Thank you James, I honestly don't know how you do it, the boy is certainly not an angel, if anything you are one, to hang in there with all patience and perseverance you certainly went more than an extra mile where we had given up on him.
Frank On 21 February 2012 15:33, Jodi <jodialleme...@gmail.com> wrote: > Thank you for your hard work, James, and for sharing this with us. It > is people like yourself who teach kids that they are worthy of > respect, love, care; and that they can give that to others - a far cry > from the violence, substance abuse and poverty they've often become > accustomed to. Yours is such important work for these individuals, and > for our future society. > > On Feb 21, 3:29 am, James Cowley <jamesobs...@gmail.com> wrote: > > After living, scrounging and juggling his young life around foster > parents, > > Boys Town, the streets of Observatory at night from age ten to fifteen, > he > > finally found a new home of safety and care. > > > > The past five years living on the street certainly made him streetwise > and > > complimented his manipulative easy smooth talk manner of getting some > cash > > from passers bye, shoppers or the Obs vibe community. Being invited > into a > > home or a ress may have left the kind hearted, unsuspecting and fun > loving > > student out of sorts as later they would discover that an item or two was > > missing from their abode. In a moment or two he could wind you around > his > > finger in getting something from you, yet dart off in an instant > > of youthful energy running along to find his next 'friend' or whip > around > > the corner out of sight of the local security, SAPS or from a raised > > eyebrow. > > > > A lie too many and in wanting a quick buck he landed himself up at the > > Woodstock Police Station, was shipped off to Court the next day for a > crime > > he was suspected of, only to have marched out from custody the same day > > while awaiting his Court appearance. Back on the Observatory streets it > > took the ONW to enquire what's up before he was rearrested a week later > and > > taken back to court again by SAPS. I have been able to attend all but > one > > of the five month's worth of court hearings, each time he was placed back > > to a 'secure home for boys' in Faure. A casual visit to his secure > > environment enabled me to learn more of him as a young boy, and a > > subsequent visit was due to an invitation by the home re their 'open > day'. > > Proud as can be of his certificates to prove his self worth to me, I was > > able to buy some of his hand products of needlework which he had made. > The > > neatly sewn cloth holder I gave to his mother who found it difficult to > > care for him during those early years, a cushion smartly padded up I left > > with a friend to give to his father when he is released from Polsmoor, > and > > the oven gloves I gave to an Aunt who cared for him from age three to > ten, > > a gift well meant, as she used to sew for the extra pound in order to > > maintain house, the extended family and the home. > > > > The ACVV who managed his placements via the Children's Court over the > years > > did a sterling work to take the process further of arranging a court > > hearing for yesterday 20 February. The Legal Aid Attorney did well in > that > > the criminal case was withdrawn by the State due to lack of evidence, and > > further that she had the case of absconding, due to the boy's potential > > future before him, converted such that it will not be held against him > for > > now. The Senior Probational officer also applied care and concern in her > > motivation for the conversion which was presented to the Magistrate. > > > > However, in the fine tuning of the two different Court systems, Criminal > > and Social, in getting him placed into a secure environment for the next > > two years till age eighteen, crime in Dieprivier nearly scuttled the > double > > proceedings. The Attorney's home was broken into and she was not able to > > attend Court. Fortunately in keeping an eagle eye out over the process I > > cautioned the Prosecutor not to postpone the hearing for the next day as > > the Children's Court and the Home of Safety arrangements were to be > > jeopardised, thus alternative arrangements were made. Still the youth > was > > shipped back and forth due to some glitches between the two Courts but > with > > a combined effort we managed to literally squeezed him through the cracks > > in the doors, and successfully had him to be placed at a new home. > > > > Walking down the streets of CT between one Court and the other I > > could sense the anxiety of the youth walking close to his Police Wardens. > > Leaving the Children's Court after the successful outcome, marching down > > the corridors to the waiting room from where he will be transferred to > his > > new schooling and secure home, I noticed the change of his walk as > > twisting the feet slightly on the ball of the foot, relieved from the > past > > and glad to have a place that he could actually look forward to, offering > > him the opportunity to prove his worth even further, hopefully to himself > > first. Doing the farewells, he gave thought to thank me first, before he > > was given a big hug, a squeeze of the hand, and prodding him on to do go > > and do his best - 'a tribute to all who helped'. > > James > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. > To post to this group, send email to obsnw@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > obsnw+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/obsnw?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. To post to this group, send email to obsnw@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to obsnw+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/obsnw?hl=en.
