A beacon of light now open in Alexandra

As we drove through the rubble / the crowded streets of Alex (as they call it) - we weren't exactly sure if we were headed in the right direction on the road we were on.  I looked up the street a bit and saw amongst the shacks a new, 2 story large complex smack in the middle of the community.  That was where we were headed.  We were to join in on a celebration honoring the opening of a new MaAfrika Tikkun community center and honoring the people that made it possible.

The company I work for - Safelite AutoGlass was purchased by a company called Belron about 4 years ago.  Belron is and has been run by the Lubner family who started MaAfrika Tikkun.  The building site was made possible through a lot of local partnerships but mostly due to funds donated from Ronnie & Rhona Lubner who are Gary Lubner's parents (again, Gary is the CEO of Belron).  We were all very grateful to have been invited to join in on the facilities grand opening ceremony. 

Our team with Gary Lubner

This is Rita from Orange Farm - turns out she is a Pastor (I should have

known as it is clearly her calling).  I have video again of her opening

and closing prayers for celebration.

In Alex we ran into a couple of young women that participated
this past year in the Belron Triathlon in London.  It was great to see them!

Brian in one of the open / warm / inviting Early Childhood Development
program rooms with murals / books / toys - everything you'd want a child to have.

Betsy in the second story HUGE athletics room

Children of Alex who came and performed - all thumbs up

'shop shop' (which means everything is alright)

Children performing - the two people in the photo from right
to left are Ronnie and Rhona Lubner

Brian with new boxing equipment in the athletic room

Just gave me perspective to look out the window of this wonderful
building and see the miles of shacks

Street-side sewing vendor

Mark Lubner telling about MaAfrika Tikkun

Ronnie being honored - very humbly reporting that they supported

the funding of the new facility 'because it was the right thing to do'

Miss South Africa spoke of the impact this facility would have on the community

One of the active ECD units - was nap time as we walked by