Macedonian Ministries keeps moving during COVID-19
PRE-COVID PICTURE: Smiles all round - Congregants of Smirna Church in Pietermaritzburg gather as one family united in Christ
People of all ages and backgrounds have been intimidated by COVID-19. Amidst widespread panic Christians are called to model a greater faith since we have a lasting hope. Being filled with the Holy Spirit, saints are empowered to encourage those who tremble.
While some may be lacking courage, others lack basic needs. Foreigners and refugees without citizenship are especially struggling since they aren’t permitted to receive social grants or food from the government.
Macedonian Ministries, a registered Public Benefit Organisation (PBO), seeks to partner with churches in Southern Africa and abroad to advance the Kingdom of God. Pastor Trevor Eayrs, Founder and President of Macedonian Ministries is passionate about the fulfilment of the Great Commission to bring people into relationship with Jesus Christ.
Macedonian Ministries recognises the call to aid those in desperate need. With 47 families from the Smirna congregation in Pietermaritzburg having no provisions, Pr Trevor and his team stepped in to help. Macedonian Ministries has been providing food for families in need throughout Lockdown Level 5 up until the present day.
Pastor Maisha Mongali, Founder of Smirna church, expresses his gratitude for the support: “We appreciate good Samaritans. God is good all the time and we praise Him for the generosity we have experienced. Pr Trevor is a kind man of God – he refuses to just sit around when people are going to die without food.”
Ministering during lockdown has its challenges, but Pr Maisha found creative solutions to reach his congregants. Using WhatsApp for communication, Pr Maisha distributed data to members and held services online. When permitted, he had home visitations to pray with families and share God’s Word. Now Smirna church meet together with necessary precautions in place.
“These are uncertain times, yet people have learnt how to depend on God,” says Pr Maisha. “People fear the virus more than sin. While the coronavirus can physically kill you, sin will kill your inner life. Anything can happen to the church – we should be ready at any time.”
There have been countless testimonies of God’s goodness. Pr Maisha witnessed his next-door neighbours earnestly give their lives to Christ after experiencing the love of God. In giving food parcels to this family, Pr Maisha had the chance to quite literally ‘love his neighbour’.
“They didn’t know where their help would come from. I prayed with them, shared the gospel and all of them committed their lives to Christ. You can’t believe it! It was wonderful,” says Pr Maisha.
One of the greatest pandemics we experience as humans is our separation from God. What a joy to discover that we can be reunited with our Creator while still on earth. Macedonian Ministries endeavours to reach people through meeting spiritual needs as well as physical needs.
Macedonian Ministries relies on the public and those with open hearts to give so that they may steward funds for people who are in dire need. The generosity of South Africans allows many faith-filled testimonies to abound where there was previously no hope for miracles.
Follow posts on Macedonian Ministries’ Facebook page for ongoing reports.
