Leadership Training School Graduation Day

For the past five weeks the leaders of Vistarus were in a course called the Leadership Training School. It involved a lot of soul searching, letting go of past worries and hurts and looking forward to a better, whole future. It was also about finding your relationship with God.

Foundations were shaken and the walls people built around them came down during this course. Today we see the same people in a different light, singing a different tune and changing every day. The have found the path to walk with God.

Thank you to Gill Naper for introducing this course to our leaders and to Mary Villinger for the support over the years.

Peter and Denise Nagel Renewal of Vows

Denise and Peter Nagel came to Vistarus in January 2013 and today (8 November 2013) they have decided it is time to renew their wedding vows as changed people who are in a better place than they have been when they first landed at our doors. Today, we see that the love of God truly does amazing things. Denise and Peter have, through God, found a new love for each other and their son.
In December, they are leaving Vistarus because Peter has found work as manager for a family business and they have been blessed with a home, a car and a wonderful school for Monre.

We are proud of these two beautiful people. This is what makes our work so much more rewarding each day. To see that what we do at Vistarus is not just another job, but that God truly works among our people and make them anew.

  Peter and Denise Nagel

 Peter and Denise with a special friend from Vistarus.

Their son, Monre

Vistarus Turns 15!

Vistarus Mission Station was founded 15 years ago on 8 July. Today, we accommodate more than 500, 228 people are on the destitute program and we have, on average,  80 children living with their parents.

The destitute program are for those who have lost everything they owned due to either addiction problems or something else that went wrong in their lives. Vistarus cares for their shelter, food, clothing, toiletries and other necessities such as doctoral, dental and an optical.

Each year, we have a celebration of the day Vistarus was established. This is also to remind everyone of what we do exactly, and how far we have come over the years.
This year, BayFM broadcasted from the premises and interviewed Heloise, the social worker, the founders Lynette and Kobus Jacobs as well as Reynette Oosthuizen, one of the counselors, the pastor Rudi van Rensburg and Fatima Collins, PRO of Vistarus.

  Heloise le Roux(social worker), Eric Knight(Vistarus leader), Wynand Jacobs(project manager) , Kobus Jacobs, Lynette Jacobs, Reynette Oosthuizen(counselor), Fatima Collins(PRO)

Madiba Day 2013

On Madiba Day this year Chep came to Vistarus and spent time with our children. They had a drawing competition where each child had to draw Mandela's face. The children had a blast colouring and drawing the icon's face. Various other people also came to the centre and gave their time by painting our storage room in the kitchen where we store all the dry products. MTN came and gave each person a cup of soup. Various other companies donated clothing and bedding and, like last year, we handed out food and fresh clothing to the homeless.

Children who were part of the competition

All the drawings done by the children

Members of Chep

Soup kitchen ladies

  Our friendly kitchen staff helping the homeless to meals

We want to thank everyone who was involved. May God bless you and your families.

Article - Die Burger - 10 June 2013

Mission Station gives back hope to many destitute

In Port Elizabeth the icy cold of winter has hit over the weekend. What to do if you don't have that nice cup of Hot Chocolate or thick duvet to snuggle under? Este Beerwinkel visited PE's Mission Station Vistarus, where many has found shelter from the cold and had an interview with Angelique van Loggerenberg.

She was convinced that Vistarus was the only place standing between her and her children's death. She knocked, the door opened and her old life of drugs, alcohol and prostitution was left behind.
It has been three months and here, in the heart of winter, Angelique van Loggerenberg is very happy that she knocked on the welcoming door of Vistarus.
"I was despondent, I didn't feel human anymore. I told the people here that if they cannot take me in, I'm going to take my children and stand in front of a truck and there will be nothing left of us. They took me in because they could see I was at my last."

Angelique told us her story of how she and her two sons, ages 7 and 2, wandered around until she was finally ready to give up her past and freedom and knocked on Vistarus' door.

"Before I came to Vistarus, I walked against the wind and the wind knocked me back several times. I tried to numb the pain of my life with drugs and alcohol. TIK and Heroin helped me cope. When I suffered a heart attack I decided that enough is enough and I am now done with drugs. I wanted my ex and the father of my children to also leave the life of drugs behind but he refused and I realised that it is not my responsibility to prostitute myself in order for him to get drugs."

Angelique is now working as one of the cleaning ladies and is slowly but surely getting herself back on her own feet.

Many of the 580 residents of Vistarus is also going down the road to recovery but the need is still high because 200 of the residents are unemployed and there are 119 children that needs care.

According to Public Relations Officer, Fatima Collins, Vistarus is always under more pressure during the winter period. "Our doors are always open to those who are in dire need, but we also make sure that when they leave Vistarus one day, they will be back on their feet and recovered from the problems they had when they first came for help. The space is limited and the availability of rooms are becoming less but we find ways of helping people find shelter."

Angelique van Loggerenberg's life testifies of this new hope. "I also wanted the love, humilty and peace I saw in others. Everything I never had before, I have now. This place made me whole again and made me feel human once again."

Vistarus Auction

Last year, we held an art and wine auction in aid of our church building project. Various artists gave their work towards the function to auction it off and the money is going towards the Vistarus Community Centre/Church.
04 May 2013 was the second auction and it was a success. 200 people attended the event and a bidding war started as soon as the first painting was shown.

The beautiful decor was done by Reynette Oosthuizen (Vistarus counselor)

 Leopard by Reynette Oosthuizen

 Waves by Jason Jaffray

 Buffalo by Reynette Oosthuizen

Easter Egg Hunt

To adults, easter is all about the time Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross for our sins. And three days later He rose and went to Heaven to make place for us one day.

To kids its all about the Easter Bunny and eating easter eggs which leads to a massive sugar rush and parents running around frantically trying to control the hyped up little ones.

This year, Chepp entertained our kids with an easter egg hunt where they had to hop from person to person to receive their treats. A pinata filled with easter eggs was also given to the kids to hit and break the pinatas open. Each child also received a cupcake beautifully decorated with a bunny and tiny eggs.

 A Chepp volunteer waiting for the children to collect their treats

 Trying to hit the pinata

 All the little ones picking up the fallen candy eggs