19-01-2010
A locally supported partnership of churches and individuals in Scotland
with those involved in ministry and mission in South Africa
with those involved in ministry and mission in South Africa
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Lentikile Mashoko was born in Soweto, central Transvaal, now Gauteng, province on 17th September 1980. From there he was taken by his grandmother Minnie Mashoko at the age of three to stay with her for the next 24 years. He was brought up, bread and buttered at Lindley (see note at end).
He has one brother (who has a son) and one sister (with two daughters) and he is the last born at his home. His biological mother passed on in May 1999. Lentikile was under the care of his grandmother, who passed on this year on 20th May 2006.
Lentikile attended Thuto-Tsebo primary school from grade one to grade seven. He was involved in the school choir and did no sport at all. Then he continued his studies at Lindley High School from 1996-2000.
Lentikile became very much active in the Christian Student Movement and in September 1999 he was voted as the Deputy Headboy-Prefect of the school, and also served as a secretary of the RCL (Representative Council of Learners).
He completed his grade twelve (Matric) with exemption (with the M-score that allows him entrance to the University).
In 2001 he registered with the University of Free State studying Theology. Lack of funds meant he had to drop out in the middle of the year.
For the second half of 2001 and the whole of 2002 he worked in the local butcher store, while he was in the fellowship of vocation in his Presbytery (Presbytery of Free State). Towards the end of that year he was invited to the selection conference where he was taken as a ministry student and since 2003 he has been a registered theology student.
This year Lentikile registered at the University as a fourth year student in theology, also as a first year Masters degree student in Ancient Languages and Culture (with great interest in Hebrew language).
Currently Lentikile is in his fourth year at the University of Pretoria, coming towards the end of his B.Th. degree and looking forward doing his probation next year.
In 2005 Lentikile was chosen as a secretary of House Theology, which is an organization for all theological students at the University, which is constituted by three communities: Tiyo-Soga Presbyterian community, Deo Gloria Dutch Reformed Church community and Van Der Hoff which is Herformde Kerk community. Currently he is serving as a chairperson of Tiyo-Soga Presbyterian community, which is constituted by students of the Uniting Presbyterian Church and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (known as Swiss mission). Some of the students from other denominations are also associated in this community. Other students are from Seventh Day Adventist, Uniting Reformed Church (which is from the Dutch Reformed family).
Home Background:
Lindley is a very small town in the Eastern side of Free State. According to the 2001 census, there are 45000 people in this small town. The sad news is that almost 70% of the people in this area are unemployed and 57% of those who are employed live below poverty level. This is a farming area, mainly with potatoes and maize. According to the statistics 95% of people in this town are Christians, so one can see that there is a great Christian influence in this area. There are 10 local churches of which 9 are from the Reformed tradition and one Roman Catholic congregation. There are two Primary schools and two High schools.
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