Friday, 18 June 2010

Concrete seating





Phil has been working on a new seating design for the past couple of months. He made a mould, filled it with concrete, took it out and whacked some holes in it and stuck some planks of wood in. Its for the kids at happys. They totally loved it, being in a wheelchair didn't stop them leaping out and straight onto it! it was awesome.
When we arrived last sunday Nokwethemba had fallen asleep on one of them whilst doing home, who knew they would be so comfy!

Brother Siphiwe




This is brother Siphiwe. He was the man in the hospital bed next to our brother Marcus. Marcus was visited everyday by brothers and sisters, they would be praying and bible readings and support. Siphiwe had watched us come in everyday. He became interested in the bible and is now baptised as a result! However his family have kicked him out of the home for believing in God, they even burned his bible in front of him! He now lives in his friends garden shed. Here he is recieving a computer donated by a brother. The fridge you see was donated by a lady we met through the BEC and who was baptised on the same day as him!

Once a week we go to the hospital to chat to the patients, sing and pray as a result of one of our brothers being in the hospital. The guy in the bed next to him, Siphiwe, is now baptised as a result. Although our brother marcus has now passed away this has opened up more new friendships in the hospital. Last week on our weekly visit we bumped into Promise, a girl from the Happys school. It was fantastic to see her although not in those circumstances. But out of all the wards in the hospital we only visit 1 womens one. and she was in there! God's hand at work! I was aware she had cancer but had no idea she would be spending the entire 5 week holidays in the hospital recieving radiotherapy.

Her family dont want to see her, she is in care of social services when not at school (the children board at the school). So being in hospital is quite lonely for her not to mention upsetting with all she has to go through with cancer! When she has a day off from the clinic i take some of the girls from school to go see her. This sunday shes aloud out, shes coming to church and having a fun day with her friends from school!

Pineapple express

when we pulled up at a certain set of traffic lights our car was surrounded by women trying to sell fruit to us shouting various fruit names and prices. i thought this was hilarious so i rummaged in my bag for my camera. THEY thought i was rummaging in my bag for money to buy their fruit so they got a bit excited and started pushing each other out the way so i would buy theirs. when they realised i had whipped out my camera and not my money they were annoyed and walked away. The woman looking at the camera wasn't as quick as the others to turn away. or maybe she was clinging onto some hope that i still would buy some. They were pretty annoyed and i felt bad and so i was pressured into buying some fruit. Once again they all swarmed the car and i accidently bought about 10 pineapples.

Friday, 11 June 2010

BEC graduation

All the students at the bible education centre who have completed a bible course recieve a certificate and twice a year we have a "graduation ceremony". It was a great opportunity for those who attended to interact and chat to others who have also completed the course.






crazy jumble sale

Last saturday we held a jumble sale in the lamontville township in one of our good news centres. The ladies arrived in their PJ's and pushed and shoved into the the doorway at 8am, they were so excited they were running towards the tables, one lady even lost her shoes! We raised £60, all the money goes towards Noziphos electric wheelchair. Not bad considering everything was 10p and 20p! All the clothes and bric a brac were left overs from a jumble sale held in westville and they donated the leftovers to us, so no effort involved!


7am Birthday surprises

Simon had very subtly told us it was his birthday. In a joyfull volunteer way we went to surprise him on this very exciting day at 7am. We woke them up with the sound of our voices (you can probably guess which song). It was great!



Ice cream cake

birthday present wrapped in a dress and kept in place wrapped in cling film + plasters

The wake up call

enjoying the icecream cake at 7am