REACHING OUT

By Owen Visagie

The congregation of Cape Town South (South Africa) is engaged in a number of outreach programmes, proving again and again to those involved that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

The League of Friends of the Blind, a welfare organisation in Grassy Park, provides a service for visually impaired people (totally blind and partially sighted). It was brought to our attention that there was a spiritual vacuum among the hostel residents.

For the last few years, William Thomas, Mark Powell and Graham Speckmann have been visiting this group of about 10-12 on Thursday evenings. The format is very simple, as their concentration and attention spans are short. They love singing choruses, sharing their experiences and praying. Bible studies are kept short. One of them is a Muslim who sings just as enthusiastically as the others! They look forward to these "get-togethers" as a number of them have very little contact with people outside the institution. They are a lovable, positive and very grateful group of people, in spite of their disabilities.

← Graham Speckmann prays at a meeting of the League of Friends of the Blind.

After advertisements were placed in local newspapers, the Community Speech Club started in February 1997 with 22 members. Since that time, Fred Europa and I have been directing these clubs. Last year we started a Graduate Speech Club. Besides men and women giving speeches, there are business and topics sessions. Members come from all walks of life, and even a few Muslims attend. Meetings take place in a local library, where the chief librarian has been a member of the club for a number of years. She and a few other longstanding members are being trained to handle the clubs on their own, so that they in turn, can serve the community.

← The Graduates of the Speech Club.

For the last few years, Hazel Norling and Joan Ellie have been serving soup and bread to men who gather on a vacant field adjoining a busy road, hoping someone will come along and offer them work. We use the facilities of a neighbouring church, and members of the pastoral team take turns in conveying food from the church to the field. The neighbouring church donates the vegetables and bread, and we receive regular monetary donations from a Muslim who has observed us distributing food while driving past.

It is heartwarming to see the men running when they spot the car approaching, forming a queue and thoroughly enjoying the food - sometimes their only meal for the day. More than 60 people are fed. When we leave we hear "thank you, "baie dankie," and "Enkosi," which comes from the heart.