An Apostle was handing out food parcels when he met an older woman who had been living in rubble and sleeping on the sand for years. This is when he took it upon himself to raise money and build her a home with his own hands.
Mbombela, South Africa (17 December 2020) – Apostle Peter Jones and his partners gave a grandmother from Lillydale an early Christmas present – a brand new home to stay in after years of living in rubble.
The Apostle joined the Sabi Sand Pfunanani Trust and Investec Rhino Lifeline to donate 360 Food Parcels to 12 neighbouring communities in the Greater Kruger region.
While there, the Apostle noticed an old lady living in “rubble that she called a home”. The little shack was barely standing. It had bricks around the structure, wires protruding from the sides, a little wooden slab to cover the entryway, and a sandy floor (on which she slept on). She was, fortunately, one of the beneficiaries who also received the food parcel. However, it was evident that she also needed long-term assistance.
After careful inspection and noting that she slept right on the sand, Apostle Jones took it upon himself to fundraise a new home for the old lady.
“We are currently facing the rise in rape cases from these disadvantaged communities, and after witnessing the state of the shack that the old lady was living in, I realised just why so many of these elderly females are being raped. They are sleeping bare in the open with no form of security. Anyone can simply remove the bricks in front of the structure and walk into the shack,” said Apostle Jones.
They managed to raise enough funds to secure land from the Community Leader, a new and improved home along with a double bed for her to sleep on.
“When we handed her the finished house and the keys to lock and open the door herself, she was surprised as to what the key does. We had to show her how it works – that really touched my heart,” expressed an ecstatic Apostle Jones.
“We have over 40 churches here in Lillydale, but none took it upon themselves to assist this old lady. It became even worse when the COVID-19 pandemic came, and we too were not able to help her because of limited resources. We want to really thank Apostle Peter Jones and his partners for helping this old lady find a safe place before the December rain pours in,” celebrated the iNduna of Lillydale, Mr Julius.
On the day of the official handover, the Ward Councillor from Lillydale also made an appearance to thank and honour Apostle Jones for his timely gesture and for being the few who have added immense value in eradicating the plight of poverty.
They have also agreed to assist the Apostle’s efforts by establishing an RDP house for the grandmother next year, while she stays in this temporary home.
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