The Launch of Mariannhill!

Sunday was the first day the Mariannhill ecclesia could worship in the new community centre. It was our launch and celebration of the amazing new building that God had given to us through Autopage. It was also the day that many who had been coming to Bible classes chose to be baptised. We invited Westville ecclesia to join us for this great day.

As some brothers and sisters were driving through the township to get to the new centre, the road was blocked by a big happy procession. Girls and women dressed up in traditional Zulu beads and hats singing and dancing in the streets. On a closer look they noticed the Good News of the Kingdom of God T-shirts. It was the sisters of Mariannhill celebrating the launch and baptisms by dancing through the streets to their new hall.

The service started with eleven baptisms. The day felt almost apostolic! Bro Dan had built a collapsible baptismal bath which was on the front lawn. One by one Bro Phinda and Bro Thulani baptised young and old, male and female, all Zulus. The size of Mariannhill ecclesia almost doubled in a day. Markus was baptised first, he is the husband of sis Nokuthula and father of sis Dudu. A few months ago he was too ill to walk. Letting go of his stick he was helped into the bath and he buried the old man.

Sabelo, Sebenzile and Zama were baptised, the brother, mother and cousin of Bro Kwanda. Fikile and Mpiloh were baptised, the aunt and niece of Sis Sylvester. Hlengiwe (Manoonoo) and Penny were baptised, both of them orphaned in the last few months. Now they have embraced the Heavenly Father and found a new family. Mafuthi, Senzo and Mduduzi who have attended and listened so many times made up the eleven.

The Sunday school did a great presentation. After the exhortation we broke bread together in the new hall. Zulu songs and dancing dominated the worship. Over a hundred and thirty people were there, about fifty attending from the community. They all enjoyed a beautiful lunch afterwards prepared by the sisters of Mariannhill.

Jesus is calling people from every tribe and tongue. Each tribe and tongue comes to him celebrating in their own culture and their own way. On the rolling hills of Kwa Zulu Natal, the Good News of the kingdom of God is proclaimed in a miraculous, powerful and Zulu way.

Siyabonga Baba (Thank you Father)

Tim Genders, South Africa

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