Day 10

Today was a most incredible day. Our first stop was Itipini, a small village on the outskirts of Umtata which originated on garbage dump (hence the "tip" in Itipini), and for the resources in the garbage for building shacks in which to live and eat. In this small village, poor beyond belief, we were greeted by a new contact, Sarah, who works in the clinic there. We drove as far as possible up the dirt and potholed road and walked the rest of the way with our bags of medical supplies, baby clothes, baby blankets and Mother Bears. Jenny, the nurse at the clinic and Sarah were absolutely overwhelmed and touched beyond belief with the amount of medical supplies.

We stopped at the day care, giving out Mother Bears to all of the children as they shared part of their culture with us through song and dance.

We were able to have a serious conversation with the staff that are present throughout the year in regard to their most urgent needs. Their wish list, which is their prayer list, includes their food program, their bread program and the milk program for newborns. For example, for $12,000 per year, their bread and milk program would be fully funded. Arm In Arm In Africa is most interested being able to assist in this project in this most deserving community.

Upon return to our home base, we had friends awaiting us for pedicures and foot and hand massage. It is interesting to note that this community is mostly unfamiliar with this close attention from visitors. It was treat for all of us to pamper them. It was an amazingly touching moment to bring two vastly different cultures together in the shade of a tree, only to discover we are all one at heart.

We are on the road tomorrow and will hopefully find better internet access to send you more photographs. Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Day 9

A few of us began our day with a road trip into Umtata in preparation for our evening community celebration and food distribution. Food parcels were delivered for those 85 families that were in need of emergency provisions. The group assisted in offloading the food parcels.

Much of the day was spent by traveling one hour on a road that would make MN roads with the potholes, look extremely smooth. We spent time with the staff at a local hospital. We were encouraged to discover three additional physician

s at this facility. Included in our visit were the maternity ward, TB ward and the unit specifically for malnourished children and their mothers. This hospital has limited staff and supplies and is responsible for approximately 170,000 people. With your support, Arm In Arm In Africa was able

to provide much needed pain medications and other medical supplies.

Upon returning home our group joined the local residents in our yearly celebration. Our group was honored to serve a hot meal (including meat!) to approximately 250 people. Our celebration continued in sharing a prayer of thanksgiving for the food and our relationship.

An astounding fact about this food distribution is that there isn't a family in the entire village that couldn't benefit from this assistance and yet amongst the residents they choose who are the 85 most in need.

At the conclusion of the night, residents return to their homes with food in wheelbarrows or atop their head with huge smiles of joy and relief.

A special note that during the celebration, we were able to seek out the most recent newborn in the community and present her with a blanket, hand made by a friend of ours in Minnesota. The grandmother, caring for the baby, was extremely grateful.

Tomorrow is our last day in Malungeni. We regret the lack of photographs from here (due to internet issues) , but we promise to catch up in the days ahead.

Again we thank you for your prayers and financial support. If you are in need of direction or information in making a donation to Arm In Arm In Africa, please go to the donation page of our web site.

Blessings and Peace to you,

2011 AIAIA delegation

Days 7 & 8

Good to catch up with you again. We arrived in Malungeni, a village of 3,000+ located in the Eastern Cape after a 1,000 mile, 2 day journey. After a warm welcome we were greeted by a complete electrical blackout, which happens frequently in this area. Our group rose to the challenge, offloaded the bus and managed to prepare a meal in candlelight.

We began the next morning with a "walk about" of the village with the opportunity of greeting old friends. The students are always very excited to greet us and enjoy being photographed.

This afternoon we treated 6 of our senior friends to a "spa day." The women received pedicures, hand and back massages and nail polish as requested. They especially enjoyed the massage as many of them struggle with arthritis. There was such obvious joy in seeing these women being pampered in ways that are most unfamiliar to their daily lives.

Our day ended with an evening prayer for healing in our lives and in our world.

Our gratitude for your continued prayers and support.

Peace and healing,

AIAIA 2011 delegation

Day 5 - JL Zwane

It is Sunday and we are off to church in Guguletu. It is always a pleasure to celebrate prayer and music with the JL Zwane community. Members of our group had the opportunity early in the morning with the leadership group of the church and to share the successes of our relationship over the last 12 years. We then joined the worship service where our members were able to individually introduce themselves and share a few words with the congregation.

As always, the unique blending of the South African music goes right to the heart. Our service closed with a blessing for the children and the young adults belonging to the congregation. As we close this day, we are reminded once again of the importance of hope in all of our lives.

Tomorrow we leave for the Eastern Cape. It will take two days and will be a bit uncertain from this point forward as to available internet access.

Please keep checking in on us and keep us in your prayers. Thank you.

Peace,

Day 4 - Guguletu

It is Saturday and we are off the mountain from last night and on the way to Guguletu. It is a tradition of Arm In Arm In Africa to honor the men, women and children that have died throughout the past year. This morning we joined a family that had recently experienced a death at the cemetery for the burial. The cemetery is approximately 3 football fields long. At the time of our first visit, 12 years ago, the cemetery was about 1/3 full, As a result of HIV/AIDS, the cemetery is completely full and families are forced to look to other burial sites. As we pray for a healthier future of our family in South Africa we continue to find it important to remember and honor those that have died much too young.

The remainder of our day was spent approximately an hour away in Stellenbosch. We had the opportunity to tour the University of Stellenbosch, specifically the school of theology. It is here that a policy of apartheid was developed in the 1940's. From this point forward the people in the black community were legally no longer considered to human beings.

In closing our day we were able to spend time in a township that was specifically developed to house migrant workers for the local wineries. It remains a tragic fact that the workers are provided with free and unlimited alcohol as payment for their work. This is an automatic set up for addiction and keeping individuals captive.

Tomorrow will be our last full day in Cape Town before driving to the Eastern Cape.

Day 3 Nightcap

We ended our day with a trip to Table Mountain, the icon for Cape Town. In spite of the bone chilling wind at the top, we were treated to the incredible gift of a beautiful sunset , a nighttime view of the Atlantic ocean and Cape Town with the full moon at eye level to the east.

Day 3 Charity Sisters

We want to express our gratitude for your joining us on our South African journey. It is always a pleasure to introduce you to new family members of

Arm In Arm In Africa.

We had an early morning start by visiting the hospice staffed by the Missionaries of Charity Sisters. The

hospice is located in one of the largest black townships in the Cape Town area with population of over 1 million people. We had the honor of spending time with the residents ranging in age from infants to elderly.

The sisters provide amazing and loving care, as was evidenced by the smiles of those living in the facility. Please note the beautiful twin girls sporting the new sundresses. Our thanks to Sofia, our 90+ year old friend from rural St. Cloud who made these beautiful dresses.

We had the opportunity to spend time in one of the poorest primary grade schools in the townships. The average annual tuition for each of the children is approximately $1.25 in American dollars. For many of the families this is very difficult to pay. In talking with the principal, it was painfully noted that she struggles to be able to have any school books for the children. She relies on having to photocopy school books from neighboring schools. An improvement of late has been to include vegetables and fruit for their school meal. All of the children rely on this one meal. When school is not in session, they simple have less to eat.

Once again, as we were welcomed in our "walk about" through one of the townships, we were reminded of the importance of hope. We draw your attention to the photo of the single child and the hope we continue to see in the children. It is a challenge in our world to keep hope alive and to insure that everyone has the opportunity to sleep safely and to have enough to eat.

Again we thank you for your support for Arm In Arm In Africa and for making a hope-filled difference in our world.

Peace and hope,

Day Two

We began our day celebrating the beauty of the South African landscape. We were able to spend the early part of the day at Cape Point with Chloe a member of the JL Zwane Centre. We returned to Guguletu and were able to spend time with the students and volunteer teachers in the Rainbow school. This is a program that Arm In Arm in Africa has supported over the years. This after school program provides a hot meal and assistance to the students with their homework. Maureen Cannon, one of our group was able to share belated Valentines and letters from 1st graders with whom she works in Eagan, MN.

From there we were invited by a member of the church community to visit her neighborhood. The history of the hostels is very reflective of the apartheid era; small brick houses with six bedrooms with an occupancy of 8 in each bedroom. Those living in the hostel shared kitchen and bathroom facilities and primarily lived there for the sake of employment. It was not uncommon to be away from their family for a year at a time.

We painfully acknowledge how impoverished the housing conditions remain, not significantly different than during apartheid. At the same time we acknowledge and honor the amazing joy and hospitality of those living in these unacceptable conditions.

As we close this day we ask for continued prayers for the children of our world.

Peace and blessings,

Day One

Today we hit the ground running after a

late arrival last night. We

celebrated God's creation and were able to share eucharist in the Kirstenbosch Gardens, one of the top ten botanical gardens in the world. It was a wonderful opportunity for us to gather as a group for our first day in

South Africa.

Coming home to our family in South Africa is defined by our meeting at the JL Zwane Centre in Guguletu. We were able to share a meal with the Reverend Spiwo Xapile and other Centre staff.

Later in the day, as a group we were able to re-pack our medical supplies and venture out to Mitchells Plains Community Health Centre. We spent the remainder of the day and early evening getting to know the medical staff. This is a medical stafff of 190 people that serve 900 patients a day.

Our day ended once again by celebrating God's creation in meeting a newborn and his mother, sharing with them a gift of a hand knit hat and receiving blanket. As we turn in for the night we thank you for your good thoughts and prayers.

Peace.

February 5, 2011: Pre-trip Packing:

Our work has begun with our gathering to consolidate 750 pounds of supplies and divide by 13, as each of us takes an extra bag to South Africa. Included are medical gloves and masks, band aids, acetaminophen, hand sanitizer, Mother Bear project bears made specially for developing countries dealing with HIV/AIDS, small toys, newborn clothes and blankets, toothbrushes and paste. We will also be taking 50 girl's sundresses handmade by a 90+ year old woman who lives near St. Cloud. A group of first graders also generously donated much needed school supplies.

Thank you to all of you who donated to this mission. We will deliver the supplies with loving hands and hearts.

We will depart on Valentine's Day. Please look for our first update by February 16 with news of our travels, as well as photographs.

Thank you, too, for your support and prayers for a safe and fulfilling journey.