Oudtshoorn, 26 April 2016 – Ethiopian nationals belonging to the Christ for All Mission Mobilization International Organization (CFAMMIM) opened their hearts to 100 impoverished families in the Greater Oudtshoorn when they handed over food hampers as part of the church’s outreach programme.
The CFAMMIM which consists of Ethiopian nationals, mostly, Spaza shops owners in the townships in Oudtshoorn handed over the groceries hampers worth R 330 each in partnership with the Oudtshoorn Municipality on 21 April 2016 at the Toekomsrus Community Hall.
The church has, with the help of the Oudtshoorn Municipal Special Programmes department, approached five organizations and institutions to each identify a list of 20 beneficiaries comprising vulnerable groups such as elderly, people living with disabilities, people living with HIV/Aids and other chronic diseases etc.
The Institutions that were approached are: Coronation Memorial Resort for the Elderly, Department of Social Development, Drop-in-Centre, Department of Health and Association for the Physically Disabled (APD).
Pastor Samuel Kembo, the Director and Overseer of the CFAMMIM who is based in Nelspruit in the Mpumalanga province told the beneficiaries that the church and specifically Ethiopians want to be a blessing to the communities. “A lot of Chinese, African foreigners and other foreign people are today wealthy because of the South Africans – you are a blessed nation.”
“We are blessed by the Lord and we want to be a blessing to others and therefore gathered tithes from the members of the church to give to the needy people in Oudtshoorn,” Pastor Kembo added. He emphasized that the Ethiopians are not refugees but missionaries sent by God to South Africa.
The 80-member Oudtshoorn branch of the CFAMMIM is planning more outreach programmes for the community of the Greater Oudtshoorn and also challenges businesses to give more to the community to help government’s fight against poverty.
Pastor Samuel Kembo furthermore told the attendees that the church operates in more than 18 countries on the African continent and with 14 branches in South Africa, of which two branches are in the Southern Cape, Mossel bay and Oudtshoorn. Other branches exist in the Free State and Mpumalanga and Northern Cape Provinces.
“The Church preaches salvation and reconciliation and also focuses on the health and wellbeing of the people in this area,” Pastor Kembo concluded.
The Administrator of the Greater Oudtshoorn, Mr. Kam Chetty expresses his sincere gratitude and commended Ethiopians for their good gesture. “This action proves that Oudtshoorn can only prosper if communities including religious groups can join hands with government to better the lives of the people. Let’s continue to put Oudtshoorn first and strengthen the fight against poverty,” Chetty said.