To love a rescuer you must love all of her. You must love the scars covering her body from panicked and hurt animals she was trying to help. You must love her fractured heart, that has been broken so many times she no longer even takes the time to mend the pieces.
To love a rescuer, you must embrace her grit and determination, and know that although she fights a war she can never win, she can and does win a few battles. You must love the tears she will shed over those she lost. You must give her comfort that she refuses to accept, as she blames herself for things she could have never foreseen.
To love a rescuer you must acknowledge the rage she feels towards the world at times, and know that anger is driven by a love of life too few have. You must give her space and room to cry and mourn for the losses that others have caused out of carelessness or cruelty.
To love a rescuer you must understand her passion to heal and save is a calling, not a choice. You must accept that to save animals is part of her soul and without that she could never be happy.
To love a rescuer you must be patient. You must accept her work comes first. She will forgo sleep, forgo food, forgo her life for animals in need. She will work tirelessly until her body and mind fail her completely and she cannot go on.
To Love a rescuer, you must be strong. You must not be threatened by her focus and love of animals. You must accept that the things you love about her, the strength and convictions and loyalty are also what drives her sense of duty to animals in need; you cannot have one without the other.
To love a rescuer you must never ask her to choose, because she will, and it will not be you.
When Terence reached out to me I was both in awe and humbled. Yes I started this blog to help people and perhaps I have in different ways. But to actually receive a letter about just how much someone’s life has changed from reading my posts, wow.
I have not changed Terence’s letter; which he penned to me as I think he writes beautifully and perhaps his story, will encourage somebody else, somewhere, somehow.
“It is a real honour, privilege and pleasure to share the impact that JoJo Bayvel’s blogs has had on me personally. My name is Terence and JoJo Bayvel’s blogs have been such an encouragement and inspiration to me.
The last couple of years has not been easy but even more so in particular the last three years, life simply did not behave and some of my dreams and goals seemed out of reach.
But despite that I trusted God and leaned on Him for strength and also decided that it was time for me to embark on the completion of a degree program that I started a couple of years ago.
Little did I know that after registering in January 2020 to complete the last couple of modules, that a Pandemic would soon reach our Countries’ shores and in March 2020, life as we all knew it would change and my studies was under threat of not being completed over the planned time.
I managed to get through the semester but by the start of the new semester I was faced with more challenges and i was facing the very real prospect of not continuing my degree study program. I was ready to throw in the towel. But I prayed and asked God to help and encourage me.
It was at this time that I came across JoJo Bayvel’s blog while busy online, and found the posts very interesting and so real as I’ve not come across someone being so real online about their life’s journey and family challenges.
The Blog that totally amazed me was “Against all Odds”, where some of the challenges and against all odds experiences were shared about her sister. I was in awe of the faith of her sister, JoJo, and the rest of the family. Her sister is a living testimony that God can get us through things no matter how difficult it may be.
As soon as I was done reading it, I asked myself the Question, “ If her sister could endure all of those Against all Odds experiences and have such deep faith and be an overcomer, then I have no reason to give up”.
That blog played such a pivotal role in encouraging and inspiring me to not give up and despite my challenges, to try again. I believe that when I prayed to God for help and encouragement, little did I know that one of the ways in which He would answer would be through a blog post and the life experiences of sisters with such deep faith.
And I am so happy that the blog encouraged and Inspired me at a crucial time when the challenges mounted and i made the decision there and then to not give up, as I will be graduating with my degree in December 2021.
JoJo Bayvel’s blog found and reached someone at a time when he needed it most. It is with this gratitude that I want to say thank you so much for your blog. It is inspiring, thought provoking, a tear jerker, courageous, brave, smile inducing, encouraging, life changing, joyful, hopeful, and most of all God Ordained and Inspired, to allow ‘An Ordinary Girl On An Extraordinary Journey Through Life’ to reach people where they are.
May God continue to bless you and your family abundantly more than you could ever ask or think and continue the excellent work. Blessings.
Terence, I end this by saying YOU are the one who has encouraged me. Tears stream as I have no way of repaying you for your beautiful words.
I know you can and will achieve great things in life – Gods holding the pen that will write your book.
Thank you again and again for inspiring me to keep on trying to make a mark on this world through my life’s experiences.
The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths.
These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.
Thank you firstly to Catherine Treki who penned this.
Thank you for the tears, the laughter, the memories and the joy.
I grew up like this but was lucky enough to have two moms – My African Momma and my own – yet Christina (my momma number two) was most definitely exactly this to me – A mom.
Not only were we blessed to have her, but her 4 daughters became our sisters.
Always remember that no one is born hating another … it is taught. And wouldn’t it rather be amazing to allow your kiddies two families instead of one?
So many of us were raised by African Mothers
Strong African women
Fighters
Often not even our own.
Bread winners
We were carried on backs, tightly swaddled with a well worn towel
Soothed by sweet songs we maybe didn’t even understand the words to
Swayed to sleep
Given tasters of pap and sous and drums and dance
Taught to receive with hand to wrist
We were blessed with warm sunshine smiles and heartfelt hugs
Patience
Humbleness
We were raised with love
This is the difference…
In a country where so much fear and hatred and misunderstanding has been rife through difficult years
On nights when my heart is sore oh so sore, and the memories of you are so vivid – I thank God that I still have, and always will be able to hold onto those.
I so often lose my breath when I think of you, my first love, not being alive on earth – but Daddy I know you are so happy and in a much better place, looking down on us and guiding us, forever. Always my 911.
Pops, I was lucky 🍀 for 37 years to have you. Most don’t get that chance or a hero daddy like you.
My first love, though oh to dance with my father again.
An Ordinary Girl On An Extraordinary Journey Through Life 