News Release

Day to Day Church Humanitarian Efforts in Durban South Africa

Elder and Sister Perry, Church Welfare Missionaries, Organize and Conduct Church Humanitarian Projects in Durban on a Day to Day Basis

Elder Rick Perry and his wife Sister Lori Perry serve as fulltime missionaries in Durban, South Africa. They belong to a corps of senior couples, serving throughout the world, as Welfare Missionaries. Their service involves assessing humanitarian needs in the communities and countries, in which they are assigned and overseeing the completion of projects once they have been approved. Potential projects must have four characteristics. The projects must demonstrate that they can be self-reliant, that they are sustainable, that they provide service and that they use local solutions.

                  

During a recent visit to Durban, the Perry’s, introduced us to three projects they are currently conducting.

Father Mark Jande is the priest overseeing Saint Theresa’s Boys Home, a facility owned by the Catholic Church. Saint Theresa’s provides room, board, care and a haven, for boys taken by social workers from abusive or dangerous homes. The facility can accommodate up to seventy-three boys. Because funding for the Home was not adequate to fully maintain the buildings, many repairs and updates were needed. With the aid of Church Humanitarian funds, roofs have been repaired, rooms are being painted, kitchens are being updated, tile floors are being refurbished and outdoor yards cleaned and planted. The Home and the boys contribute to the work. One young man enthusiastically explained the work he was doing planting a garden and learning to grow vegetables. He was thrilled to have his “Home” look so nice and to have a garden.

Scdifa Cheshire Home provides care for severely disabled people. Regarding the work provided by Church Humanitarian services, Nokuthula, the Home administrator said, “thank Heaven for sending these angels. A higher power was involved bringing the Church here”. Church Humanitarian funds helped the Home construct a ramp for wheelchairs, build fencing, provide safety railings, cover an open patio, clean up landscaping, improve an outdoor play area and refurbish the education center. Contractor, Dave Botha, helps supervise and provide expertise and labor for the project. 

 

At the Tyburn Primary School, Church Humanitarian completed remodeling a beautiful kitchen shortly before torrential rains caused mudslides that destroyed classrooms next to the kitchen. As part of the kitchen remodel, a wall was constructed outside the kitchen to protect equipment. That wall miraculously  helped divert the mud and water from destroying the new kitchen. Discussions are underway regarding damage to the classrooms caused by the mudslide.

                 
               

          

Through the service of couples like the Perry’s, combined with charitable donations from Church members around the world, lives of  thousands of Heavenly Father’s children are blessed every day.

In the April 2019 General Conference, Elder D. Todd Chistofferson said, “Some time ago…I participated in a conference with leaders from a wide variety of religious faiths…They were intent on relieving suffering and helping people rise above oppression and poverty. I felt deep gratitude for the generosity of the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that makes such Christlike service possible…In that moment, the Holy Spirit affirmed two things to me. First, the work of ministering to temporal needs is vital and must continue. The second was unexpected, yet powerful and clear. It was this: beyond selfless service, it is supremely important to prepare the World for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

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