Partners in Mercy (South Africa)

We believe the answer to South Africa’s problems will not come from outside the country, but from within. The South African church has great potential to rise up and be God’s answer to the problems that exist in their nation. They have many wonderful churches with strong Christian leaders.

We are now holding 'Hands of Mercy' (HOM) meetings in the Johannesburg, Durban, and Capetown areas. These meetings are aimed at encouraging and inspiring local churches to become active in mercy ministries. We are partnering with local South African churches to help them become relevant to the needs of the poor, and to recapture their voice as the defender of all who are vulnerable and destitute.

At our meetings, we are seeing Jesus put love and compassion back into hearts that have grown cold and indifferent. We are seeing people lay down their carefully “planned out” lives in exchange for a life of significance and God’s purpose. A renewed vision of relevance for the poor is being birthed in many local churches. One woman summed up the essence of our meetings as she fell on her knees and cried out, “Jesus, I give you everything! Not my will, but your will! Use my life for your glory!”

Please pray for the South African churches as they rise up to be God’s hands extended to hurting and dying people. Please pray for God's blessings on our 'Hands of Mercy' meetings. If you would like to donate to help underwrite the costs of these meetings it would be most appreciated. Your support is vital in helping us conduct future HOM meetings.

Pastor Tyrone Paul, Secretary General of the South African Evangelistic Mission, shared this report with their association of churches after our ‘Hands of Mercy’ meetings:

“It has been two weeks of intensive and impacting ministry as we traveled tirelessly to four provinces in South Africa where SAEM churches are planted, namely Gauteng, Free State, Northern Cape and Kwazulu Natal. The concept of the local church becoming relevant in mercy ministries aroused inter-denominational church leaders and community leaders to take on the challenge and see action. It is a new season; it is a new day for South Africa. The meetings were charged with a tangible and rich presence of the Lord as many responded in their own way with shouts of praise, weeping, kneeling, deliberating and moving questions like “ What must we do?” I truly believe that the South African Church has been repositioned for greatness as we accept our responsibility to fulfill what Christ commissioned us to do. In the midst of a nation that daily mourns the loss of our youth through HIV/AIDS, we have come to terms with reality and all over the country there is an uprising toward Mercy Ministries. We have heard many positive responses from these meetings such as:

1). A farm has been offered to the Bloemfontein Ministers Fraternal where they could grow crops and fund mercy ministries.

2). Church leaders are willing to re-visit plans to accommodate orphans and widows on church properties.

3). Individual leaders have pledged personally to adopt a child cross-culturally, especially from our majority “black” community.

4). A fraternal has proposed to gather a group of ten leaders and draft a proposal for government in the funding of certain mercy ministries etc..

The SAEM wishes to place, on record, our thanks and appreciation to these men of God, who sacrificed family, finance and travel just to share these keys to the Kingdom with us. We love, value and appreciate you. God bless – Africa will not be the same!!”

This picture painted by Pastor Dixon James of Pt. Shepstone, South Africa depicts the AIDS and orphan epidemic that is devastating his country. A child brings flowers to her dead parents. Children are left behind to fend for themselves. A population of 40 million people is heading for the grave. The church in the abandoned town is doing nothing to help.

Eleos International Ministries is responding by partnering with the South African churches to help them come up with a South African solution to the crisis.