Hello Fellow Mission Partners,

As you all enter into spring, we here in South Africa are entering into fall! It is a lovely time of year here when the harsh summer sun decides to give us just a little break. The weather is cooler, but not cold as we know in the USA. Various flowers and trees still give bloom to purples, oranges and reds and the birds continue to let us know that they are still around. As we are not far from the Indian Ocean, we are the lucky ones to continue to view the ebb and flow of the sea as well. However, there are no fall leaves or the earthy tones that come with that change.

We were in the USA for a short time over the December holidays and enjoyed time with family and friends. Our kids, Khaya who is nearly 5 and Aly who will be 4 in May, have gotten to be spoiled by their US family and friends and it is harder and harder to leave every time now! But then the kids come home to South Africa and settle in to their friends, daycare, play areas and are happy here again. Kids are such troopers to change!

We have been busy with chickens, agriculture and veggies since January 2008. The chicken houses that were funded last year are near completion and will soon be raising chickens. The agriculture project in the Peelton church has been growing some vegetables and the major plots are well on the way. And the vegetable tunnels are in full swing. We have received great funding for these 9 by 4 meter green house type tunnels that grow amazing vegetables for churches and local communities. The spinach is growing all around - even up to Botswana! So this aspect of our work is a grand success.

The Samaritan Care Centre that is providing holistic care to the terminally ill is busy as ever. The centre has 13 inpatients at the moment and 95 outpatients. HIV/AIDS continues to be a daily battle, along with its partner TB. But the patients are fighting back by taking their medications and the centre volunteers are educating and assisting folks everyday. This ministry is one that shows Christ everyday in so many ways.

Our partner church here, The United Congregational Church of Southern Africa, continues to take its justice stance. The President has sent out many letters speaking about the situation in Zimbabwe, calling for peace and justice in Iraq and about local issues of crime, prejudice and poverty. We are so proud to be in such a solid partnership with a church that takes such bold stands here in Africa. The region where we work, the Kei Region, continues to battle having enough ministers for the 20 churches, the continued problem of poverty, and the number of funerals that conducted every single weekend. But we take heart in the good things that are happening: a new minister for one of the churches, LLC Duze Congregational Church, the first ordained female in the region ministers serving the Ezibeleni Congregational Church, the active women's groups in the church who are bolding fighting against HIV/AIDS in so many ministries, and the number of children who are eager to learn about Christ and be involved in the church.

We wrote to many of you last year about the UCCSA and the region in which we serve. Our churches here are eager to learn about your congregation, your ministries and how church is lived out in your area. We invite you all to write so that we can share this with the 20 churches here so that we can live out the partnership that is envisioned by Global Ministries and the church at large. Any questions from your side, especially from the children and youth, would be welcomed as we all try and learn more about our partners and our world.

We hold your congregations in our prayers as we work together in ministry around the globe.

Blessings of peace and love,
Dawn and Jon Barnes