The Founding Family
The Founding Family
Thea, Mom and Founder of TLC, was born in Klerksdorp, a mining town South West of Johannesburg. Her parents were both Dutch immigrants and she was the fifth of their six children.
She was married to Robin Jarvis for 30-odd years. Sadly their marriage broke up in March, 2003. Since then they have gone their separate ways.
Thea established The Love of Christ Ministries (TLC) back in 1993, after spending a year or two volunteering in orphanages and witnessing for herself the heartbreaking experiences of those babies and small children. She brought home two abandoned baby boys in April of that same year.
It was a difficult time, politically, to do something like this. Our country was insecure and in turmoil. It was one year before our New South Africa was born. The Jarvis family were not hailed as hero's when we started this work. In fact, they were severely criticized by just about everybody. The Welfare authorities; their Christian brothers and sisters; their family and friends; ironically, these were all people from whom Thea had expected approval and support. She was shocked when it did not work out that way.
The common thread of argument was that it would be politically incorrect to bring such babies into our white home. Support was only offered to her if she was prepared to do the work in a separate place, removed from her family home. Her church offered to purchase a derelict building for her in which to accommodate the abandoned babies.
But, Thea insists that she a mother. And every mother knows that babies need that caring and nurturing of a mother's unconditional love, 24 hours a day. Every mother worth her salt knows that all children need a home; and that a home is more than just food and shelter. With a home, of course, comes a family. Thea believes strongly that a home and a loving family bring order into a child's life. They are essential because a child is not born knowing the difference between right and wrong. He needs a place where he can begin to develop a moral sense. The transmission of values is one important reason for a home, and attention to those values is one of the important ties that bind a family together.
She would not be defeated. Eventually, and after much turmoil, the family had to wave their friends, some family members and even the church they belonged to, goodbye and set out on their mission to save the little babies of our nation!
To this day, Thea has not deviated from this mission. She fully believes that this is the reason for her existence and that no challenge or sacrifice could ever be daunting enough to cause her to surrender the life and destiny that God has laid out for her.