It was an exciting day when the Extension 9-based Jabez Aids Centre hosted its annual candle lighting memorial ceremony at Luvuyo Hall in Fingo Village last Friday.
It was an exciting day when the Extension 9-based Jabez Aids Centre hosted its annual candle lighting memorial ceremony at Luvuyo Hall in Fingo Village last Friday.
Aimed at promoting awareness of the realities of HIV/Aids, the ceremony paid tribute to fallen Aids victims. Two of the special guest speakers were Pastor Freddie Arendse of the Rock of Ages Christian Church International and Pastor Ntsikelelo Bede of the Altar of Tower International Ministry who emphasised that churches should work together with organisations such as Jabez to help fight the pandemic.
The theme of the ceremony was to celebrate the gift of life, educate the community through real life experiences and to get the community together to fight the disease.
This was complemented by the relaxed attitude of the emcee of the day, HIV/Aids activist Nolonwabo Ludinga.
Attending the ceremony were the Khomanani Group, the Archie Mbolekwa Choir, Love Life, Radio Grahamstown and other local organisations.
Since its beginning in 2005 Jabez has never ceased to change the lives of HIV/Aids patients, orphans, victims and affected households throughout Grahamstown.
The ceremony was well conducted and touching to all who participated. Through a drama piece, Love Life passed on a vital message about the negative aspects of social gatherings and peer pressure.
The centre offers various forms of assistance such as the highly effective door-to-door campaigns organised by the care workers.
Asanda Kula, the Human Resources Officer and care worker at Jabez, pointed out that their main goal is to provide healing through hope. “The work we do makes a strong impact on the lives of the victims, no matter how small it is,” she said.
Care worker Xoliswa Jilana, also known as Notoyota, referred to the pandemic as a relay race, saying that many who have ran in the race have fallen but that the present generation is now holding the stick and has to cross the finish line.
While prayers were conducted, giving hope to infected individuals and affected families, each person lit a candle as a symbol of hope and remembrance.
Funded by the Department of Social Development and Rhodes University-based Student HIV/Aids Resistance Campaign (Sharc), the Jabez Health Centre urges all local organisations, on any level, to join forces to fight the nation’s biggest killer.
Centre manager, Goodwill Featherstone said: “The centre is in partnership with several organisations and it still needs extra help to reach where it cannot.
Our future plan is to open a multi-purpose centre and a voluntary counselling and training centre in Extension 9 to provide more assistance for the community.” Featherstone declared: “Our community must not ignore the Jabez care workers that roam the streets of Grahamstown daily, because all we want is to bring hope to the hopeless.”
Andile Nayika is a citizen journalist for Grocott’s Mail. You can also write stories for Grocott’s Mail – go to www.grocotts. co.za/cj and follow the link to the MyStory section.
