Women's Manyano helps flood victims
ROB KNOWLES
THE bright red coats of the district Methodist Woman’s Manyano descended on the Nemato Methodist Church on Saturday morning to distribute food, clothing and other basic necessities to flood victims of the area.About 60 women joined the more than 20 members of the Young Woman’s Manyano, based at the Nemato Methodist Church, who were preparing food and refreshments for the visitors. Tshisanyama was the order of the day, and the ladies of the church prepared a large spread of food for the occasion.
Led by Bishop Musa Losaba of the Grahamstown District Methodists, the Woman’s Manyano arrived in buses and cars and brought with them a two bakkie-loads of donations which they planned to give to the poor and destitute of the area.| BASKETS OF FOOD: (from left) Nokaya Manyati, Nosapo Solwandile and Nokwanda Mgangato helped prepare food on Saturday for a visit by the Methodist Women’s Manyano who were due to arrive to donate food and clothing to the victims of the recent floods in Ndlambe Picture: ROB KNOWLES |
President of the District Woman’s Manyano, Funeka Somngesi, said she was pleased to be able to provide some small measure of hope to the people worst affected by the recent floods."It is our duty as Christians, as well as our pleasure, to be able to provide some small measure of relief to these people,” she said.
Reverend Shirley Matshaka, circuit minister of Bathurst and Port Alfred circuits, greeted the guests together with Ndlambe mayor Sipho Tandani and Ward 7 councillor Nosicelo Xhasa, and said the community was very grateful to the district Methodists, and specifically the Woman’s Manyano, for considering Nemato and for the gifts.
"Some of our people have lost their houses and, even today, have been unable to return home,” said Tandani."It has been a very difficult time for the people of the area who have lost homes, businesses and even their livelihoods.”
Bishop Losaba made a brief speech before he and his ladies set out to donate the goodies they brought."Our intention is to help heal the community,” he said. "We are not doing this to be praised. We are doing it because it must be done.”
He also cautioned that donations must be made to those who are the most deserving."I do not want people to say, ‘Ah look, the Methodists are giving to other Methodists’. I want them to say ‘the people of God have done this’, not the Methodists.”
