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In the past year the JL Zwane Memorial Church and Centre has received money from the St. Joan of Arc Justice Fund as well as donations from many parishioners through Arm-in-Arm-in-Africa. Located in Guguletu, South Africa, the JL Zwane Church and Centre ministers to many people, with many different issues. The Centre was established in 1998, in partnership with the Department of Industrial Psychology at the University of Stellenbosch. The Reverend Dr. Spiwo Xapile(right), along with other community members, has founded a variety of programs to assist the members of this community. Many of the programs are related to educating people about HIV/AIDS and offering support to those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. While in South Africa this past February I had the opportunity to visit with Spiwo and witness first-hand some of these programs.

The first place we visited was the Brown’s Farm Clinic. Spiwo’s wife, Zethu, who is a nurse, runs this clinic, which serves approximately 120 patients a day. The clinic is quite understaffed for the number of patients needing medical care. The current staffing includes: One full-time doctor and one doctor who works one hour, four days a week; five registered nurses, 3 of whom also run the pharmacy; two nursing assistants; two clerks; two assistants; and one lay HIV/AIDS counselor. People come to the clinic for a variety of health reasons including, but not limited to tuberculosis, pollution-related asthma, HIV/AIDS, hypertension, and epilepsy.

Children from the Rainbow after-school program

One afternoon we stopped in at the JL Zwane Centre to visit with the children participating in the Rainbow after-school program. Children in grades 1-8 from more than 20 different schools come to the centre each day after school. The children are provided with homework help and then receive a meal, quite possibly is the only meal they get each day, before they head home for the evening. There are 10 qualified teachers who assist with the Rainbow program. During our time with the children they read to us and sang to us. It was a wonderful opportunity for us to visit with the children of Guguletu.

Another program for the youth of Guguletu is the Sport Development Project. The purpose of this program is to positively influence children through sports, especially soccer. Due to the lack of parental involvement and the youth’s exposure to delinquency, drug use, and risky sexual behaviors this program gives youth the opportunity to socialize in a structured and supervised environment. It also attempts to empower the youth with responsible decision making skills and other necessary skills to succeed in life.

Siyaya performing for the children

One of the major ministries at the centre involves using music to educate people about HIV/AIDS. Bongani Magatyana is the director of Siyaya, which is a performing group with singers, dancers, and musicians. We were fortunate to be invited to a performance of Siyaya, along with the children from the Rainbow after-school program. Siyaya told the story of a young man infected with HIV/AIDS, who at the end dies of the disease. Their combination of opera, jazz, pop, and traditional African music make it informative as well as enjoyable for all listeners. Every week Siyaya performs at the centre for 400 high school students as well as 300 adults from the Guguletu community. Recently they were here in the United States, making stops in Pennsylvania, Washington DC, Florida, and, of course, Minnesota.

Due the large number of people infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS, the JL Zwane Centre has a variety of programs specifically targeted at this population. There is a support group for people living with HIV/AIDS, which offers them the opportunity to find support among others in a similar situation. The support group also offers socialization and activities, as well as provides the men with hot meals at the centre. Once a month 50 members of the support group also receive a customized food order. Another program involves educating members of the community with facts about HIV/AIDS and giving them the skills to counsel and provide care and support to people infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS.

Two years ago St. Luke’s Hospice partnered with the JL Zwane Centre to provide end-of-life care to members of the community in their homes. There are nurses, caregivers, and a social worker on staff, and doctors available when needed. This is a free service that provides: feeding, medication, hair care, shaving, bed bathing, mouth care, pressure care, and basic dressings. The money donated from the St. Joan of Arc Justice Fund was used within the hospice program to continue providing services to those community members nearing the end of life.

Residents of Malungeni waiting for a meal

The JL Zwane Centre has an outreach program in Malungeni, which is another township in South Africa about 1000 miles from Guguletu. After spending a week in Guguletu, our group traveled to Malungeni where we again witnessed more wonderful programs ministering to the poor and disadvantaged people of the area. A variety of projects have been established including: gardening, pig farming, forestry and an HIV/AIDS awareness program. While visiting Malungeni, our group was able to minister to the community by serving a hot meal to 250-300 people in the area. It was a small way in which those of us from far-away Minnesota could help the cause that Rev. Spiwo and so many others struggle for on a daily basis.

The programs through the JL Zwane Church and Centre rely on donations to continue providing these much needed services. The people of Guguletu and Malungeni are very grateful for the support and friendship of the people from St. Joan of Arc. If you are interested in making a donation please make checks payable to “Friends of the University of Stellenbosch”. Donations can be sent to Arm-in-Arm-in-Africa, c/o Pat Murphy, 3415 Fordham Court NE, Minneapolis, MN 55421. One hundred percent of all donations go directly to the people of South Africa.

2005 visitors to South Africa, (from left to right) top row: Bill Driscoll, Spiwo Xapile, Thobile, Linda Tally, Jim Cassidy, Jeanne Schaum; bottom row: Pat Murphy, Jimmy Dunn, Kate Cummings

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Jeanne Schaum has been attending SJA since 1986. She teaches Sunday School and is a member of the Stewardship Committee. Jeanne has participated in the Heartland AIDS Ride and the Red Ribbon Ride. In 2001, she graduated from the College of Saint Benedict with a degree in Social Work and then received her Master of Social Work in 2002. In her free time she enjoys hanging out with friends and family, reading, listening to music, going to sporting events, and playing softball.