The Pines
God's Calling and a Gift
David and Sally Seefried were led by God’s calling to help alleviate the pain and suffering of the children and communities, a result of the AIDS pandemic, through creating a home for orphaned and abandoned children. In the spring of 2005, Harmony Gold Company donated the use of a large office complex and property, which is now home to The Pines.
Our Purpose
By raising children in a Christian environment, The Pines hopes to train children to be morally pure, which in turn will help them live through the AIDS pandemic and make a lasting impact on Africa. So many already have been lost to the AIDS pandemic and The Pines is stepping in to help keep these children from becoming a second lost generation.
The Pines is located in Welkom, Majhabeng region, Free State province, South Africa, which has some of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS
Keeping the Culture
The Pines doesn’t aim to “Americanize” the children. Each of the flats function as a self-sufficient family, with a national housemother providing nurture and daily guidance. The mamas converse with their children in Sesotho and cook traditional foods, helping the children maintain their indigenous culture. They also teach important life skills, and may be first in line to answer children’s spiritual questions. Currently four full-time mamas, two part-time mamas, and a relief mama serve at The Pines.
More Than Physical Needs
While The Pines aims to provide a safe, loving home for children, our main goal is to raise the children with opportunities to understand and accept the love of God. The children attend a local church weekly, participate in a Wednesday night service at The Pines, the teenagers attend youth group, volunteers sometimes lead on site Bible studies, and some older children attend other Bible studies by choice. Some children have chosen to make their faith in Christ public and have chosen to be baptized. Continue to pray for the children for come to know God and to grow in their walks with Him. Above all, The Pines wants God to be exalted in the work that is done.
The Pines Staff Members
While AIMI runs The Pines, it would not be what it is without faithful staff members of The Pines:
Pastor Manaka liaisons with the social development department, teaches the Bible in weekly services, drives the bus, takes the housemothers shopping, and delivers fruits and milk.
The Pines also employs one full time and one part time gardener, who handle the gardens and tunnel farm (greenhouse), which provide vegetables for The Pines.
Volunteers
Teams and individuals are essential to The Pines. They help with building projects and improvements around The Pines, Bible teaching and community outreach, as well as with educational needs, by helping children understand and complete assignments as well as offering special tutoring.
Want to be a part of what God is doing here?
Ambassadors International Ministries, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Longmont, Colorado, born out of compassion that drives us to do what we can to alleviate the pain and suffering of HIV/AIDS and help remove its cause.
© 2020 Ambassadors International Ministries, Inc.
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