August 2023
Flipping through the newspaper, I saw an article about the high amount of shack fires due to the colder nights we were having (August being winter in SA) and many people trying to stay warm by building a fire inside their shacks. At the same time, I received a call saying one of our Bokamoso families had sadly just had their home burn down due to this very reason. They had two young children, could we help? We started ransacking our closets and gathering what we could donate, but also heard about other friends who had donated clothes and household items. Food parcels were purchased as were blankets and other essentials. The family was so overjoyed…they had been given a beacon of hope as they started to rebuild their home again. It certainly takes a village…the whole body of Christ, working together to bless, comfort, and encourage those in need of extra blessings!
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corth. 1:3-4)
I had also just finished writing our Hlanganani Training Manual for all the carers, who work with the children. A section was on how to educate the children and their guardians on fire prevention and safety! Copies of this handout were quickly made so that we were able to start taking these “pamphlets” into the townships with us to educate those in most need of the knowledge! Here’s hoping they will help prevent future fire disasters!
