Respecting family and partners skills - Nokwazi's story

Nokwazi (not her real name) has been with us for about 4 years. She is still young, living with her brother and granny. Nokwazi’s father died last year December due to illness, when he died she was living in one of the home because the father was an alcoholic and the granny was too old to manage to look after the two children living under the same roof with an alcoholic man. Working together with the social workers in Howick we managed to walk with Nokwazi to make sure that she survive last year. Nanie our child care worker, she had to go with her to Durban hospital, spending time with her even overnight, Nanie was her mentor. Now Nokwazi has been placed at Impendle where other family members lives, then we decided that we have done enough now that she has been reunited with her relatives, but we are still working with the family since her brother and granny are still living in Mpophomeni.

Good choices that bring hope!

Hi Everybody Today has been close to one of the most important days in my life. My name is Esme Raw,(The Prodigal Volunteer), missionary at Ethembeni. Today we started a new sewing project in Kwa-Hasa. This day marks the start of a project that I have felt God calling me to since September 2011. This project wouldn't be possible without the help and support of my dear friends and colleagues Phindile and Thembelihle. We were offered a room in Phindi's mom's house, (thank you kind mother), and started today with 5 people. I cannot describe the wonder and excitement of something so small as the skill of sewing by hand, can bring to people. The lack of water or electricity didn't put anybody off, and it was amazing to see the creative gifts and talents made visible. You might ask if the sewing project can bring in a sustainable income? I don't know. Can it bring change? It's possible. But most importantly, can it bring hope? And with that, I can say a definite yes. Where God is made welcome, change is inevitable. Where God is present, hope is real. And as we continue this journey of helping those in need, I ask you all to continue supporting Ethembeni in prayer. All the glory to our God and Savior who is our hope. Esme PV

Honesty = HIV Awareness and Testing

Sunday 18 March 2012 was a most significant day for the community of the Metropolitan Methodist Church. Our journey to this moment began at our HIV/Aids remembrance day service in December 2011. At this service a medical doctor of our community offered an excellent update on the HIV/Aids fight, and the plight of those infected and affected by HIV/Aids. The outcome of the day was the desire to not only do our bit once a year for an hour or two at the remembrance service but to somehow be more effective in HIV/Aids awareness. While we have openly talked about HIV/Aids in our community we are very aware that for many people infected or affected there is a reluctance to open up because of the stigma still attached to Aids and the fear of the community’s reaction. We needed to create a safe place to speak about HIV/Aids and to offer a testing opportunity. Enter Ethembeni. Grant, Dudu and their team offered their services to speak a personal testimony and to provide HIV testing on the church premises. This past Sunday (18 March 2012) we hosted the Ethembeni team. Dudu shared in the service, and I volunteered to be tested in front of the entire congregation and to disclose my status. I believe that both Dudu’s testimony and my willingness to be tested offered a safe place for the congregation. Confidential testing stations were set up and 21 members came forward to be tested. I believe that this has been an important moment in the life of our church and my hope is that our community will know that we are a place that is understanding, compassionate and seeking to assist those infected and affected by HIV/Aids. My hope is that many other churches will open their doors to Ethembeni.
Alan Bester,
Resident minister – Metropolitan Methodist Church, Pietermaritzburg.

Mfanafuthi + Ethembeni Trauma team = restoration of hope

Mfanafuthi was a 17 year old young person, a hard worker at school, popular and easy-going. He had many friends and enjoyed spending time with them. One evening he and five friends, two male and three female, were walking and talking together along the road. A group of men, drunk and armed with knives, approached the friends and started to threaten them. The group dispersed and ran away.
The next morning Mfanafuthi was completely shocked as he came across a crime scene where police and community members were present. One of the girls he had been walking along with the night before had not got away and had been stabbed to death. After this event, Mfanafuthi felt shaky, helpless, fearful of going out at night, and mistrustful of any strangers. He could not get the scene out of his mind and his school work suffered as a result. Many thoughts and fears plagued him.

Mfanafuthi suffered a trauma. A trauma is a specific event which involves actual or threatened death, serious injury or threat to ones physical integrity or the witness of such to another person. A traumatic event is characterised by feelings of horror, helplessness and fear. In South African today there are far too many people who experience traumatic events, either directly or indirectly. Armed robbery, muggings, hijackings, rape, witness of violence, all types of abuse, and road traffic accidents are all examples of traumas. A trauma is indirect when it has occurred to a loved one but impacts upon you deeply. Some trauma is ongoing, such as a domestic violence situation, and some trauma is once-off, such as a serious car accident. The important thing to remember is that one CAN heal from trauma with support and counselling.

There is a trauma team at Ethembeni! Four staff members; Dudu Zulu, Faniswa Dlakavu, Zwelihle Sokhela and Thembekile Mkhize, along with Linda Smallbones are trained in trauma counselling skills. A member of the trauma team assisted Mfanafuthi to deal with his overwhelming feelings following the trauma of the night of his friend’s death and he is now doing well again at school and coping well in his life. Trauma counselling does not make one forget the experience, this is something one carries through life as a memory. However, it does help one to process the memory within a safe environment and help one to work through all of the overwhelming emotions and thoughts that accompany such an experience. Some people who experience trauma could be so overwhelmed by the experience that they turn to destructive means of coping such as drinking, drug-use, or even perpetuating the cycle of violence. We want people to be aware that such destructive “coping” is not necessary and that healing and help is available.

The trauma team are using Psalm 127:1a as their foundation for 2012. “Unless the Lord builds the house, it labourers labour in vain.” We believe God wishes to build through the trauma team in 2012; A safe space for people to talk, and restoration and healing for brokenness. We are aiming to present a Trauma Awareness Day to the Mpophomeni community in March and ask that you would pray for us in this endeavour. Our country needs healing. Our community of Mpophomeni needs healing. We wish to be part of God’s process of healing and restoring. If you have any further queries regarding our services and how to go about booking an appointment for counselling please contact: Dudu Zulu – 033 238 0596.

Mr and Mrs Ethembeni

A fun filled afternoon took place in November when Ethembeni hosted a Mr and Mrs Ethembeni dress up show. There were 3 "modeling routines" judged by three teenages who attend the family centre. Routine one was "funny dress" = routine two was sporting/cultural and routine three was smart! The winner of Mr Ethembeni was Xolani Ngubane and Miss Ethembeni was Thembelihle Mkhize and Mrs Ethembeni was Ellen Mthalane! See the pictures and see there will be a video!

11th year Ministry celebration

In November 2011, Ethembeni celebrated God's faithfulness in 11 years of ministry. A yummy cake was cut by Louise Stobart symbolising this milestone. See the picture. New staff management positions were also announced and "anointed" in prayer. Please pray for the following people in their new ministry responsibilities:
- Zwelihle Sokhela = Family Centre Manager
- Thembekile Mkhize = Assistant Family Centre Manager
- Londeka Gasa = Volunteer Coordinator

We praise God for the inspiring and servant hearted friends of Ethembeni called Rachel Saxton and Claire Henry. They have faithfully ministered to all in 2011 and we praise God for them! Hamba khale.

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.