The Place of Restoration

Home!

noreply@blogger.com (The Place of Restoration) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:38:00 +0000

After four amazing weeks we are home and back to porridge! The three of us had an unbelievable time in South Africa and we were each truly blessed working in Maskahane alongside Lindiwe, Maria and Brian.

During our first week we started work in Kwanzimakwe, a Zulu tribal village 10 minutes inland from the coastal town of Port Edward, where Masakhane is based. I think we were initially shocked by the basic living of the Zulu people in the area (mud/stone huts, gathering water from the river, some cooking over a fire) but in saying that their zest for life, pleasant nature and friendly character was hard to miss! Kwa-Zulu-Natal (the region of South Africa we were working in) has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS globally and Kwanzimakwe is the worst hit area in the region, meaning we were working in the most HIV/AIDS stricken place in the world! Never before had I appreciated how big a problem HIV/AIDS was in South Africa and how much stigma is associated with the disease. Indeed people would rather die alone, often in agony and severe discomfort, rather than tell their family or friends they have the disease. Sufferers are even too ashamed to go to the clinic for free treatment despite the huge success rate of ARVs (Anti Retro Viral drugs). Msakhane does a lot to educate people in the community about HIV/AIDS and counsel those who are affected.
The Holiday Bible Club went really well during week one. Around 40 kids came everyday for the 9am start (although many worked on SA time which was more like 10am!) and didn't leave until around 1pm- we were exhausted! The kids were great and were so appreciative of having someone who would spend time with them throwing a ball or just holding their hand. Having raised a good sum of money before we left, Masakhane were able to buy much needed equipment including balls, felt tips, worksheet books, CD player, paint and stationary. Thank you to all who were so generous with their money- being able to purchase these things has made a huge difference and with what was left over, Masakhane can pay the small wages, up until Christmas, of the staff who are so vital to the centres running.

At the end of week one we took a much needed break and travelled 4 hours North to the coastal town of St.Lucia where we spent the weekend sleeping in traditional grass huts, wearing traditional Zulu skins and dancing around a camp fire! We also went on a game drive in Hkluhluwe iMfolozi Game Park. It was a great few days and allowed to see more the beauty of the country and learn more about its unique culture.

Week two was for the older ones and we ran our youth outreach programme. We went down to the village soccer filed each day and played games. This provided a great opportunity for Brian to build up relationships with a lot of the youth in the area. He can now build on these relationships and encourage the young people to get involved in the work Masakhane does. At the end of the week we took 28 girls (and only 4 boys- hard work!) from the village to a nature reserve outside Margate to camp for the weekend. This was an awesome experience for the teens, many of whom have never been out of their own village, never mind camping in the middle of a nature reserve by a gorge with antelope roaming free! We had a great weekend of games, campfires and the most immense treasure hunt ever (devised by Brian and I!). 7 girls at the camp became Christians which was great- please pray for these young girls as they seek to grow in their faith and for Brian and Maria who will disciple them.

During week three we got involved in doing some practical work around Masakhane. We painted the kitchen and sewing room and painted signs to put on the roadside advertising Masakhane and the work they do. Again it was only for they money donated by the people of Legacurry that we were able to buy paint and brushes to do this much needed work.

After Ruth returned home Michelle and I spent our last week doing what we do best! Michelle volunteered in Place of Restoration for the week and I went to work in Genesis Care Centre, a palliative care centre for those with HIV/AIDS and Murchison Hospital, both close to Port Shepstone. This was a great experience for the both of us and taught us a lot about the country and the hardships it faces socially.

The three of us will never forget the time we spent in South Africa and the wonderful people we got to meet. Working in Kwanzimakwe, we were able to get to know a lot of the local Zulu people. This was a blessing and meant that we got a see the real South Africa, not the tourist hot spots which are made to look nice and blind you from the harsh reality of life that is literally 15 minutes from anywhere you are. It is indeed a very special place and I can see why people return again and again. Brian and Maria were superb hosts and we can't thank them enough for all they did for us during our stay. The work they do there is amazing, they have such a heart to serve the people around them in need- every day Brian would tell us about another project he was involved with or another vision he had for the future of Kwanzimakwe.

I can't encourage you enough to continue your support for Lindiwe and Masakhane, both in prayer and financially. We have money greater than anyone in Kwanzimakwe could imagine and that money goes a lot further in SA than it does here. Without the support of people in our church the organisation cannot grow and develop to meet the needs of the people. I think the verse used for the summer trip to Burkina Faso is fitting, Galatians 6:2. Indeed God has put us in the position where we have the finances to help people like Brian, Maria, Lindiwe and Maskhane who are in need. We have the responsibility to support these people who are the hands and feet of Christ in their community.

Thanks again for all your support over the past few months. If reading this has made you wish you had come with us then fret not- Braina dn Maria have asked us to consider coming our again next year with a mission team from the church to gety involved in the same sort of work! Keep it free!

In Christ,
Gareth, Michelle and Ruth

Arrival in South Africa

noreply@blogger.com (The Place of Restoration) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:09:00 +0000

Hi all!

We have arrived safe and well in SA! It is pretty cold (something we are very aware off considering we packed only summer clothing!), especially in the morning but it warms up gradually through the day until the sun starts to set around 3pm. We have certainly left the summer weather behind us but at least the sun is shining.

According to Brian the SA day starts from around 5am so he has us picked up at 7.30am every day (this is not a holiday!). He has been great since we got here and has shown us around a lot of the local area including the coastal town of Margate where we are staying, the squaters village, the nearest township and the local tribal village. It is amazing to see the difference between the 'white' costal towns and the 'black' rural villages; standard of living comes in many varities in SA.

Today we had a chance to visit POR and Makahnane. Both do tremendous and I cannot encorage you enough at home to continue your support for these places, especially Masakhane which seems to be in greater need of financial support. The people who work there have a real heart to serve God and the kids were great- during devotions in POR this morning they sang hymns in Zulu, and in perfect harmonies, it was awesome!

Anyway, got to go here. I'll be in touch soon.

In Christ,
Gareth

Car Wash for team going out in June a great success!

noreply@blogger.com (The Place of Restoration) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:09:00 +0000

The team going out in June enjoyed warm and (mostly) dry weather for their fund raising car wash and coffee morning. The team accompanied by an army of volunteers, washed over 30 cars and kept a filled 'coffee house' stocked with drinks and munchies.

With donations at £5 for a car wash church members and local people were more than generous with their donations ensuring the team will be able to bring much needed supplies, equipment and staffing to the centre when they arrive.

Brian & Maria’s Newsletter from South Africa

noreply@blogger.com (The Place of Restoration) — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:37:00 +0000

May 2009

It’s hard to believe almost two months have passed since we left home (wherever that is!). We have settled into a small flat that we rent from our friend and former colleague at POR, Mo. It is our base for the meantime as we look into ways to move into the rural community. We spent the first month working fulltime with Masakhane. The first few weeks we were doing a lot of practical work, painting, cleaning, tiling etc as they were coming to the end of a building programme to extend the hall which Ash and Chris built. The facilities are now excellent for their purposes here in KwaNzimakwe village of reaching out to children and young people with the love of Christ and the information and tools to confront the HIV/AIDS pandemic that is before them.

As well as doing practical work, Maria was able to assist Lindiwe with the Holiday Bible club over the Easter school holidays. Lindiwe takes every opportunity to run Bible clubs with the school children with one in July, December and Easter! It was a great opportunity to minister to over 60 children. Maria is also involved in running support groups and life skills programmes. Brian has been working in the project office alongside S’du who is the other full time employee at Masakhane. They have been working on the bookkeeping, PR and fundraising so that the project can continue to grow and impact more people. You can read our Annual Report from the last financial year to get an idea of what we have been doing.

The last couple of weeks we have began to plan how we can assist Masakhane long term. POR have asked Maria to help them out for a couple of months. She will work part time for them training their Zulu speaking counsellor/play therapist. Maria and Lindiwe are planning to develop Masakhane’s work with Orphan’s and Vulnerable Children. This project will enable us as a community to provide spiritual and social support for these children. Part of the work will include linking child headed households up with local churches. Brian is getting involved with the vegetable garden project, and the small business development.

Please continue to pray for visas to be able to work here and a place to live in the rural areas where we can call home. We are looking forward to having visitors next month – Ruth, Gareth and Michelle – we pray that you will be blessed and challenged when you are here! With Love, Brian & Maria

Our Vision

noreply@blogger.com (The Place of Restoration) — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:51:00 +0000

OUR VISION
“There is a great need for sensitive persons who will live with people in rural villages, showing the poor that God wants them to have both the tools to earn a decent living and the knowledge and power to change the unjust structures which oppress them.”(Ronald J. Sider)

Apartheid was one of the most unjust structures ever created and combined with the HIV/AIDS pandemic has left rural communities in South Africa very damaged. Our aim is to reach out to those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS with the gospel through living and working in the community. God has given us a picture of being a bridge between the divided communities of South Africa, bringing people and churches together.

Projects you can support at Masakhane:
-Orphans & Vulnerable Children Support Workers
-Vegetable Food Garden
-Youth Programmes
-Disability Programmes

Contact us: liggy50@hotmail.com