Apart from our main Above Rubies base in USA, we have 15 other bases for Above Rubies around the world. Our previous Director for Above Rubies in South Africa, lovely Linnie Lues has now retired. Therefore I'd love to introduce to you our new Director in South Africa, Chamonix Boland. Chamonix writes:
Dear Above Rubies readers and precious mothers,
It is a true honor and great excitement that I sit down to write to you.
As a teenage girl and young adult I would wait with great expectation and anticipation for the next issue of Above Rubies due in the mail any day. The first thing I would do was to read Linnie’s newsletter. How I admired her family. And then I would read each story in the magazine with such longing for my motherhood journey to begin.
I have always wanted to be a mommy. From a very young age that is all I can remember ever wanting--to have sweet babies. It is such a joy, such a blessing, and oh what a privilege. But it is also a great responsibility and is challenging at times. That’s why I treasure Above Rubies even more than ever. Each encouraging word and article breathes new life, hope, and enthusiasm into my motherhood journey.
I feel honored to be a part of this ministry to the mothers and families in South Africa and surrounds.
I am a homeschooled girl. My dear mother is Martie du Plessis from “Dymanis.” For those of you that don’t know, Dynamis is a ministry that empowers families and helps parents that would like to home educate their children. My mom and I began this journey many years ago, and we traveled through South Africa on a regular basis. I continued my home schooling, learning, serving, and growing while my mom assisted families. God is always at work, connecting people for His purposes! This is how we met Linnie Lues and her family.
I am a passionate lover of horses and am blessed with 16 beautiful four-legged babies and married to a cattle farmer, my strong and steady Justin Boland. We live in the beautiful highland mountains bordering Lesotho in the Eastern Free State, just outside Clarens.
I married young at 21 in 2008 and God blessed us with babies soon after--Nicholas-Christion (7), Evangeline-Faythe (6), Caleb-Eathen (4), Maia-Hope (2) and Benjamin-Fergus (1). And hoping for more! I have had beautiful births, the first three in hospital and the last two were home water births with my dear midwife Sue King, although our Benjamin was unplanned unassisted.
I am passionate about Child Birth, Labour, and Breast Feeding and passionate about assisting mothers emotionally with their birth and nursing journey, either as a doula or with Lamaze breathing, focus, and relaxation techniques. I follow Le Leche League breast feeding guidelines when assisting lactating mothers. This is a passion I choose to share with other mommies because it is such a blessing to birth powerfully and nurse well. It marks the first on your journey as mother, to submit your body as a sacrifice to God through carrying, birthing, and nursing His children with joy and gladness!
We also assist on Justin’s family Guest farm, “Sunnyside Guest Farm,” with everyday mundane running of the business tasks, maintenance, and reservations as well as help look after Justin’s Granny (86) who runs the guest farm and lives on the property.
We home school our little blessings, although they mostly just live life with us, sharing in our many daily tasks pertaining to farm and guest farm life, working alongside us, serving their family and others. Now they too will share in this marvelous Above Rubies journey that can encourage and bless others and impact future generations of mothers and fathers!
We look forward to this special journey with you, and as Linnie says, become partners with you in Above Rubies SA as we join hands to keep Above Rubies coming to South Africa!
CHAMONIX BOLAND
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.aboverubies.co.za
Cell: 083 740 3827 (signal on the farm such a problem so when trying to get hold of me, a text message or whatsapp may be a better option).
And now Chamonix has five happy children!