An artistic illustration representing community care and hope, featuring supportive hands holding a growing green seedling with SSVP branding, set against a warm Eastern Cape landscape.

The Power of Love: Visiting Jehovah Jireh Haven, Alexandria

ByDeneys

Below is a featured guest article written by Mary Lloyd, sharing why we believe you should visit Jehovah Jireh Haven following our recent SSVP trip to Alexandria.

VISITING JEHOVAH JIREH HAVEN, ALEXANDRIA

Molly and Neels Bam trust implicitly in the Lord, which is why they named their home for abandoned children in Alexandria, Jehovah Jireh, meaning, “The Lord Will Provide”. On our recent visit, the need for God’s providential care was all too evident.

A number of infrastructural problems require urgent attention. There is no reliable running water because of inadequate water pressure. Water is collected overnight in 20-litre containers from a slowly dripping tap and then carried into the house. The municipality seems unable to improve the situation. Four of the newly installed toilets are not functioning, and the contractor has failed to respond to repeated requests to repair them. The driveway is badly damaged after heavy rains washed away supporting soil.

The Bams work tirelessly to keep the children in their care healthy, but local clinics are no longer providing the subsidised medication so desperately needed to treat parasite infestations and malnutrition.

Despite the daily challenges they face, the orphans are a happy group of children who delight in welcoming visitors, often greeting them with the joyful singing of a favourite hymn.

Among them is a remarkable young man named Moses, aged twenty-one, who has lived at J.J. Haven all his life. He has lovingly taken on the responsibility of caring for Noah, also twenty-one, who has lived with severe physical and intellectual disabilities since birth. Moses carries out this demanding role with extraordinary patience, kindness, and devotion, doing everything he can to ensure Noah’s safety and well-being.

Noah’s cheerful spirit and obvious sense of security are a moving testament to the love, care, and acceptance he has received at J.J. Haven since he was six years old.

Take a trip to Alexandria, the small Eastern Cape town between Port Alfred and Gqeberha, and visit Jehovah Jireh Haven. It is an experience that is both sobering and heart-warming.

by Mary Lloyd

💡 How to Support: If you would like to support SSVP Port Alfred in helping Molly and Neels Bam address these critical water, sanitation, and medical needs, please reach out to us via our Contact Page or consider making a Donation.