It has been a long time without news, but I am still busy and thriving, with highs and lows. In all though, God has been and is with me. You can read more in the newsletter, however, I must say there will be changes ahead, so I might write more at the end of this month.
Newsletter no.1, 2023
Directors meetings
These directors meetings started last year. As I am approaching retirement, I need people around me who can take over from me here when I will return to The Netherlands, but I surely will continue to keep in contact and monitor activities from there. The meetings are held with three others. They are Ayila Bay, who is the nurse in charge of the treatment program of people living with HIV that is established since 2014 at the general hospital in Adi. The second person is Margaret Badaru Abiria, a nurse working in the health center in Adi. She is also responsible of the HIV testing at the ante-natal clinics at the hospital on Thursday mornings. And she can talk out of her experience with HIV. The third is Emmanuel Anyole Idroru, a young pastor who is working as an assistant in the church section of Adi.
Or should I say was. Recently he shared the news that he will have to move to Bunia, where he will take up a new job as secretary in the head office of the CECA church community. He will be missed in the directors meetings and in the board, sorely missed. He will leave a huge gap. However, that said, there is an advantage as well. As he will be close to the leadership of CECA he can and will be our mouthpiece and speaking in favour of the AIDS program with them. For now though, sadness is in my heart, as he is moving with his family. His wife and children are dear to me as well.
Please pray for Emmanuel and his family when they prepare to leave Adi and move to Bunia. Pray that they will settle in well and for the children to thrive in their new surroundings.
Pray for the AIDS Awareness Program as well to be able to continue to develop the program here in Adi.
Interview about Bethsaida, orphan project
WE NEED HELP!
Esther, one of the children we support with our Bethsaida project gave a brief interview in December 2021, about the help she gets in paying her school fees, (https://youtu.be/5oV80xVxkoI) We need more money to be able to continue supporting children who are orphaned because of having lost their parents because of HIV.
We are looking for donors who will be willing to support one of the children we are supporting through the project of Bethsaida. It helps them to prepare for the future. One of the children we helped the last two years of her secondary school time is studying now to be a nurse. A boy who was in primary school when we started to support him, at age 18, was limited to continue at school because of covid in 2020. He wanted to do car mechanics, but first wanted to learn more french. However, a garage in Ingbokolo was willing to take him in as aid, but quickly saw that the boy was very interested in learning. He graduated in 2022 and works now as an aid-mechanic in Durba.
Channels of Hope
On 24 April I could present a very short version of the workshop for Church leaders in my home church. While in Dutch, you could watch it using the cc for translation. Although this translation is not always correct.
Channels of Hope has as aim to equip church leaders with knowledge and aptitudes to be channels of hope for people living with HIV.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cn2LMweztE
