Two years ago my wife and I went to South Africa on a vision trip. My wife had been exposed to the HHIA organization someway and we had attended a meeting at Mike and Michelle's house in Phoenix. I am not a particularly religious sort and while maybe not selfish, I definitely could do more help others. I was so impressed at that initial meeting with Mike and Michelle as individuals that I agreed to accompany my wife on a vision trip to South Africa. To say the trip was a life changing experience would not be accurate but I did get to see what two very capable individuals can accomplish if they really commit themselves. Mike and Michelle are the most impressive persons I have ever met in my 68 years of life. I think they do more in one day to help the children than most of the people I have met in my life do in a lifetime. First, they leave the impression that the reason they are here on earth is to help others less fortunate and then they have the abilities to make a difference. I am somewhat cynical when it comes to supporting "causes" but HHIA is one that I feel totally comfortable in supporting. No matter how you participate I know that your efforts will do some good for some folks that have not experienced much if any good in their life and daily face challenges that most of us could not handle in a year. Mike, Michelle and HHIA do make a difference.

Lee Stacy

Postcard from Africa

This month saw the start of a new Helping Hands pre-school. The children from Molelwane village now have access to free early learning in a beautiful building that is fully equipped and staffed. Molelwane village is situated on the outskirts of the town of Mafikeng in the North West Province of South Africa. It is a village where most of the residents are severely disadvantaged. Unemployment is the norm. Many of the children live with their grandmothers or other foster care due to the high death rate of the adult community.

Poverty is more than just the lack of money. It is also the lack of opportunity. A child who does not have access to early learning is disadvantaged from the start of his/her life. Before they even start formal schooling they are already behind. At Helping Hands we are determined to give every child, even if they are orphaned, a good start in their education. Each little child is encouraged in every way possible to love learning. We hope this love for learning will continue throughout their life.

Katie Burleson from Sun Valley Community Church in Gilbert, Arizona has volunteered her time and skill for seven months of this year to help start the pre-school in Molelwane. Last year she was in South Africa helping us start the Helping Hands pre-school in Top Village. Katy is in the center of the photo. On her left is Kenalemang and on the right is Lerato. These are the preschool teachers from Molelwane that Katy is training. These two precious women are from the village themselves. They are giving of their own time and life to ensuring that the children are taught in a loving and stimulating environment. I am convinced that with people like these three women giving of their best to the preschool and leading with love and kindness, our children in Molelwane will grow strong roots that, despite their difficult backgrounds, will help them in turn to have hearts that are sturdy and kind and filled with the love of life. Certainly every child should have the opportunity to grow in this way. Thank you Katy and Sun Valley Community Church for your dedication to these little ones.

On another note, to give feedback regarding our House Project. I am very happy to let you know that we have found a suitable house for our office, Orphan Intervention Program and Mission teams. We will take occupation at the beginning of November. We are still in need of some funds to complete the purchase so if you would like to contribute we would be most grateful. You can do so by sending a check to our office marking it "House Project" or you can make a donation on line. If you would like more information about this, please email me. Thank you very much to each person who has already contributed. We are so thrilled with the possibilities the new house gives us.

With kind regards,
Michelle Tessendorf
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001RKRfw3hXuRlKHlXxflC4Y9e-PqGfRe9n72cLt7kjz6tqu7fdWeOUQoiBFJWPTOIKDI3vZzVwKS3vOGSMR6V6lepsc5WZ7HSyJ9-BVdH2Tjozg4qP557Qm0m80TAKYwBh

Angels

This morning we met some of God's angels in the form of the Molelwane Care Givers that care for the HIV/AIDS infected villagers. The Care Givers have received training for this through the generous support given by members of La Casa de Cristo. These women are truly amazing women of God as they nurture these patients day after day with the biggest hearts of love and compassion I have ever seen.

After meeting the patients, which included two children under the age of 10, we returned to the church in Molelwane and met up with the 20 Pre School children that attend the morning program. I can't begin to describe the feeling I get in my heart when you see the children running to meet you with their huge smiles and loving hearts. I feel like I have known them all my life. There was no hesitancy on their part, from day one we were all their friends.
Today the children decorated prayer boxes that contained prayers on paper in both English and Setswana (their native language). It was so cute to see them take such time and effort to add the stickers to the outside of the boxes. They were so proud of the finished product that they were all going around showing each other how beautiful their boxes were! I know that they will treasure those boxes forever and it made me realize just how much we take the little things for granted and how truly blessed we all are.

Then it was story time. Diane Garman read this story that the children were so enthralled with. It involved throwing stuffed animals around and you would not believe the giggles that were coming out of that room. That is another thing that really strikes me, how light hearted and happy most of these children are in spite of their circumstances. One of my God's moments on this trip has been to understand that we need to always find joy in God and life no matter how bad we think things are going for us. I will always remember those children and their joy whenever those bad times come upon me.

Each day has been filled with new wonderful surprises and joyful times that I can hardly wait for tomorrow! I especially can't wait to see those smiles on the faces of all the children as we come into the village tomorrow. I will give the children an extra hug for all of you!

~Mandy Meister

Back to School Part II

In the wee hours of the morning on Friday, I had a meltdown over going on this trip. I absolutely did not want to go. My plane was leaving in a few hours, my luggage wasn't packed and my mind was made up: No South Africa for me. My own conscience forced me to finish packing my bags, my mother pushed me out the door and into the terminal, and my Jesus gave me the strength to control my fear over leaving the United States for the first time. Then my entire attitude changed.

Today I had a little girl tell me repeatedly that she loved me, a boy no older than two fall asleep in my arms, and another young boy learned to trust me enough to let me hold his marbles because I was going to surely give them back. There are no words to describe how meaningful these experiences are in my heart, because only being in this place among the children allows you to fully understand the heartbreak and joy filling everyone here.

Writing about the programs we did today doesn't really fit my style. I enjoyed giving them structure and activities they normally wouldn't do, but simply walking in the village and loving on any kid in front of me is what reminds me most of Jesus and his relational work while he was here. And, He is the greatest teacher of all, to live as He did would be no mistake. Thus, we are working to touch these children's lives with a simple hug or moment to ask their name and repeat it back to them.

It also isn't my style to leave out how amazing the relationships between our own team members are as they continue to develop; we really do love each other (or else we wouldn't be able to be in such close quarters all the time!). The fact that Jesus is alive within us all makes our bond significant and powerful. There are times when I step back and see everyone eager to help despite being exhausted and people forming friendships regardless of their age or place in life. Plus, there is no cease to the laughter! This is important – knowing your team and loving each other because only then are we able to come together to love others we come in contact with here in Mafikeng.

Most importantly, this trip is about trusting the Lord: Trusting Him to provide funds, to keep the plane safe during our almost 24-hour journey, and to meet our needs while we are here. He has gone beyond our expectations. The people of Molelwane Village have come to trust us which is also the work of God. Allowing us to come into their land and provide programs for their children of all ages is a big leap of faith and they welcome it with open arms. Even the high school age group gave us hugs as we left…it takes more time to earn the trust of this group of students so it was quite moving to know they enjoyed their time with us. We are being blessed more than I could ever explain.

Job 22:26 - Then you will always trust in God and find that he is the source of your joy.

~Grace Gardner

Back to School Part I

This morning even before we left the house we learned that many things are different in South Africa….roosters crow at midnight and the water swirls down the drain backwards. Now as we end our first full day in Molelwane village, we've learned that many things are the same the world over.

We learned that that there are people here who share the same passion we do to serve God. We walked over to the church next door where we got to meet the pastors, caregivers, and cooks who make up the staff of HHIA. One of those people is the deputy headman of Top Village, who at 80 years young, rides his bike daily to visit and provide care for the sick people in his village.
We learned that simple gestures from little children bring great joy to big people no matter where they are. As we drove into Molewane village, we were greeted along the way by the enthusiastic waves and big smiles of the local children who were standing in their barbwire enclosed yards.

We learned that song has a way of bonding people together no matter what language it is sung in. We shared such traditional VBS songs as Father Abraham and Jesus Loves Me This I Know with the preschoolers. While the children did not understand the meanings of the words, they certainly understood the message.

We learned that children all over the world crave love and attention. No one had an empty lap or a hand unheld today….some of us even had children on our backs.

We learned that play is universal. We all (big and little) had fun kicking around a half-inflated soccer ball, jump roping, and hula hooping. A big highlight was batting around balloons with homemade paddles. Although we look different than the people we met today, do not speak the same language, and live in vastly different homes we are all the same in Christ.

Verse for the day: Luke 18:16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.

~Carol Mathews

Dedication

Today was the day of the dedication of the Fountain of Hope Community Church in Molelwane Village. After Pastor Garman cooked us a delicious breakfast, we all boarded the bus for the short drive to Molelwane. As thebus was traversing the dirt roads inside Molelwane, many of the smaller children who live in the village wererunning up and waving to us.

The dedication service was held in large tent that was erected next to the actual church building. This was done to accommodate the large number of dignitaries and members of other churches who came to celebrate this event. We sat up near the front, and were treated to a spectacular event. The singing and dancing throughout the service was unbelievable. This was pure worship, they hold nothing back.

Think of La Casa's contemporary service with African themed music and a lot more dancing than you'd ever see at La Casa. In between the music, Pastor Victor welcomed all of the congregations who had come to celebrate with them,including ours. Mr. M. J. Molema, the Head Man of Molelwane, and without who's permission the church could not have been built, spoke about the importance of the church providing a better moral foundation to the village's children than they were currently getting.

Pastor Garman spoke near the end of the service. He had the village children baptize the new church with water balloons that we had prepared in the morning. The service took a long time because most of the Setswana was translated into English and vice versa. What struck me while watching all of this, is that it doesn't matter what language you worship in, nor what you look like, nor how well you dance, we are all children of God, and God loves us all the same (John 10:16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.). The service was followed by a lunch with the dignitaries in the actual church building.

Once we got back to the house, Bill and Susan walked us over to Top Village, the first village that Helping Hands became involved with, and across the street from our house in Mafikeng. On the way over there, I was walking at the back of the group when I saw one of the villagers walking towards me shouting, "Shoot me! Shoot me!" This was very bewildering, so I called out to Bill who it turned out had actually met the guy before. He wanted me to take his picture, so I took a picture of him and Bill. Once at Top Village we placed orders with the beading project, and were given a tour of Top Village by their pastor, Pastor Patrick. The contrast between the utter poverty of the village and the relative prosperity of Mafikeng is striking. Houses with indoor plumbing and electricity and that would look nice in Phoenix are across the street from shacks with no electricity and water that has to be obtained from wells.

~Noel Olmut

From Phoenix SkyHarbor to Mafikeng

It takes a long time to get here. Four hours to Washington – Dulles, a couple of hours at Dulles, 7 ½ hours to Dakar, Senegal, about an hour waiting there, almost 8 hours to Johannesburg, about 1 ½ hours going through customs and getting bags, and finally a 4 hour bus ride to Mafikeng. Everything went like clockwork, and we do thank God for that. It turns out August 2 was Grace's birthday. About an hour before arriving in Jo'burg, as the locals call it, we gathered around her seat and serenaded her with Happy Birthday. She was just a little bit embarrassed, pulling her blanket over her face. Happy Birthday, Grace!! We were met at the airport by Ron, the trip leader who'd been in South Africa since the prior week, and Bill and Susan, the short-term mission coordinators for Helping Hands, and whom most of us met in March at a meeting at La Casa. It was nice to see those familiar faces after such a long journey. Walking outside the terminal intoa very pleasant 65 degrees was also very nice. The fact that it was dark by 6:00pm and the temperature wasdropping very quickly, quickly reminded us that it is winter here. On the way to Mafikeng, we stopped for dinner. What better way to be introduced to South African cuisine than eating at – McDonalds!! Almost identical to what we have at home except you can order a cup of corn as an alternative to fries. We started out at Sky Harbor at 6am on the 1st. We ended our long journey at the house in Mafikeng at almost midnight on the 2nd.

~Noel Olmut

As We Prepare to Leave

We are off to Africa for the 2nd time to assist the Helping Hands in Africa Organization minister to the Children of South Africa in and around Mafikeng, South Africa. We have been planning this trip for the past 9 months and it is finally here! God has truly blessed us already by allowing us to make new friends at La Casa.

Four of us are returning for a 2nd visit, Debbie Sanneman, Laurie Gerlach, Melody Gartrell-Sherman, and Ron Meister. This year we have a younger mix of people with High Schoolers Leah Swanson, Lindsay Sanneman and Mackenzie Smith and College Student Grace Gardner traveling with us. Also joining us are Mandy Meister, Carol Mathews, Noel Olmut and Pastor and Diane Garman.

We will be hosting a Vacation Bible School for the younger children. The themes of the VBS will be God's family, prayer, and God's promises. Additionally, this year we will be reaching out to the young adults with a program on self-esteem. We are also very excited to be able to participate in the dedication of the multi-purpose building in Molelwane village that La Casa helped to build. This building is used for worship services and for the feeding program for the children.

In addition, we will once again be able to provide school supplies for the children thanks to the generosity of the congregation. We will be buying school uniforms, shoes, backpacks and supplies for more than 40-Children! For most of the Children, if not all, it will be the first new things they have ever received in their lives. We wish you could all be there to share their hugs and see their faces when they get their new uniforms. It is a very emotional experience for all of us; both rewarding and humbling rolled up into one!

It is our goal to post our experiences each day in this BLOG. However, one never knows if we'll be able to get a good connection each day in the Internet Cafes in Mafikeng.
We ask for the Congregation's continued support through prayer. We ask you to pray for the safety of our Team; that we follow God's lead in all of our activities, and that we share the love of Jesus with everyone we encounter. The Team will be traveling August 1st – 11th.

Ron Meister, Team Leader

Mission in South Africa August 1-11, 2008

Follow the thirteen members of our South Africa team in words and pictures on their daily blog at our website, as they traveled half a world away (in more ways than one) to Molelwane village.
Their journey began months ago with planning and preparing … but their actual travel took place August 1 – 11. They arrived home safely on August 11th.

While they are there, they will…
Dedicate the church building that La Casa funded
Dedicate the well that provides their own water supply, made possible by the money raised by our High School Sunday School class
Share supplies of hats, gloves, mittens, and mufflers collected by our MOPS moms and Women’s Breakaway Weekend participants
Share school supplies from our preschool
Outfit 40 children with school uniforms, also with money received from La Casa members (in South Africa, you can’t go to school unless you have a uniform)
As you can see from the list above, our whole church community is involved, even those who are staying home! Please continue your involvement by keeping those traveling in your prayers: Ron Meister, Grace Gardner, Pastor Andrew Garman, Diane Garman, Melody Gartrell-Sherman, Laurie Gerlach, Mandy Meister, Noel Olmut, Carol Mathews, Debbie Sanneman, Lindsay Sanneman, Mackenzie Smith, and Leah Swanson; as well as the villagers to whom they will be ministering.