Mission – Eynsham Baptist Church

Baphumelele Children’s Home, South Africa

Eynsham Baptist Church has supported the Baphumelele Children’s Home and Zoar Community Initiatives, South Africa since 2003 when one of our former junior church members, Matt, lived and worked for a year in Zoar, a rural impoverished village in Karoolande.

Matt worked for the SCORE organisation (Sports Coaches Outreach) which has bases in Europe and South Africa, running training courses and sending graduate volunteers to disadvantaged areas in South Africa to work with schools and in the community to develop facilities and the accessibility of sport. SCORE also runs Aids Awareness programmes which the volunteers introduce to the communities.

On a visit to Cape Town for a feedback session on his work in Zoar, Matt visited Baphumelele Children’s Home in Khayelitsha, a township on the outskirts of Cape Town where poverty was rife. Baphumelele was set up by Rosalina (Rosie) Mashale, a trained primary school teacher, who had been disturbed to see young children going through rubbish looking for food. In 2001 Baphumelele was registered as a care centre for abandoned, orphaned and abused children, many of whom were HIV positive. Rosalina and the Board of Baphumelele have been raising funds for better facilities since then.

Here at EBC, we decided to make Zoar Initiatives and the Children’s Home one of our overseas projects and we have been fund raising since 2003. A close eye is kept on how the money is used and we are sent letters, cards and photographs showing how the money has been spent. We hold Christmas bazaars that raise money for the Children’s Home.

EBC would like to thank everyone who has supported our fund raising over the past ten years.

If you would like more information, please feel free to contact us, or visit one of these links:

The Gatehouse, Oxford

The Gatehouse is a charity based in Oxford that provides food, shelter and company to the homeless and poorly housed in and around Oxford. For more information on The Gatehouse, please use the following link:
Website

Bronze Healthcare, Uganda

Update from Bronze recently received :
“I want to take this precious time to express our thanksgiving generated from your generosity. We give thanks to God who has graciously used many of us to accomplish his kingdom work. I personally have witnessed your heart and hand involved in the work of God’s kingdom. I give glory to God for your heart and life.Many people were hungry here during the covid 19 pandemic and you never hesitated to sacrifice for our survival. Through your kind giving, it opened our yes and gave us an opportunity to see the gracious Lord Jesus Christ and his glory. This has brought a lot of glory to the Lord Jesus Christ and much has been accomplished. Many souls have been won to the Saviour Jesus Christ. Many pastors’ and church leaders’ trainings in different places. Many different churches have been strengthened, all attributed to your kind generosity. I don’t know what would have happened without your support. This has led to overflowing with joy in our hearts. I am very thankful to you and to the Lord Jesus Christ. Above all, I am grateful for your earnest prayer that sustains us to survive and remain strong in the ministry.”

Asylum Welcome, Oxford

Asylum Welcome offers information, advice and practical support to asylum seekers, refugees and vulnerable migrants living in Oxfordshire. We help adults, young people and families to feel safe, respected and understood as members of our diverse community.

There is a box at the back of the church for donated items: see Marcus Thompson for more details or see www.asylum-welcome.org