASILY FOOLED!!

I have written often of the children we have fostered over the years.

This evening I was going through old photos, and in among the millions I found this one.

The little boy in the picture is Charlie. The girls are mine-from the left, Shirley Ann, Kerry Lyn and Lisa Jane.

Charlie was 2 years old when he came to us as a place of safety placement, and stayed for 6 months. His parents were french, (my girls used to call him 'frogs legs') children can be cruel can't they. 

His father was a lot older than his mother. Charlie was the middle of 3 small boys. He was also the only one in a foster home for the simple reason  that his mother could not bond with him, 'didn't like him' were the exact words used by the social worker, and he had been removed due to her treatment of the child. How do you not like your child to the point that he is taken away??

Lisa, on the Right, was incredibly jealous of him. One morning I heard the kitchen door slam and loud wailing cries coming from outside. I just KNEW that Lisa was at the bottom of it. I was right.... she had shut him outside and told him to go home. This became a regular occurence with her, I was always rescuing Charlie!

His mother did not show much interest in him at all and seldom came to visit him. Then suddenly after about 3 months she became more and more involved until she was allowed to see him every weekend. 

By the time six months had passed, she had convinced the Welfare that she was fit to take care of him and she loved him very much.

He was returned to his parents and 2 siblings.

The day he went back we took him and were invited to a braai as a thank you. They seemed like a normal family, this was definitely a success for the Welfare as their first objective is to rehabilitate families.

Two weeks later my husband and I were watching Police File on TV when some very familiar faces appeared on the screen. The Police were looking for a couple with 3 small boys who had stolen a caravan that they had hired and disappeared with it. They were criminals and con artists! They were believed to be in Zimbabwe, if anyone had any information as to their exact whereabouts to contact the Police! 

All the pieces fell into place, this had been planned. They had to get Charlie back before they 'disappeared'!

Wow! I could hardly believe what I saw and heard. But then what does a criminal, rapist, child molester, murderer look like?

I'll tell you, just like you and me!!!