Times to celebrate
Wow it has been a few months since I wrote on this blog! It has been a very busy time. Here are a few memories of the celebrations we have had over the last few months.
Christmas Party
We arranged the part for 20 of the women and children from the township - 28 people turned up! But it is Africa. We took them to a park which was next to a miniature railway. The manager of the railway gave us many free rides and afterwards we had games and a picnic in the park. Some people who were also in the park joined us.
We sang and prayed and as we walked from the railway over the bridge to the park there was a procession of us singing "Walk walk in the light". It was very moving to see the people so happy, and knowing the difficulties in their lives. One family had lost their home during the week due to a fire, but regained such joy during the party, with their friends.
 | PARTY PARTY PARTY - WE TOOK 28 WOMEN AND CHILDREN, OUT FOR THE AFTERNOON TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS. From Left Dipuo, Dorah, Gladys and Dorah |
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 | Party |
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 | Party |
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 | Just about to set off! Pieter the manager in the background |
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 | Picnic time. Paddy who helps also is seated in the deckchair. He is 87years old |
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 | Pass the parcel |
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 | The Winners! |
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 | The Winners! |
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 | The Marshmallow Game |
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 | The Marshmallow Game |
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 | The Marshmallow Game |
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 | The Marshmallow Game |
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 | Everyone is a Winner! |
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I Thank God for the provision of so many wonderful people who helped on the party day and especially for Gladys who is my shadow and without her I could not do the work. She teaches me so much - the culture, language,life in poverty, joy in sorrow.
We argue, laugh and cry together and we battle on against the darkness of poverty and disease.
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Carers At Tsepo House with Margaret - a patient |
During the Christmas period Tsepo House closed and Margaret went back home, where we visited weekly to ensure she is ok.
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Margaret at home with Nico( Nicodemus) her brother in law who cares for her. Here they wear new T shirts which we bought for them. They are to start going to church |
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Agnes and Retumetsi (5) and Rorisang (9) Baby Retsupele asleep on the bed behind |
Agnes's story is sad because she is 27 years old and has 4 children, living alone in dire poverty. On Christmas day she had nothing to give the children - no food or presents. She was so depressed that she tried to take her own life by drinking paraffin. Thankfully she survived. When we heard her story we prayed with her and she cried and cried. On 13
th January we took presents, new clothes and party food and drink for them to celebrate Christmas a little later. Here they receive the gifts. Now her sadness has turned to joy. We are to continue helping her to just live a simple life, and support her in the ups and owns that life brings. Today we celebrate the hope she has and her new found faith in Jesus's love for her and her children. We celebrate that she lived and that her children still has a mother.
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Baby David in front of his home |
Little David stands infront of his home, he rarely smiles and is very cautious of strangers. He is getting to know us and my mission each time we visit is to make him smile, to see happiness. I took some bubbles but he was afraid of them, Some other children came and played and popped the bubbles and David giggled and giggled. After playing together for a while he started blowing the bubbles too. At the end the children all blew bubbles and said prayers to God - help me when I go to school.
Please God bring us some chocolate! It was the best gift to see David giggle, and play with the children and be happy. We celebrate David's giggle.
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Sara with her cooking equipment - a battered paraffin stove and 1 pan |
Sara lives alone with her two children, David and Patrick. She has a problem with her eyes and we have taken her to the hospital to get a diagnosis and treatment. Her life is incredibly difficult, and lives in extreme poverty, no water, light, electricity and her cooker is very dangerous - a battered paraffin stove. We were able to buy her a new paraffin stove and lamp, to gether with a
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Sara with her new paraffin lamp, now they will have light |
set of pans, utensils and food containers as the rats eat any food which is left out.
We also bought her some sunglasses as she had stopped going out because of the sun hurting her eyes. This has enabled her to go out now. When she has no food she picks leaves from the bits of grass and vegetation surrounding the shacks. She collects bits of metal from the rubbish dump to take for scrap to get a few rand. We provide food, clothes, soap, paraffin and other items which are needed. When we visit she keep repeating Thank you Jesus Christ, Thank you Jesus Christ. In the photo with the new paraffin lamp you can see the joy and gratefulness of this amazingly humble lady.We celebrate Sara's gratefulness and joy.
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David with his big brother Patrick |
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Patrick with new friends at the party |
David's brother is Patrick who is 10 years old. He had 1 set of clothes - the ones he stood up in. In the photo you see him wearing his new clothes. We took Patrick with us on the party day. We celebrate Patrick's happiness and new friends.
Item posted on the 6th January 2010
Puleng
 | Gladys, Agnes and Puleng ( right) with the light of Christ. |
 | Mr Paddy Boyle, blessing Puleng. |
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In earlier blogs I have written about Puleng - one of the young women we visit. She became critically ill and we had to transport her to Tsepo House Hospice, where we ministered to her a few hours before she eventually died. We read Psalm 23 and prayed for her and she smiled evn though she was suffering greatly, and started singing a gospel song ' Glory alleluia when the fire came down.' It was deeply moving. I then anointed her and she smiled and said her last words to us ' My Jesus.' She was very peaceful and passed away just a few hours later. Puleng was a very special lady who knew great suffering and hardship. One week before she died she received the news that the grant we had applied for had been refused - she was deemed fit for work!!!! But she was a survivor and came to know Jesus and knew that was where she was going - home to Him. It was a great blessing to have known and ministered to Puleng.
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Item posted on the 8th August 2009
Pilgrims from Lancashire
Little did I know when I came here that I would be taking people from Lancashire around the townships. For the last three weeks a pilgrimage from Blackburn Diocese has been visiting us in the Free State. Two of those pilgrims were Hannah and Justine from Holy Trinity and it was so wonderful to take them around some of the people who you have been raising funds for.
The girls got stuck in giving out food and helping take furniture to people.They also visited Tsepo House and the patients there.
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Just arrived at the Cathedral of Bloemfontein |
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The Dean Don Narraway and Bishop Nicholas at the welcoming barbecue. |
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Sharing photos in the township. |
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Helping deliver furniture. |
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Giving out food. |
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Hannah with some of the children. |
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Justine and Vera. |
We also took out Bishop Nicholas and his wife Christine. This was an amazing morning and I was deeply moved as Bishop Nicholas prayed for the people, blessed houses, and shared in worship. We are so grateful to the Bishop and Christine for so humbly and graciously caring for the people I minister to. We were all very blessed by our time together.
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With Gladys and her daughter Mina - at Mina's school. |
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Praising God together. |
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Blessing this little home which was built with funds from the people in Lancashire. |
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Bishop Nicholas Blessing this community who had lost their friend Puleng. |
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After Bishop Nicholas prayed for and anointed George and Elizabeth, Christine gave Elizabeth a blanket knitted by a lady from Blackburn Diocese. |
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After the busy morning, Bishop Paddy of Bloemfontein, arranged lunch for us at his home. We were very grateful for his hospitality. |
Item posted on the 8th August 2009
A Day at the Zoo
On my first visit to South Africa I met a little boy called Jabu who was so ill. His family had lost 6 members over the previous 6 months. Something inside me said make him smile - so I gave him a little airplane to fly. As he ran after it he was so weak that his legs buckled and he fell to the ground. I then got something gentler - some bubbles and took them to his grief stricken Grandmother - for her to blow them for him. Together they lit up the room with their smiles - and I left them playing together. I asked what his name meant - the reply - 'Pleasure.' It was Blackpool Pleasure Beach who had donated the toys and I feel that God was saying - don't forget to have Pleasure - I am a God of Pleasure and Happiness - I long to see My people Happy.
 | Watching the Lions |
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 | The Lions |
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 | Feeding the elephants |
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 | We're soooo happy!! |
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 | Picnic Time |
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 | Picnic Time |
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 | Picnic Time |
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 | Picnic Time |
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 | Jaguars |
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 | Cheetah |
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 | Hippopotapig |
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 | It was soooo good thank you!! |
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The children are from backgrounds of great suffering and poverty. This day was a day of great happiness for them. We are planning another trip soon - maybe to the Art Gallery or Museum.
Item posted on the 18th July 2009
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