Our visit with presents and chocolates to the local community clinic was a pleasant surprise to the many patients waiting to see the doctor this morning.
Category: South Africa
Tracts, Toys, and Treats for Township Tenants
This morning we filled up three vans with treats for the hundreds of families in a nearby informal settlement. There was food and Christmas chocolates for everyone, young and old, and fruit and toys for all the children. Each person also received a Gospel tract explaining the real meaning of Christmas with an invitation to accept Jesus as their personal Saviour. Thankfully, we had the help of volunteers to hand out the goodies, and manage the crowds. All in all, the event was a big success with everyone lining up patiently waiting for their turn and thanking us for bringing a bit of Christmas cheer. Without the sponsorship of food, toys, and treats this event would not have been possible. A big thank you to all who contributed!
Volunteers Assist in Packing Toys and Snacks
Today we had lots of help as volunteers spent the afternoon packing toys and snacks with us. We were preparing for our visit to a township tomorrow, when we are planning to surprise around one thousand people with crackers, toys, and treats.
Sive Nathi Staff “Love Boxes”
The men and women who care for the disabled children of the Sive Nathi Care Centre are just amazing. Always smiling, singing, and so positive; they care for these young cerebral palsy patients with so much love and patience that we felt honoured to present them with a “love box” full of Christmas treats and presents. (Love boxes donated by a local company) Upon opening the boxes the ladies broke into an impromptu song and dance, which was a real treat for us all!
Fresh Food
As well as our many Christmas projects, we still continue the distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, and other food items to feeding schemes and several institutions.
A Little Child Shall Lead them…
On Tuesday we had the privilege of sharing the Gospel with nearly 250 disadvantaged children and teenagers. As the hall filled with children-many of whom suffered from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome-we could also feel the excitement mounting. The children were gathered for a Christmas programme with a difference. Everyone was given juice and a snack and we showed them a DVD, outlining the message of salvation in simple story form. After the DVD, we presented the children with the opportunity to accept Jesus as their personal Saviour. Then, the children respectfully bowed their heads as Amy (12) led them in prayer. We also presented each child with a gift-bag filled with treats, chocolates, and a toy. Seeing the sweet reactions of the crowd made sharing the meaning of Christmas in word and action even more rewarding for us all.
“When You do it Right, the Devil will Fight”
That’s an old saying, and we’ve seen it proven as, for the second time in a month, someone collided with one of our cars. Thankfully we were not at fault in either accident, and no one was hurt badly, so that in itself is a blessing. Unfortunately our other car from the accident a few weeks ago was written off and this one substantially damaged. Please pray for this situation now to be resolved and the car fixed easily and speedily. At this time of year we need all our vehicles on the road more then ever to keep up with the outreach and various projects, so please join us in prayer for protection and to get the car back as soon as possible. As Martin Luther wrote in the famous hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” “And though this World with devils filled should threaten to undo us, we will not fear for God has willed His truth to triumph through us!…and He will win the battle!”
Christmas Gifts and Toys
Christmas is usually a time of excitement and the giving of gifts. Unfortunately, this is not the case for everyone; there are still many children who don’t partake of this special season. Because of this we plan events that include the giving of Christmas presents to those who wouldn’t normally get any. Here you see the youth of Helping Hand sorting presents for Christmas parcels, and the staff and management of Sash Consulting who kindly donated the gifts for the children of the Sive Nathi center and the Sarah Fox Convalescent hospital.