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Thursday, 05 February 2009 21:38
By Sonja Miskin


Rural KwaNdebele is a bleak place. Physically, it has nothing but dusty, potholed roads, separating dusty little houses consisting of a few tin sheets nailed together. Economically, there is little happening – the future prospects are bleak. Socially, the problems facing the community are staggering. Politically, these people have by all intents and purposes been forgotten. Medically, the HIV/AIDS epidemic is causing a bleakness hard to describe to the average citizen of North America. Spiritually, religious life is overwhelmed by ancestor worship, and crippled by superstition and indigenous African religions.


A bleak picture indeed. However, this is the field of labor chosen for some of us by our Sovereign Lord. It is my experience that in exactly such staggering bleakness the grace of our Lord is greatly manifest. A visible and tangible example of this sovereign grace is Nakekela HIV/AIDS Care Centre, which is now into its fourth year of operation. This could only be made possible by the wonderful financial support we receive from Word & Deed, through the generous giving of North American people.


This past year started off with us being able to move into our new building extensions, which was well worth the discomfort and wait we had through the second half of 2007. Utilizing funds granted by donors in the Netherlands as well as a local South African financial institution, we could make considerable improvements to our premises. Two new patient rooms were added, which now enables us to potentially house 12 patients, double that of the original six.
However, we have started by increasing to only nine due to staff and furniture restraints. Our kitchen and bathroom facilities were revamped. Some much-needed office space was added, as well as a nice little doctor's office with a small pharmacy attached. We had to sacrifice some of our vegetable garden, as we have limited space, but it is still big enough to supply the kitchen with some nourishing spinach, onions, cabbage, and tomatoes.

We also received the most amazing gift of a big electricity generator from a Dutch church group.
To date we have had more than 280 patients under our care, and of this number about 30% recover sufficiently to be able to return home and even go back to work. They will remain well and can live normal lives as long as they continue to take their HIV medication daily. This recovery rate is a remarkable answer to prayer, especially if you consider the dreadful condition in which these patients were on admission.
We strive to have every one who passes through our hands come into contact with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. To this end we have recently sent some of our Care Workers on a Biblical Counselling course presented especially for them at Mukhanyo Theological Seminary. We have also employed Pastor Sifiso as our very own in-house minister and he makes bi-weekly visits to both staff and patients.


Despite many discouragements, hardships, conflicts and struggles, the work of our Lord continues and we labor with strength God alone can give. We do not give up as we think these are good works God has long ago planned for us to do. In the end, all the glory belongs to the Lord alone for any achievements in this field of labor.

Dr. Sonja Miskin cares for rural South Africans at the Nakekla HIV/AIDS Care Centre in KwaNdebele, South Africa.
 
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