‘Church in Action’ website documenting stories of hope under lockdown

When lockdown started on March 26 Motlatso Ramaboea-Msinga (Teddy) was unsure how she was going to meet the spiritual needs of students who are part of her church’s campus ministry in Western Johannesburg.

But since launching a 21-day #SOAP challenge on Whatsapp with fellow campus missioners, the 30-year-old says she is reaching more students than she did before lockdown started. “I have been in awe of God’s faithfulness and goodness in this time. I had no idea what to do but God gave me a solution. When we pray, He answers because God desires to transform people’s lives,” she says.

Three Catholic Women’s League members, Thobile Tshabalala, Busi Tladi, and Thandi Masondo have been making it their mission to reach out to families in distress near their church with much-needed food supplies and prayer.

Shalene Selkirk, who regularly reaches out to homeless people, has been interacting with 33 homeless people who are being housed in the hall of Rosebank Union Church in Sandton. Over the weeks the group’s activities have included packing food parcels for a charity, making puzzles, doing Bible studies and having talent competitions.

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“Over the past days (of lockdown) the relationships we have are changing,” says Shalene. “They have gone from being super-submissive and apologetic about everything…to starting to come into their own with dignity realising they don’t need to be apologetic about everything. To see that change in their behaviour has been incredible. And to see them dream — about not going back to the streets or dream about building a 1 000-piece puzzle, or to go back to their families — has been incredible.”

Click to join movement

You can read more about these and other stories of hope on this page on the Church in Action website which is a joint project of the SA Council of Churches and Heartlines. The website, which was developed primarily to provide accurate information and resources on coronavirus to the Church and broader community, is regularly updated.