Sunday 23 February 2014

Anja Squares for a broken heart

Sometimes you can just stand in awe of how good people are, how friendships and goodwill can extend over the web and into people's hearts.  

I am so, so proud of and touched by the women of Ons Hekel, of how they came together when a fellow member suffered utter heartbreak.  

Image: Ons Hekel

Katinka's daughter Anja was scheduled for open-heart surgery during December.  She mentioned it on Ons Hekel and asked for our thoughts and prayers.  She updated us throughout, on the day and afterwards and we were so happy with Anja's recovery.  Anja even posted a message afterwards on Ons Hekel, to thank everybody for their prayers, and told us how it encouraged her mom.  

And then she died. 

Suddenly, unexpectedly, of an aneurism.  

Ons Hekel was collectively devastated, even though only few might have met her.  

But the loved poured in, and then someone suggested hooking a remembrance/comfort blanket for Anja's mom.  Her sister Erica offered to coordinate and assemble the blanket, and we started to hooked 20x20 cm squares, with some purple in it, as it was her favourite colour.  A postal strike got in the way, but some members collected squares and couriered it to Tolwe, a tiny speck on the South African map.

The first batch received by Erica


Squares are coming in from all over the country, Namibia, Australia, Ireland.  This is just a small selection posted on Ons Hekel:





I am astounded by how people can get so involved in another's pain, and try to be of comfort for her mother, family, husband and three little kids.

That's the type of we friends we make through hooking. 


Image: Ons Hekel

11 comments:

Unknown said...

Christelle, I commented on Facebook as well - but in English I would like to comment on your post here. The spirit of love and goodwill that we as a family have experienced and are still experiencing through this initiative of a lady called Sharon, is amazing. It is incredibly humbling to realize that somewhere, someone has take the time out of their busy lives to make a square in rememberance of somebody they don't even know. My sister has already received more than 50 blocks and still they keep coming. There are no words to express how this loving gesture is helping us through this difficult time. Thank you....Katinka and family.

Happy in red said...

Aww, this is touching. My mums name is Anja. I've never seen it anywhere else in the world. What a wonderful initiative. Stay string Katinka, all my strength to you.
Esther.

homemade@myplace said...

such a wonderful initiative!
xxxxxx Ale

Dalena White said...

The unwavering belief in the goodness of the human spirit and the proof there-of.

Stel said...

Katinka...niks wat ons kan sê nie. Ons stuur maar 'n hug met elke blokkie.

Stel said...

Must be from South Africa's Dutch heritage, I've heard it quite often here.

Stel said...

You know :-)

Retha-Jane said...

a friend of mine named her daughter ANJA..This was taken from her mother's names: JohANna JAcoba....ANJA!

Anonymous said...

This is how 'hookers' come together in a time of need! So touching! Renay

Rina said...

Hoe word mens deel van die hekelgroepie? Ons woon in Langebaan in die Weskaap. Ek kry geen kontakbesonderhede van die persoon in beheer van die projek nie. As iemand ons kan sê, sal dit wonderlik wees. Rina Engelbrecht

Stel said...

Hello Rina - op Facebook is nou 'n groep met die naam "Anja Blokkies Trooskomberse" - kyk by hul "About" en Pined Posts, jy behoort daar genoeg info te kry.