Ethembeni
(Places of Hope)
HIV/AIDS MINISTRY
SA Non-Profit Organisation Number: 032-733
SARS Public
Benefit Organisation Number: 930003873
Website :
http://www.ethembeni.co.za
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What is Ethembeni?
In the KwaZulu Natal Midlands, 12 kilometres from
the town of Howick in South Africa is a settlement
called Mpophomeni (The place next to the Water Fall).
Of this community of 43 000 people, more than 80%
are unemployed and more than a third are infected
with HIV. In November of 2000, the Howick Community
Church began a ministry to this community, specifically
aimed at caring for those who are dying alone, hungry
and without hope. The ministry is called Ethembeni,
which means ‘Places of Hope’, and has
the following mission statement:
‘To provide spiritual,
emotional and practical assistance to families affected
by HIV & AIDS in the Mpophomeni area through the
provision of home based care, family support with
a focus on vulnerable children and residential care
for terminally ill people.’
Ethembeni has four specific programmes at present,
a residential care unit, a family support programme,
the Mpophomeni Family Centre working with orphans
and vulnerable children and the mentoring of community
based organisations. Today our family support program
provides a holistic intervention incorporating not
only home based care for the sick but also food security,
income generation and psychosocial support. On average,
we visit 45 - 50 families a month totalling over 200
adults and children.
The residential care centre is notable because it
is community based, unlike most other institutions
providing similar services in the area. Four people
can be accommodated and cared for at any one time.
Average monthly occupancy rates sit above 90% - indeed
an essential service to the community.
The Mpophomeni Family Centre, a drop-in facility,
cares for 40 orphans and vulnerable children a day
by providing meals, psycho-social support and structured
play activities. The core values of these three programmes
are simple, God’s love and hope. Since the inception
of these ministries, we have worked with over 500
HIV infected families, directly benefiting more than
2000 people.
We believe in developing sustainable community based
organisations (CBO’s), so we are intentionally
mentoring two CBO’s. Our shared goal is sustainable
resources which glorify God.
Breaking
the silence – living hope
Dudu Zulu (pictured) discovered she was HIV positive
in 2000 when she became gravely ill with meningitis.
She was sad and angry with God. While sitting on her
bed one day, she had a vision of a man with white
trousers coming into her room, sitting on her bed,
holding her hand and promising: “If you go out
and talk about the black spots that dirty your body,
then you will be healed.” Dudu had the same
vision twice more in a week and this prompted her
to ask her pastor if she could share the vision and
her status with her church fellowship. She was afraid
of being rejected yet the man in the vision stated:
“Don’t look at the big crowd. Focus on
the small group who are encouraging you.” Faithfully
she shared for HIV positive status and her church
responded with unconditional love. Today she is regularly
challenged by the Holy Spirit to share her testimony.
God has given her peace in her soul but not in her
body as she expected. Dudu says: “It is amazing.
God has a purpose for my life.”
Ethembeni volunteers cared for Dudu through our home
based care visits in 2001. When she became well enough
she attended Ethembeni sewing classes and completed
a home based carer course in 2002. In 2003 Ethembeni
employed her because Dudu was transformed into living
hope – sharing and caring for all those suffering
in the same position as her. Today, she is a faithful
servant of Jesus and a dedicated Ethembeni Ministry
champion!
Why should we act in mercy?
A merely religious person, who believes God will
favour him because of his morality and respectability,
will usually have contempt for the outcast, “I
worked hard to get where I am, and so can everyone
else!” That is the language of the moralist’s
heart. “I am only where I am by the sheer and
unmerited mercy of God. I am completely equal with
all other people.” That is the language of the
Christian’s heart. When we see the HIV positive
sick, the homeless, prostitutes, alcoholics, etc.
we know that we are seeing ourselves. We may have
lived respectable middle class lives, however we realise
that spiritually we were just like these people. Physically
and socially we may never have been where they are
now, but spiritually we were outcasts just as they
are, but by God’s grace we have been saved.
A sensitive social conscience and a life poured out
in deeds of mercy to the needy is the inevitable sign
of a person who has grasped the doctrine of God’s
grace. (Excerpts from Ministries of Mercy by Timothy
J. Keller, 1997, PR Publishing, USA)
It is this new heart I pray for; Lord, that I would
be so overcome with a deep understanding of your love
for us that I would be set free to “Do nothing
out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility
consider others better than yourselves. Each of you
should look not only to his own interests, but also
to the interests of others” Phil 2:3-4.
We
are family, my brother and sister and me!
These are the words of a popular pop song and yet
unite us all at the Ethembeni Family Centre. Since
1st of July 2008, over 40 children, ranging from 6
months old to 19 years gather each day to share in
family stories at the home of love in Mpophomeni.
There is Jabu*, a little girl of 4, who loves to sing
and dance (see picture of joyous celebrations). And
she loves giving hugs to all visitors! Then there
is Zimele*, a passionate 15 year old footballer who
earned his “cromes” (soccer boots) by
sanding down the windows and doors of the centre.
There is Zama*, who writes poetry and whose only family
is all of us at the centre. Many tears were shed when
Sindi*, who came to the centre after it was discovered
she was suffering abuse at her home, was placed in
a foster home. Prayer is a part of our everyday activity
and we celebrate each meal by saying grace and giving
thanks to God for all He provides. (*All names changed.)
Together, we share in life each day. The key value
connecting us is family. Please pray for love to be
shared amongst our family. That grace and joy would
fill the family centre and all of its’ people.
Will you join
us today and become a “family builder?”
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