Mount Edgecombe mom raises the bar with a Jar of Hope
"The Jar of Hope is a really nutritious meal, and it feeds a family of four," said Lizanne Van Jaarsveld.
COLOURFUL layers of rice, lentils and soup mix make up a Jar of Hope, the brainchild of Mount Edgecombe resident, Lizanne Van Jaarsveld. Each jar is complete with a label that sports a set of cooking instructions and an encouraging Bible verse.
“It’s a really nutritious meal, and it feeds a family of four. I made it for my family and we enjoyed it,” said Van Jaarsveld, who was inspired to help others while recovering from an operation recently.
“The most important thing to me is to give hope to someone else especially during these times. Also, with winter coming, it’s getting cold, and I believe this can make a difference,” she added.
The mother of four, said her daughters help her wash and fill the jars.
“I involve my girls so they can learn from an early age to have compassion and notice the needs of others,” she said.
Christian Revival Church (CRC) is one of the platforms Van Jaarsveld wants to use to distribute the jars.
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“The reason I reached out to CRC is because they are the frontline workers at this stage. Churches are now being regarded as essential services, but throughout the lockdown, they have been out there feeding people and caring for them. They know the need. I would never be able to distribute these jars like they can because they know the hotspots,” she said.
CRC Pastor, Glenn Schroder said the Jar of Hope feeds into the church’s existing Covid-19 food hamper drive as well as their long standing feeding scheme that has been running for 25 years.
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“This is not a new project for CRC to be involved in, although, Covid-19 has exposed a deeper problem in society and it’s not just the poor who are struggling, but also those who have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic. As a movement of churches across the country, we’ve set a goal of 50 000 food hampers. The jars are a creative idea to support this,” he said.
CRC distributes food hampers to their members who are going through a crisis, as well as poor communities, and pastors who have lost their income as a knock-on effect of financially struggling congregations.
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