Living Hope Centre
Cape Town, South Africa
Living Hope Community Centre began as a Fish Hoek Baptist Church (now called King of Kings) outreach. From small beginnings, when iThemba was a crucial funding partner, it has grown into a large comprehensive programme attracting significant institutional funding from the US and the European Union.
Living Hope offers a wide range of services aimed at supporting three local communities affected by HIV and AIDS. It offers skills training, home-based care services, HIV and AIDS training and education, support groups and counselling. The centre has just launched a large HIV-prevention programme with local teenagers and runs the only hospice in the area.
Living Hope bringing hope
At the heart of all that the centre does is the firm conviction that biblical values and principles offer the answer to society’s needs. Alongside home-based carers, counsellors, teachers, nurses and administrators, the centre also employs two pastors: Moroesi Tsoai and Noloyiso Mzizana.
Without the spiritual support work:
John and many in similar situations would not have received the encouragement and support they needed. He came to Living Hope, weak and depressed. Only when John’s constant fatigue drove him to the doctor did he learn he had HIV. “I was in shock,” he said, “I just could not believe it.” At Living Hope John was nursed back to health, but perhaps the best part of his experience there, is his restored relationship with God. “I was scared of God and ran away from Him. I am not scared to die any more. I gave my whole life to Him and now I depend on Him.”
Hundreds of young people would not learn about HIV prevention. 14-year-old Sylvia who is HIV-infected and has a baby has come to faith. She is developing spiritually and has testified that she wished she had heard about Jesus when she was younger because then she would have had different values and would not have become infected. She actively encourages other teenagers to accept Jesus as Saviour.
Local Sangomas (traditional witch doctors) would not have become Christians. Living Hope was approached by a group of Sangomas who wanted to learn about HIV and AIDS. In devotions at the start of each teaching session they read from John’s Gospel. Over the course of the training, one of the men became a Christian and, encouraged by this, the rest asked for Bibles. Once the course had finished the chaplain continued to visit them and led Bible studies and two more came to faith.
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