Arise. Butterfly. Glorify.

My visit to The New Life Centre:

I had the great honor of hanging out with Rennie Joubert and getting to hear her story last Saturday. Rennie, 74, a retired accountant, runs the New Life Centre - a Christian centre in Belleville Cape Town that accommodates women in crisis pregnancy - with her husband Wietz Joubert, 78.

Not only is she the house mother of the New Life Centre but also does spiritual counselling with the ladies at the New Life Centre, and has even delivered 3 of the babies who were born at the home!

There have been 445 adoptions, 176 women who chose to be single parents, 1 miscarriage, 3 phantom pregnancies and 4 still-born or babies who died shortly after birth at the centre over the past 20 years.

I asked her some questions about the home:

How many years has the home been running and how many women have been accommodated by the New Life Centre?

The home started 20 years ago, the same year that abortion was legalized, and over the years there have been 629 girls and women pass through the home. The youngest girl was just 11 years old and the oldest 42 years old. The home can accommodate 10 ladies at a time although, if the home is full, we pull out mattresses and the ladies sleep on the floor.

How much does it cost to run this home each month?

Around R25 000 a month for the running of the home, petrol and medical costs.

Do these women receive medical care from the government?

Yes. The women give birth at Karl Bremer Hospital and we have had a very positive experience over the years with this hospital. Dr Deal at Durbanville Medi Clinic does scans for us free of charge. Most of the ladies give birth naturally and there have been 3 births at the home as the ladies did not get to the hospital in time, so I delivered 3 of the babies myself, and one of them was breech!

Where do you receive your money from each month?

It really comes from God! The Ministry of the Belleville Methodist Church give us the house for free each month and some of the members assist with money and groceries each month. We also receive money from The Community Chest.

What "qualifies" as a crisis for girls and women to come to the home and what does a "crisis" pregnancy mean?

Being homeless, being kicked out of the family home or shunned by the family, drug abuse, and girls and women not being emotionally ready to be a mother to the baby that they are carrying.
We do not discriminate and all women of all walks are welcomed. We have had atheist and Muslim ladies come to us as there are no crisis pregnancy centres in the Muslim communities.
Women who return a second time in a second crisis pregnancy are also not turned away but rather welcomed back. Our first priority is to try and unite the girls and women with their families.

Is the home very strict? Are girls and women allowed visitors?

No drugs or drinking is allowed and friends and relatives may visit but preferably not boyfriends. The girls rotate a chore list and take turns to cook and clean.

What is the road that you walk with the ladies if they choose to put the baby up for adoption?

The New Life Centre works with Pro Care so
the process is therefore a "private' adoption and the ladies can choose the family that will adopt their baby.
Once the mother has given birth to the baby she may see the baby and meet the baby if she wants to. The baby is then taken to the "baby room" while she recovers. The mother is encouraged to say good bye to the baby back at the home. The mother has 60 days to change her mind and keep her baby if she chooses to. In this time a Kangaroo mom will collect the baby with a court order. Post adoption agreement letters are decided between the social worker, the adoptive parents and the birth mother.
We try keep the ladies here as long as possible after the birth and we do post birth counselling.

I am under the impression that a private adoption is very expensive and this is often what puts many people off the idea of adopting privately. Is it true that a private adoption can cost up to R100 000?

No not at all! It works on a sliding scale and depends on your income. This allows anyone to adopt and it doesn't mean that because someone is very wealthy that they will necessarily be good parents and it would not be fair to lower income families who wish to adopt. 


Do girls receive any skills training while at the home?

Yes they do - they do a computer course and they learn to cook and clean. There is a lady who comes in to do antenatal classes with the ladies and a midwife who comes to see them at home as well.
A lady comes in to teach them to crochet and another lady comes to do guest house training with them.  We are currently looking for someone to train the ladies customer service skills, so someone who can commit an hour a week to the ladies in the home.

What are your needs and how can people get involved and support the home?

If there are specific skills that anyone feels that they can train the ladies in we would appreciate them volunteering their time. We will appreciate the donation of books, toiletries and clothes and financial donations are welcomed.



So as you can see Rennie and her husband are making a difference in South Africa, one crisis pregnancy at a time and Rennie says she wants to give God all the glory for the strength and grace He gives her.

If you would like to get involved in training the ladies or volunteering please contact Rennie and The New Life Centres bank account details are on their website.

If you know anyone who is in crisis pregnancy please share this information with them and encourage youth pastors and pastors to raise awareness and preach about the different crisis pregnancy centres in your area. 

Link to their website.

www.newlifecentre.co.za