You are never too old!!!!
Simeon waited all his life for the Messiah (Luke 2: 25-32), He was guided by the Holy Spirit and his eyes saw the salvation that Jesus brought. Over the last few weeks a gentleman in the Cathedral who is 87 years old has made a special journey of faith, his eyes have been opened and his heart too. He asked me if he could come out to the township with me - he no longer wanted to live in unreality - he wanted to see what life was really like. His name is Paddy and he reminds me of Simeon who waited all his life for Jesus. Below are some memories of the morning in the township.
 | Paddy and Gladys taking food to the people - Gladys has commandeered Paddy's hat! |
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 | Puleng's shack |
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 | Inside the shack - Blessing Puleng who lies here critically ill - we later transported her back to the Hospice |
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 | Puleng was deeply moved by Paddy's presence |
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 | Visiting the Health Centre to get Puleng some medication |
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 | Travelling over rough terrain didn't deter Paddy |
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 | With Vuyo and his grandmother Dorah |
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 | A kiss from Malefu |
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 | With Walter and Dorah |
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 | We worship you my Lord! We are marching in the light of God!! |
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 | Special greetings |
 | More Special greetings |
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 | Thank you Mr Paddy for caring - we're going to the zoo tomorrow |
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 | At the zoo!! |
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And for those who are unable to get out - they still want to help
Amazing Grace - Thank You
 | Gertie is 97 years old and knits blankets - this one will go out with me to a person in the township |
 | Tshidi (with Gertie's blanket) - a mother of three with no income. She depends totally on what God is going to provide for her. Facing extreme difficulties which poverty brings to her family, and lives in great danger from the pressures of the culture which her son lives in. |
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Item posted on the 12th July 2009
A blessed day - July 2nd 2009
Every day we go out into the township is different. This is a blessed day which I feel should be shared. It is to glorify the name of Jesus Christ - for it is He that guides us and ministers through us in the power of His Spirit.
I met Gladys at 9am, and because the schools are on holiday her daughter Mina accompanied us - she is 10 years old.
9.00am Our first visit was to a mother who has five children. As we draw up to the house one window is green - and one black - both covered with bin bags as they are broken. The door hangs off its hinges and in the past there have been many violent incidents. The eldest who is Mina's age was cleaning the house. Her mother lay in bed - she has HIV and she is suffering with a pain in her back. When we arrive she gets up and dresses. She tells us of the pain and her youngest child who is 18months old clambers over her. We listen and then pray for her, and the children join us and pray intensely. We give them food and they are so grateful. They wave us off as we go on our way.
9.20am Our next visit is to a community of corrugated iron shacks - mainly of mothers with their children. In one of the shacks lay Puleng a 28 year old woman who is about 3 months pregnant. She has AIDS - that is she has many infections through which her body's immune system gradually is deteriorating. The last time we saw her, her boyfriend who was so supportive, had beaten her up and kicked her in the abdomen, to try and kill the child she was carrying. She had lay in the bed in her tiny shack which is infested with rats, and gradually become more and more ill. She lay sweating, coughing and as we entered started crying. Her ankles were swollen like an elderly lady's and she had lesions on her legs. Her voice was muffled and as she swallowed she grimaced - her throat so sore. We asked her if she would let us take her into the hospice - Tsepo (Hope) House, and she agreed. I contacted them and they had a bed. I arranged that I would get her there during the morning at some time. We could not take her at this time as the car was loaded with food, blankets and a commode which we were taking to another critically ill lady suffering with AIDS and she wanted to stay at home. We had to go and see her and take the commode to make room in the car to take Puleng to the hospice. We prayed with Puleng before we left her and gave her some painkillers, telling her that we would be returning soon.
10.00am We saw a young boy who we sponsor walking on the road , as we travelled top our next call. Robert is 17 and he is an orphan, he lives alone in a tin shack, and he studies hard with 2 more years to go before he hopefully passes his matriculation examinations which will give him some hope of getting some kind of job or the ability to continue in education. His aunt cared for him, but he suffered violent abuse - being held at knife point but now she has left and he lives alone. Howvere she returns to the shack at times which is unlocked as he has no padlock. He tells us that she has been and taken his paraffin and food and soap, yesterday he ate nothing. We said we would call later with more paraffin and food, he is so grateful.
10.20am Our next visit is a lady who is critically ill with AIDS. The Anti retroviral medication has been stopped because her liver was affected. Yesterday she was weak but happy to see us. Her eyes are so big which we have seen before in people who are near to death and so very frightened. Her name is Pinkie and her husband is present - Simon. He works, but is on nights - it is obvious that he loves her very much. We talk with him about being tested and he says he will think about it- he is very fearful. I pray for all the people present Pinkie, Simon, Sophie her carer, Hazel her sister and Simon and Pinkie's 7 year old son. I anoint Pinkie and Simon for healing. Today Pinkie is still in bed , her relative is caring for her and washing her, her husband is in bed after a night of working. Pinkie shouts from the bedroom please come and pray for me! We enter and she seems so much brighter and hopeful, and we pray for her and we say the Lord's prayer together. We leave the commode and say we will see the family again next week.
10.45am We return to Puleng and help her to the car. She struggles to walk, but we manage. Agnes her sister gets her belongings and we reassure her. We distribute food to the families there who are very poor. Today we have bread, eggs and sweet potatoes. One lady who has a baby I give her a box of milk. Her lips are full of blisters - herpes - an infection common in AIDS and I give her some ointment for them. She bears a wound on her scalp where her husband has attacked her. We wave goodbye to the little community and promise we will be back next week.
11.15am We reach Tsepo House, which on the outskirts of Bloemfontein City and in a rural area, Bertha meets us and we ask for a wheelchair. Puleng is transported to her room and we leave the careworkers to help her change. She is wet with sweat and her cough is relentless. She probably has TB and pneumonia - both infections which occur with AIDS. She is very sick, but appears much happier as she settles in a safe place where she will be cared for. We ensure she is settled, pass on the information we have of medication, clinic and welfare appointments due and hand her over to Marj the director of the hospice, with who I work very closely. We pray with Puleng and say our goodbyes. Meanwhile Mina has been playing with the children who are at Tsepo House - orphaned or abandoned. I arrange with Marj that I will take them to the zoo next week as a treat.
12.15pm We return to the township and go and see some young people who live in a house on the roadside. They sniff glue as an escape. One of the girls is pregnant and her boyfriend adores her. They are not in and a group of boys sit around the corner and go to try and find them. Meanwhile we visit Faith who has two sons , her husband died three weeks ago. She has AIDS and she came out of Tsepo House three weeks ago to bury her husband. She sits at the front of her house, her ankles swollen, and is obviously very sad and becoming weak. We talk with her and massage her legs with vaseline. We pray with her and give her food and offer to take her back to the hospice, but she refuses - maybe next week she will agree.
We return to the young people's house but they cannot be found. We leave some food for them and give some to the young boys.
12.35pm We visit Dorah who has five children , but today because it is school holidays there are a dozen children. She looks so well, and we hug and talk and she shows us her garden which doesn't seem to be growing very well. She asks us to pray with her and we all gather in her small shack sixteen of us and I ask Gladys to translate. I speak of Jesus welcoming the children and how special children are as they hold the kingdom of God. I say I am to bless each person which I do and we thensay the Lord's Prayer together, we finish singing and worshipping God. It is a very special time together. After we give out food and shoes and I take photos of the children who love to pose. They play together with Mina and it is a happy blessed time.
12.50pm We visit Gladys relatives - her brother Robert has just returned from work at the bakery - last year he was extremely ill with TB but has recovered well now. Her eldest brother Alfred has a learning difficulty, and is vulnerable, we speak with him and give him some food. He is happy and praises God. We then visit her sister who is cooking lunch and makes us a cup of tea which is very welcome. She is a care worker but is unemployed at the moment. We have a relaxing half and hour and then move on again.
1.30pm Into another township - phase 3 and to Pule. This young man ia a walking miracle and I am so proud of him and tell him so. He grows from strength to strength, after we found him at the clinic so ill he was unable to walk, - his eyes so big like Pinkies - so fearful. He lay dying in the hospital and I prayed for God to strengthen his spirit which was gone. We took him into Tsepo House and eventually brought him home, where he has gained strength more and more. He has TB and HIV. He has now gained employment as a security guard at the hospital and is so grateful and humble. As we met him today he greeted us and gave us a hug. We chatted and gave him some food, then prayed together. As I came away I sat in the car and cried and thanked God for this young man's life, and said If this is all I have come to Africa to do it is worth it. I felt so humbled by the grace of God and His amazing grace and power.
2.00pm We go to see Tshidi a single mother of three who has no income. She has AIDS, cancer in her eyes and peripheral neuropathy and the Dr who examined her for her grant refused the application. She has had no income now for 9 months. She is a courageous woman but as any human being gets very down. Today she is grateful and very happy to see us as she always is and is not too depressed. We chat and laugh to help her lift her mood. The children are off school at the moment, her son is a worry to her as some of his friends are rapists and taking drugs. In South Africa some of the young men go through initiation rituals and some of these are very wayward and raping women is one of the rituals into manhood. Tshidi is very distressed by this, understandably. Her daughter is receiving counselling at school because of the tensions at home. After chatting we give her food and pray together, arranging to see her next week.
3.00pm We go to the shop and get some paraffin for Robert, then to get some shopping for Gladys and a padlock for Robert's shack.
3.45pm We go to see Tefo a young man who we found previously dying of AIDS. He told us that he was going to the Zionist Christian Church with a friend. He has become a Christian and always asks us to pray for him, he knows that Jesus has saved his life. The first time we met Tefo he lay dying, shaking and so weak he could not lift his head from the pillow. As we entered the room and sat with him, tears fell from his eyes and he said ' Now I know truly there is a God.' He has got stronger and stronger and as we met him today he came and immediately gave us a hug. He is happy and well and he calls Alisse his neighbour who also has AIDS and we talk together. They say they have missed us so much - where have we been? Alisse is the lady who took us to see Tefo and she saved him from dying that day. She too is a Christian. She tells us that she has been diagnosed with TB and is now on treatment. We pray with them, give them food and tell them we will see them next week.
4.30pm We visit Robert to take him food, paraffin, soap and a padlock. He agrees that we can have a key so that we can leave him supplies when he is at school. He is so grateful and humble and sets about putting everything away. We ask if he needs anything else, but says no he is ok. I tell him he is doing so well and his smile is like a toothpaste advert. We hug each other and arrange to see him next week.
5.00pm We have finished and go home - and on the way see Tefo's sister Confidence and her baby strapped to her back, who we give a lift to. She is well and wanting to go back and live with her brother. We talk for a while and she thanks me for being like a mother to her. We arrange to pick her up next week and to go and see Tefo.
5.20pm I take Gladys and Mina home and we arrange to meet tomorrow to write together.
I go home and run a bath and pour a glass of wine!! I thank God for Gladys and for entrusting this ministry to us.
Item posted on the 1st July 2009
April 2009 - Approaching winter
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Gladys my co-worker with the child with no name - a blanket to keep him warm |
Well as spring emerges in the UK, we move from a short Autumn to winter here in South Africa. I am stocking up with fuel for the fire and the electric blanket is on the bed! It is a different story though for the people who live in shacks, as the temperature plummets to the minuses during the night. I am grateful to the women here at the Cathedral who knit all the year round to make blankets - and I am finding many homes for the brightly coloured blankets.
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Lydia uses her blanket to carry her son. |
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Agnes and Puleng - sisters who live in tiny shacks - both with HIV and in very vulnerable circumstances. The candle bears the words Jesus light of the world, and they wear their blankets to keep themselves warm. |
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Tefo - happily being cared for in Tsepo (Hope) House Hospice |
Your money and prayers are saving lives!!
Thankyou, Thankyou for all your support.
Tefo has now returned home - and gained 10kg in weight. He is doing well and getting stronger. His one request when we visit is 'Please pray for me.'
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Pule another young man saved from the brink of death - now home from the hospice. He has gained an amazing 20kg in weight! |
Pule - a young man who we found at a local clinic - unable to walk, he was so weak. He was taken into the hospital and was close to death. I was so angry and prayed 'Lord please do something - give him strength!' We transferred him to Tsepo House Hospice where he stayed for 2 months and we then brought him home - what a joyous day. He continues to get stronger and stronger.
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Lourane has four children. We found her starving to death weighing 3st 12lbs and suffering from TB. She now dances and the nurses at the clinic ask what have you done? - we say we prayed, we fed her, we love her. |
Lourane is a special lady, willing to sacrifice her own life to keep her children alive. Unable to get to the clinic to receive medication because she was too weak and the clinic is an hour and a half walk away, the nurses had given up on her. We pleaded her cause and managed to get the medication started again.
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A picture which hides the truth. In the forefront Gladys playing with the child , whilst his brother talks to his very sick mother in the car. We are taking her to the hospice, he is very upset and tearful. |
Faith has two sons, she is very sick with HIV and losing her ability to walk. She is frightened, but her eldest son is even more fearful. He talks with his mother and pleads with her to get better as he leans in the car and says goodbye - the stark reality is he may never see her again. As tears roll down his face I hug him and he says - 'please please do whatever it takes to save my mother's soul.'
She is recovering well in the hospice and we plan to take her sons to visit her soon.
Item posted on the 6th May 2009
Update on Tefo
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Tefo - happily being cared for in Tsepo (Hope) House Hospice |
My last entry spoke about a young man who we found in a very critical state. He has now been transported to a hospice for people with HIV/AIDS. As we settled him into bed again he said 'Pastor I am happy so happy.' Every time I visit his face has a big smile, and each time he is stronger and stronger. I feel very blessed by this young man. His family have returned to him and are now more supportive, although it is difficult for them to visit him whilst in the hospice as they do not have transport.
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Jesus Christ the Light of the World |
I hope that Tefo is also a blessing to the many people who have donated money for the work here. It has enabled me to buy medical equipment which was of great benefit whilst he was at home, and the equipment will be used more and more in the future I am sure as we discover other people who need care.
It is not only people in the UK who are supportive of the ministry, the people here in South Africa have also been supportive and have donated a freezer to store food in, candles which carry the light of Christ's message and also clothing, food and blankets.
Item posted on the 26th February 2009
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