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Greetings!
The SAM team is now home. What a wonderful opportunity we had together with God and our friends from South Africa!
The extremely encouraging message about this year's trip is that with only three team members going from the USA we took our message to more students than we did last year with a team of eighteen participants from America!
The South African nationals are starting to take this program over from us and running with it. Halleluiah! I believe this is exactly what has to happen for this mission is to be successful.
The mission is also starting to move out to new geographic areas. See the article on geographic expansion below.
To God Be the Glory, Glynn Smith
South Africa Missions
glynnsmith@samission.org
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A Rare Opportunity
by Mark Carey,
It has
been a rare opportunity to teach in the public schools about HIV/AIDS
prevention and at the very same time also give out the gospel of Jesus.
God has
given us a tremendous opportunity to serve here in South Africa. The
experience has been a graphic example to me of the devastating effects
of sin in our lives. The huge number of brand new graves is a grim
reminder of the truth of God's word ...
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Lebo Story - An Act of Faith
Click here to see the video
by Susan o'Hara
Lebo has expanded my faith in God. The obstacles in front of Lebo seem insurmountable - no income, no vehicle, and lacking all the materials necessary to perform the task set before her. Lebo is called by God to fight the scourge of HIV/AIDS attacking the children of her community, by teaching them how to make better choices and introducing them to Jesus.
Seeing her in front of the students teaching them from the Better Choices curriculum, it was obvious that this is what God created her to do. Her plan is for their team, to train every child of age in the province of Pretoria in the Better Choices curriculum and invite them to accept Jesus. She is committed to following up with all of the children that receive Christ and connect them with solid churches and discipleship.
Lebo made her request for materials to take back to Pretoria humbly on her knees, because she had no money to purchase these items. This young woman in her mid-twenties blew me away with her passion to pursue God's mission for her. My faith was so increased, that in faith I am asking if you would be willing to provide the ongoing support she needs to replace materials as they are used. For a very small sum hundreds of children can encounter this life-changing message.
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Geographic Expansion Opportunities
We are working with nine people (in their twenties) in one new area to start a Better Choices program. These disciples are from the area known as Soshanguve. The name is conglomeration of letters from four different tribal groups to emphasize the tribal diversity of its residents. "Soshanguve" is known to stand for Sotho, Shangaan, Nguni, Venda -- the languages spoken at this township. This is an area just north of Pretoria in the province of Gauteng. We received an email from their group announcing their first appointment to teach the program in one of their local schools. They are so excited about taking the Better Choices program back to their area!
We have also spoken to representatives in three other areas of KWA Zulu Natal who have all expressed interest in starting the program. These are:
- The coastal town of Port Edward about 4 hours drive south of Richards Bay,
- Ixopo, and
- Creighton about sixty to eighty miles inland from Port Edward.
If all of these areas come onboard next year we are going to need participation from at least 7 churches next year.
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2008 Team Connecting With Sponsored Kids Glynn & Sibonelo
"If you don't get this old white guy away from me I am going to call my mom!"
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Mark & Bongumusu
"Hey not so close mister!"
Susan & Nompumulelo
"She's lookin' more like her new mama every day." |
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Matt 28:19-20
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"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
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HIV/AIDS Facts
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- 8,000 new people are infected daily
- Most new infections are in the 15-25 year old age group
- More than 20 years of research yet still there is virtually no hope in the near future for an effective vaccine
- Daily deaths from complications due to AIDS is comparable to 27 fully loaded 747's going down each day
- Most of the money spent on this epidemic is for antiretroviral drugs to prolong life and manage symptoms - very little is spent on prevention
- Africa has 11.6 million AIDS orphans
- Currently one in five adults in South Africa is infected with HIV
- Infected African children represent 85% of all children world-wide living with HIV
- 29.1% of pregnant South African women are living with HIV
- Since 2004 statistics show that in South Africa there has been a slight decline in the rate of new HIV infections in teenage girls
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Church2Church
Partnership
Click here for details
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Briefing
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Our fourth South African HIV/AIDS Mission education trip was undertaken in Richards Bay South Africa since our first trip in 2004.
In 2006 a second area of operation opened up in the Durban area and this program is conducted by Campus Crusade Durban with the support of local Durban churches and a group of churches from the Boston area in the USA.
To date we have taken our message of HIV/AIDS education, prevention, and hope to about 3,300 students in these two areas of South Africa.
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Plan Your Mission Trip Now!
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June 12-27, '09
Durban South Africa
Click here for details
July 29 - Aug 16, '09
Richards Bay & Pretoria South Africa
Click here for details
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