Our visit to the Guguletu Township on Tuesday, February 26, was coordinated by the JL Zwane Presbyterian Church and Centre. The Rev. Edwin Louw, Associate Pastor, Ms. Yvonne Daki, and Mama Nomazizi provided an introducation to the hope-filled, hope-instilling ministries of the church and center. Each Sunday’s worship service includes a time to focus on HIV/AIDS. Perhaps someone infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS speaks; perhaps a doctor speaks; perhaps information is shared in other ways.
Their ministries range widely as they seek to do church in the context of the now in Guguletu in this time of HIV/AIDS. Partnership with the community is key to their ministry. The church seeks to work with community members to identify needs as ministries are developed. Recognizing that hope means bread on the table when one is hungry, many of their programs have a meal component.
Among those programs are:
the Rainbow School, a tutoring program for children;
support for child-headed families and orphaned children;
involvement with St. Luke’s hospice for those with cancer and HIV/AIDS;
Habitat for Humanity;
Siyaya, a musical HIV/AIDS education group; and
the Inzame Zabantu (People’s Initiative) Community Health Center begun by J.L. Zwane and now run by the South African government.
JL Zwane Presbyterian Church and Centre works so that people witness hope, not one day, buy now as they see Jesus Christ on their doorsteps here today.
Photo of Edwin Louw and Yvonne Daki by Joy Gaska.