Nicole Gillette
Living and serving at the El Roi Baby Home at the Refilwe Community Project in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nicole currently manages the care of 12 babies at a time, newborn to 3 years of age. Additionally, Nicole manages a team of 8 local and international Aunties who help tend to the babies 24/7. Please pray for Nicole in all of her roles at Refilwe, that God would uphold her in strength, wisdom, grace and love as she cares for the precious babies at El Roi and all the members of the Refilwe community.
Recent Updates
March 16, 2022
Thank you for continuing to hold me and these precious babies in your prayers. We continue to live in limbo with not much changed since my last update with the exception of this good and bittersweet news:
My oldest little girl, “D”, will be meeting her Forever Family next week! She is four years old, has been with me since she was 6 weeks old and we have walked a journey together, to say the least. She is my little girl who had a medical trauma in 2018 that resulted in the loss of her right nostril. She will be hearing the news, and meeting her family via video of the first time tonight. I am so very excited for her but confused as to why the Lord is having her go through this transition during this uncertain season. Trusting Jesus for good, considering this is the time He chose to say “YES” to a court date that allowed her family to be able to travel to South Africa, even though I think the timing is rubbish, haha.
Please be praying:
- For “D” and her family as they both seem very shy and awkward — that the Lord will bless us all with His nearness, peace and grace to navigate these first meetings. That they would feel an immediate bond as a family unit and that Dominique will feel safe enough to show herself to her parents quickly and with ease
- For my ability to endure and remain faithful to the call that this season is requiring. I that I would have the emotional capacity to put “D” and her family’s needs ahead of my need to feel comfort, control or rested. That I will be able to juggle all the tasks required to prepare for her adoption while being with the kids practically 24/7 as well as know how to ask for help in ways that are actually helpful and not hurtful :)
- For my remaining toddler, “P”, who is 3 years old and who will be my only toddler once Dominique leaves. She has been having a really difficult time in this season and I am apprehensive of what her response will be before and after “D” leaves. Please pray that the Lord will grant her heart peace and my heart wisdom and patience as I walk her through this upcoming goodbye
We are continuing to press forward with local government agencies to re-register our CYCC as soon as humanly possible while continuing to ask for the extensions of services that the law allows for. I am not sure what the future holds — but I am certain of the One who holds it. That’s about all I got right about now; thankfully He is the best and only thing I need. Been repeating the lines of this worship song lately: Let it not be said of me/That I withheld anything from You
Praying I will lay all the things down at His feet because He is worthy of it all. Thank you for praying for me and standing with me in faith.
So much love,
~ n
March 9, 2022
We got the notice to move the last 4 babies and unfortunately they closed the baby house today. Heartbreaking! I'm not sure if that's permanent or not. Please pray for us, for clarity and direction on what to do next, and pray for the safety of the babies.
March 8, 2022
Hi friends!
Just a quick update — thanks for the grace in this wild season. I really feel like I am in some horrible twilight zone — just trying to do the next right thing, one moment at a time.
As it stands our organisation is still deregistered as a Child and Youth Care Centre and our social services team is working their hardest to get us through the re-registration process in an expedited manner in the hopes of being able to care for abandoned babies moving forwards. As it stands we have 5 babies in a home about 35 minutes from El Roi, 3 babies in a home 45 minutes from El Roi and I am currently working 24/7 with the 4 remaining littles at El Roi. The government agencies involved in removing the remaining four are battling with one another and it is uncertain how long they will need/get to stay at El Roi. My staff is being transported to and from these homes in an effort to lessen the trauma of the moves and to keep the bonds in place should the Lord allow them to be returned to our care. The longer they are outside of El Roi the benefits of them returning to us begin to shrink. At some point in time it may be to some (or all) of the babies’ long term best interest to stay where they are. This would mean releasing not only babies but also the Aunties caring for them. As you can imagine, that is not what I would like to see happen but at this point I don’t really know what the Lord is up to. The world feels upside down but I am thankful that I can trust that God’s plans are good (even when I don’t like or understand them) and that He is faithful no matter what feelings of grief or frustration I am experiencing. For better or for worse I am so busy and sleeping so little that I don’t have much head space to do much more than what needs to be done next.
Please pray:
- for continued strength, health, patient endurance and hope for me and my staff of Aunties who are working above and beyond to care for these babies we love
- for an open door at the Head of Department in our region who is our last shot at an extension of our current certificate and the quickest way kids could be returned to our home. Jay (our CEO) has been calling/messaging several times a day for a meeting without a response. Please pray for miraculously open doors and favour as he reaches out to him via his PA tomorrow morning
- wisdom about how to handle the upcoming decisions to be made about retention or releasing of babies and Aunties. That I would be obedient to whatever Jesus is calling me to do
- supernatural protection of the hearts of these little people. They are all showing signs of the stress we are all experiencing — in difficult and varied ways. I was reminded by a bestie that “Jesus trumps trauma” and I am praying that we will see the evidence of this truth in their little hearts, minds and bodies as we pray and entrust them to Jesus’ loving care
I am thankful for the way that our community has rallied together to help weather this storm. People have helped by transporting Aunties, dropping off cups of coffee, cooking toddler meals, sending prayers and encouraging messages, sponsoring the car I am renting, and the list goes on! Thank you for continuing to pray for us and carrying us in this ridiculous season.
Love you big time!
~ n & her babies
March 2, 2022
Hi friends,
Thank you for your continued prayers. We are neck-deep in warfare this side — at least that is how it feels.
Yesterday 6 more removal orders came through. Now I have 3 babies with me in Pretoria (45 minutes from El Roi), 4 babies with my assistant in Randpark Ridge (35 minutes from El Roi) and 5 babies still in the Baby Home. We are currently committed to getting staff to all three locations to have Aunties that the babies know with them 24/7. As you can imagine this is no small feat, especially considering I am on my own with 3 babies and probably got a sum total of 3 hours of sleep last night. To complicate matters further, my car was stolen early this morning from the gated driveway of the home in Pretoria I am currently living at. I have secured a rental vehicle and I thank the Lord for funds to be able to meet that immediate need.
Please pray:
- For patient endurance as the Aunties and I weather this storm. Wisdom in how to get my staff where they need to be and how to best support them in this tumultuous time
- For the people who are in higher ranks of government who are still advocating for our children and our organisation
- For guidance as we seek the Lord for wisdom with next steps of advocacy for the return of our children
- For supernatural protection of our children’s hearts, bodies, and brains as they experience this ongoing trauma and uncertainty that being removed from their home has caused
I am longing for heaven more each and every day — the brokenness of this world is heavy on my heart today. Thanks be to God who leads us in His triumph — pray that I am exuding Christ as I follow His marching orders into these deep and dark waters.
Much love and gratitude for each of you,
~ Nicole and her babies
February 28, 2022
Hello dear ones,
Thank you to everyone who joined us in prayer and fasting Sunday; we are continuing to see God’s hand as this trial continues.
Praise Report:
- After some miraculous help and favour from Mpho (in the Safety Department) we were able to get both our Health and Safety Certificates!
- With some amazing persistence and speed racing, our team was able to submit our complete application with DSD at 3:55 pm (they close at 4:00 pm)!
- Our advocate in Parliament is counting to advocate for us and is asking why promises made to not have the children removed were not fulfilled (yet).
Prayer Requests:
- Unfortunately, all of the removal orders for the children have been submitted to their individual courts. Only one came through today but the others will be coming through in the next few days unless DSD chooses to order the process to revoke them. Ashley and I will be sleeping in Pretoria tonight and Ashley will have to stay there until the order be switched back to us (if it can be switched back to us). Please pray for comfort for Ashley, our team, and that no more children will need to leave the home — even for one night!
- Please pray that I will stand firm in faith, that I will receive all the wisdom and peace as I manage all these precious people’s lives. That I will lean on the Lord for all the things I need including the ability to avoid the temptation to despair or worry about what is ahead.
- Please be praying for Mpho’s salvation (from the Safety Department). She is a sangoma (witch doctor/traditional healer) and we are praying she comes to know Jesus through her relationship with our team.
I am grateful for your love and support. Keep up the good work!
Love you lots,
~ Nicole and her babies
February 25, 2022
For El Roi to have babies our care we must have a valid Child and Youth Centre (CYCC) certificate. Every CYCC must reregister their organisation and renew their certificate every 5 years. Although our organisation has been aware of this fact, several things have slowed down the reregistration process — some things were in our control (fundraising R300,000 for building plans that the city lost) and others were not (like COVID).
Please join us in praying for:
- supernatural favour and assistance from government officials who oversee DSD and that an extension of our current certificate will be issued so that our children are not removed from our home
- wisdom and direction as we explore other avenues of support from other government officials and lawyers who could advocate for our babies not to be removed from our home
- emotional and physical strength as I endure this trial, re-surrender these children I love to Jesus, cling to faith and work to fight off doubt and fear
- wisdom for me as I am responsible to work with our adoption agency to “hope for the best but plan for the worst” in regards to rehoming our children in other organisations as well as coming up with a care plan for my Aunties
I will do my best to keep you in the loop during this hectic time. I love and appreciate your prayers, love and support.
In hope and faith,
~ Nicole and her babies