5th CELEBRATION

5^th Birthday celebration

Celebration took place at the family centre on the 21th of September. It was a great day and we really felt God’s anointing as we were worshiping and sharing testimonies of what God has been doing through the family centre. We had our carers of our children and bake for profit graduate and Ethembeni staff, dressed in their traditional outfit because we were not just celebration family centre’s birthday but a combine celebration. The celebration was a combination of MFC Birthday, Heritage day and graduations of bake for profit. We had one of the student from bake for profit to share how is the business of baking has changed her life as to inspire other graduate that it is possible to do your business only when you know that “the beginning of wisdom is to fear God” these was her words. 

Theme of our celebration was “Wahamba Nathi” which means he walk with us through the whole 5 years of the family centre without his lead we wouldn’t have reach 5 years. This walk has been a walk of faith through prayer as well. Every walk or journey has its own challenges but when he is the centre he shows direction and provider. He owns the centre, mentoring and visiting families is not an easy path. We always wish to help restore hope in these young stars and help them see with a different eye from where the community stands right now but we wouldn’t do that without the help of God. We also read Palms 117:1-2 because we believe that the more we spend time in praising him and make him the focus we won’t go wrong.

 The day was finished in prayer outside the family centre where we released balloons; balloons were carrying a thank you message from all who attended the celebration to God for what he has done in our lives. It will be a mistake if i forget to mention that ECD blessed us with music as well as the family centre staff. We would love to extent our thank you to all who have be praying and been part of the story of God at work in the family centre. It is evident that there is lot of people who pray and contribute to the growth of the ministry. I pray that our Father bless you abundantly in Jesus name.

By: Zweli Sokhela

ENCOURAGING VOLUNTEER FEEDBACK

Recently a team of volunteers from the UK Nigel, Sharon, Phoebe, Lydia, Naomi enjoyed the Ethembeni experience and shared a few things they liked most or found interesting:

The question asked was - what was your favourite part of the programme?                                                                                                                   

ANSWER: 

1. Difficult to pick just one but herewith the top 3: Home visits in the community on Thursday mornings with the opportunity to pray with and share God's word..... the opportunity to crotchet with the ladies knitting circle and drive the pick-up down some very rough roads
2. Practical projects - doing up Mr Ramahojoe's home and preparing him an allotment..... the kids mucked in hauling boulders and collecting dung in the back of the pick-up
3. Getting to know the kids better each day.

It's a first all round

The event is brand new ... "Mandela Day Marathon" and of course this was the first "Ethembeni  team" to participate in the event.

The vibe was amazing ... people united and eager to participate in this wonderful event.

The Ethembeni team are to be commended for their efforts .... great looking team too.

Perhaps next year more than one Ethembeni team will participate.... get ready folks.

The COLD kept at bay

Many families supported by Ethembeni benefited from the very timely donation of 90 blankets  from Welfare Director Julia Todd. These blankets came from the East Coast Winter warmth Campaign via the PMB Rotary.

The Midlands Meander area of KZN where Mpophomeni is found, experienced some really cold snowy weather for almost a week and these blankets brought warmth and comfort to our families.

The blankets were given to the Ethembeni Carers and volunteer groups for personal distribution to the families and were really well received, as one could imagine under the circumstances.

A HUGE thank you to all involved throughout the "supply chain". It is because of YOUR support that Ethembeni is able to help others.

God's provision for a needy family

Testimony by an Ethembeni Careworker – Thunyiwe Sokhela (In ZULU and ENGLISH)

Ngiyambonga uNkulunkulu ngomsebenzi owenziwa iEthembeni empakathini.

Kukhona umndeni osizakele kakhulu usizwa yiEthembeni. Lomndeni sawufica uhluphekile kakhulu. Umndeni unezingane ezingu 9 nobaba nomama.

Omakhelwane basebekhathele bezama ukuba babaphe ukudla nezingubo. Safika bengenawo ama ID books, izingane zingenazo izitifiketi. Kwakungekho imali engenayo.

Yanikela iEthembeni ngokudla, izingubo, nezicathulo, nama uniform ukuba abantwana baqhubeke bafunde. IEthembeni yabafundisa futhi ukuba balime ingadi yemifino nama vegetables.

Yabasiza futhi inhlangano yaseEthembeni ukuba bathole ama ID books nama birth certificates. Lomndeni wasizakala impela baze basizwa  nangamagrants abazali okugula nama support grants abantwana. Okukhulu kakhulu ukuthi uNkulunkulu wenza umsebenzi nasezimpilweni zabo. Banikela izimpilo zabo kuJesu. Ngokuba babehleli bengashadile befisa ukuba bashade kodwa babengakwazi ngenxa yokuthi wayengekho ozobalekelela.

IEthembeni yanikela ngosizo lokuba bashade. Bambonga uNkulunkulu bamdumisa.

Imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu iyamangalisa. Uma ngibuka amandla akhe awnza kulomndeni ngimdumisa njalo.

Enhlizweni yami kuneculo elifikayo uma ngicabanga ngomsebenzi owenziwa iEthembeni emphakathini.

Lithi: WE thembekile Jesu

          Nsuku zonke zikhathi
           WE thembekile Jesu

         : You are faithful Oh Lord

            Every day and every hour
            You are faithful Oh Lord

 Translation by Nora

I thank God for the work Ethembeni is doing in the community.

There is a family which has been greatly assisted by Ethembeni when it was discovered how poor they were. The family consisted of 9 children and the father and mother.

The neighbours were getting weary of trying to feed and clothe them. When we took them in hand, they had no ID books, the children had no birth certificates, and they had no income.

Ethembeni offered to help them with food, clothes, shoes, and uniforms, so that the children could go to school. Ethembeni also taught them to cultivate a garden to grow spinach and vegetables.

Ethembeni also assisted them to obtain ID books & birth certificates. Furthermore they also received disability and child grants. The greatest of all of God’s work, was that they received Jesus into their lives. Because they had never been married, they desired to have a proper marriage, but there was no one who could help them achieve that.

Ethembeni made that possible for them, and they offered praises and thanks to God. The work of God is amazing. God is good. When I reflect  on His power at work in this family, I never cease to praise Him.

LIFE TIME EXPERIENCE IN UK

Firstly I want to thank God for such an opportunity being out of the country for the first time and sharing a story of hope with our friends in UK. My eyes were open to lot of challenging thoughts about my country and about my work and also time management.

 Secondly a big thank you to my ticket sponsor Eye branding in Durban they made it possible that I go to England the land of the Queen, I tried my best to set up an appointment to have a tea with the Queen but it didn’t work since they were lot of celebration taking place in UK to some of you Jubilee might sound familiar, it was a queen’s birthday. Ethembeni Family thanks as well for dedicated prayer and love you share as I was away, I could sense that you were behind me with prayer and MCI my local church it great when you are part of a big family and it make life easy.

Well my time with in England was really amazing despite the weather that was always miserable and I must say I was warned just before I went there so I went prepared with worm clothes. Just a highlight the day is really long from 7 till 10  then the sun goes down, guess what the night will be really short which will course me to sleep until 12. Part of my experience there is that i got a chance to overcome my fears, Rachel took me to Alton Towers it unbelievable even now when i think about it i hard to think that i went to a place where 20 people die a day as i was told by my friends Khanyi (Claire in English) and Nonhlonipho also known as Rachel in England, i was so proud of myself after all the rides to survive Alton Towers. I was exposed to different churches with different set up which was great praise God that we can serve and worship him in different way and he respond because that shows that he is God for all and he is in all. Sharing challenges that our children in South Africa faces was an eye open as the youth of St Marys Church, as their youth were so engaging and asking question it made me realize the greatness of God and knowing that despise the distance or living in different countries but we can share the same vision caring for one another by God’s help.

I want to mention that if our leaders take their stand and fight for our town things will never be the same we will see change, I had a privilege to join street pastor they walk around street speaking to people making sure they are all okay and pick up substances that can be used as a weapon, And as we were walking you could sense that people know them and they feel safe to say what they think and feel. I pray we can have people like those in our communities that will dedicate their time and care for other people in that way. Without the teams and families we visited i believe my time in England wouldn’t have been so amazing and memorable taking Africa to England, Thanks to all our friends in England God bless you.

Written by:  Zweli Sokhela

Mpophomeni Family Centre

Testimony by Dudu Zulu

I would like to praise God for my life and for the amazing things He has done for me through Ethembeni.

Since I first came to Ethembeni in 2002, so much has happened in my life. With the help of Ethembeni I have developed sewing skills, and my self-esteem has been built up by love and encouragement, and their support has produced this kind of Dudu – the loving person, caring, confident, and able to make my own decisions.

God has used Ethembeni to fulfill His purposes  through my life – since I recovered from TB meningitis, stroke, TB spine and pneumonia, I did not think I would survive without Ethembeni’s support. Although my physical body still has many challenges, I praise God that I am able to do whatever I like in most cases. The few things I fail to do now, do not bother me because I accept the changes that happened in my life, without choosing it.

I see God’s blessings in being a part of the Ethembeni family for I’m a healthy living testimony without fear. Spiritually I am growing every day and to constantly learn new things means a lot to me. I am able to provide for my family and have a beautiful, lovely house, which is something that I would never have thought I could call my own. All this because Ethembeni made me into a responsible person.

Last but not least, my dream to be a counsellor has been fulfilled by God through Ethembeni. I’ve developed a lot of skills – that is why I lay my life before God and humble myself because I understand I have been chosen by God and I understand my uniqueness.

Thank you Ethembeni, for your loving, caring support and walking with me on this painful challenging journey. By holding my hand and walking with me, I am able to walk free. MAY GOD POUR HIS BLESSINGS UPON ETHEMBENI IN MANY WAYS. “PRAISE THE LORD”

Love you all, Dudu Zulu.