STORIES FROM COMPASS POINT COMMUNITY CHURCH (as written by the church's leaders)

Nutrition Program Quarter 3 Success Story:

When Martha crossed a Mozambican Border illegally to South Africa some years back, she didn’t look back. All she
she was hoping for was a better life for both her and her three children. It’s only after a month when she had
nothing to eat, without a home, that she realized she made the biggest mistake of her life. She was not having a S.A
identity document, her children were without birth certificates. A year later she managed to trace her brother in Wintervelt, and he took her in, but two years later her brother kicked her out when he sold his place to someone else. Again Martha found herself on the streets together with her kids.

A good Samaritan took them in, and was introduced to our Church in 2009 & became one of Nutrition Program
Beneficiaries. She survived by working on a farm from 6am-6pm, and she’ll be paid either R20 a day or by a plate of
food. For Martha’s family to eat was an everyday challenge, let alone taking a bath, because she couldn’t afford
a mere bath soap.

With the little money she made from selling Marula fruits, she managed to save and built herself a two room house.
Martha is a happy woman now, although she still does not have a S.A ID, and her kids do not have birth certificates.
The ages of her children are 23yrs, 18yrs, 12yrs, & 4yrs, and the second one became pregnant at the age of 15yrs as a
result of rape. Martha’s 4yr old daughter was born here in S.A, & was diagnosed HIV+ when she was pregnant.

Martha benefited from the veggie bags gardens inside the yard of our Church. She became tired of always having to
come to church when she needed vegetables to cook. She then established her own garden where she planted spinach, mealies, sweet potatoes, peanuts, & beans. She is a very hard working woman; she built her own house & planted her garden by herself.

Nutrition Program; We praise the Lord- this Quarter we managed to feed 59 families (487 people).

STORIES FROM COMPASS POINT COMMUNITY CHURCH (as written by the church's leaders)

South Africa is believed to have more people living with HIV/Aids, than any other country, and this has made the Country to have many Aids orphans.

We thank God that even if our Country is faced with the pandemic, the Church and NGO’s have come together to fight  the battle against HIV/Aids. We at Compass-Point, we have come to realize that fighting HIV/Aids needs more Holistic approach, and this approach is working for us. So far, we’ve seen people that were once on their final stages of Aids, regaining their lives back and leading a normal life.

Nutritional situation, especially for PLWHA, is important to maintain the quality of life and limit effects of Opportunistic Infections. Compass-Point, with the Nutrition Program, has been feeding the families of PLWHA and Aids Orphans for the past few years, and the Program is a Success with the help of donors.

We take this opportunity to thank Oasis Community Church for their generosity, their contributions to the program has restored dignity to many lives that were wasting. We Salute You! Siyabonga! 

 Paulinah Ntumelang, 48yrs, a single mother of 6 children has been living with HIV/Aids for the past 14 years. She was a very shy person when we first met her, very sick with a cd4 count below 100 and she thought she was dying. In 2004, she disclosed her status to her common law husband & children, and the youngest, a son is also HIV+, this made her children so angry that two of her daughters fell pregnant and another daughter dropped from school. Things went from bad to worse, her common law husband left her for another woman  & she became so sick  that she was bedridden, with no one to provide for the family. Our holistic approach to HIV/Aids has helped Paulinah & many others to live a positive & a healthy lifestyle regardless of their circumstances. She is one of the people who benefit from the Nutrition Program at our church.

This year Paulinah is a very confident and one of powerful women in the community, she is on ARV’s and she encourages  others at the support group, that there is life after HIV/Aids, she gives people hope to live. All her children are now supportive, we thank a team of counselors from the program for the wonderful work they are doing.

This is what she said on Women’s Day (9 August 2010) :  “ The support of my family and the support I found at Compass-Point really changed my life, I realize that I am not alone” she said “ I am a Woman, and I lead a normal Life like everyone.” Her two teenage daughters are on a Youth Program that help to give support to Aids Orphans in the community, and are also involved in many other activities.

The programs that the church runs has made a lot of impact in the lives of some of the congregants. Every first Sunday of the month, it’s a day where we encourage every believer in the church to share their meals with a needy Person, we encourage them to take care of orphans & vulnerable children. This has also made some of the members to adopt Aids orphans, like Agnes Dube , a single lady who went to the Welfare in 2009 to adopt a baby girl. So far we now have 3 families that have adopted Aids orphans, it is all thanks to all our donors who made it possible for us. If it wasn’t for you we wouldn’t be where we are now, your support will make us reach our goal of saving lives of many children that need our love and support.

STORIES FROM COMPASS POINT COMMUNITY CHURCH (as written by the church's leaders)

 A SUMMARY OF LIFE CHANGE STORIES GATHERED FROM THE FAMILIES

Chauke Family

The Chauke family is originally from Zimbabwe and has no legal papers to be in South Africa, so they are unable to find proper work. They are a family of 5, the couple and their 3 kids. Both the mother and father are HIV+, as well as their eldest daughter. They don’t qualify for a social grant, because of the Nationality and lack of legal documentation. They fully depend on the nutritional program of the church in order to keep going. They get their monthly pack of groceries, vegetables and other essentials. The church also assists in buying school uniform for their two kids who are in school and contribute in their school uniform as well.

Naledi Family

This family comprising 21 people in Soshanguve, lives in a small shack with tow rooms. There are 12 kids in the family, the eldest is only 17 and they live with their grand mother. All of her daughters, except one have passed away because of HIV and the surviving one is also HIV + and almost full blown. The other 3 adults who live in the house are the granny’s sister and her 2 kids, who are also HIV+ and no one has a job.  She receives a social grant for only 3 of her grand children. The church comes to her assistance every month with groceries to help alleviate her burden. The children also received school uniform from the church this winter.

Dear Oasis,

I am stunned by what your church has contributed to our Partner in Africa!  Way to go God and way to go Oasis Community Church!  Visited your wed site - wow again!  You guys rock!  Praise God for Oasis and we are privileged to be partnering with you in Africa.  I wanted you to know we had received the funds and will keep you informed of the impact! Our blessings to you and OCC! John and the GC Team at Willow

John H. Forbes

Director, Africa Operations, Global Connections

Willow Creek Community Church

Here is an email from John, at the Willow Creek base in South Africa:

     Hello, just to let you know I have received your check and it will be deposited right away.  Please thank your church congregation at Oasis Community for such a generous gift which will bless so many needy being helped by Compass Point Church. God Bless you all! John 

Here is an email from Gerry, at the Willow Creek base in South Africa:

    On behalf of Compass Point Community Church, I would like to thank you for your

wonderful donation, which is going to make a huge difference in the lives of 10 orphans

and 10 people living with aids and having no source of income.

   As you are probably already aware, from the profile John Forbes gave you, this is an

extremely poor church, with only 5 out of 160 congregants currently employed. Unfortunately due to their financial position they do not have telephone or computer lines, hence the most effective communication route would be thro' our local Willow Creek Association office.