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Upcoming South Africa Trip
South Africa | We will leave on 27 Aug for a 3 week trip to South Africa (SA) just south of Duban (see map). The timing of this trip was necessitated by the departure of the girls who are subletting the house with all our stuff in SA. We will be sorting, giving away, selling and/or storing our stuff while we continue to wait on the Lord regarding our longer term service in SA. The good thing is that we will be able to stay in the house we lived in for 4 years while we sort out our things.That will be a blessing!
Although the timing of this trip was out of our hands we believe that God in His providence has arranged it at the perfect time. It has been 6 months since our visit in March when we formalized Two Tunics partnerships with our 9 community project partners. We have a long list of additional goals and objectives for our time in SA:
- Meet with our Two Tunics staff in SA - to encourage, pray and plan
- Follow-up on progress of our 9 community partners
- Explore opportunities for expanding our cooperation with our fellow Ugu AIDS Alliance partners (Genesis, Positive Ray, Rehoboth and others)
- Evaluate possible expansion with new partners in surrounding areas (Eastern Cape and deeper rural Ugu District)
- Meet with local SA donors and supporters (Food4Africa, Feed the Babies, The Waffle House, Shiloh Church)
- Develop a vision for involvement of future short-term mission teams to SA
- Spend time with Debbie and her girls, our adopted SA family
- Connect with our home group and other friends at Norwegian Settlers Church
As you can see our time in SA will be full and challenging. And its all about being effective in "defending the cause of the poor and the needy" in the communities we serve in SA. Please be in prayer for every aspect of our trip. |
Strengthening Two Tunics Organization
Two Tunics is a "home grown", grass roots NGO started by a group of like-minded followers of Christ in Spokane WA in 2004. From start-up less than 6 years ago Two Tunics has accomplished an incredible amount. The scope of the AIDS problem remains enormous and our efforts sometimes seem to disappear into an abyss of hopelessness and little progress. Never-the-less, the individual lives changed as well as the relationships and partnerships developed have been significant, for which the glory goes to God alone.
As we, as an organization, seek to stay true to our vision and continue to bring God's love and hope to AIDS affected communities in South Africa, we need to grow as an organization. We need to build capacities in the organization that will enable us to continue to fulfill our mission and change people's lives by living out the gospel.
With this in mind, we were so blessed to have Debbie Tucker and Doug Hufton join our board as members at our latest board meeting in Spokane the end of July. Debbie and Doug are both from St Louis and have been involved with short term teams serving in South Africa for several years. They bring incredible hearts for the people of South Africa and for God's kingdom work.
Doug, Suzy, Robin, Debbie in Seattle |
As you can see from the photo it wasn't all work and no play as Debbie, Doug and his wife Suzy joined us in Seattle for a couple days. The weather was fantastic and we so enjoyed our time together. We are so excited to see how God is going to use us all and Two Tunics in the future. |
The Shuffs to Visit Two Tunics South Africa
Sandra and Douglas Shuff are members of our home church, Northview Bible Church in Spokane WA. Sandra has led two short-term mission teams from the church that served with Two Tunics in SA in 2008 and 2009. Now she will return with her husband Douglas. The have been asked by the church to consider leading it's Africa short-term missions program and this will be a vision trip for them, and Douglas in particular, as they prayerfully seek God's will for them.
For the last 2 years the Shuffs have faithfully supported Nsindesweni Creche, one of our 9 Two Tunics community project partners. It will be exciting for Douglas to see the creche first hand and be with the children who's lives they have impacted through their support. The will share a short gospel program at several of our projects including Nsindesweni. They will spend a day at Jesus Christ Cares Ministry in the Eastern Cape where they will show the Jesus film in Xhosa to the needy orphans and vulnerable children who come for a meal after school.
Sandra with kids at Nsindisweni Creche in 2009 |
The Shuffs will be in SA from 22 August through 9 September and will be with Two Tunics in the Port Shepstone area from 26 August through 3 September. We are so grateful for their committed service and pray God will bless our time together in SA as they bless others. |
