Mzamomhle is a township on the outskirts of Gonubie, part of the Eastern Cape of South Africa. There are approximately 45,000 people who live in the township of Mzamomhle. Last year nearly one fourth of those people (just under 10,000) were touched by the programs offered through Living Hope.
Our partnership with Living Hope in 2011 after a few Chets members visited Living Hope in Cape Town and met the founder of Living Hope, John Thomas. We saw God was doing incredible things through Living Hope and knew we wanted to be a part of how God was working to bring hope and break the despair of poverty and disease. What resulted was a Living Hope branch in the Mzamomhle township.
In 2013 the Chin family (Don, Beth, Alex, and Taylor) moved to East London to begin the Mzamomhle branch of Living Hope through the support of Chets Creek. A year and a half later, the Chins returned to Jacksonville, FL and Pumla Madliwa, who was working with Living Hope in the Eastern Cape, took over as project coordinator of Living Hope Eastern Cape. Since then our ministry partnership continues through prayer, short-term mission teams, and generous giving.
One of the team members from last year’s trip, Pat Rascoe, said one of the coolest things about going on the trip was seeing how the money Chets gives is being used. “Seeing a Living Hope person who has a job that Chets helps fund, that’s where it goes. Watching a child put a bite of food in their mouth at 4:30 in the afternoon and that’s the first thing they’ve eaten all day, that’s where it goes. Taking food to a house or some clothes to someone in need and watching their face light up as they say, ‘God is good,’ that’s where it goes.”
Even with our generous giving, over the years, we have seen the needs for ministry grow. One of the things preventing Living Hope from offering the same services in Mzamomhle that they do in Cape Town was a lack of facilities and space to do so.
Your giving enabled Living Hope to purchase a piece of property to support the on-going ministry in the Mzamomhle township. The land is a farm neighboring the township. Living Hope has already set up their Mzamomhle office in the house on the land. We’re excited for all the other ways God will use this property to help bring hope and healing to the township.
There will be a land dedication this Sunday April 7. Our mission team will get to celebrate along with community and political leaders of Mzamomhle, Living Hope stakeholders and partners, and some of the Living Hope clients.
“We are SO grateful to all of you and your amazing Church family for the generous financial support, enthusiastic prayer support and consistent dedication and commitment to the community of Mzamomhle,” said Avril Thomas (John’s wife). God is providing in incredible ways in Mzamomhle because of your generosity. Thank you Chets family!