Safe Havens Initiative

Training Pastors and Church Leaders to Bring Change to Their Community

Cape Town is often called the most beautiful city on earth. It is the most popular South African destination for tourism. However, it has a devastating problem: In this metroplex of 6+ million people, it is estimated that by 2010 there will be 3 Million Orphans due to AIDS! Breakthrough Partners is partnering with ACT OF GRACE to bring hope and care to orphaned children living with HIV/AIDS in Cape Town. Our aim is to raise up a new generation of God-fearing African Christian children out of the tragedy of the AIDS pandemic. This partnership will work to mobilize and equip local churches to create a network of safe houses where AIDS orphans and street children can go as the first point of entry into the care systems of the city. The safe haven will be the receiving facility in a community ensuring that every vulnerable child will have access into the network and be referred to a care family of the Church. The City Council of Cape Town has officially endorsed this church-based initiative.

This will mean that any AIDS orphan or vulnerable child on the streets of Cape Town will be within reach of a friendly entry point into a church-based care system of the city. It will ensure that care workers from local churches will now look after thousands of children who previously had nowhere to go. Through the churches, orphans will also be identified at an early stage, and in this way, destitute children will be given hope for the future rather than life on the streets. The God-sized goal of the Safe Havens project is to give every vulnerable child care, shelter and the Word of God. The land used for the safe havens will be earmarked by local churches. A food program as well as volunteer care workers trained in Community Health Evangelism will be provided by the local churches. Children will be referred to clinics for medical care where needed and placed in permanent care facilities or with families from the local churches. Eventually we hope to have at least 70 safe havens in the Cape Town area.

Gary Edmonds of Breakthrough Partners will travel to Cape Town twice for biblical training and follow-up with Christian leaders that will foster relationships of mutual understanding and trust. The initial training took place October 1–5, 2007 with follow-up in 2008. Through this training, they will learn to obey God’s Word, listen to each other’s heart for the community, seek God through united study, prayer and worship, explore and plan what they can do together, and identify who should facilitate the process. Overcoming decades of distrust and jealousy between black, colored and white church leaders will be crucial to this work. Additionally, young leaders from other African countries have been invited to participate so that they may be mentored in the training process. By including others, we are training the next generation of leaders and multiplying our efforts. If you would like to donate to the Safe Havens Initiative, click here and write “Safe Havens” in the “Payment for” box. Thank you.