Serve Global

Cedcas
Sibanye
CDCA

Serve Global

Why go so far away when there is so much work to do at home? We are mutually enriched when we intentionally pray, read scripture, and work on projects together with those that experience the world differently than we do. Through the years, we have established soul friendships that provide inspiration to our helping. For over a decade, we have partnered with CEDCAS, a health clinic in Costa Rica. Since 2010, we have partnered with communities in South Africa. Since 2014, we have partnered with the Center for Development in Central America (CDCA). Rachele Gilmore, our Director of Community Life, is our resource for this ministry.

Email Rachele

CEDCAS

Our partnership in Costa Rica began in 1980 when then seminarian Tim Rodden met Ann and Bob Jeffrey from LAM (Latin American Missions). The Jeffreys began working with Lillian Solt in about 2006 and we have continued our relationship with her since their retirement. We provide financial support and have made visits to Costa Rica in 1999, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2019 to offer friendship and a helping hand on various projects.

Red Clay most recently traveled to San José in February of 2024 to work with CEDCAS. While there, we offered sewing classes to women from the shanty town Guarari to teach them self-sustaining skills, worked on building improvements in their clinic, and held a day camp for over 50 children also from Guarari. This trip allowed us to rekindle our long standing relationship with Lillian, her daughter Rebeca, and the entire CEDCAS team, while building friendships with many new faces. We look forward to another trip in the coming years. Please let us know by clicking the button below if you are interested in going on a future trip, or supporting this mission.

Vamos!

Sibanye

In 2010, Red Clay was introduced to a team of young South Africans who were invited to the U.S. as part of a youth exchange program. They returned to South Africa with a strong sense of purpose to serve their communities so that other children could have the same opportunity. Since they belong to the Xhosa tribe, we selected the Xhosa word “Sibanye” (meaning “we are one”) as the name of this global mission. Unathi Mlisa is the leader of our team “on the ground” in South Africa. Mrs. Bono, who runs a women’s foundation called SEKI in Port Elizabeth, is also a key member of the team. In 2011, a Red Clay team traveled to the Eastern Cape of South Africa to begin developing our mission. The original mission was to help educate orphaned children in that area. So we decided to build reading rooms and stock them with books – in English, Xhosa (their native language), and Afrikaans – and provide teachers to assist with homework. Since its inception, the Sibanye mission team has created six reading rooms in five locations, stocking them with over 1,500 books. When the global economic crisis hit, we realized that these children needed more than just educational assistance. Many of them were not receiving adequate nutrition, so we expanded our mission to assist with the purchase of food. By providing Mrs. Bono with funding, we are able to help to feed many of the orphaned children in the township around SEKI. When we started this food program, we were able to help feed about 50 children. Today, we are helping Mrs. Bono feed about 150 children with our quarterly donation.

Masihambe!

CDCA

Since 1994, the Center for Development in Central America (CDCA) has been working in Ciudad Sandino, one of Nicaragua’s most densely populated areas, by listening to the needs of the community and helping empower them to improve their lives. Their mission is “to enable communities to become self-sufficient, sustainable, democratic entities.” Since 2014, Sarah Junkin Woodard has been visiting Red Clay every other year to bring greetings from Nicaragua and inform us about how God’s love is responding to the needs of the poor through the work of the CDCA. Her photographs and discussion points have provided a clear picture of the challenges Nicaraguans face on a daily basis. She has also brought authentic handmade crafts, beautiful clothing, exquisite pottery, and lovely jewelry to Red Clay so that we could enjoy Nicaraguan culture and directly support the local artists of Ciudad Sandino.

Ayudame!