Beauty Everywhere

Sunday November 23, 2008

Here in Cape Town it is officially summer. This was preceded by Spring noted for its wildflowers of which we have an abundance. And they are beautiful, dominated as they are by the many hues of purple you find here. I especially love the lavender, which I now learn you can even place in water to drink. It smells divine and tastes ok. Oh and I must not forget the native fynbos, the ground cover that is native to the Cape and the protea, the national flower that flourishes at this time. Yet here I have on this blog a rose. You see, the beauty here is everywhere, but perhaps for me, it is best seen in the kind and generous people I meet. This rose was given to me by an elderly Christian woman, named Dorothy. When she heard what I did here in Cape Town, she not only purchased one of the bags made by the women but invited me to lunch and than gave me material and supplies for the sewing class. I have met many Dorothy's, by themselves, not able to do much to change the situation of dire poverty here, but, once they hear of a ministry like ours, are most eager to help. And it is true, every liitle bit helps. First, it means that South Africans are very involved with what we do here and second, it saves money that could be used for other things, so yes, beauty is everywhere. This Thanksgiving season, not celebrated formally in South Africa, finds me thankful for all of the people here and at home who love and support this work of Evangeline Ministries in any way. I will celebrate Thanksgiving with Christian friends and neighbors here.

Welcome Sweet Home Farms Women

Friday November 7, 2008
For some time I have shared with you my desire to help some other young women who want to learn how to sew. They are part of a program called the Warehouse that issupported by an Anglican diocese here. The ladies particapate with about twenty others in an HIV support group led by Warehouse missionary Joy Klimbashe. Today I introduced them to our class and to teacher (in red) Namgamso. I was amused and delighted to hear them chatter away in Xhosa as I drove them from Ottery to Fish Hoek. We came past the ocean and I could sense this was a new experience. All of them live in shacks mired in sand and with little conveniences. When they arrived at our beautiful campus they were delighted. I introduced them to the class and left them to their own experiences with the students. The first thing they told me when I returned was how nice Namgamso was to them and how much they want to learn from her. They are eager to start when the new class begins next year. They will need to take two taxis and the train in a commute that could be one hour or more but we will help pay their way to classes. On the way home, I drove them over the mountain road with the ocean below and there was little conversation as they drank in the scenery. This work now with the women from Sweet Home Farms is a wonderful next step as we extend our help outward from Masiphumelele to another informal settlement. We do this in partneship with a organization whose work with the poor is soaked in prayer and guided by Biblical justice to the those who were left behind during the apartheid years. Already we purchased some sewing machines for two groups of women at Sweet Home Farms. One is the younger women and then there are the grandmothers who have already started to make throw pillows and aprons to sell to earn some income. I visited them a few days ago and they said thank you for all the help and encouragement from Evangeline Ministries. With each next step God's purposes for our work here unfolds in ways that bring joy to my heart.

Election fever in South Africa

Thursday November 6, 2008
It was five in the morning here in Cape Town when we saw the breaking news that Barack Obama had won the election. At six my phone rang as a leader in my church called to give his congratulations. The phone has not stopped. This election had caught the interest of people all across the Cape. There was the security guard with an Obama button on his shirt. As I stepped in the door to an evening of music, the attendant from the Congo asked me about the election. He had just heard Obama was almost assasinated. Everytime I went to a certain restaurant in the City, another waiter would ask me about the election. And so it went on.
When you live outside of the United States, you sometimes get a better perspective of what people think about this wonderful country. For starters, so many people want to go to America. Can you take me with you is what I always hear. But I also hear the anger at what many see is America's unwise use of power, especially with regard to the current wars. Because my work lies in the are of HIV and AIDS, I often point out the enormous good the United States has done here but the image of a super power flexing her muscle is the one that so often stands out. Understandably the rise of an African American man to the highest office fills Africans with pride, Africans, that is, of all colors. They also see in the President to be, someone who can make a difference in international relations. From my informal poll, they are not expecting miracles for Africa, but already the miracle may be in the hope for a better world they all feel and the sense that anyone, regardless of race, can accomplish what they set their heart to do.
So today I listened as people shared their joy with me, or, unaware of who I was, discussed it in the line at the supermarket. The newpapers spill over with praise. As one American writer quoted, "It is morning in America," and it feels like morning here. Of course, this is only the start and we wait to see how it all unfolds. The campaign theme did give me something to use with the sewing class today. "Yes we can," became "Yes I can," "do all things through Christ who strengthens me." It is a theme to which I shall return again and again. Perhaps, even more than the skills we teach, it the chance we have to get each person to say, "yes I can," inspite of poverty, post-apartheid struggles and yes, even for those who live with HIV and AIDS.

Faces of poverty

October 31, 2008
Where I live in the most Southern and Western part ofCape Town, South Africa, there is hardly a place that does not offer you a spectacularly beautiful view. The mountains and ocean compete and complement each other to make this a place worth seeing every time. The stress of living here comes from the daily interpaly between people who are so poor and those who have so much. One does not escape the other. Allow me to share with you some information I just read in the Cape Times newspaper. These facts and direct quotes come from an interview with the Archbishop and EmeritusNjongonkulu Ndungane. He is President of the Cape-Town based African Monitor for poverty and he has recently listened to the voices of the across the Cape. Extreme hunger now affects 50% of the population of South Africa who live below the poverty line. Ndungane heard One young man say: "Hunger fills me with hatred. When I see people with money I want to rob them." One woman said:"Do you know how it is when children cry for food and you know as a mother you cannot provide." He learned thatyoung HIV positive people sell their bodies for food and others deliberately do not take their medicine so they can qualify for child grants. Most distressing for him was the sea change in the population of the poor. In 1998, most of those who came to the poverty hearings were middle-aged and elderly people. Today it is young people and the fact that they came to hearings during the week meant they were not at work or school. "That was frightening to me," the Archbishop said. "I am not an alarmist by nature, but the level of anger, the level of frustration, the level of hopelessness and the feeling of being let down among young people is something that frightened me." When asked if there was any ray of hope the archbishop spoke of the dignity with which people shared their stories. And yet,South Africans are hopeful people, as shown by a recent survey. In the sewing and computer help we give through Evangeline Ministries, we seek to bring hope first and then give the skills that will move the women from extreme poverty so they can provide for themselves and their families.
As I sit and listen to them work, the laughter and conversation lets me know they have hope. And that gives me hope and encouragement to go on.

Early gifts

Thursday October 30, 2008
Early Christmas Gifts
I was so surprised when I saw the first Christmas decorations in the mall close to where I live. Here in Cape Town, it is now beginning to get warm. The sun is up by 5.30 and the constant rain and cold winter has finally said goodbye until next year. So, yes I feel like summer, but it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas here. So, it was time for some early Christmas gifts. After weeks of looking for Xhosa language Bibles, I finally secured some for the class. Today I gave out seven Xhosa and two English Bibles. When this second group of women began their time of study, I told them about the Bibles and they were excited. When the Bibles did not appear, they impatiently asked why. Truthfully I was waiting for them to come to the small Christian bookstore near me. Then on Wednesday, prompted by the Holy Spirit to go to another store, I did and got their last stock of the needed Bibles. Today I gave them out and here they are reading from their new Bibles. What a wonderful present to them from you through Evangeline Ministries. We are now looking at passages on prayer as we seekGod's mercy for safety, jobs, health and protection in their troubled communities. We also pray that there will be no violence with the upcoming 2009 elections. There is a lot of concern here because of an emerging new party made up of former leaders in the African National Congress, the first democratically elected party in the country's history. Please pray with us for peace, and understanding in what is still a very new democracy.

We need to pray

Thursday October 16, 2008

Earlier this week, one of the women from Masiphumelele phoned me with the sad news that a three year old girl was missing. While the police searched to find the toddler, there was fear and tension all around her small home. A police dog led searchers to the child's body on a mattress in the wetlands behind her house. The girl appears to have been molested. The young man who is alleged to have done this terrible deed is one of those 'foreigners' from another country. This mixture of an atrocious act against an innocent child by a foreigner is a combustible mix. Violence against foreigners has been in the headlines all year but Masiphumelele led many other informal settlements in calling for unity and tolerance. This is a difficult time but churches and groups are meeting to pray and work for unity. With this situation in mind, I asked the women in the sewing class to name one thing in Masiphumelele about which we should pray. Among other needs they listed unity, crime, disease, jobs, each of which is desperately needed to make their lives safer and allow their children to grow up in peace. We prayed and asked God to change the situation in Masiphumelele. Since Jesus told us to keep on asking and keep on praying, we agreed to do that for a community we love. You can join us

A special opportunity

Wednesday October 8,2008

This morning I was given a great opportunity to talk about the work of Evangeline Minisries here in CapeTown. I was interviewed on the local Christian Radio Station, CCFM which was started by The Fish Hoek Baptist Church, led by John Thomas. With my background in radio, I noted from my first visit the station located across the street from another arm of the Living Hope Ministries, Living Grace which focuses on the homeless and those who suffer from all kinds of substance abuse. However I never had much of a chance to visit the station because of my own schedule, but also because I belived God gives us opportunities in due time.

Well the due time came and I could talk about our work and also advertise the bags to help the women get more sales. I felt so at home and being at the microphone brought back so many memories of the time I spent at Radio Trinidad so many years ago. I was deeply moved as I answered Lynn Blacls questions and she warmed the studio with a reggae song that I enjoyed. Yes, I wish we had a steelband as well. More people listen to radio than any other medium and I am grateful I had this chance. Daily I am thankful for the work here and for each of you who read this blog, and support me. I would love to hear from you.

More Than We Can Imagine

Today in the driving wind and rain and cold, our sewing class, seen in the photos above, and computer class resumed work in a new place pictured in these photos.

After more than two and a half years at the Living Hope headquarters we needed to move out because the mezzanine where we met at Living Hope's multi-purpose Center was deemed unsafe. Thank God, this was a short lived crisis. I am not exactly sure when it happened but days after the class was asked to leave, John Thomas, Living Hope founder sent me a note that simply said, "Wendy I have found a place for you." I was so moved by his active concern. When I went to see where it was, my breath was taken away. How could such a lovely place be so near and I had never heard of it. Made up of eight seperate cottages and landscaped beautifully, it is more than I could ever have imagined and perfect for our classes. It also offers us a chance to do more, for example, teach and English class. It is also now the new home for Khumi and the sewing business we started.

Realizing the time was short at Living Hope, I had been praying about what would happen next. God already had the answer with this perfectly equipped place. Now each class has its own room and space, unlike the cramped room we had before. LivingHope birthed these classes and so many lives were changed because of them so I am also grateful for all the time we spent there. And now I am delighted with this new place. This facility was one of several campuses of a local college. It was used to teach sewing, cooking, computer training, brick laying and wood working, household science , vegetable gardening and other practical courses. It also houses a pottery center and a creche or child care center used by our own sewing instructor Namgamso whose daughter goes there. The college had outgrown this space so their impending move made the facility available. It has now been offered to Thomas and Living Way, the new economic ministry he started. Evangeline Ministries was a catalyst for Thomas to do this and today is a valued partner. We are still waiting on an official word to know if the City Council will give the final approval but we believe this campus will be ours to use as a training ground for poverty striken people in Cape Town to lean valuable skills.

On Thursday September 18, it rained and stormed but we had a smooth move to our new classrooms.And yes, today, as it rained and stormed again I wondered if this was God's blessings on our class.

The students love this location which is closer to them, since they all walk to school. When I asked them what they thought, I heard words like,"so nice, " and " beautiful."I am also looking forward to our summer, soon to be here, when we can really enjoy the grounds and I can meet the families of the women who participate in our programs.

Of course the students had been distressed at the sudden move that disrupted their classes but I shared with them the fact that God cares about them and about the class and God can give us/them, even more than they can ask or imagine. He certainly has done that for us. So when you come to Cape Town to visit, you too will enjoy this most lovely place. It is my prayer that hundreds of women and men who need Christ and who need help will find it here.

Thank you Virginia WMU

September 8, 2008

Thank You Virginia Women

I spent this past weekend with a group of women with a heart for missions who also love to have a great time. One of the sponsors of this minsitry in Cape Town is the Woman's Missionary Union of Virginia. Not only do they shower me with love and prayer and encouragement, they put legs to thier commitment with the bags made by the women in our classes. They purchase these bags and sell them to women all over Virginia. Here you see the new Executive Director/Treasurer Laura McDaniel (l)and President Becky McKinney(r) with some of the bags and some aprons from our earliest students. Their delight in this ministry is something I treasure. Last year, one of their leaders, Merle Prince visited us and led a master class for the students. This brought good results. It uncovered a talented instructor in Paul who now works alongside Namgamso ,the principal teacher. The wome you help and I thank God for the Virginia WMU and for every one of our sponsors. I thank each of you also who put feet to your love as you make this work in Cape Town possible. We are facing some good changes and ask you to pray for us as we take the next steps to strengthen the classes and outreach to disadvantaged women and those who live with HIV and AIDS. Christmas is coming, tell your friends about the bags.

Thanks Tina

August 26, 2008

Goodbye to Tina

In April 2006 when I first began to plan for the sewing class, I thought I had a teacher but those plans fell through. Panicked somewhat I did not quite know where to turn until my friend Matilda in the Living Hope office asked me if I would consider using Tina Hartzenberg . Tina had a special needs daughter, Janine, and she sewed and sold her items at a nearby shopping center. Since I could not sew and was desperate, but also because Tina was an answer to prayer, I agreed to have her teach that first class. She did so faithfully for that first year. With Janine she would walk to class come rain , shine or Cape Town wind. A white, Afrikaans speaking teacher did have some battles with Xhosa speaking students from Masiphumelele but she made it. It was Tina who worked with those first students to teach them how to sew the bags that have now become a business today. She was so grateful to help. At the end of the year she told me she was leaving because she was moving from the area. I learned that Tina died early this month from a heart attack. I want to pay tribute to her. Tina can be proud of her part in this ministry. Thank you Tina. We will remember you with love for your work. The picture shows Janine, Tina and Khumi.

Women's Day Celebrated

Monday August 18,2008
On August 9, 1956, a representative group of women marched to the Prime Minister's house in South Africa to protest the pass laws that so adversely affected their families.While the Prime Minister did not receive them, their action had a ripple effect in the eventual demise of apartheid. I was delighted when Living Hope Chaplain Moroesi invited the women associated with Living Hope to celebrate the day both as freed women in South Africa and free women in Christ. We marched about two minutes in a drizzle as we sang Nkosi sikelel iAfrika, the National Anthem and then read aloud the petition used that day. "We are women from every part of South Africa, united in our purpose to save the African woman from the degradation of the passes." Just as then we were also women of different races but Moroesi asked us to wear hats to symbolize our unity of purpose and unity in Christ. I was honored to be a part of this. I serve women here and join other dedicated women servants of our Lord and Savior.

What really is amazing

Sunday August 10, 2008
One of the biggest attractions here in the Western Cape and rightly so is Cape Point. It is the most South Westerly part of the African continent and the Cape around which Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama sailed in 1497 It is a place of breath-stopping beauty where the waters of the Atlantic continuously crash against the rocky base of the mountains to remind you of the treacherous waters that ships so often failed to navigate. When you climb to the top of the Cape to the lighthouse and look around you, it is a humbling moment to realize you are at the end of the continent. (I recently traveled to Cape Agulhas where the Atlantic and Pacific meet and that too is magnificent) But back to Cape Point whose beauty and power never fail to amaze. However on a recent visit, something else touched me even more. On a trip to the ladies room, I saw something that just blessed me. South Africa faces so many challenges and poverty is one of the biggest. For so many poor women, it is the cleaning jobs that help them earn some money. Here in the bathroom filled with people from all over the world was Gladys, vigorously pushing her mop and singing for all to hear a Gospel song, "Without Him I can do nothing." It took her some time to look up from the mopping to acknowledge my greeting but she did and I thanked God for the praise that filled her heart as she worked to keep the toilets clean, and most of all for her testimony for all the world to hear.

New classes begin for A second time

August 10,2008
A Way Forward
We have just begun a new round of classes to teach young women and a few men introductory skills in sewing and computer literacy. Our first group of students this year graduated in July. I confess as I watch this new class that I am always so thankful to see them come. You see, because we work at Living Hope, the HIV ministry with which I am associated and because our space is limited, we cannot really advertise. Yet for the past three years we have not lacked for students, not too much , just the right number who come for this free instruction, free to them, but thanks to you. More and more Christian and other groups recognize that poverty and ignorance is the seed bed of HIV and Aids. How thankful I am that my eyes were opened to this almost from the start and God has empowered me and all of us who support this endeavor to make a difference.

The joy of a sewing machine

July 26, 2008
Here is my friend, Patience Booi, one of ten graduates who received a new sewing machine thanks to all of yo who generously support this ministry. Patience who lives in Masiphumelele, is an inspiration to me. She works hard and just wants to learn as much as she can. She always wanted to learn to sew and never had the opportunity until our class. "Wendy, " she wrote men " you have shown us Jesus with your love and generous ways." And really, that is all I want to do, show them just how much Jesus loves me. And you know, so often one thing leads to another. When you build confidence in one area, it spills over into another. Patience is busy making plans to run a Xhosa class for people like me who need to learn and I plan to do just that. Well it is time for another class to begin and I am happily anticipating the new students who will come to us. We plan to start in the next week and I ask that you pray for us as this class is the chance for these women to turn their lives around.

New Life in Christ

July 25, 2007
One of the blessings of my life here in Cape Town is the greater involvement I have with other missionaries who have come to share their lives with people in need so that they can experience how wide and how deep is the love of Christ. While I lead sewing and computer classes for women who live with HIV and AIDS,I also write stories for Living Hope for their monthly newsletter and for friends who are in like-minded ministries. One such ministry is All Nations which puts its emphasis on home groups or home churches where small groups of people can be discipled to live for Christ. All Nations also puts a lot of emphasis on the justice of God and they look for practical ways to help poor people. In early February, there was a fire in Red Hill. In our first sewing class we had one student from Red Hill, Gladys, who graduated and gave her testimony at the ceremony. The fire did not destroy her house but it wiped out more than 80 shacks nearby. At the time, All Nations was engaged in a Church planting leadership seminar that required the students to match three months of classroom with three of hands on work. Immediately a group focused on Red Hill and began to work on home repair. Now six months later, people like Mavis,(here seen in the photo) most of the homes have been rebuilt or repaired. As well new cottage enterprises have started. Women knit and some of the men are engaged in making beds and cupboards. Local businesses have donated flowers and vegetables for gardens. In the cold of winter, my heart is warmed to see the difference in Red Hill. This has opened the hearts of the residents and five home groups meet weekly. Gladys told me what love the Christians showed all of them. Given its past history and present challenges with poverty and HIV and AIDS, it is this practical, powerful love of Jesus Christ demonstrated by believers that will make a difference. I am also editing a book about revival movements in Cape Town and I am humbled at the prayer commitment of Christians here. Those of us who have come from overseas join with others here who have laid a foundation of prayer and service, and we work together in this place to which God has called us.
Every day God shows me that it is His will for me to be here and I am glad and thankful for this.

Some special people

July 17, 2008
Some Special People, among many

Here are some special people I want you to meet. John Thomas, Chair of the Living Hope Trust, pastor of Fish Hoek Baptist Church and with his wife Avril, founder of Living Hope, Living Hope. He has encouraged this ministry and used it to launch Living Way, an economic and justice ministry.
Phawulenkosi Paul Dodo is one of two male graduates of our 2006 sewing class. and an assistant to the sewing teacher Namgamso. He is called by his shorter name, Paul. He came to the Western Cape from the Eastern Cape and was unable to get a job. He ended up planting vegetables in the garden at Living Hope and soon that fell through as well. "God brought us Wendy with the Sewing and Computer Course and everything is free of charge," he wrote in his testimony. He has been one of the most faithful students and now, as an assistant. He got this new opportunity after a good recommendation from Mrs. Merle Prince who taught a special class last year. Paul says: "I highly appreciate this and this ministry has changed my life completely. Paul always brings his Bible and he read the Scripture at the graduation. I am so proud of Paul and thankful for him.

Here are some special people.

First 2008 class graduates

July 10, 2008
Well our first class for 2008 graduated from their six month sewing course and, on Tuesday July 8, ten women received their new sewing machines. One of these was Gladys (3rd from left in photo). While all of the other women walked to class, Gladys had to take two taxis and a train to get to us as she came from Red Hill, another informal settlement. In all this time, she missed class twice. I asked her to share what this experience meant to her and she told the audience at the church that she could not sew and had longed to learn. She enjoyed this experience and planned to use her sewing machine to help her family. She also spoke so deeply of her love for the Lord. I drove her home and as I watched her walk to her house at the top of the steep path,muddy because of the rain that has fallen for more than a week, clutching her new sewing machine, my heart filled with so much emotion. It is women like Gladys who make my time here so precious.

Our first class for 2008.

July 10, 2008
Evangeline Ministries was as pleased as ever to hold our first of two planned sewing class graduations for 208. On Tuesday July 8, ten women received their new sewing machines to signal their successful completion of the six month sewing course. Here you see the women in the skirts they made for their big day. Some brought their children to join them. One of the women, Gladys (third from left) came from another informal settlement, Red Hill. While all of the others walked to class she had to take two taxis and a train to get to class and she rarely missed. She shared how much the class meant since she did not know how to sew and how she now planned to use her sewing machine to help her family. Gladys has a heart full of love and joy for the Lord and for others. I took her home and my heart just swelled as I watched her climb up the muddy path to her home, dressed so nicely and holding her new sewing machine. Women like Gladys make every moment spent here so worthwhile. Soon we hope to start the second class and we have so many women waiting.

A job well done

Sunday July 5, 2008
If it looks like a party it is and one that surprised me. Alas, I had no July 4 celebration here. The last day of sewing class was Thursday and it was the start of what we are now experiencing, four days of non-stop torrential rain with winds that make you think you are going to freeze. But to my surprise, I arrived at class to find that the teachers and students had planned a party to mark the end of their six months together as a sewing class.
I bought the cake but they brought everything else, including the "braai" or grilled meat which they love. After I congratulated them, they thanked me but the most beautiful moment was when I asked someone to pray. For the first time Namgamso, the sewing instructor offered to pray and she did so with a passion and holy excitement that just warmed my heart. She has enjoyed this group of women but also she has grown spiritually from the Bible studies she attends. It is about sewing and skills but it is as much about growing in Christ and I thank God for this in this first class of 2008.

Thank you volunteers

July 2, 2008
Thank you volunteers.

It is always a double blessing when others appreciate and enjoy the work you do. Here in Cape Town, many volunteers come to work in a variety of ministries and projects and we get our fair share at Living Hope. I depend on these overseas visitors to buy some of the bags the women and men make and last week, they not only purchased bags, but helped to decorate the room for the business launch. Thank you (l-r) Rebecca Frank, Minnesota; Betsy Brown, Florida; Rebekah Shank, Canada and Jeff Venable, Tennessee. Below,Rebekah shows her joy in her new bag. These mission minded young people make a difference in the work they do here and no doubt, will impact the lives of their familes and friends amd churches because of what they have experienced in Cape Town.

New Beginnings

Monday June 30, 208
Last Friday began a new chapter in the lives of nine women and two men who have formed the core of the sewers of the African print cloth tote bags. I had the privilege of handing out checks that represent their loans to help them start their new business venture. Using the money they have been loaned, they will own their segment of the bags business and can also branch out into other ventures. I am deeply thankful for the Living Way team that has made this next step possible. Led by South African, Richard Lundie, and Mike and Pam Talley from the Brentwood Baptist Church, Nashville, TN, Living Way is the brainchild of Living Hope founder John Thomas who was inspired to organize a new economic ministry, in part because of the work of Evangeline Ministries. It is the team that worked out a plan to make the transition from an Evangeline led venture to ownership by these workers. However, Evangeline Ministries will still be there to help them financially and also to purchase bags to help them get off to a good start. It is winter now and sales are slow but we have great expectations for the summer months when tourists flock to Cape Town. We are all so proud and in the photo, you see me handing out the laminated keepsake check to Siszwe as Richard looks on. It was a day they or I will not forget as it represented a wonderful sense of achievement of what we have accomplished in the last two and a half years. God has led us and we know there are even more exciting days ahead.

A Trip to the Eastern Cape

June 26, 2008
Since almost all of the people with whom I work come from the Eastern Cape,I wanted to see for myself what it was like and why so many people leave there to come to the Western Cape. After 18 hours on the Greyhound bus, (the seats were comfortable) I arrived in King Williams Town and was greeted by some friends I met last year. I spent a weekend there and enjoyed the fellowship of my friends and their church. Yes, there are significant differences. For one thing, I was now looking at the calm waters of the Indian Ocean rather than the unpredictable Atlantic to which I have grown accustomed. For the most part however, the places from which the women and men Evangeline Ministries serve come from poor, rural areas where they eke out a living from the land or as subsistence farmers with goats, cows and sheep. On Sunday morning, I walked down a dirt road to the small church where I worshipped among people with so little. It seemed to me that all the effort and planning and money is in the Western Cape with little left for their Eastern cousins. And yet, the Eastern Cape has it attractions. It is a place of gentle beauty where the hills do not dominate the sky the way it does in the West. There is a sense of peace as you stand and look at the farms. Goods are less expensive, although they too are seeing a rise in food prices, and there is so much less crime. Yes, you can still leave your doors unlocked, at least in the home where I stayed. One image stands out for me. That Sunday morning I watched as my host pastor carefully shined his shoes. As we travelled down the muddy road, up the hill to the church, I stepped carefully to avoid getting too much mud on my shoes, all the while thinking about the lesson I learned from that pastor. Even for a poor church, in the middle of a muddy field, it was important to be our best because Jesus was there. This is what I continue to learn, wherever I am, Jesus is there and I must give my best.

A big step forward

June 16, 2008
Today is a holiday in South Africa. Youth Day celebrates the protests of young people who marched in 1976against what was described as Bantu education that tried to force them to be educated in Afrikaans rather than their native languages. Today President Mbeki said it is education and personal skills , school college and university that are criticallly important. It is a sad fact that all of the people with whom I work suffer because they have had little or no formal education, and therefore limited personal skills. But we ae here in the name of the Lord to make a difference. Last Friday, the sewing group signed up for their personal savings plan to help them put away some money to either grow their business or save for a home. I was moved by the laughter and joy with which they discused this new step. For almost all of them this was their first experience. Here three of them huddle over their new savings books. One woman told me, "I have never saved money before. I joined so it can help me"I praise God for all He has done and continues to do as we work to build personal skills among those who can truly be described as "the least of these."

A Beautiful Land

June 12, 2008
Recently I had travelled with some of my family to do something I have always longed for. We went on a safari and I enjoyed every minute of it, especially the one time I got too close to the elephants. Soon I will have some photos on our website for you to enjoy. However, as much as I delighted in tracking down the animals and had the thrill of seeing a leopard, an occurrence I hear is rare, I especially loved driving through some of the other beautiful parts of South Africa. Often, the beauty of Cape Town where I live, just takes my breath away but driving back from the Krueger National Park along the escarpment and through the Blyde River Canyon with a stop at the Kolgrade and BourkePotholes (gorges) was almost more magnificence than my limited senses can bear. Today there is much news about problems in South Africa and there are many, but this is a country blessed with so much natural loveliness. I certainly encourage you to visit.

Graduation is coming

June 11, 2008.
Well you can see from the last date of a post to this one that there has been a big gap. Yes, we were working on this website which is now finally up and running. We are still working out some glitches but I hope you will enjoy it and use it to learn more about this special work God has entrusted to us. Today I handed out the invitations for the first of two graduations we plan to have this year for our sewing and computer students. On July 8 we will celebrate with ten students who have completed the sewing course. They are busy making the dresses they plan to wear for this happy occasion. Leader Namgamso who helps them learn to sew tells me this is the best class she has had. "They are the sweetest people she says" What a compliment. At the end of our tea time today we talked about the Holy Spirit who is our Helper and Counselor and they were so engaged in this discussion. I shared with them how the Holy Spirit led me to come to South Africa and what a delight it is to know them. Iwish you could meet every one of these ladies but as you visit the website and see their pictures, you can pray for them.

Children are welcome

Can I bring my baby the mother asked. Of course I said and so the whirring of the sewing machines was interrupeted by the cry of a baby but here her big sister comforts her in the traditional way of the African woman. What a sign of hope this is and a reminder that these women who come are here because they have families to take care of. The wonderful thing is that the other women acept this as normal and are not al all put off by the baby crying or the children in the classroom. Later that afternoon the grandmother came and took them home but we will enjoy their times with us in class. All this week we have battled severe fires on the mountains and many shacks have been burned down in an area called Red Hill. We have one woman from that infornal settlement and many others who want to come. This is summer in Cape Town and with it comes some very hig winds labelled the Cape Doctor but it can do a lot of damage, especially if there is a fire.

New Class Started

The 2008 Evangeline Sewing class began with more students than we could accomodate. That tells you something about the need. We have 12 students and each will get individual atention from our teacher Namgamso and two assistants, Khumi and Paul. We also have a sewing expert here, Leanne who will work with the teachers to also improve their skills. There is a sense of excitement in this class. We prepared by cleaning our class, installing new sewing machines and setting high goals for this six month course.

A great celebration

Here are some of the graduates of the 2007 sewing class with their brand new sewing machines. They faithfully attended class for one year to earn this coveted gift. Already one of the women told me of a job she now had because she has her own sewing machine. This year we plan to run two sewing and computer classes to help more women. Men are also welcome.
Gifts from gracious donors make it possible to purchase these sewing machines which cost approximately US120 each. I thank you for your help as we continue.

Challenges for young women

Today I listened to a young woman whom I shall call Hazel share with me some of the responsibilities she has. Herself a single mother, she works to care for her mother, her aunt, sister and sister's children. She has no choice as they are unemployed and as the firstborn, this is her duty. It is a burden she can hardly bear. She is but one of so many in her position. Inside I screamed unfair but what I think does not matter. I am outside her culture and should not judge. This is part of her African tribal culture and even though she lives in the Western Cape which is far more influenced by European and Western thinking, she is still a part of her people. The encouraging part for me is that through Evangeline Ministries we help her earn some money through her skills and she is grateful for this.
I also encouraged her to look up and trust God and give those burdens to the Lord. This is why I am here to listen and try to understand and then offer hope. Cape Town is a magnet for people from around the world who come to enjoy its beauty. Daily we work with people who come to find a job, whatever they can find, people who are on the margins of life here. Sometimes the contrast is more than I can bear, but always, I am o thankful I am here.

Welcome to my Blog

Hello, my name is Wendy Ryan and I welcome you to my blog. I am writing this on a sun-splashed day here in the Cape with the wind roaring in my ears. Two years ago I began to work with women and men who live with HIV and Aids here in Cape Town, South Africa. I focus on skills development to give people with little or no chance in life, some reason to live and know just how special they are. I run sewing and computer classes. Already 27 people have graduated and received new sewing machines to help them earn a living. In one week our 2008 class will start and we expect to have 15 students. I am so excited to be a part of this wonderful ministry and see the positive change in the lives of the women with whom I work. Our teachers come from the same impoverished informal settlement as our students. Yesterday as we sat and planned and ate delicious fish and chips, I was amazed at how much we have accomplished and how we are truly partners together in this. They were eager to help me shape the program and make key decisions about this year. We plan to have two sets of classes to double the graduates. I will keep you posted about life in the Cape and how it affects what we do, talk to you about our students and the challenges, we face together. I also look seeing your comments. God Bless You, Wendy

Evangeline Ministries Blog Premiers!

Welcome to the Evangeline Ministries blogspot where Wendy Ryan will keep you posted on the latest news and accomplishments of the ministry and the women of Masi. We hope you will visit often and subscribe to our RSS feed. We wish you a blessed day! Check back soon!