A ‘SHOE’-T OUT AT TUMBLEWEED!

The Lord has indeed been doing great things for men through our shoe repair community project ‘Nyawonhle’ as we move the project to different communities around Pietermaritzburg. Most recently we partnered with Crossways Church in Tumbleweed to recruit ‘disillusioned and desperate’ men, and to collect ‘tired and worn’ out shoes as we seized the opportunity to roll out the Nyawonhle project in Tumbleweed, Howick. Londeka Gasa (AE’s Community worker) along with Tyrone Hearthstone (Crossways’ church Elder) collaborated to ensure the success of the students.

We believed it important that we should get a facilitator from within the community of Tumbleweed rather than bringing someone from outside. God was gracious in connecting us with Mr. S. Ngubane, who has 20+ years of work experience in the shoe industry and who was a willing and able project facilitator.

Whilst our priority was to empower the TEN recruits with a skill in shoe repairs, we also took the opportunity to minister to them through the sharing of God’s holy word and to conduct some team building exercises to promote interaction, communication and collegiality. They we given a task to perform, which seemed difficult at first but, when they dived in to it, they really learned a lot.

The Challenge: Using straws, build the tallest tower that is able to support the weight of an egg.

The Tools: Straws (and an egg of course! 😉)

The Guidelines: Team work is essential; a firm foundation is critical; compaction can be used as a push to keep advancing; every idea, no matter how little, makes a difference; ignore negativity and focus on your goals; joy and satisfaction comes with the achievement of end result.

The Prize: Bragging rights of course…oh and team building too!🤣

The Cheer: ‘Go Break an Egg’…NOT!!!!

THE TALE OF THE TWO TALL TOWERS! by Gavin John

A tower of straws to hold up an EGG is enough to make one cower;

but buoyed by the challenge, two teams SCRAMBLED, in pursuit of building their tower.

SUNNY SIDE UP team-work, and a BAKED foundation, were the focus of their will-power;

though blood BOILED when ideas were POACHED, threatening to turn things sour.

The straws took bind as they entwined – OVER EASY their plans took flower;

Tall-Towers were borne when the structures had grown, not long within the hour;

The EGG took its’ seat when the WELL DONE task was complete: and so was our task to empower!

The mission was accomplished, both in team-work and the course, when all TEN graduates enthusiastically received their certificates, with great pride and huge smiles!

Well done to the guys and we pray that the Lord will open doors of opportunity to use their newly acquired skills in shoe repair to either gain employment or open their own small business.

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Gavin John – Communications Manager | South Africa