Living Gospel World Mission Church president calls for more help

The president of The Living Gospel World Mission Church, Pastor Robert Kharivhe, has urged members to continue honouring the legacy of the late church founder, Pastor Dr Maswole Petrus Ragimana.

Pastor Ragimana’s motto was “U shumela vhathu ndi u shumela Mudzimu, U shumela Mudzimu ndi u shumela vhathu,” which translates to: “Serving people is serving God, serving God is serving people.”

Kharivhe spoke during the official handover of a four-room house to Ms Tshilidzi Matshata, who, together with her daughter and granddaughter, did not have a place to stay in Mukula Mukondeni.

The handover was witnessed by, among others, the mayor of Thulamela, Sarah Rambuda, local traditional leaders, community members, and members of the church. The formal ceremony was held at the church’s headquarters in Tshilivho on Sunday, 8 September.

During the function, the church’s Caring and Healing Ministry team presented an inspiring progress report on the church’s efforts to help the needy.

When handing over the new house, Pastor Kharivhe said they were following in the footsteps of the church founders. “Our founding father, Pastor Dr Maswole Ragimana, taught us to care for the needy, both spiritually and physically. Here is a woman and her family who did not have a place to call home. We could not turn a blind eye, so we, as a church, decided to build her this house,” he said.

The church leadership, Thulamela mayor and volunteers who built the house, photographed during the function. Photo supplied.

Pastor Kharivhe added that their founding parents had also taught them that a church was like a family and members must take care of each other. “So far, we have built four houses, some with ablution facilities, to cater for the disabled and the elderly. We do not have much as a church, but the little we are doing will go a long way in making a difference in this family’s life,” he said.

He acknowledged that the government cannot reach all residents in need of housing. “This is where we come in. In all this, we see the grace and glory of God, and we will continue doing this as directed by God,” he said.

Kharivhe praised the building team, mostly composed of youths who volunteered to build the house free of charge. He presented them with certificates of appreciation for their work.

Speaking during the function, Thulamela mayor Rambuda congratulated the church leadership for assisting the government in helping the needy. “If I had only four churches doing what this church is doing, the community of Thulamela would go far,” she said.

An emotional Ms Tshilidzi Matshata thanked God for inspiring the church to come to her aid.

Besides building houses, the church has registered 30 needy families who are supported with groceries on a bi-monthly basis. There is also a doctor on standby who offers free medical support during church services. The church provides bursaries to needy and capable students and collects clothes to donate to the less fortunate.

Through its missionary services in 18 countries around the globe, churches are being built in Africa and India.

Date:12 September 2024

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019. He currently writes on a freelance basis, covering human rights issues, court news and entertainment.

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