Marion Cloetes 60th Birthday is the 18th of December. On behalf of the choir and all friends of Marion and Botshabelo in Bergen, Britt-Kari Halvorsen, Anne Leliënhof and Thomas Hovstad have written this personal greeting to her Birthday.

 

Happy birthday. 

We wish you a wonderful day together with your loving family. 

We salute you today, a woman who has made outstanding choices together with her family. 

Sangkoret Lyderhorn and friends are honoured to call you our friend. We came to know you in 2003, and the hand you reached out for us we have never let go. Together with you, we have learned how lucky we are in Norway. We have learned that we can make a difference. This has made our lives better. 

We thank you, Marion, for all the children you have helped with your choice of living. We salute you. You show us that solidarity works. 

You have degrees from university, and could have taken any job you wanted, but you chose to help children instead. 

You have sold everything you owned to run Botshabelo village. If anyone in need visit your village, they always get some food, some clothes and maybe some money before they leave. You, Marion, are left with your wallet empty. The only thing you do not share is your solid Timberland boots, your collage sweater, and your tight jeans. 

Once you stayed in hospital with one of your children, we bought food and clothing so the visit in hospital should be as good as possible. But we had to come every day to feed you. You gave your food away, because the woman next to you were needier.  

You have wonderful skills of making joy and happiness in the childrens' life. The Easter hunt is legendary. Every Easter all the children make lovely baskets, they use for hunting sweets in the big field.  

Your deep knowledge about life and your love for the children give them hope and confidence in the future, even if the children has experienced massive losses and unthinkable grief.  You use every opportunity to help the children work through their sorrow and heal their wounds.   

Every person you meet feel they are special for you. You see all of us! 

Marion, you are a born paramedic, midwife, queen, fire brigade leader, and priestess. 

In an acute situation, an accident or a crisis -  like a difficult childbirth far from hospital - you take a natural and competent leadership.  

You hold the human rights as important, women and children have the same value as men, and you work continuously to fulfil their rights.  

Promise us, never let go of our hands, Marion! We need you and Botshabelo to breathe freely in the knowledge that one small drop of effort can be of great importance. 

Thank you, Marion - for your spirit, your courage, your perseverance, and your love! 

We wish you all the best!