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Snippets of a remarkable, God-ordained trip to South Africa

In July 2024, the Atlanta-based mission group, Simon’s Branch, spent two weeks in Botha’s Hill, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. The team, made up of pastors, teachers, and missionaries from Georgia, the Carolinas, Maryland and Washington, DC, conducted a variety of impactful programs. These included Vacation Bible School, CPR/First Aid training, Python 3 programming for beginners, leadership seminars and conferences for both men and women, as well as presentations for law enforcement. South African residents also participated in a Bible study on Revelation chapters 21 and 22, and received clothing and food, distributed to the most vulnerable in the community. Above all, evangelism remains the core value of the organization, and through our efforts, more than 80 individuals responded to the invitation to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. (Photos and narrative by Tammy A. Phillips, training director, and Rodney Smith, board chairman)

Zebras in Both's Hill, South Africa

A South African Sunset

Simon Branch's group arrives at airport. They boarded the flight in Atlanta, flew 15 hours to Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa, and then traveled another 1.5 hours to Durban, the third most populous city in the country.

The group included two energetic children, ready for service.

In 2002, Dr. Shirley Fitz Ritson, founder of Simon’s Branch, formed a significant partnership with a group of South African pastors, just 30 years after the end of Apartheid. Pastor Vika Gwala, a dedicated servant of God from Botha’s Hill and an original member of this group, developed a close, family-like bond with Dr. Shirley, whom he and his wife affectionately call “Mom Shirley.” For nearly 20 years, Pastor Gwala has served as Simon’s Branch’s trusted partner in South Africa, establishing an impactful relationship between Simon’s Branch and the 1000 Hills Baptist Church community, rooted in faith and a commitment to fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28: 19-20).

Founded in 2002 in Stone Mountain, Georgia, Simon’s Branch is named after Simon of Cyrene, an African man who assisted Jesus in carrying His cross to Golgotha. Over the years, Simon’s Branch has brought hundreds of volunteers and thousands of pounds of clothing, food, medical supplies, library books, and school materials to support ministry efforts in South Africa. Pastor Gwala and his wife, Sister Monique, have worked closely with Simon’s Branch to serve their community and others throughout Africa.

A key location for ministry was Don McKenzie Hospital in Botha’s Hill, a tuberculosis (TB) treatment center operated by the KwaZulu-Natal Health Department until its closure in 2022. Pastor Gwala has since been blessed with the opportunity to purchase this five-acre property with 30 buildings – a significant step as this land was originally Zulu territory.

A Visit to Empilweni Primary School

MINISTRY MESSAGE

At Empilweni Primary School, several members of the mission team from Simon’s Branch shared the story of Adam and Eve, emphasizing the importance of listening to God, avoiding bad choices, and acknowledging our mistakes. We discussed how the Holy Spirit helps us live rightly in a world that often leads us astray. We ensured that everyone, from the youngest children at 5 years old to the seventh graders, could understand and enjoy our message. Seeing all the students engage with what we were saying was a real blessing for the Simon’s Branch mission team.

ENGAGEMENT AND IMPACT

We noticed that the students and teachers genuinely cared about our message. They listened carefully, showed joy, and thanked us for coming. The students even sang a song for our team, quoting phrases that echoed gospel teachings – though we can’t recall the exact words, their heartfelt performance touched us deeply. Even though the school had limited resources, everyone showed a strong faith and a desire to improve their lives both spiritually and educationally.

REFLECTIONS AND SPIRITUAL INSIGHTS

This visit felt divinely planned, providing an opportunity for the school to grow spiritually. Our team felt very welcomed, and it was clear that God was working through us and with the people at the school. It was amazing to see how we could use our gifts to help others and show God’s love.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Each of us on the mission team, from Sister LouAnn Hannah with her puppet show to Sister Annette Toms, acting as Eve, and Brother Rodney Smith playing roles as both God and Adam, tried our best to make the story lively, accurate, and meaningful. As reflected in the photo of the 600 students and the mission team gathered in the open field, the unity and use of our gifts had a deep impact. It was a special opportunity to minister to the school and witness the joy and appreciation on the children’s beautiful faces. God made us all in His image for His righteousness and glory, and this fundamental truth remains unchanged, regardless of limited resources. We’re deeply grateful for this opportunity, which not only deepened our understanding of God’s Word but also showed us how He works through His people everywhere, including Empilweni Primary School.

This experience is perfectly expressed in 2 Corinthians 9:8: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” This verse truly reflects our time at Empilweni, demonstrating that even with limited resources, the spirit and openness to hear about God were strong. It reminds us of the profound impact we can make when we use our talents to serve God and help others beyond our own communities.

Simon's Branch Team Distributes Coats and Gifts to Residents of the 1000 Hills Baptist Church Community

Simon's Branch team distributes coats and gifts.

Local women presented gift bags from Simon's Branch team

Anxious children excited by the gifts.

Women sorting through the hundreds of coats brought by the Simon's Branch team from the USA

Local residents sort through hundreds of coats brought by Simon's Branch

Local children excited about the messages from Simon's Branch

Our recent mission trip to South Africa was not only a profound journey of faith but also a testament to the remarkable acts of generosity and community support that empower our ministry. We are delighted to share the story behind the distribution of about 200 to 300 warm coats to children in the 1000 Hills Baptist Church community – a highlight of our mission.

During her search for her great-grandson’s lost coat at his school in Atlanta, Dr. Shirley Fitz Ritson discovered hundreds of unclaimed coats in the “lost-and-found” area. Curious about their fate, she asked the school administrator what typically happens to these items. After explaining the impactful work of Simon’s Branch, the administrators sought and received approval to donate these unclaimed coats to our mission. The initial collection was extensive, and as the word spread, even more contributions, came in.

The initial donation sparked further generosity when Dr. Shirley shared the story with her realtor’s mother. Moved by the potential for futher impact, the realtor’s mother reached out to her own school network.

The circle of generosity expanded even further when Dr. Shirley was asked by her great-grandson’s babysitter why she was washing so many coats. After learning about the mission’s purpose, the babysitter was inspired to reach out to her school, which also decided to contribute to the coat distribution effort. This sequence of events continuously added to the overall number of coats collected.

Each coat distributed to the children of the 1000 Hills Baptist Church community stands as a testament to the incredible support and collaboration from the community, vividly illustrating the spirit of Matthew 25:40. This mission reinforced the importance of humility and service, resonant with Philippians 2: 3-4’s encouragement to put others first in a spirit of service.

Simon’s Branch deeply appreciates the overwhelming generosity, compassion, and interest shown by the realtor’s mother, the babysitter, and all the school administrators involved. Their proactive efforts in reaching out to their networks and rallying support have been crucial to our mission’s success in international communities.

We are immensely grateful for every individual who played a role in this remarkable story of kindness. Their contributions demonstrate how interconnected actions can culminate in significant impacts, extending God’s love through our collective actions.

Each time we, the members of Simon’s Branch, view the photos of the children joyfully selecting their coats, our hearts are enlightened. These images serve as a poignant reminder of the moments we were engaged with excitement to serve and witness the children’s delight in receiving their coats. It’s a beautiful testament to the warmth and love shared during our mission.

OTHER ACTIVITIES OF THE SIMON'S BRANCH TEAM

Evangelism

The Word is preached.

These individuals are not church members, yet more than 100 residents from the surrounding community of 1000 Hills Baptist Church in Bothas Hill, South Africa crowded into the church to hear the gospel.