Church shows spirit of Ubuntu

There was a sense of deep appreciation from the residents of Endlovini informal settlement in Khayelitsha when New Jerusalem Harvest ministries church prepared a hearty meal and donated some clothes to them on Saturday July 17.

The church said their role in this community was not only to praise and worship God but to help change the lives of the residents.

Church members, including the pastor, donated clothes and took groceries from their own homes to help feed the residents.

New Jerusalem Harvest ministries church pastor, Sikhulule Mbekeni, said the sad truth was that people had lost their sense of Ubuntu. He said when he was growing up, he had been taught that when your family slaughtered a sheep, you shared a quarter of that with your neighbours.

"We want to be a beacon hope in this community. We are here to serve our people. We want to make a difference in this community,“ he said.

“But I thought we should share the little that we have with the people. I hope this makes a difference in their lives and pray that God could give us more so that we can also give more," he said.

Resident Lina Mayekiso praised the church for their efforts to make a difference in the community.

She said the donation also reminded them that they should not be self-centred but should always demonstrate the spirit of love and caring.

Community leader, Lonwabo Mqina, said many churches had a bad reputation of demanding offerings from the poorest of the poor but doing little in return for them.

However, he said this donation by the church showed that this church and its leadership cared about the well-being of the residents.