Celebrating 24 years of over the phone help
Telefriend Eastrand Centre was established in 1990 and is celebrating 24 years of helping people over the phone.
Telefriend is a confidential telephone careline that operates daily from 8.30am to 10pm.
According to the centre leader, Gary Manson, Telefriend is one of four centres in the country.
Manson says many Christian groups over the years have also made use of Telefriend as their phone-in-response forum including CBN, Turning Point telecast and The 700 Club, and says they are also linked with the national careline (0861 10 63 10).
“On average these past 24 years, we have received between 300 and 500 calls a month with the exception of telecasts using our number where we have received 800 calls a month.
“It may not seem much, but it has been extremely fruitful in that lives have been touched, and it has been equally exciting to hear of changed lives,” says Manson.
Manson says broken relationships have been restored and lonely people have been thankful that they have been given an outlet to express their deepest needs.
“We believe that being heard is so close to being loved, and that is for the average person almost indistinguishable. To say something you value deeply to another and to have him or her value it equally by listening to it carefully and appreciatively, is the most universal way of exchanging social interest or demonstrating affection,” says Manson.
He says that Telefriend is a listening ministry where the aim of every Telehelper (trained and committed volunteer) is to make each caller feel they have been heard by at least one other person, and that they are important to, and heard by God.
“Our 40 trained and committed volunteer workers do two duties a month, and are scheduled according to their availability. They are Christian men and women that understand life with all its ups and downs, and many of them have even been in similar situations as the callers.”
Manson says Telefriend offers a weekend course conducted over two weekends, while training for interested Telehelpers is also offered.
“Those who would like to participate in the Telefriend ministry and help someone over the phone (twice a month) need to attend the course on ‘Practical Tools for Ministry’ together with an additional orientation weekend.
“At no charge we give folk the necessary ‘know how’ to help a friend or a stranger in need,” he says.
The next course commences on Friday evening, May 2 at 7pm.
People who can call the line include:
n People who need an unbiased “listener” to talk to.
n People who find themselves in a crisis, such as financial, emotional or marital.;
n People who are lonely.
n People who need prayer.
n People who need referral information regarding other reputable organisations offering special assistance.
For further information about the ministry or the course, you may call 011 391 2222, or 011 922 9999 or 0861 10 63 10.
