Die son het liggies oor die dakke van die ou, Hollandse huis in Stellenbosch geskyn.

The sun shone gently over the roofs of the old, Dutch house in Stellenbosch.

Dit was lente, en kleurvolle blommetjies het die tuine rondom die kinderhuis opgehelder.

It was spring, and colorful flowers brightened the gardens surrounding the children's home.

Pieter, 'n seuntjie van nege jaar, het by die groot venster gestaan en na die blomme daar buite gekyk.

Pieter, a nine-year-old boy, stood by the large window and looked at the flowers outside.

Sy oë het ver gesoek en sy hart het verlang na 'n plek waar hy kon behoort.

His eyes searched far, and his heart yearned for a place where he could belong.

Die kinders en personeel van die kinderhuis was vir hom soos 'n familie, maar hy het iets meer gesoek – 'n huis met eie mense wat net aan hom behoort.

The children and staff of the children's home were like family to him, but he sought something more—a home with his own people who belonged only to him.

Pieter was 'n kind met groot drome en 'n lewendige verbeelding.

Pieter was a child with big dreams and a lively imagination.

Maar vandag was hy senuweeagtig.

But today, he was nervous.

Hy het gehoor dat hy vandag mense sou ontmoet wat moontlik sy nuwe ouers kan word.

He had heard that today he would meet people who could possibly become his new parents.

Anika en Thabo.

Anika and Thabo.

Hulle name het soos musiek in sy oë gedans.

Their names danced like music in his eyes.

Tog, die vrees vir afkeur het aan sy moed geknaag.

Yet, the fear of rejection gnawed at his courage.

Wat as hulle hom nie wou hê nie?

What if they didn't want him?

Wat as hy vir hulle nie goed genoeg was nie?

What if he wasn't good enough for them?

Hy het besluit om al sy senuwees te laat vaar.

He decided to let go of all his nerves.

Hy sal vriendelik wees en glimlag.

He would be friendly and smile.

Hy sal die mense wees wat hulle wil ontmoet.

He would be the person they wanted to meet.

Miskien, net miskien, kan hy hulle harte wen.

Maybe, just maybe, he could win their hearts.

Die oggend het verbygespoed en voor hy hom kon kry, het hy op 'n sagte bank in die geselskap van Anika en Thabo gesit.

The morning flew by, and before he knew it, he was sitting on a soft couch in the company of Anika and Thabo.

Hulle was vriendelik en het warm geglimlag.

They were friendly and smiled warmly.

Anika het lang bruin hare gehad en Thabo het 'n skaam, maar warm lag.

Anika had long brown hair and Thabo had a shy but warm laugh.

Pieter het sy skouers regop getrek en 'n storie begin vertel uit sy oorvloedige verbeelding, oor 'n seuntjie wie se vriende almal diere was.

Pieter straightened his shoulders and began telling a story from his abundant imagination, about a boy whose friends were all animals.

Dié seuntjie het 'n groot avontuur onderneem, het hy verduidelik, om sy plek in die wêreld te vind.

This boy undertook a great adventure, he explained, to find his place in the world.

Die diere het hom gelei, hom getroos as hy hartseer was, en hom gehelp om sy moed te vind.

The animals guided him, comforted him when he was sad, and helped him find his courage.

Pieter het nie besef hoe diep sy woorde geraak het nie, tot Anika 'n traan uit haar oog gevryf het en Thabo se lag stil geword het.

Pieter didn't realize how deeply his words touched them until Anika wiped a tear from her eye and Thabo's laugh grew quiet.

“Jy het 'n wonderlike verbeelding,” het Thabo aangevul.

“You have a wonderful imagination,” Thabo added.

“En 'n hart vol liefde,” het Anika bygevoeg.

“And a heart full of love,” Anika added.

Daardie middag het Pieter gehoor hoe Anika en Thabo met die hoof van die kinderhuis gepraat het.

That afternoon, Pieter heard how Anika and Thabo spoke with the head of the children's home.

Hulle het gesê dat hulle iets besonders in Pieter gesien het.

They said that they had seen something special in Pieter.

Iets wat hulle graag deel van hul gesin wou maak.

Something they wanted to make part of their family.

Pieter se binneste het gesing.

Pieter's insides sang.

Die wete dat hy gekies is, dat hy deel van 'n gesin sou wees, het sy hart met vreugde gevul.

Knowing that he was chosen, that he would be part of a family, filled his heart with joy.

Hy het nie net selfvertroue gevind nie, maar ook die warmte van 'n nuwe familie.

He found not only confidence but also the warmth of a new family.

Anika en Thabo was meer as net Sy-gaan-miskien-ouers-wees.

Anika and Thabo were more than just maybe-going-to-be-parents.

Hulle was nou sy ouers.

They were now his parents.

So het Pieter se reis van verbeelding tot werklikheid 'n nuwe pad ingevaar.

Thus, Pieter's journey from imagination to reality took a new path.

Hy het gevoel dat hy na 'n tuin van nuwe beginne stap, waar hy altyd sal behoort.

He felt like he was stepping into a garden of new beginnings, where he would always belong.

Die lente in Stellenbosch het op 'n nuwe manier oor die kinderse kinderhuis geskyn, dog dié keer met Pieter se hart daar agter.

The spring in Stellenbosch shone over the children's home in a new way, but this time with Pieter's heart behind it.

Hy het geweet, hy is tuis.

He knew he was home.