Thabo Buthelezi's thank you

Thabo is 10 years old and attends Sfisesihle Primary School in Mpophomeni. He is doing Grade 3 in 2010. Zintle, our Home Based Carer who supports the Buthelezi family helped obtain a full school uniform for Thabo from the Singatha Uniform Fund operated by CINDI. Thabo's joy and gratitude is wonderfully captured in this letter he wrote to us. Please pray for Thabo and all 200 children who Ethembeni ministers to each week.

Ethembeni Beach Holiday 2009

A photographic memoir

With beautiful views to admire, local fishermen to watch, fun splashing in the waves with friends, or sitting on the beach quietly contemplating - this was a beautiful, relaxing holiday.





Our accomodation was pretty and festive with fun pictures on the walls and cheerful duvets on the beds. For those idle moments, there were also fascinating objects for us to wonder at and admire.




Not content to allow us to be lazy, Kathryn divided us into twos so we could decorate each other's T-shirts! Even those of us who don't pretend to be creative managed, and others were inspired. See for yourself :





We surprised Linda with a baby-shower in honour of her first baby, and ensured that she was suitably attired and that her baby would be thoroughly spoilt...



No Ethembeni gathering is ever complete without wonderful joyful singing and dancing! And so we praised the Lord and made a joyful noise at every possible opportunity.

Board of Directors

On Father's Day the first Board of Directors where annointed: Jon, Gordon, Rouen and Denzil

The complete Board Directors of Ethembeni are pictured here. From left to right: Mphuma, Gordon, Elliot, Rouen, Jon, Denzil and Grant

Praise be to God for their willingness to serve.

A tribute to Hlengiwe Mphuthini

Hlengiwe Mphuthini: died on the 10th August 2009, aged 40. Leaving her husband Albert, 6 children and Sipho. Ethembeni pays tribute to her for your faithful service and especially for her amazing legacy of caring for Sipho! Sipho was abandoned by his mother when only 20 months old. Hlengiwe offered to take him into her family home while Linda Smallbones found a more permanent solution. After only 2 weeks of caring for Sipho, Hlengiwe indicated that she was willing to take Sipho into her home permanently. Sipho and her had bonded - God's love had moved Albert to support his wife's desires to have their 7th child in their home! It was a joy for us to watch Sipho and Hlengiwe grow into all God intends for a mother and little boy relationship - laughter, tumbles, stern reprimands, forgiveness....unconditional love and acceptance! When Hlengiwe tragically died we were all afraid that Albert would return Sipho and ask us to find another home for him. But with tears in his eyes Albert told us of how Hlengiwe made him promise to never give Sipho up! He was to always remain part of the Mphuthini family no matter what happened! This is how she taught me to leave a legacy! How you care for people and the promises you make and keep while you are alive - are the witness that speaks powerfully about your life in Jesus! Hlengiwe we miss you and we promise to pray for you and your family faithfully.

Nomusa and the hopeful story of the Care Centre

In 2009, the Ethembeni Care Centre, with its focus on providing care for those who are very sick had 38 patients admitted to our 4 beds. Of these 38 patients, 14 went home better. Close to 35% of our patients can tell a story today of how the following services restored them:

1. Daily spiritual food including workship, prayer and bible readings.
2. Good nutrition: 3 meals a day with lots of healthy snacks
3. Correct and diligent medication.

We celebrate with Nomusa her restored physical health yet it is her spiritual joy and peace that excites us. She knows Jesus is with her for the rest of her life as she lives as a HIV positive person. This picture shows Nomusa with two of our care worker team: Luleka and Thembelihle. We praise God for His faithful restoring of Nomusa. Please pray for her today.

It is important to realise that over 50% of our patients are dying either with us or after being referred to hospital. This is becuase the care provided was too late! This leads me to two pleas:

• Know your status! If you are HIV negative, remain so! If HIV positive, then keep your immune system high so that you do not become sick.
• Make pro-active decisions to help those who are sick before it is too late! Please refer anybody to the care centre for a visit 033 238 0596.
  

Baby Amanda

From our home based care team of Thunyiwe and Nora comes the following poem highlighting the joys, the sadness and the hopes of Ethembeni's Ministry. Each week over 65 families affected by HIV are supported by seven teams. Please pray for them.

Baby Amanda…………..
On one of our visits one Winter morn
In the beam of sunlight to keep herself warm
Was a woman who greeted us with a smile
And in her arms she was holding her child
I looked at her baby and tried to assess
What her age was ~ about 3 months, I guessed
But already her first birthday had come and gone
So clearly something was very wrong

Tears welled in my heart at the state she was in
Undernourished, underdeveloped and painfully thin
Mealie meal porridge diluted with water
Was what this poor mother was feeding her daughter
On milk formula given the babe would not thrive
Desperately her Mom tried to keep her alive
An emergency plan must quickly be made
To save wee Amanda who suffered from Aids

By phone the advice of a dietician was sought
A lactose free formula had to be bought
Expensive though this is for any poor mother
An alternative to this there was no other
Baby Amanda would certainly die
Unless we did all to save her life

Daily a difference we’re starting to see
As this new feed with Amanda agrees
She’s thriving so well and grows each day some more
And her mother acknowledges it’s the work of our Lord

Before we knew her she was a member
Of the cult that follows the teachings of Shembe
To see God at work, she’s been so inspired
That to know Jesus more is what she desires
With her we spoke about Him and we prayed
To trust Him forever, the commitment she made

Amanda is special but we cannot know
How long she may live or how well she will grow
But now that her mother her life has surrendered

In God she has new hope for herself and Amanda

Hamba Kahle Bruno and Selma

Thursday 17th September 2009 was a day where God reminded us of His love for all who serve in His name. Bruno and Selma van Der Riet were "retiring" from ministry after 8 years of sacrificial service. Jesus love was tangibly felt by everyone including special guests Vanessa and Philip Tromans, June and Ruth Bremner. The Freedom of Mpophomeni was conferred on Bruno and Selma by Thembelihle Nzimande after worship from the Ethembeni choir. Pictured is Dudu, Nellie and Khonziwe praising Jesus and the van der riets for the love we share. Francina Mina, everyone's favorite "gogo" had a final word by saying she looks forward to meeting with Bruno and Selma in heaven to discuss their "udondola's" i.e. walking sticks. Hamba Kahle Bruno and Selma. Your have served well and we thank you.