Greetings Vondelingers
A couple of years ago I sent you a story about Dany and Rose Moolman’s son, Nathan, and his amazing rise to success, through his desire to learn, hard work and determination. Today I want to tell you about Michelle Jacobs, who grew up here on Vondeling and her amazing achievement of where she is today.
Michelle was born on the farm next door, here on the Voor-Paardeberg and when she was 5 years old, her parents, Oral and Meena Jacobs, moved to Vondeling and both started working here. Oral was a very competent tractor and forklift driver and Meena worked in the vineyards. Tragically in 2009, Meena was diagnosed with cancer of the stomach and passed away in 2010 leaving Oral, Michelle, and little brother Marlin to fend for themselves. It was a very sad time and Oral found everything overwhelming and for a time, sort solace in the bottle and pretty much went to pieces. Enter Gert and Tilla Wagenaar.
Many of you who’ve been to stay here over the years would have met Tilla. She has worked for us since I arrived here in South Africa in 1991. Gert and Tilla were living in the house next door to the Jacobs. To cut a long story short, Michelle and Marlin moved in with the Wagenaars, Oral left Vondeling to go and work on another farm near Malmesbury, and 3 years later Gert and Tilla officially adopted Michelle & Marlin. A truly incredible act of love and kindness.
During this trying time, Michelle had started at Alphons Primary School (next door to Boland Landbou School), about 12 km’s away, and went on the School bus every morning from here at the farm gate. Suddenly in 2011 we were told Michelle had been made Head Girl. In fact we were so impressed with her progress and raw ability that we decided to pay for her to go to Hugenot High School here in Wellington. She stayed in digs in the week and would come home at weekends.
Michelle blossomed both in the classroom and on the games field and in 2016 passed her Matric with flying colours and was accepted at Huguenot College to do a National Diploma in Early Childhood Development in 2017.
At this stage, we stopped paying for Michelle’s education, but she was determined to continue. She got a government bursary and enrolled at CPUT in Wellington to do a Bachelors of Education (Founders Phase) from 2019-2022. During this time, every spare minute she had, she would be here working in the tasting room, helping out with weddings and Functions, and even helping Uncle Monty and George with security monitoring at night.
Michelle passed with amazing results this year and applied for positions all over the Province. Yesterday, she was offered a position as a Foundation Phase Teacher at Windmeul Primary School. A tremendous achievement. She has also just informed me that she will continue her studies at CPUT to do her Honours.
This is another wonderful example of what Nelson Mandela said, given the opportunity and hard work, against all the odds, one can succeed in achieving one’s goals.
Have a wonderful Christmas everybody. Remember that with all the trouble and strife we have had in 2022, there are still great things going on out there… like Michelle!
Julian
P.S. Please join us for our annual Christmas Service at St Clement’s Chapel at 09H30 on the 25th of December!
