A father, his wife and seven children were overjoyed when their church handed the key to their three-room house to them on Sunday at Maniini in Thohoyandou.

Members of the Eden Baptist Church in Muledane Block J noticed the heartbreaking living conditions of one of their new members, Shumani Mulumbela (50) and his family, and decided to build him a house. “We know that God is love. And when we give to those who do not have, we are only demonstrating that kind of love,” said the church’s pastor, Nonani Shivambu.

The family was sharing a large one-room shack, and the church agreed that every member should contribute some money or building material, so that the Mulumbelas could get a house.

Eden Baptist Church is a small church, so it took members almost three months to finish the house. “However small our church may seem to be, if we agree on doing something positive, we stick to it until we have achieved it,” Shivambu said.

“It was frustrating and painful sharing a shack with children. I came to the church a naked man and hungry, but you clothed and fed me,” Mulumbela said.

Mulumbela’s wife, Mavis, said that their home was a battlefield before her family could join the church. “My husband was an alcoholic and he assaulted me each time he was drunk – but I also fought back sometimes, which was not good for our children,” she gave testimony. “The pastor arranged for a psychologist to counsel us, and things have changed for the better in our home.”

Mulumbela, Mavis and their children are now full members of the Eden Baptist Church. “I now trust in God because He rescued me from a reckless life of alcoholism and healed my family spiritually,” said Mulumbela.

Ward 21’s Cllr Maria Ramanala acknowledged the church’s efforts of not only building a house for the indigent family but also for bringing all misunderstandings and fighting to an end. “Thulamela is spoilt with many cases of domestic violence, and in some cases spouses end up killing each other,” she said. “This church did a very good job in healing the Mulumbelas’ troubles. I strongly believe that other churches will start walking in your footsteps.”