Easter is a time when families and communities come together to reflect on and spread the blessings that they have received from the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for our sins when he died on the cross.
The Salvation Army is a well-known religious-based charity organization based in Kimberley that holds the spirit of charity dear to their hearts. They are known for their soup kitchen drives, where they provide nutritious meals to the less fortunate. We sat down with youth leader Mr. H. Khumalo and spoke about how they intend to give back to the community of Kimberley this Easter.
Who is the Salvation Army?
The Salvation Army is an internationally based church and charitable organization. “Most of the world knows us for our charity activations as we always aim to consistently give back to the communities where we are based”. Recently, our male Salvationists (that is how they refer to themselves instead of
congregants) aided a family in Galeshewe whose home had burned down. With the help they received from sponsorships, they were able to restore the house to its former glory.
What will the Salvation Army be doing this year for Easter?
The Salvation Army has started an initiative called Ignite. The main goal of this initiative is to reignite the flame of all Christians who have given up hope and show them that the Lord is still alive. This initiative was supposed to be for the Easter period, but the Galeshewe branch decided to extend the initiative for a year. “We will kick off the initiative with multiple charity drives starting on the 21st of March by visiting
the Children’s Burn Unit at Robert Sebukwe Hospital”. “We believe that most of the children that are there are being neglected, so we’ll be paying them a visit with toys and Easter eggs”. Youth leader Khumalo elaborated on how most of us will be with families and these children will be in the hospital.
“Most of us will be celebrating Easter with our friends and families, but these children will be spending the holiday in a hospital. This is why we thought that it would be perfect if we brought Easter to them so that they could also get a sense of what Easter is about”. From there, they will move to the old
age home in Galeshewe, where they will host an Easter service for the elderly.
How can the community help the Salvation Army give back during Easter?
Firstly, anyone can join us in giving back to the community; you do not have to be part of our church or a charity organization to help. The Salvation Army is not only about the Salvationists; we are also a community church, and anyone is welcome to assist us in our charity drives in any way they can. We also urge the community to inform us of any charity drives that they are planning, and we will gladly see how we can assist them on that day. At the end of the day, as much as we want to be assisted, we also want to assist.
What advice would you give someone who wants to help during Easter but does not know where to start?
Do not be afraid to go to the people in your community who need assistance and ask them exactly what they need and how you can help them. Asking the family or person directly will not insult them; it will show that you care for them. Or you can start with something small, like buying a homeless person
a meal for that day. We have a saying that “one is better than nothing,” which means that if you do something nice on that day, at least one person will notice. The Salvation Army would like to encourage the people of Kimberley to stand together as a community. We should not turn a blind eye to people who
are in need. If you see that there is someone in your community who is in need, speak out. You may not be financially able to help that person, but by speaking out, you will spread the word to someone who can.
The Salvation Army
If you want to contact The Salvation Army for assistance or to donate, feel free to go to the church, as the pastor is always present and will welcome anyone with open arms. The church is located at 371 Kekana Street, Galeshewe, next to the clinic. You may contact one of their church leaders, Mr. H. Khumalo (youth leader): 0815218608. Alternatively, find them on Facebook: Salvation Army Galeshewe Corps
Writer by Nombulelo Asiya
This blog is from the Diamond magazine issue 4 to check the magazine click here
Leave A Comment