Take heart! We are in this together.

The journey towards becoming an FTD-friendly church is a profoundly important. But it is also a long one. And like every long trip, we need to take some time to stop and refresh before continuing towards our destination. The Sikunye Gathering on 5 August was just that: a halfway ‘pitstop’ for churches in their 2021 plans of caring for and investing in young families.

You are not alone! When you are part of the Sikunye network, you don’t have to feel like you are on your own. You might be overwhelmed, but you don’t have to be isolated. From churches across the nation, there is a community of like-minded people who are committed – like you – to seeing all children get a strong start to life. Across denominational lines, languages, cultures and provinces, there is space for you in the Sikunye network.

An important part of a mid-year pitstop is replenishment. Pastor Andre Ntambwe opened God’s word for us, encouraging us to keep moving forward. He shared,

“The reason we carry a spare tire on a vehicle is not because we don’t have faith, but because we are making provision for the fact that we live in a fallen world. Therefore, dark times should be something that is expected, and can last for a long time, but there is no better place to learn about the grace of God, than when we are in that dark time.”

We were also encouraged by a church that has taken a few more steps in serving and caring for families.  We interviewed Charlotte Koegelenberg and Hazel Heuwel of Omdraai Community church, based in De Doorns, Western Cape. It was inspirational to hear of the range of things they are doing to see families and young children supported. You can watch their interview here: https://youtu.be/3RCVdG46klY

Mokgaesti Sebothoma equipped us with powerful truths of how to unlock our potential. So many times we may feel stuck and are tempted to stop or give up. Drawing on her experience as a coach, Mokgaetsi gave us tools to ignite our personal power. This was profound content and had application beyond our work with families in the First Thousand Days.

You can watch the whole Sikunye Gathering here: https://youtu.be/SjtoEu0x12Q.

It may well be the pitstop that you need!

Sikunye, we are in this together.