Agapé support group offers support to bereaved parents

Alberton North Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa is calling all parents who lost their children or are currently mourning the loss of a loved one to join their support group.

As part of their many welfare initiatives at the Alberton North congregation, the church is and has been reaching out to the bereaved through the Agapé support group.

Through the group, led by Chris Rossouw, they offer support to parents who have lost their children and loved ones through death.

According to Rossouw, the main function of the support group is to support parents during their mourning period of losing their children.

“There’s always power when people unite corporately and stand in oneness before God. As a congregation, we are involved in several ministries and part of those is the ministry called the Agapé support group.

“The bereaved are treated with love through social meetings and not to necessarily talk about sorrows of the bereavement, but to offer moral support and hope,” he said.

Although this was initially concentrated on the congregation, Rossouw said they would now like to extend these services to the Alberton community.

“We go as far as visiting our members at their homes. There’s a professional who assists the group. Those who wish to attend these free impactful sessions may contact me on 083 321 6954. Sessions are hosted weekly at the congregation based at 31 Charl Cilliers Avenue, Alberton North,” he explained.

‘God favours His work’

The congregation also boasts its pride in the uniqueness of the church’s cross, situated inside their premises, generously made possible by the late Abel Coetzee.

“I believe that when God tells someone to do something, it doesn’t necessarily mean that person needs to carry out that job. It could mean that the person should share that vision and God will supply the rest and that’s exactly what happened. Rossouw received a vision for the cross to be put up and Coetzee took it upon himself to bring the vision to fuition,” explained Willie Lotz of the congregation.

He said the engineering costs for the foundation of the project would cost about R50 000.

Through the project, Lotz said God wanted to show people that He loves them greatly. The cross which is said to be about 15 metres high is visible at night, making it easy for the congregation to be easily recognised.