The Bethesda Revival Church on Primrose Street is offering HIV testing, counseling and cooked food to those hungry, living in Laudium, on a weekly basis.
Every Wednesday the church feeds people and offers health services and advice. The church runs a feeding scheme, a food bank and is also involved in the general social upliftment of the community, offering programs in skills development, health and wellness, computer classes, drug outpatient based counseling an agri- centre, an economic hub and a bread project. More than 300 people visit the church every Wednesday, coming in for food parcels and also the other services offered by the church such as the free HIV testing and counselling.
Pastor Kevin Naicker of the Bethesda Revival Church told the Laudium Sun, “The church has been in operation since the early 80’s but this one on Primrose Street has been operating since 1992. We have a project called Shekina Home of Recovery, a project of SNF. The aim of the project is to take care of needy people. The reason this project started was because we noticed that there were many people living in the area who were going to bed hungry each day and we wanted to stop this hunger, stop people including children living in our community going to bed hungry. Hence we started this project every Wednesday, whereby we cook food and also do HIV testing and counseling. We are very grateful for the power of the Lord for making ways for us and for providing us with donations and sponsors from good Samaritans, so that people don’t go to bed hungry,” said Pastor Naicker.
Pastor Naicker added that the church was inviting all people from the community, who needed a hot meal to feel free to come and get their plate of food, adding that the church did not look at the race or gender of a person, saying, “We feed everyone, we feed the nation. As long as a person is hungry that is all that matters. We do sometimes give food parcels to the people. We do HIV testing and counseling every Wednesday and we work with professionals and we also do referrals. Because of the huge number of people seeking assistance, we do need funding. Thus we welcome donations. Feeding scheme projects in the area should not stop but keep on going.”
A volunteer at the church, Cooker Rowlaine Snyders told the Laudium Sun, “We feel blessed because we feed many people every week and we enjoy it, adding, “We are always blessed to feed the community more so the less fortunate. We need more donations so that we can expand the feeding scheme. We leave behind all our work and come and help here, because we care.”
Head chef Colleen Singh said, “We cook nice food and we cook meat also and we change the menu often so that our less fortunate in the community enjoy the meals.”
Resident, Lenna Alottren said. “I am very happy to get food here. Pastor Naicker helps me a lot and I am praying for him to be strong and get more help from good people. At least I have a meal to eat and don’t sleep on an empty stomach.”
Another resident, Renate Moodley told the Laudium Sun, “Pastor Naicker officiated my marriage. I know the pastor since I was a little girl and he has been a blessing to all of us in the community. This food that we are getting every Wednesday really helps us a lot, as at least we are not going to bed hungry. Our stomachs are full.”