Manna Ministry is now three years old and the results are in: it works. Did we ever have any doubts? Yes. We had two basic questions. One, what would happen to the people when they left the food program? And Two, would the ones who had made commitments to Christ continue in the faith or would they leave after Manna? Well, these are no longer open ended questions. One of our translators for the volunteer team this year was Betty. Betty was in the Manna program as a food recipient. She was very weak when she entered the program. In fact, she was close to death, but as she started receiving food through Manna Ministry, her body grew stronger, the HIV medicine began to take effect and today she is much stronger. She is still HIV positive. She always will be. The leaders of Manna Ministry occasionally will give her some food to help her remain strong physically, but she is alive and serving the Lord. Betty was not a Christian before getting into the Manna program. As she heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, she gave her heart to the Lord, has been baptized and is now sharing the gospel herself. Here is the marvel of God’s grace.
I also saw Mamma Caroline this year. Mamma Caroline was one of the very first food recipients in Manna Ministry in the Soweto area. Today, two years after receiving help through Manna, she is still doing well and serving the house church in her area. The house church used to meet outside her home in a small courtyard. The church has had to relocate because her house fell in and is no longer there, but they still meet and Mamma Caroline is there to praise the Lord. When I saw her this year, she came up to me and gave me a big hug. Priceless.
This February Manna opened in two new areas. As always the people have great need. We provide for the worst of the worst. Pray for the ministry. Pray for the people who are being cared for. Pray for the communities. One of these communities is about 800 feet wide and 1300 feet long. It has 10,000 adults living in it and many, many children. Forty-six came to faith in Jesus Christ as the volunteers shared the gospel with many. Most of these people are not receiving food or any help from Manna. They just came and the Lord touched their lives. Check out this video that was filmed on location here.
I also have some pictures from these two new places of work. Click on an individual thumbnail picture to see a larger picture. You can advance from picture to picture by clicking on the next button. Enjoy.
