With the help of voluntary donations and support from several churches in Norway a large missionary work "Gods will Ministry", in South Africa is able to be run and led by Elin Nordby from Øyer and Linn Charlotte Jamt from Røros.

Elin started the work in 1996 when she was sent out from Øyer Pentecostal church, and eventually Lillehammer Pentecostal church. Private individuals are also supporting this work. Through the years Elin has had over 47 children in her home. Four years ago Linn Charlotte Jamt from Røros Pentecostal church joined Elin and have since lived and worked by Elin's side in South-Africa. Elin and Linn Charlotte are important resources in the local community where they live. Thousands of people have been affected through this work, many of them homeless children.

This ministry takes place in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in the east of the country, in the areas around the town of Greytown. Here Elin and Linn Charlotte through the support and donations have established and support churches in five different places in the countryside, and there is still a need for more churches.

The churches don't only work as a place for sermons but also a place where orphans and broken families get different kinds of help. Elin, Linn Charlotte and the local helpers are also taking care of many orphans in their own homes.

A little while ago one of the workers became sick because of mold in the bedroom. These are also important things to help the workers with - so they can stay healthy and strong.

The work in South Africa is diverse. Today, it consists of running churches, school visits, helping the poor and homeless, working with children and young people, offering leadership training and much more. Many employees devote all their time and all their work to helping people in better conditions and to get to know Jesus, in the middle of a culture that embraces customs and values ​​that can be experienced as very foreign to people in Norway. Therefore, it is important for this work to include and train local leaders.

The work in the churches are rich: in Ahrens a kindergarten is attached to the church, and in this place they also help the kids with homework. The same applies to the church in Eshane, where they gather over 150 children weekly for children's meetings, in addition to meetings for young people. HIV and AIDS is another problem that affects many people in South Africa, both young people and adults. The churches work with spreading knowledge and awareness among other things, to help prevent this.

In Mpalaza the youngest congregation is to find that also engages in various activities, but does not have its own church building. Two of the churches are now completely self-run, and they also have established their own outposts or small churches. One of these churches is found in Efaye, and has three outposts. The other church is in Entembizweni and has one outpost. The churches are growing.

In addition to regular church services, these churches have children's and youth meetings, school meetings, women's meetings and children's choirs. Every week, five school meetings are arranged, which are held at 13 different schools.

A major problem in this area is that many children and young people experience becoming homeless for various reasons. Some because their parents are dead, some because the family is unable to feed them, while others are simply seen as unwanted by their own family.

The stories from some of the children are heartbreaking. Minors, around 5, 6, 7 years are living by themselves. They don't have any grownups to take care of them.

But every Sunday - some of these children come to the church - walking - dirty and hungry - and who knows what they have been going through the past week. Children's abuse and rape are very common.

But they get a bath and a meal, and they come back to the church again and again. So let's pray for the orphans, and the workers - so they can continue the good work. And let's pray for the broken families and broken parents.

Some of the children have been taken care of and have been growing up in the homes of the workers, sometimes with up to 11, 12 children. Then the capacity of the workers is maxed out. They are not able to give every orphan child a home.

Fortunately, the support from voluntary donations and churches and the local employees can help these children and give them hope for the future. Many young people get help to stand on their own two feet, to get a job, a house and a safe and good social environment. When older children grow up and move to their own place other children can move in and live with someone who takes good care of them while they grow up.

As you can see the fruit of this work is great and visible and has affected thousands of people in Greytown and the area around since it all started back in 1996. But - the work is dependent on voluntary donations to be able to be carried out. It means that all the people affected need our help to have hope for a better future. Iona Art & Jewelry is happy to support the work with 10% of its profit. So by buying from Iona Art & Jewelry a part of your payment will go to support this work.

If you in a greater way want to contribute for lives to be transformed it is possible to support this amazing work by giving a gift directly to Elin and Linn Charlotte to their account number: 2002.20.21606.

The very best of wishes and all blessings over Elin, Linn Charlotte, all the local workers and all the people they meet in this work.

Information, text and pictures taken from: South Africa | tabernacletoyer , Elin Nordby and Linn Charlotte Jamt with permission.