News & Events » A Volunteers Testimonial

Below is an e-mail received from Kevin O’Brien who travelled to Missionvale this year. Kevin gives an account of what the trip meant to him and his wife Mary.

We arrived back home in Ireland this afternoon and I think it is very safe to say every single one of the eleven of us had a simply life enhancing experience.

Missionvale (& Sister Ethel of course) is one of most worthy and deserving institutions I have ever visited.

The range of activities / areas of community engagement that address a specific need/deficit is simply astounding and the local people involved all give one hundred per cent each and every day working in what are stressful and distressing circumstances for surely the most socio-economically deprived group of people in Port Elizabeth

On our last day Linda accompanied us to ‘The Tree’ which really had a huge impact upon all of us -especially as in 1988 the apartheid system was in full force and ruthlessly applied by the ‘Perri -Normal’ police force so how Sister Ethel managed to prevail and develop the current centre is really a true sign of her strong Catholic faith, sheer raw personal courage and her indomitable belief in the love of Christ Jesus. She leads by example and inspires the rest of us to try harder.

You and your team have really undertaken sterling work in supporting Sister Ethel by erecting the various buildings to a very high standard of finish that makes Missionvale Centre such a physical presence right in the heart of the township.

Mary will be compiling a dvd and we will forward it to you in due course

best wishes

kevin