Oak Cottage

  • Oak Cottage
    Oak Cottage
  • Oak Cottage layout
    Oak Cottage layout
  • Oak Cottage lounge and dining area
    Oak Cottage lounge and dining area
  • Oak Cottage bedroom 1
    Oak Cottage bedroom 1
  • Oak Cottage bedroom 2
    Oak Cottage bedroom 2

This cottage started as a dream in 1999 when Peter and Etholle wrote to the Volmoed Trustees with the request that they be allowed to join the staff at Volmoed as self supporting community members and that they would finance their own accommodation on the farm. After some months of prayer and talking it through with their family it was decided that they should join us.

Work started on the foundations and building of Oak Cottage but sadly Peter and Etholle had a set back with the sale of their Cape Town house and they were substantially out of pocket and were unable to continue with the building. The house stood and stood and was slowly deteriorating and one wall with the door and window frames in place collapsed during a storm. In July 2000 the Trustees released them from their agreement with Volmoed.

In May 2001 we decided to take a step in faith again and finish the cottage as extra accommodation. A visitor at our Morning Prayer time asked how much it would cost to finish the walls and roof. Bernhard answered about R20,000 and she said all we needed was 20 people to give R1000 each and she would be the first to contribute!

Amazingly the money poured in and God had plans for the cottage! We received many wonderful gifts to carry on the building and by December 2002 the place was finished and our first guests were ‘guinea pigs’ to see that everything worked! There were a few snags but they were sorted out and now it is our “luxury” bungalow filled with many gifts from friends which made it extra special.

The oak leaves framed in the kitchen area came from oak trees in Scotland from one of our prayer partners, Ann. Some of the paintings on display are by Alyson Guy and Isobel de Gruchy.

Praise God for His provision for Oak Cottage.