American Christians roll up sleeves to improve shack dwellers lives in Sea Vista

A group of American Christian volunteers from Denver in Colorado spent the last fortnight in St Francis with a Christian outreach volunteer organisation in Cape St Francis.

This was part of the seven-week tour of South Africa.

Volunteer in SA, a Christian outreach volunteer organisation in Cape St Francis recently hosted and trained the 13 Youth With a Mission (YWAM) volunteers from the Discipleship Training School (DTS) in Colorado..

The group assisted with various volunteer programmes drawn up by Volunteer in SA founder, Mandy Weschta for the school children in Sea Vista. They also enthusiastically supported the outreach ministry to provide food support and practical assistance in improving the flimsy shack homes in Zwelitsha.

“Twice a week our volunteers go door to door in this community and through prayer identify the needs, says Weschta. “We then do what we can to assist. We supply up to 100 of the most needy residents with bread for the day and where possible offer blankets for the coming winter.”

The most common appeal is for better housing or at least the means to weatherproof their existing houses.

The volunteers were tasked with identifying shacks with leaking roofs and re-covering these roofs with donated waterproof plastic sheeting.  The materials used are all donated.

“We are always grateful for supplies of waterproof plastics, wooden boarding, corrugated iron sheets or anything that can be used to help keep the weather out of these homes,” says Weschta.

In addition, the volunteers taught soccer and ball skills, swimming and surfing to the after-care children at the Talhado Children’s Haven and  at Sea Vista primary school.  “Before we can teach children to surf they need to be able to swim and understand water safety,” says Weschta. “We have been given access to the old hotel swimming pool in St Francis Bay and are now teaching groups of children the basics of water safety and swimming. Once they are competent they can choose to learn to surf.”

“We are in need of sponsorship,” Weschta adds. “With the winter approaching there is an immediate need for towels and old wet suits for the swimmers and surfers.  For the community outreach programmes we need blankets, old clothing, food and building materials.”

Weschta can be contacted on 079-138-6116 or volunteerinsouthafrica@gmail.com .

See latest article in 2013:

http://stfrancischronicle.com/2013/02/10/christian-outreach-volunteers-in-st-francis-bay/

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