LOCAL charities, Miqlat and Monte Christo Ministries (MCM), are now working as one and are now the largest community care-based organisation in the Drakenstein region.
The effort to combine the two organisations began a year ago when the Miqlat founder, the late Hester Veldsman, and Gary Helling, MCM CEO, decided that bringing the two ministries closer together was a good idea.
After approval by both boards of directors, Gary Helling became CEO of both organisations with an eye toward bringing the two together.
Over the course of the past year, the ministry operations have been fully combined and recently, the boards of directors have been consolidated to one single board.
One of the primary objectives of this combined charity is to mobilise the community on all fronts in helping the poor.
Both organisations have stated the intent to work with churches, governmental agencies, NGOs and service organisations in an effort to build strategic solutions to the major problems caused by poverty.
“Our community has all the resources available to provide strategic solutions to help provide a ‘care umbrella’ for children and families dealing with poverty. As a Christian organisation, we fully understand our mandate to reach out and use all that we have, to make a difference,” said Helling.
The combined ministry is focused on partnering with local NGOs, companies and governmental agencies to make this dream a reality.
They are now known as Monte Christo Miqlat Ministries and they currently run programmes in Paarl East, Mbekweni and Wellington.
The programmes are meant to address the problems of HIV/Aids, health, nutrition, homelessness, joblessness, the lack of sports and recreation activities and facilities, youth and child programmes, training and education and leadership development.
The combined ministries are Section 21 Public Benefit organisations and are headquartered in Paarl.
Miqlat, which means “place of refuge and hope,” was started by Hester Veldsman in 1994. The Miqlat team concentrated on delivering numerous community development programmes supported by donations from local and international churches, businesses and individual benefactors.
Miqlat brings the following programmes to the combined organisation: Bowy House (the 24-hour care sanctuary for children infected and affected by HIV); The Dream Team (a group of young men and women from Southern Africa who have dedicated a year of their life to become Christian leaders and help meet the needs of others); Tiffany’s Community Care Centre in Paarl East which provides the Klein Nederburg community with services such as training, education, child care programmes, an internet café and a gym; and the Lukhanyo Community Care Centre in Mbekweni that provides a place of help, activity and safety.
Monte Christo Ministries (MCM) was started by a group of American missionaries in 2005 and is similarly supported by local and international donations and grants. MCM brings the following programmes to the combined organisation: the Monte Christo Coffee Shop (a marketplace ministry in central Paarl which serves as its ministry headquarters); the Drakenstein Food Centre in Dal Josaphat with a capability of producing over 10 000 meals a day; the Paarl East Sports Park in New Orleans (formerly the New Orleans Sports Ground) which also serves as the offices for the MCM sports staff who provide league management, coaching and support for youth and schools sports programmes; and the Homeless Care Ministry, which is an assistance, jobs empowerment and rehabilitation programme for the estimated 2 000 homeless people in Paarl.
In addition to the programmes, both organisations have an excellent track record of assisting with community emergencies and support a number of local community centres, soup kitchens and other poverty assistance programmes. From here on they can only grow stronger as one.
To help Monte Christo Miqlat Ministries help others, contact them on 021 8634544 or send an email to mcmmiqlat@gmail. com.
For more information on MCM, visit www.mcmmiqlat.com.
