Carols by Candlelight

We had an open air "Carols by candlelight" evening last Sunday. We set up in the park in front of the Centre and first had a "boerewors" braai. When it started getting dark we lit the candles and started singing Christmas Carols. There was such a festive air about the evening that we would like to see this type of service more often in the future. People in nearby houses set up their deck chairs in front of their homes to listen to the singing...it was magical. A lot of the children from the surrounding area also came to take part and see the nativity by our children in the Centre.

The nativity: The children practiced for weeks to get it perfect. They were so well behaved, we are so proud of them.

The animals...you actually saw the little lions playing with the lambs:)

A pretty little goat.

A lamb.

Our little angels.

The three wise men.

More little angels

A lamb eating a boerewors roll...how did she stay so clean?

Another angel.

Beautiful little angel.

Modern looking shepherds.

A little donkey.

An angel and a lion.

Little cow.

We wish all the supporters and friends of Vistarus a Blessed Christ centred Christmas.

A journey inward...

I have neglected this blog so terribly....I promise to post a run down of the past month and some pics in the next few days...but first things first.

This wordart is by Melanie of http://mmdcreations.blogspot.com/.

In this past week we have come to know just how difficult the journey inward is. Oh boy....where to start....when we start reflecting on our own lives, often times we don't even want to be honest with ourselves. For the past 10 years (from 8 July 1998) we have been in full time ministry. We take care of approximately 450 people, providing accommodation, food, spiritual guidance, etc. You know how bad the weather was last week...well when I started thinking up excuses to not go to work, I knew I was in serious trouble. When we started the Centre 10 years ago I can truly say that we did what God called us for, with DIGNITY and DELIGHT. Why did I lose the delight I had, what happened, why was it no longer a pleasure to serve? Was it burn out....or something more serious?

Many years ago the Lord gave us this scripture from 1 Corinthians 3...on how to do the work He has called us to. That whatever we do, our foundation had to be Jesus.

1Co 3:7 The one who plants and the one who waters really do not matter. It is God who matters, because he makes the plant grow.

1Co 3:8 There is no difference between the one who plants and the one who waters; God will reward each one according to the work each has done.

1Co 3:9 For we are partners working together for God, and you are God's field. You are also God's building.

1Co 3:10 Using the gift that God gave me, I did the work of an expert builder and laid the foundation, and someone else is building on it. But each of you must be careful how you build.1Co 3:11 For God has already placed Jesus Christ as the one and only foundation, and no other foundation can be laid.

1Co 3:12 Some will use gold or silver or precious stones in building on the foundation; others will use wood or grass or straw.

1Co 3:13 And the quality of each person's work will be seen when the Day of Christ exposes it. For on that Day fire will reveal everyone's work; the fire will test it and show its real quality.

1Co 3:14 If what was built on the foundation survives the fire, the builder will receive a reward.

1Co 3:15 But if your work is burnt up, then you will lose it; but you yourself will be saved, as if you had escaped through the fire.

Last week when I felt so despondent I was reminded of this scripture again. Those first years were hard. We were out of our comfort zone, we had given up everything that we always thought so important...and we were so incredibly dependant on Him. To finance the ministry we had to start various projects...we believed in being self supporting. Not to beg, or ask the government for help...after all this was God's project not ours, surely He will sustain us. Well He did...and today we can truly look back on a project that is very successful, and not by our doing.

But somewhere in all of this our vision changed slightly and we were no longer on the solid foundation of Jesus. This had to be rectified and quickly. At this stage we have more than 150 people on our destitute program, and all we are allowed to build with is Jesus...the business side of things cannot ever become more important than Him. The admin and financial side of things have become such a burden that I no longer wanted to be part of it. So on Thursday last week it was with heavy hearts that we called a meeting with all our leaders and told them that things are going to change and we must go back to the order that God has for the Centre. With many tears I told them that lately I had found so many excuses not to go to work...that all I saw was the admin and finances...and that is not what I live for. I get so bogged down by the admin that I no longer have time for the precious people that God has entrusted to us.

I live to see people led back to Jesus and I live to see them grow in maturity and wholeness. I want to work with people not paper...paper and finance is not what God had called me to. I want to be part of their process of healing...that has substance...that is what will have everlasting worth.

Please pray for us, that we will keep our eyes firmly on Him who is the author and perfecter of our faith. Please pray that we will continue to build on the Solid Foundation of Jesus and that the work that we do will not be burned up by fire.

Lynette

Praise and Worship week

For the past week we have had Praise and Worship services every evening at 7'o Clock. We felt that we had to give thanks to God who has brought us through the past 10 years. He has been our Provider and nothing would have been possible without Him. Last night we were blessed by the Hineni Praise and Worship group who came all the way from Uitenhage to lead us in worship.

10th Anniversary pics.

Some photo's taken on our 10th Anniversary breakfast.

Brian Strydom from Pick 'n Pay handing over a cheque

Here I am telling the guests how it came about that we got involved with Vistarus

Here we are with a group of our supporters from Woolworths

Tenth Anniversary

Psalm 46: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride...The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold."

Today is our tenth anniversary celebration...and God is good! The Herald set the record straight with the following article in todays news paper.

Destitute find a haven at Vistarus
Mawande Jack LABOUR CORRESPONDENT

THOUGH not much is known about the Vistarus Christian Mission, a haven for the indigent, foreign refugees and recovering addicts, the services it provides to these people underlines what a caring society ought to be.

On her visit to the haven last year, former Eastern Cape premier Nosimo Balindlela praised Vistarus for its unique involvement with the community with an undertaking that this kind of institution would be replicated in other parts of the province.

The shelter – which will celebrate its 10th anniversary this weekend – has provided a home for destitute people who have spent their lives living on the streets, recovering drug addicts and alcoholics, abused women and children, the elderly, and psychiatric patients.

“Vistarus is a light that shines and a haven of hope to people who are in need,” founder Kobus Jacobs said as he referred to the scores of people whose lives have been touched by him.
The haven has been under the spotlight after some people complained about being forced to work to produce concrete slabs for 19 hours a day and being paid only R100 a week, without been given protective clothing.

Jacobs denied these allegations, saying he had started Vistarus in response to his calling as a Christian.

Speaking last week, a number of people, including Jacobs‘s wife, Lynette, and DA councillor Jeremy Davis, commended the work that Vistarus did. Each one of them rejected outright, allegations that people at Vistarus were subjected to appalling work conditions. Over 40 homeless families, including 91 children, who live at Vistarus, are provided with food, clothes, accommodation, life skills and medical care.

Social worker Heloise le Roux said people under the three-month life skills programme were given jobs in concrete slab manufacturing, gardening, cleaning and recycling. Le Roux said the kind of work they do, where they get a gratuity and not wages, was designed to keep them from reverting back to drugs and alcohol.

Pensioner Vincent Cherry, 71, who once spent his life in the streets, was full of praise for Jacobs and his wife, saying they had welcomed him to the haven and gave him something in life.
“I take my hat off for this man. He has done a lot for me.”

Yvette Bird, 31, a former chef who was accommodated at Vistarus after suffering from a rare neuropathic disease that includes rapid development of muscle paralysis as a symptom, said her life had also turned around. “I was not fit to do any job. They provided everything for me and I now enjoy working in the kitchen.”

Former street kid James Kamiso, 17, recalled with sadness the days he used to stay under the bridge, hungry and in cold weather. He now helps off-load bakkies.

The centre also accommodates refugees, including Moise Okenke who said he found Vistarus after spending months homeless after he fled from the Democratic Republic of Congo. “I went to many places for help. No one wanted to help me. Here I‘m getting everything for free.”

Vistarus which was established in 1998 in a building originally used as a railway hostel in Sydenham.

We had a wonderful breakfast this morning with many of our donors and sponsors. Thank you for supporting us...and stood with us in the past 10 years.

Vistarus Golf day

Vistarus will be hosting it's annual Golf day at the Port Elizabeth Golf Club on 30 July 2008. This is an annual event where money is raised specifically for the needs of our school going children. We believe that our children is the future and that they need to have everything that is required to make school attendance a pleasure.

Wedded bliss

This has been the month for marriages. On 6 July Joey and Deon was married during the Sunday evening celebration service.

And on Saturday 19 July, Jolene and Bernard got married. We wish to thank all the benefactors for the dresses, wedding cake, flowers and all that was done to make their marriages something that they will always remember.

The lovely "eats"

They were surrounded by friends and family and we believe that they will have a solid support system.

Our website is live at www.vistarus.co.za

This blog will be the place that keeps you up to date with the goings on at the Centre. This will also be the place that we can communicate, your questions can be answered and you can get to know the various people and programs that are part of this Centre. So there now...do not be shy to leave a comment or ask a question.