Goulet Cares Project Foundation
Saving Grace
Our mission began with a simple challenge from two friends who told us, before our first trip to South Africa, that we needed to pay it forward. That one act of obedience opened the door to something far greater than we ever imagined. Since then, each step has led to another, more stories, deeper connections, and a calling that continues to unfold.
As our show season came to an end, we began preparing for our second journey to South Africa. This time, we traveled with the intention of strengthening friendships and reaching even further. Carrying donations generously given by hunters, we shopped for supplies for an orphanage we were about to visit for the first time. Our goal was not only to deliver much-needed items but to sit down with the directors and discuss how we could continue to support their mission.
When we arrived, the gratitude was immediate. The joy on the staff’s faces and the relief in the director’s voice spoke volumes. As we toured the well-maintained structures, we quietly noticed unspoken needs. Their humility and modesty were evident; needs existed, but pride and gratitude came first.
Children surrounded us, smiling and laughing as they helped carry in supplies. Their joy was contagious. As we listened to the stories of how many of them had come to the Mosester Children and Youth Center, one story, in particular, captured our hearts forever.
We were led into a quiet room filled with simple, handmade cribs. We were asked to speak softly. In one crib lay a baby girl, nameless. She rested peacefully, arms open wide, breathing softly in her sleep. There were no cries, no tears, only stillness and peace.
As we stood there, Helen began to tell us her story.
This baby had come to Helen with the expectation that she would be given a peaceful place to rest and then go home to the Lord. Helen refused to accept that ending. She vowed that this child would live, grow, and have a prosperous life. And she vowed that this nameless baby would have a name.
She named her Grace, because grace is a gift, a blessing freely given.
Grace’s story is one most of us can hardly comprehend. Her mother, overwhelmed by life and choices she felt trapped by, gave birth alone in an outdoor toilet, what many of us would call an outhouse. Grace was left there, crying, lying in waste, hoping someone, anyone, would hear her tiny voice.
Someone did.
At first, the cries were mistaken for a cat in distress. But when the sound was followed, a newborn baby was found. The police were called. Grace was rescued and rushed to the hospital.
There, she was cleaned, examined, and cared for. With no family present, Helen from the Mosester Children and Youth Center was contacted. When Helen heard Grace’s story, she made one thing clear: she would not take in a baby simply to comfort her as she died.
By the time we met Grace, she was four months old. She lay in her crib, sleeping peacefully, arms stretched wide. As we stood there, Helen asked, “Do you see how her arms are open?”
“Yes,” we replied.
“That’s what a child does when they are shown love,” Helen said. “They open their arms wide to receive it. Grace needed love to survive. And that is what we give her, and every child who comes here.”
It is stories like this, stories like Grace, people like Helen, that God places directly in our path. Quietly, He whispers, “These are My people. Help take care of them.”
There are moments when I sit with my head in my hands and ask God, Why me? Why us? What do we do next? Where do we go from here? And every time, He shows us the way. He sends signs. He sends people. He sends angels like Helen.
After one event where we shared this story, someone said to me, “That Helen is an angel doing God’s work.”
We believe that with our whole hearts.
We are truly blessed by the mission placed before us, and by every person who has made it possible. Because of them, stories like Grace’s continue. And because of people like Helen, love keeps showing up exactly where it’s needed most.
Reaching out and Giving Back
This year has brought us countless surprises. The first surprise was from the Minnesota SCI Chapter President. He delivered donations from local chapter members, filling one entire blue bag. This effort continued to grow at the Minnesota SCI show in February. By the end of the SCI show in Brooklyn Park, MN, we had two full bags of donations to transport to South Africa.
As the months passed, Jeff and I prepared to deliver the gifts ourselves and to bring along Jeff’s dad, Dennis Goulet, for his first visit to South Africa at the remarkable age of 81. He was captivated by the country’s sweeping landscapes and the warm hospitality of Dream Team Safaris, which thoughtfully adapted the hunt to his age and mobility.
His heart overflowed as the blue bags that once rested in his home transformed into a day of generous giving. With donations arriving right up until our departure, we were able to fill four additional shopping carts with supplies for the orphanage by shopping locally—nearly everything on their wish list was purchased.
I will never forget watching my father-in-law unload the jam-packed vehicle and place love gifts into eager little arms that reached out, proudly declaring, “I’m strong—I’ll take more!” The children and directors were filled with joy and sincere gratitude. The clothing and supplies met urgent needs, and the teddy bears were an unexpected delight. Helen, the orphanage director, smiled and said, “The teddy bears are beautiful, and the children will love all the gifts. ” It was a moment that made me pause in awe at how far this project had come.
During our visit we toured the orphanage and witnessed the exceptional care the children receive. As Helen told us, “It is amazing when you give a child love. Their arms open wide to receive it.”
Later, we sat down with Helen and Eddy, the finance director, to gain a better understanding of the center’s challenges. When the South African government stopped funding orphanages, 150 facilities were forced to close, displacing countless children. But Helen stood firm at Môrester Child and Youth Care Centre. She vowed that no child in her care would ever be returned to the streets. Each day she prays over the children, believing some people share her compassion.
Their current need is a bus to transport children to and from school. One of the children is waiting to have two surgeries and the orphanage could use some much-needed updates.
Môrester’s mission is clear: to serve these children and youths so they can grow into well-adapted, joyful members of the community. With Helen’s unwavering commitment and the support of caring people, no child will be left without love or a safe home.
As we move forward, we are committed to supporting Helen in her mission and establish we have our own foundation to provide direct support for the Môrester Child and Youth Care Centre. A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who contributed to this effort. Together we are making a difference.
If you would like to join us and help meet the orphanage’s most pressing needs, please consider a donation to “Goulet Cares Project.”
