Annual Celebration

We had a great time celebrating all the Lord has done for us during the last year; the children performed songs and plays, the teenagers sang and danced, and we were able to show and audio-visual overview of the outreaches and projects of 2013. There were snacks and refreshments and it was a time of enjoying each other’s company. The afternoon was hosted as a way to show our thanks and appreciation for all the prayers and backing we receive from our dear friends and supporters throughout the year.

Ice Cream!

What a treat it was for us to receive over one hundred 5 Liter tubs of Ice-cream for distribution. Someone kindly donated the cold-storage until we were able to get the ice-cream delivered to the different centers we support. It was such fun to see the children eagerly wait for their bowl of this delicious, top-quality dessert; their little eyes huge and their mouths almost tasting the treat before they got it. Oh, yum! How they enjoyed themselves! And how we enjoyed serving them and seeing the obvious delight as they gobbled it up. There was plenty to go around, and we left many more tubs in the freezers of each center to be enjoyed at a later date.

Enjoying God’s Wonderful Creation

This weekend the beautiful Avondale gardens were open to the public and we had a lovely time relaxing among the multitude of flowers and colours with friends and families. The children especially enjoyed the afternoon running, playing, and taking in the splendour of God’s creation.  

Klipheuwel Food Parcels Oct 2013

The residents of the Klipheuwel township, the informal settlement near our mission, received a surprise visit from us this week when we came to drop off food parcels for everyone living there. It took just minutes for everyone to line up and patiently wait for their turn; it always touches our hearts to see people give priority to the smaller and weaker ones. Each person received their package-containing flour, pasta-meals, and jam-gratefully and we enjoyed sharing words of encouragement along with the food with everyone there. A big thank you to each one of our sponsors who keep making it possible for us to continue helping others.

Flowers and Smiles for the Elderly

Out of the blue we were given 40 bunches of roses, which led us to think where they would be most appreciated. We decided to take five of the little ones out to a local home for the elderly and give each resident a bunch of these beautiful flowers with an inspirational Activated magazine. The smiles and hugs that resulted left us and them with warmth in our hearts and the knowledge that Jesus was the One who organized it all.

Running Together

Helping Hand volunteers, young and old, took part in the Cape Gate Fun Run this morning. We all had a great time and even the four littlest ones (ages 3 – 5) did very well. Each one of the Youth and children had a buddy and there were smiles all round as each team crossed the finish line. Well done everyone!

Klipheuwel Settlement July Projects

The Lord blessed us with an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as tins, jars, and packets of food and during this wet and cold month of July. Along with distribution to our many regular beneficiaries, we made food parcels for the over 700 families in the Klipheuwel township. The people there sweetly received our help and a few of the local ladies helped us and made sure that everyone received their share of these needed items. The children also received a bag each and were happy to carry their bag of ‘trophies’ back home. Even though each person there is in desperate need themselves, it humbled us to see these dear people putting their neighbours first and being concerned with the needs of others before their own. Often a small child would let an even younger one get in line before them and make sure they got their parcel. Mommies would always let the children go first and we were touched to see so much kindness and unselfishness in this community. Although we went there to bless others, we returned having been blessed ourselves.Among the thousands of kilos of goods that were distributed there, each person received: bread, vegetables, pasta, juice, jam, cheese, fruit, crackers, and more! (Matthew 7:12 “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”)