We had a highly-productive day of physical labor at the new Aphiwe Good News Centre in Tembisa today. With four additional Christadelphian missionary P2P’ers from England (Mat Collard, Laura Iredale, Phil Ashcroft, and Naomi Midgley) and one Sister from Durban (Christy Beyers) visiting Kempton Park, we were able to get a lot of work done: planted two trees, built the front entryway, leveled the front yard, spread gravel in the parking area, hung bathroom fixtures, and painted a creative wall mural of Noah’s Ark (Phil’s ingenious creation).
The building remodeling is going very well and the construction crew will finish later this week, so we can continue with finishing touches to prepare for the launch in two weeks. The launch date is set for March 25.
The African township people are so amazingly friendly and inquisitive, which makes it such a joy to do work in Tembisa. We spoke with several dozen different people today as we were working in the front yard who wanted to inquire about what we were doing. They were very appreciative of people who live elsewhere and wanted to help their impoverished community. They were glad to know with several areas the community center will serve that there’s something available for virtually everyone: preschool for 5-6 year olds, free bible courses, and general education life skills classes.
The African township people are so amazingly friendly and inquisitive, which makes it such a joy to do work in Tembisa. We spoke with several dozen different people today as we were working in the front yard who wanted to inquire about what we were doing. They were very appreciative of people who live elsewhere and wanted to help their impoverished community. They were glad to know with several areas the community center will serve that there’s something available for virtually everyone: preschool for 5-6 year olds, free bible courses, and general education life skills classes.
We passed out several bible correspondence courses for God’s Master Plan to interested students and will have a large contingent ready to attend once bible courses begin in April. There is a lot of anticipation and positive support from the Tembisa community for the opening of the Aphiwe Good News Centre. They truly view it as a “gift” to their community, as the Aphiwe name means in Zulu.
With an ideal location in front of the busy Tembisa train station, thousands of people walk by the front of the Aphiwe Good News Centre every day. Many people wanted to stop and talk with us about what we were doing.
Leveling the front yard to prepare it for laying down more sod.
Planting the first of two trees.
The new tree looked great in the front corner of the Aphiwe Good News Centre property and already provided some immediate shade.
Sis. Megan Sabo hanging bathroom fixtures.
Bro. Hendri Viljoen drilling holes for bathroom fixtures.
BEFORE: The front door entry area, in need of a proper walkway.
Laying concrete steps with drainage in the entryway to the Aphiwe Good News Centre.
AFTER: The finished front entryway complete with proper drainage and concrete steps.
The inside of the community center is looking good and will be finished later this week in time for the launch date March 25th.
Lunchtime with sandwiches to eat.
Bro. Mat Collard and Sis. Christy Beyers painting the beginning stages of the Noah’s Ark wall mural in front of the community center in Tembisa.
Sis. Megan Sabo painting the border around a cloud on the wall mural.
We drew a crowd of interested onlookers all day who wanted to watch us work.
The finished wall mural in the front of the new Aphiwe Good News Centre in Tembisa: a rendition of Noah’s Ark.
Your brother in Christ’s service,
Bro. Jonathan Sabo – Kempton Park, South Africa Ecclesia
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