SOUTH AFRICAN PARTNERSHIP

2007

Anne Gordon Curren

“Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

This committee serves to continue a relationship with women and their ministries in the Diocese of Christ the King, South Africa, since 1991.  Approximately every three years we either send a team there for a visit or we raise funds and bring women here for a visit.  We have been present regularly for the South Africa Commission meetings chaired by the Rev. Jeunée Cunningham so that the groups each are aware of what the other is doing, so we can compliment our efforts and support each other.  We usually share a table at the Diocesan Council meetings.

In the past year this committee has updated and reprinted “We Are Partners,” a teacher’s guide for grades K-6 to help children learn about South Africa and our ministries there.  This is offered to anyone with a request for $10 donation to help with cost of paper and ink.  We have just completed an update and many additional prayers for United in Prayer which was first compiled in 1995.  For this we are requesting a contribution of $35 for the complete book or $8.00 for Addendum II.  This money will help defray the cost of producing the book, and if there are extra proceeds, then they will be used to support mission teams visiting each diocese.

This year we sent gifts of $250 to each of 5 ministries we try to support (The Mother’s Union, Diocesan HIV and AIDS Ministry, Diocesan Women’s Project, Lesedi la Kreste Anglican Primary School, and St. Mary’s Children’s Home).  We sent a large gift of $2,400.00 to the Anglican Women’s Fellowship to buy a patient mannequin to help in training local people to be home health care providers. An important part of this ministry is to stay in touch with the people and churches in the Diocese of Virginia to spread the good news about what we do.  Please call me to visit your church or group, so we can both learn about the value of stretching our hands across a large ocean to work in relationship to an active diocese.  We learn so much from each other.  I have talks both with PowerPoint and without and would love to share them with you.