Ethembeni Fire Fighters in training! Story by Londeka Gasa

On top of all the crazy wonderful things that happens @ Ethembeni; today we learned how to protect ourselves in cases of fire and had fun doing it. Ten of our staff from all three ministries (Mpophomeni Family Centre, Home Based Care and Care centre) had a chance to actually handle a fire extinguisher stopping the fire.

Now we know what to do and the right way of doing it in terms of fire.

Check out Nonjabulo Ngxabi using the fire extinguisher to put out a possible fire.

Discovery Health and Tshikululu Social Investments visit with Ethembeni

On 30th August 2011, Discovery Health represented by Sandhya Vedalanka and Mandi Mzimba paid Ethembeni a visit. Also visiting was Tshikululu Social Investments (TSI) represented by Juliana Thornton . The day was filled with story-telling about nation building and how partnerships are making significant differences in communities all over South Africa. Ethembeni thanks Discovery Health for funding our primary health care program and TSI for being hope builders through their social investment networks. We look forwards to future story telling days – see the pictures for evidence of what went down on the day!

Ethembeni's Heritage - reflections on who we are in 2011

Ethembeni was born out of a humble beginning in 2000 – a great big desire by special people, to help those families in Mpophomeni that were affected by HIV/AIDS.
Today, Ethembeni serves the people of Mpophomeni in many ways and all for the glory of God:-
• The family centre takes care of the children from families affected by HIV/Aids, by giving them a sanctuary of love, care, food, rest, help and spiritual guidance
• The care centre takes care of those people severely affected by HIV/AIDS, by giving them spiritual support, prayer, medicinal care, personal care, food and “hospice” type care - all this done in the small but effective care centre
• The family support programme takes care of families affected by HIV/AIDS, by giving them spiritual guidance, prayer, food parcels, clothing parcels, social support, motivation to grow their own vegetables, and when possible having them earn some money working on sponsored programmes, like “packing and labeling Wedgewood products” or manufacturing beaded items for sale, etc.
Since the inception of these ministries, we have worked with over 800 HIV infected families, directly benefiting more than 3000 people.
The core values of these three programmes are simply God’s love and hope

Nonhlanhla Nkomo - RIP lady of faith written by Grant Edkins

Dear Friends of Ethembeni

Death is a daily part of life at Ethembeni, yet sometimes we are so surprised by who God takes to be with Him. Nonhlanhla Nkomo was one of these surprises - she passed away on 18th June 2011 after contracting flu! Within one week, this strong community leader who was inspiring others affected by HIV to start their own vegetable gardens, had passed away. Nonhlanhla died at age 41 - yet her legacy was left in all of us i.e. her passion for serving others in need. I'd come to know Nonhlanhla in January 2010 when we visited her as a patient of Ethembeni's Family support program. Her warm smile and hunger for God's word endeared her to us. She was the first volunteer to be recruited to join our home based care teams expansion into KwaHaza in July 2010 - and God used her testimony of faith and perseverance to encourage many living with HIV to trust Jesus with all their fears and hopes! Her funeral was a sad yet wonderful celebration of a life full of hardship yet she keep giving back to her community! Nonhlanhla - hamba kahle mhlobo wam. Sizobonana - we will see each other again.

CAN YOU IMAGINE............

SOME VERY INTERESTING FAMILY CENTRE STATS:

FOR COOKING:
• There are 70 children at the family centre – 5 days a week
• There are 14 Ethembeni staff members at the family centre
• 30kg’s of maize meal is used in a month
• 12kg of mince meat is used per month
• 35 kg of chicken portions is used per month
• 14 kg of sausages is used per month
• 20kg of potatoes are used a month
• 5 kg of carrots are used per month
• 90 brown bread loaves are used per month
• 12 litres of diluted juice is used per month

FOR FOOD PARCELS:
• 146 tins of baked beans are given a month
• 73 Soya mince packets per month
• 40kg of maize meal per month
• 60kg of rice per month

CLEANING MATERIALS:
• 5 litres of dish liquid per month
• 5 litres of toilet cleaner per month
• 48 rolls of toilet paper per month

HOURS SPENT BY STAFF AT THE FAMILY CENTRE: 1450 per month

HOMEWORK HOURS SPENT: 15 per week

Having read the above, running the family centre takes some doing – SUPPORT is clearly needed – contact Grant Edkins: 083 347 3977 if you can support this ministry in any way.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE ETHEMBENI FAMILY CENTRE

by Shân Cade

Not having 70 children to watch over one’s self, it is very hard to comprehend the logistics involved in the running of the Ethembeni Family Centre. To mention a few functions or tasks that take place daily, that may get your mind geared to understanding what an enormous task it is:

• Looking after 70 little children – a huge responsibility
• Ensuring these children’s spiritual well being is taken care of
• Ministering to these children with music and song
• Cooking for and feeding these children
• Assisting the older children with homework
• Taking care of developing the children’s skills
• Handling social problems
• Entertaining and ensuring these children have some fun
• Purchasing food and cleaning requirements daily
• Keeping these children healthy
• Seeing that they get the correct medical attention when they are sick
• Sharing in these children’s emotional ups and downs
• Keeping these children positive
• Keeping these children warm when it’s really cold
• Taking care of building maintenance issues as they arrive,like blocked drains
• Coordinating volunteers help
• Fetching and carrying volunteers, staff, children as required
• Reading and doing other activities for the children
• Re-scheduling staff when a staff member is off
• Handling crisis’s –like elect.failure & you still have to cook
• Refuse removal
• Gardening and playground maintenance
• And a thousand other items......

To the Ethembeni Family Centre Staff – may the Lord continue to give you strength, wisdom and knowledge in the running of the Family Centre, and the serious task of looking after 70 children daily. You do an amazing job, with dedication and compassion – we salute you.

KEEP ON KEEPING ON

Isaiah 30:15 “In quietness & confidence shall be your strength”
Isaiah 40:29 “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength”
Isaiah 40:31 “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength”

INGRID ROBERTS - WOMEN'S EVENT & ETHEMBENI

Saturday the 30 July 2011 found the Liberty Mall in KZN, South Africa,vibrant with the Ingrid Roberts Women's Day celebration, and who was there? None other than Ethembeni's Zwe and Mandisa.

The following piece is from Ingrid's email to Grant the Director of Ethembeni....

"Just to say how much we loved having Zwe and Mandisa with us on Saturday evening - and I think they enjoyed the event just as much! Thanks for all you did to make it possible.
Zwe won a Nikon camera, we were able to raise R3075 for your wonderful charity and Mandisa had some additional funds donated to her personally - Graemor accountants engineered this idea and will be looking after the money raised for her - allowing her to spend as and when she requires (over R3000 I am told!)
Hertz car rental - also at the event - will I believe be facilitating her trip/s to the mall for when she wants to use her money.
In all - a fabulous event and another well done to you all for the amazing work you're doing out in the impoverished communities. I felt privileged to put a "face" to just one of the many stories in your community!"

GOD IS TRULY GOOD Support from businesses and volunteers is critical to keeping Ethembeni running. Thank you Ingrid.