TAKE AND EAT

MAUNDY THURSDAY

"While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying,“Take and eat; this is my body.”

Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the^[b] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

  When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Matthew 26:26-30

On Thursday, Maundy Thursday, I had the very humble privilege to bring food staples to 9 families in Shongweni, South Africa.

 This is the house of family 'A'. We also painted the interior of this home earlier in the week.

My ministry partner, Ginger, with the Gogo (grandmother) who is caring for her orphaned granddaughter and the food we brought.  A two burner hotplate, 10kg of potatoes, sugar beans, rice, sugar, oil and mealie meal.

The Gogo was so overcome with joy that she cried and cried.  Pictured with Jessica Harrison who is here for a week with her husband and son on a short-term mission trip and also the provider of the food.

Gogo and one of her children.

Scott Harrison practicing carrying the rice & beans on his head like the Zulu women.

We walked and walked and walked today carrying the food. Remember that this is called the Valley of 1,000 hills.  Here is our group walking.

Here is the home of family 'B'.

With 12 children they get extra food; two bags of potatoes, two bottles of oil...

Happy, happy mother of 12.

Shongweni, the most beautiful place on the planet.

                                                                                                                     Ginger and Alex Harrison.

 Very common sight: Mr. Goat.

The combi was very loaded with all the food.

Children playing.

Oh do they ever love having their picture taken and then looking at the image.

I found the love of my life...

Kittens at the home of family 'C'.  So little and so cute.  

This woman obviously had had a stroke and was affected on the left side.  

See the tiny kitten at her feet?  I picked one kitten up and she asked if I liked the kitten.  I said yes.  She said TAKE IT. 

So many houses, so many needs...

The roof of the above woman.

Bye new friends.

Woman of family 'D'  This woman wasn't home when we arrived.  We sent some children to find her.  She came running, all out of breath.  She is raising 12 grandchildren, 4 whom are orphans.  Her home is pitiful.

 We prayed at each home, all taking a turn.

Most Zulu families live in kinda 'compounds'.  Several dwellings on one plot of land.  At this compound, there were countless children and several adults.  I wasn't sure who the identified family was who was to receive the food.  This is family 'E'.

here comes more food...

love and pictures all around

The most beautiful children in the world!

snot and all

Family 'F' is 4 teenagers who are orphans without a caregiver.  They are raising themselves.  They too got extra food and a 2 burner hotplate. 

We painted these walls white earlier in the week. This girl is in grade 12.

Family 'G'.  This Gogo was just sitting in the dirt in a little hole.

We always left the food outside on the dirt.  I need to ask Pastor Thwala why we couldn't bring the food into the house.

Ginger sharing the Love of Jesus.

 Thank God for the Harrison's and their heart to want to purchase all this food for these desperate families.  Many told us that there was NO food in the house.

We had to wait for the woman, she was off getting water.  The wheelbarrow is old and all busted up and held together with wire.  The weight of the wheelbarrow was more than Jessica or I could left and this woman hauled water up and down these hills.  Lord have mercy.

This is the woman who received the food.  Zulu's put mud on their face to keep the sun off.

 I stood and held hands with this lovely woman during the prayer.  She squeezed my hand so hard I thought she might break a bone.  She was so, so grateful for the food.

This boy is an orphan being raised by his Gogo.  This is family 'H'.

Food makes people grateful.

His Gogo isn't well.

Circle up to pray.

The sister is about the size of the bag of mealie meal.

Food makes people happy.

 We were running out of time... this took all day.  Family 'I'.

Again, circle up, hold hands and thank and praise our loving Heavenly Father for His provision of food.

On the first Maundy Thursday, Jesus shared a meal with His disciples.  Maundy Thursday 2012 Jesus again shared a meal with the amazing people of Shongweni.