South Africa, HIV/AIDS and the Central Atlantic Conference

Rev. Adora Iris Lee, a UCC-ordained minister from the Central Atlantic Conference, has just returned from a life-transforming ministry in Southern Africa, the region of the world that has been hardest hit by the devastating HIV/AIDS pandemic.  Rev. Lee has been touring CAC churches to share her experiences.

The CAC has recently begun a partnership with the South Africa Synod of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa to make a difference to those who are struggling in the face of HIV and AIDS. More information is available by clicking here. Contact the Conference office to explore ways you and your church can make a difference in combating HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa!

Report from Global Ministries Missionaries in South Africa

Rev. Dawn and Jon Barnes are missionaries with UCC/Disciples Global Ministries working in South Africa. They recently shared this report on their work in that region:

Since we last wrote we have been busy with the following areas of work:

 

1. We successfully assisted the region in distributing 100,000 packets of seed to the 20 churches. The seeds were donated by a NGO (non-governmental organization) in the US and arrived in RSA in December 2006. The seeds were handed out at our regional meeting on 17 February. They were first blessed by our oldest minister in the region and prayed over and then off they went into some many different lands. Each church will decide how they will distribute in the church and/or community. The spirit was high on that meeting and everyone was very excited. Jon and I will be excited to see how the seeds grow in the future!

 

2. Two of the churches have received funding from various churches and individuals in the US, through Global Ministries, for their chicken projects. At our regional meeting the members from these two churches were glowing they were so happy. They will begin working on the structures for the chickens to be housed and this is VERY exciting for us to see finally taking place. Although, the two projects are not fully funded as of yet, we will keep on plugging!

 

3. We visited the HIV/AIDS project in Queenstown, The Intiliyzo Project, and things there are going very well. They are considering including children into their work as there are so many children now orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Harry (who runs this project) and his family have bought the farm on which the project is housed and they will be moving there soon.

 

4. The Samaritan Care Centre is at a pivotal stage! The new centre is near completion and things are falling into place as we receive more and more community support. The volunteers have a small stipend and they are happy as well. We have had 4 patients die just this year so far and we have 3 inpatient at the moment. The home based care has increased from 65 to around 85. HIV/AIDS continues to ravage our communities!

 

5. We attended the ordination of one of the interns on 27 Feb. This was no ordinary ordination, however. It was the first time a black Xhosa person has been called to a coloured church in our area of the UCCSA. This to us is a sign of the times where true reconciliation is taking place.

 

6. We both have been busy preaching as we welcomed in a week of prayer and renewal at the beginning of Feb.

 

On a lighter note we have reunited with several Americans here in East London and had dinner together a few times. It is always nice to be with those who know your background and where you are coming from. One of the ladies has also adopted 2 South African children and it is great for all of our kids to get together. As a family we participated in a 8K Gandhi walk, hosted by the Hindu Temple here. It was a lovely Sunday morning event with all shades of people joining together and then enjoying a beautiful Indian lunch together. We have enjoyed many meals with old friends catching up from our time away and so good to know that you were missed and to be together again.

 

The kids are doing incredibly well. They are so thrilled to go to there school everyday and they will begin full days next week. They have a swing set outside in the front yard and demand to be swung on it every night as high as possible. We also went to Durban last week as a family. Jon had a PhD seminar there and we stayed with our fellow missionary colleagues. The kids played with their kids (5 and 7) and there were power rangers, spider mans, princesses and ballerinas all over the house for the 3 days we were there. Our kids did not want to come home!

 

Just for a smile: We sure miss "Mekong" in Richmond and Jon is mourning the loss of a tortilla chip that came out here before we left but has since disappeared (we take it that S. Africans are not keen on them). The kids speak of "Chick-Fil-A" quite often but are appeased with ice cream from the local McDonald's. One never forgets the joy of foods! But we are glad to be back in the land where you are free to go barefoot wherever you like. =) Ah...the joys of rich culture world wide!

 

Now that you have a laugh I leave you with this burden to think on and to consider what is our role...to think about the old saying..."To walk a mile in those shoes." This was a quote form an article in the newspaper this week:

 

"Am I a criminal because I eat with robbed money? I don't want to know how my two sons earned the R20 ($3) or R30 ($4) or R100 ($14) they bring home most evenings. Of course they've stolen it; or maybe they've mugged somebody; maybe somebody was stabbed with a knife or screwdriver. Maybe somebody is dead now and their money paid for my pap (stable food) tonight." From a resident of Enkanini squatter camp outside of Capetown, where many live off the proceeds of crime

 

May God continue to show us, all of us, the way of peace in our lives each and everyday. With love, Dawn and crew

 

 

Revs. Dawn and Jon Barnes
25 Schultz Road
Bonnie Doon
East London 5241
Republic of South Africa
043-735-3932 home/work