A Brief Update


In the past month and a half, I have been doing a mix of different things, ranging from going out into community as a part of the RST and as well spending the majority of the week in the office as a part of the communications team. 

One of the main things that the communications team had been busy with was the International Office Celebrations, that took place in the middle of May.  It was amazing to get to be apart of that and hear all about what is happening in the International Offices and to hear their struggles, and challenges, but also the exciting news as well. Aside from that I am still on the communications team, which I absolutely love, and on the RST one day a week. The RST (Regional Support Team which supports the Service Centre who supports the community) Days often vary. Some weeks I am out in community and other days I am in the office helping out in whatever way that I can. 

I recently had the privilege of going back to Sthobela, Oshoek to visit my community stay family, Cebile* and Edzai* (I mentioned that I was going to see them in my last post.) It was amazing to see them and be even more included as a part of their family. I hadn't seen them since October and so I was thrilled to get back there and re-connect with them. Cebile* had a baby boy in January and so it was awesome to finally get to meet him. It was different experience going on my own - rather then with someone else from Hands - and I loved it. It gave me more opportunities to really get to know the family. It was easier to communicate as I realized that Cebile actually did understand some English; more then she let on back in October. I learned that they have a brother who lives in Johannesburg, but was staying in his house on their property while I was there. He seemed quite polite and knocked when coming into the main house to get dinner which I though showed a lot of respect for his sisters. I found out that their parents who had died recently in 2013 left them the house that they now live in, and that is how they acquired the majority of the material things that they have now. When I first stayed with them, I recognized their vulnerability, but now going there a second time I can see it rooted even deeper. It is just the five of them, Edzai* and her son, Cebile* and her son, and their brother who lives in Johannesburg. They have no one to protect them or care for them, when they need someone. They have no one to advocate for them, but despite that I am thankful for Care Workers that are starting to do Holy Home Visits in Stohbela.  I got to go collect firewood and water with Cebile* and got to carry her baby on my back which is lots of fun.  It was amazing to spend that quality one on one time together, yet it broke my heart to think of all the challenges and struggles that they face on a daily basis, but also gave me hope that there are Care Workers caring for the most vulnerable in Stohbela.


An aspect of my RST day is planning community prayer. Community prayer is a time where once a month, a group of us from the HUB go out into one of the communities, and spend time there with the Care Workers, praying and fellowshipping together. We hear the word, sing and dance, and pray together. It is an amazing time. I count it an absolute privilege that I have the privilege of helping with that. This past Friday, community prayer was held in the community of Share, which is over in the BushBuck Ridge side of the areas that we work. When we arrived there was only Care Worker that was there, so we waited to start until more Care Workers arrived. When the rest had arrived we started with a time of worship that included lots of dancing. We then heard from Busie (leader of the South African RST) who shared a powerful message on the importance of having hope for the future. After that we gathered into groups of about 6-7 and prayed together, for anything that they needed prayer for. I got to meet one of the Care Workers named Ruby* who I connected with really well. She has been a care worker for 7 or 8 years. I pray that the next time I go out to Share, I can know more of her story.  We had the opportunity to go on Holy Home Visits as well. It was an amazing time with the family as we really got to know the family on a deeper level. 


We visited a family where Gogo Ruth* was caring for her three grandchildren. She is married to her husband Ruben* who she met when she was younger and then they met each other years later and got married. Ruth said that she has to die first before she couldn't bear to lose him. It was very cute the way that she talked about him. They have five children together, but her son left three of her grandchildren with their mother and went to work in Johannesburg. He doesn’t send his children any support money, and only visits them on rare occasions. The mother would frequently lock the children in the house and go out and drink and hang out with her boyfriends. Eventually the police came to Ruth* and told her what was going on, so she came and collected the children and brought them to live with her.

The three children are Precious*(16, gr.7), Silo*(18,gr.12), and Special*(14, gr.5). They have been staying with their grandmother for 7 years. Ruth nor Ruben work and so the only money that they receive is pension for the children. Silo's pension was stopped because they thought that as he is 18, he is out of school, but Busie was quick to encourage Gogo to go to a social worker and tell her that Silo is still in school and should still be receiving pension. This family has many challenges. Ruth is struggling with Precious because she is stealing from her. She steals money and food etc. As a result, Gogo gets upset and calls her names, and from what I understood she beats her. Busie mentioned that the social worker could help Ruth with Precious and maybe Precious could go see a counsellor. Busie she said that the Care Workers need to follow-up with the family ensuring that Precious still attends the Life Centre. The family doesn't go to church anymore. They used to attend a ZCC church ( one of the many local churches in our communities that many of our children attend) but were asked to hand in their uniforms when she started falling over during prayer. The reason she falls over, they say, is because the ancestors were telling her that she needs to leave the church and so she was asked to leave. At the end of our time together, we prayed together and Gogo said that I was beautiful, and when I said thank you; she said don’t thank me, thank God for making you so beautiful. It amazes me how much love the primary care givers have. I feel so blessed that I got to meet this incredible Gogo who has taken on so much responsibility caring for her grandchildren and her sick husband. I pray that the Care Workers would follow up with this family, and continue to encourage them and show them the love of our Heavenly Father. 

I feel so privilege that I get to look into the faces of these beautiful people and know their names. When I look at them; sit with them and get to know them, I feel as though I’m getting a glimpse into the Kingdom of Heaven. God has created each person in the world in His image, yet we are all unique. How incredible, all powerful, and majestic is our God!!!!