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More Than Play
If you visit Jabulane Christian Academy at Bethesda Outreach, it is normal to hear children’s voices and see them playing on our property with big smiles on their faces. If they are not playing on the jungle gym, then they are throwing a netball or playing soccer so...
Community Care – Showing Christ’s love in our Area
James 1:27 says, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” It is no surprise, however, that the good work we seek to do is often difficult. The...
The 2020 Executive Director’s Report
In my history with Bethesda, I can’t recall a more challenging year than 2020. From a pandemic, to the threat of de-registration, and the struggle to start up a farming enterprise – we have all been stretched. This year would have been a catastrophe if not for the...
The Sithole’s Heart for Bethesda
Hi everyone, this is the Sithole family. We, George and Florah, have been together for 21 years since we got married on May 28, 1999. We joined the Bethesda family 10 years later on May 15, 2009. We always wanted to be part of a positive culture where others...
My Grateful and Grace-Filled Life by G.M.
My name is G. M. I came to Bethesda when I was very young. I thank God for providing me with a home in Bethesda where our daily lives are centered around the Word of God. I have the opportunity to learn and experience the grace of God and the wonders He can do and is...
It Just Takes One…
My journey with the Bethesda transition team started with one step - helping one teen, and finding one organization that runs a work-readiness program. It all started as just one. If we each just took one step and did one thing, we could change the world. Last month,...
Transitioning Youth Successfully
The journey towards adulthood and independence is an inevitable period in a young person’s life and one that every parent hopes won’t come too soon. For the young person, the excitement of having the freedom to do what they like without asking for permission is like...
My Journey, Passion, and Growth in Orphan Care
My wife and I have always prayed for our kids to make the right friends. One day our son told us about his friend David (not real name) that he met at kindergarten. We got to meet David and when his parents came over with David for a play date, we realized they didn't...
Bethesda Changed My Life
My name is T and I am 16 years old, turning 17 in June. I live with my family at Bethesda and I am in athletics – I love to run. I am currently in grade 11 at a high school in Pretoria. I remember that I came to Bethesda in 2009 when I was 6 years old. I came with my...
Daniel – An Example to Follow
Daniel is a man of great character in the Bible from whom we can learn much. He was no stranger to difficulty as he experienced it all of his life. Even when Daniel was in his mid-80’s, he continued to demonstrate character that wholly followed the Lord – even in the...
JCA, a unique platform for Gospel ministry
Teachers at Jabulane Christian Academy are given a unique platform in which they can share biblical truths with their students on a day-to-day basis. Every teacher is motivated not only to share academics with their children, but also to teach the children about God...
COVID-19 and Bethesda Outreach
Dear Bethesda supporters, We know that many of you care for Bethesda and regularly pray for us and in light of the COVID19/Coronavirus, we wanted to give you an update on how this is affecting our families and staff. On the 15th of March, President Cyril Ramaphosa...
The Bethesda Barnyard – Alfred’s Story
For years, Bethesda has been talking about a skills-training programme or developing an agricultural project. In 2019, we filtered through our many ideas and made definite plans to start our first commercial agricultural project, the Bethesda Poultry Project. We...
R.M. is Why Bethesda Exists – 20/20 Campaign
It’s the start of a new year and a new decade. From time to time, it is good to remind ourselves of why we do what we do and to renew our passion for the work God has given us. This year, Bethesda Outreach is celebrating 20 years of God’s goodness to us in meeting the...
Local Church Orphan Care and Bethesda Outreach
A few months ago, Bethesda’s board clarified our vision statement, stating that our vision is: to mobilize churches and individuals to meet the needs of orphans so that they might become disciples of Christ. As I reflect on the previous year, it is easy to count many...
Meet Bethesda’s New Executive Director
It is my privilege to introduce to you Bethesda's new Executive Director. The board unanimously approved Rudi to take over the leadership of Bethesda from December, 2019. We wanted you to hear about Rudi from his own perspective. It has been my privilege to lead these...
The Extreme Hike that Challenged and Changed My Life
On the 20th to 23rd of September, I was among three dads and seven boys from Bethesda who attended the hiking trip in the Drakensberg Mountains in Durban organized by 4M Group. This was an amazing 72 hours of inspiration, challenge, and adventure. It's a men's...
Security and Safety at Bethesda Outreach
Psalm 82:3-4 says that we are to “vindicate (defend) the weak and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy; Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.” It often seems in this country that there is a general lack of respect for...
Funding for the Fatherless – Costly Choices
Christian giving to orphan care has grown roughly 3X faster than all charitable giving by Americans — 4 years in a row! (Christian Alliance for Orphans website) Their giving seems to indicate that Bible-believing Christians do have a heart for orphaned and vulnerable...
Working Together for Effective Long-Term OVC Ministry
Greetings! My name is Darrel Huff and I serve as chairman of the board for Bethesda Outreach Ministries International (BOMI), a not-for-profit company in the USA. BOMI was formed to support Bethesda Outreach Ministries South Africa (BOMSA), a not-for-profit South...
Baby Steps in Temporary Safe Care
On June 14, Bethesda sent out an email update that read, “Open now to see our newest arrival.” In that update, many read about Bethesda’s first Temporary Safe Care home being officially opened. My wife Kate, our girls and I were very excited to welcome Baby M! In...
Now Go Find Your People! (CAFO 2019)
"Now go find your people!" That was a phrase we heard often this year at the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) Conference held in May, in Louisville, Kentucky. You should know that it is not easy to find "your people" in the midst of 2000 other people! Thankfully,...
My Raised to Praise story
I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who rescues and restores. This month, we want to pull back the curtain a bit and see just a glimpse into what God is doing in the lives of one of the young people here, in her own words. If you’ve been following our blog, or...
A Team Members Perspective: One Year Later
I’ve always had a desire to minister to children and had just started thinking about outreach and caring for the most vulnerable around me when I decided to go on a short-term ministry trip with the men's team from our church. I was hesitant and nervous about leaving...
How to Support a Bethesda Child, Family, or Teacher
Bethesda is blessed with the best supporters ever! God stirs up the hearts of people all over the world in the most amazing ways to the benefit of our families and the children in our care. We are in the privileged position of seeing the needs of our small...
Child of the month
A monthly publication that features one of our Bethesda children. Click here to read more.
April Child of the Month – A.M.
The April Child of the Month is A but most people call her with a nickname that starts with “N.” She is very new to Bethesda and only arrived a few months ago with a group of siblings. A is 14 years old and still adjusting to new routines, rules, siblings, parents...
March 2022 Child of the Month B.A.
B is 9 years old and interested in everything. He is also well known for his friendliness. You can usually find him outside playing with his friends, kicking a soccer ball around or finding something interesting to do. He enjoys reading and is doing fairly well in...
February 2022 Child of the Month Z.A.
Z is 7 turning 8 this year. He is a typical active boy who is brimming with personality. He loves to play soccer, playing on the playground, helping in the kitchen and working outside in the garden. He has a great sense of humor which makes people laugh (and may or...
January 2022 Child of the Month – B.M.
My name is B. I am one of two girls in my family. I have always enjoyed dramatic arts and have love listening to music and dancing whenever I have the time. I also enjoy baking and have taken some courses in school to learn how to cook/bake even better. I love...
December Child of the Month – T.M.
T came to Bethesda when he was very young - just a few years old. He bonded quickly with his parents and now he’s one of a group of fun-loving, crazy boys in his home. T is 8 years old and loves to drum. In fact, he will turn almost anything he can find into a drum....
October Child of the Month – R.M.
My name is R.M. and I have been a part of Bethesda Outreach for the majority of my life. I am so grateful for the family God has given me and the godly upbringing that they have worked to accomplish in my life. Now that I am moving towards the end of my university...
November Child of the Month – G.M.
My name is G.M. I am in high school and so thankful for my family. They love and care about me and I can always count on them. When I am home, I help in the kitchen by baking and cooking as well as doing some of the cleaning and the dishes as well. When I have free...
September 2021 Child of the Month – V.M.
V is a 19 year old young man who enjoys playing soccer as well as cooking (he really likes spaghetti with mince/ground beef). He has grown into a kind and respectful person who tries his best at whatever he does. He helps with the sound system at church and has shown...
August 2021 Child of the Month – K.M.
K is 15 years old and has been at Bethesda for many years now. We have enjoyed watching how he has grown and changed over the years. He is a very good older brother to some of the other children in his home and he has a special place for one of his baby sisters whom...
June Child of the Month – J.J.
This sweet lady has been at Bethesda for many years and has grown into a beautiful young lady both inside and out. God has brought her through many challenges throughout the years and she continues to grow and persevere. J has started taking classes in the area of...
Raised to Praise Update
A monthly/bi-monthly update with articles, information, and pictures showing all that has been happening at Bethesda Outreach. Click here to read more.
February 2022 Highlights from the Update
It is of immeasurable value for believers to know that our God is sovereign. In times like these when the world is poised on the brink of war and there is so much uncertainty, we should take courage and comfort from God’s sovereign control. We need to actively trust...
Bethesda Outreach JCA Hall Project Update
Many of our partnering churches and individuals have prayed and participated in our 2017 Christmas offering designated toward the construction of a school Hall. Here is an update and progress report on this project. Phase 1 Start-up funds. The 2017 Christmas...
Tom and Jan Jonker
I believe its entirely appropriate to say that Tom and Jan Jonker are never going to actually retire! Although they are “formally” retired, Tom and Jan never want to stop working or using their God-given gifts to benefit others. When they heard that JCA would have the...
Bethesda Outreach – The Next Level 2018 Christmas Offering Project
Goal: Raise $80,000/R1M as 'seed money' allocated to help begin two key projects in 2019 that position Bethesda to reach more orphaned children in a more effective manner. Project #1 - Start a Place of Safety & Transition home in the Pretoria area. This project...
Welcome to our New Houseparents
Themba and Betty Kabeni are new houseparents at Bethesda Outreach. They began working in mid December when Fritz and Masello Shikwambane moved back into the community. The Kabeni’s have known another one of our houseparent couples, George and Florah Sithole, for a...
Christmas Project Update for the School Hall
Jabulane Christian Academy began their new school year this month with approximately 230 students in grades R (Kindergarten) through 7. This is a 140% increase in the last 5 years. We need more space as we reach more children and families in this growing community. We...
Jabulane Christian Academy – Day One
The first day of a new school year is always filled with a wide variety of crazy emotions! Excited talking, loud greetings, silent dismay, whispered excitement, fearful crying (from children AND first time school parents)…. You get the picture. JCA has started another...
Interns 2017
God always brings Bethesda the right people at just the right time. I’m speaking of the interns that God brought to us during this year. Alyssa Whyard, Anna Cleghorn and Megan Doyle have all been a great help to us in providing help in childcare, photography, crèche...
Orphan Care Seminar
On Saturday, May 20th, Bethesda Outreach hosted an Orphan Care Seminar at Central Baptist Church in Pretoria. We had seven excellent speakers that biblically and passionately shared about adoption, foster care, local church engagement, and other supportive ministries...
Team Season 2017
God brought many different teams and visitors to Bethesda this year from Pennsylvania, Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee and Missouri, as well as a few places in between. We are so grateful for each of the individuals who sacrificed their time, money, and other activities...
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Do you have resources to share? Would you like to make a difference in the life of a child? Here are the ways YOU can be personally involved in providing care to orphaned children.
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