MITCHELL’S PLAIN
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People come from far and wide on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a meal prepared by a group of volunteers at the Jehovah Jireh Community Outreach Ministries feeding point in Linaria Street, Lentegeur. PHOTO: SAMANTHA LEE-JACOBS
LENTEGEUR
Vision becomes a reality SAMANTHA LEE-JACOBS SAMANTHA.LEE@PEOPLESPOST.CO.ZA @SAMANTHA_LEE121
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vision from God has birthed a sevenyear project that feeds thousands of residents from the Cape Flats and surrounding communities. When Zelda Isaacs had a vision about hungry children visiting their home for food, she and her husband, Pastor Cecil Isaacs, started the Jehovah Jireh Community Outreach Ministries. “When God gave me the vision of the children of the (informal settlement) that comes to our house to have something to eat, God showed me that it is not only these children but also neighbours’ children who are hungry,” she says. “I spoke to my husband and said the need is in Lentegeur. God gave me the scripture of the bread and the fish and every time we went to church, there was a sermon about the bread and the fish.”
Matthew Chapter 14 and John Chapter 16 both relay the story of the seven baskets – five fish and two loaves (seven days per week), with 12 baskets returned (12 months of the year) in Zelda’s revelation. The scripture played an integral part in the success of the kitchen, says Zelda, who adds they have been abundantly blessed since then. “God said to me ‘I want you to name your soup kitchen Jehovah Jireh because I am the Lord, your provider’,” she says. They started from their home, serving 50 people from one pot, and since then they have grown to feed thousands every week across the city. Thanks to sponsorships, the project has expanded and today feeds thousands of people across the vulnerable communities, often sharing with soup kitchens in neighbouring areas, including Lavender Hill, Cafda and Grassy Park. “We have people calling us for assistance from all over and we cannot feed everyone so we rotate to assist everyone where we can,”
says Cecil. “Our main aim is to establish a feeding scheme in every community in Mitchell’s Plain.” Cecil says people are struggling all over the Western Cape but especially now as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Drug addiction, absent parents and grants being misused are some of the challenges. “We call them day orphans – children who are left to fend for themselves during the day. In Mitchell’s Plain, you see this all over. Children roaming the streets, asking for food,” says Cecil. “Children across the Cape Flats are suffering because of drug addiction and their parents.” Misuse of grants for drugs is another matter for concern, he says. “Some of the parents are drug addicts so the children are not even benefiting from the grant money,” says Cecil. Their goal is to be a support for these children, ensuring they have a warm meal and a support system. The Isaacs also established a youth club where they taught children life
skills, assisted them with homework and engaged the girls in spiritual dancing through a group of local dancers and teachers. As a result of Covid-19, this has had to be put on hold. Cecil says closing the kitchen is not an option as many would go hungry if they did. There are pensioners and other people who walk long distances to get a meal at their kitchen, he says. They serve from 13:00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Linaria Street and strict Covid-19 regulations are adhered to, including screening and sanitising. He thanked his sponsors for their contributions and urged anyone who was able to assist, no matter how small, to do so. There is always a need for food and assistance, says the Isaacs, and anyone willing to assist or in need is welcome to contact them. With bills that quickly add up into the thousands, Jehovah Jireh’s main needs include vehicles, transport, gas, cooking equipment and electricity.