The Evangelical Mission Church, situated on the border of Hanover Park and Newfields Estate, is a haven of hope and transformation to the surrounding communities and serves them in every way that they possibly can.
It was established in 2009 as a community church in a marquee tent, and now eight years later, it’s a 400-seater chapel which serves as a lighthouse for lost souls locally and globally.
I recently paid a visit and spoke to the founder, Missionary Pastor Bruce van Eeden as well as the board members of the church.
This is no ordinary place of worship; here they inspire, uplift and motivate a community where poverty, gangsterism and drug addiction is rife.
Pastor Bruce says: “The biggest challenge in our community is the fact that many or most of the homes are fatherless, leaving kids to fend for themselves while a single mom has to bring home the bread for the table, or that mom is also an addict.
“Her we see it all, we have it all; we have children who turn to drug addiction, gangsterism, becoming school dropouts, and all sorts of destructive realities.”
He elaborates that they have 12 ministry departments relevant to the community’s needs, ranging from drug abuse, men’s ministry, which speaks to the men and making them understand their role in the household, women’s and youth ministry, food distribution and medical distribution.
There is also a boys’ after-school programme, spearheaded by Solomon Staggie, a former member of the notorious Hard Livings gang.
“This life he has left in the past, today he is serving a community that is in need of change and he is helping them create the change,” Pastor Bruce adds.
Hanover Park is situated on the Cape Flats and it will take you less than 10 minutes to drive from the entrance to the exit.
Now, picture this area populated with more than 50 000 souls, all crammed into an area rife with crime.
People are living in overcrowded flats and there are scores of backyard dwellers.
Hanover Park is one of the saddest results of apartheid.
According to information that the church has gathered, only about 10 to 15% of this community would go out and visit a place of worship.
On the brighter side, many great role models hail from Hanover Park and went on to make a good life for themselves, such as Desiree Ellis, the coach of Banyana Banyana, former Bafafana Bafana star Benni McCarthy who is now a coach at Manchester United FC, and television host and musician Jonathan Rubain.
These are just some of the inspiring stories coming out of Hanover Park, to make us realise that anything is possible, and we should not be held back by our circumstances.
Pastor Bruce has travelled the world preaching the gospel and has active ministries in India, Pakistan, China, and many more.
But he says he wants to make an impact here with his own people, saying that charity begins at home.
“EMC is a church with a difference, continuously making a difference in people’s lives resulting in former drug addicts, gangsters, and prison convicts, now serving as worship leaders, ministry leaders, and making a difference through their changed lives,” he explains.
Board member Stanton Rodriques, who is also the substance abuse coordinator and men’s leader of the church, ensures that there are programmes running throughout the week, especially for drug addicts who come from rehab centres and need a stable environment and to those who seek help.
“More than 250 people have sought the help of EMC in 2023 and have been directed to the available spaces which would also suit their pockets,” Stanton says.
“It is very important to understand that we serve a community who is marginalised in every aspect of life, more than 90% of our community are strapped financially and so we do whatever we can to assist and reach the outcome that we aim for.”
Claude Dreyer, a prayer coordinator, plays a fatherly role in the congregation.
He started here just three years ago and has become part of the Hanover Park family.