Photo Update from Kate & Rachelle

Outside in front of their homes, called Clusters

Kids playing before dinner.

During church

Playing after church

Tutoring Time

Watching a soccer game

Video Chat

We got the chance to talk to the South Africa team “face to face”, sort of.

We did an ichat with the team after they got settled in South Africa right before they went over to Sparrow Village…

Ben , Rick, & John talking to Soup Campbell

John talking to Kate & Rachelle

Rachelle saying Bye

Update from the Team

Rachelle, Koos (The Team’s South Africa Contact), & Kate 

Our journey has begun.  We landed in Johannesburg, South Africa, with adventurous spirits, ready to do whatever the Lord placed before us.  We have been blessed to take the first few days to acclamate ourselves to South Africa.  As Paul did when he entered a new city, we have been meeting those who follow Jesus and live in the area near where we plan to work.  Our hosts have been warmly hospitiable and have brought us up-to-date on various situations including the history of South Africa, apartheid, racial relations, and the effects of AIDS.  Here are a few of the many insights we have gained from our new friends: Koos and Jeni Basson and our faithful guide, Lennit.

With the focus of our trip being to serve residents at an AIDS hospice, many of our initial questions had to do with the disease and its effects on South Africa.  AIDS was first identified in South Africa in the mid-1980s.  Truck drivers and mine workers were the main progaters of the disease, as they were mobile throughout Africa and often had many partners.  Today, we see the government trying to fight  promiscuity with the “ABC”s of healthy living.  “A” is for abstinence.  If you cannot abstain, then “B” is for be faithful.  If you cannot be faithful, then “C” is for condomize. 

Given the rise in the number of people with HIV/AIDS, it is clear that most people choose “C.”  Those we are meeting with believe this educational strategy tries to placate different interest groups, but fails to give the right information.  Whether you believe in God and His design for marriage or not, abstinence is the only way to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS through intercourse.

In the words of a Congolese immigrant (who is a student of Lennit’s wife), “South Africans are the victims of their own democracy.”  We are seeing the truth of this statement as we learn more about all aspects of life here. 

Pray for us as God prepares us as we head to Sparrow on Friday.  Pray that God will continue to teach us as we soak up the truths about South Africa and learn about the deceptions.  Pray for discernment, for continuned unity, and for rest.

Thank you for your commitment to our team and to the vision of the Lord.

The Team Picture

Here is a photo of the team at Memphis International before they flew out Saturday morning:

From left to right: Soup Campbell, Linda Campbell, Rachelle Pichardo, & Kate Snider

Thanks so much to Marilyn & Avery Bridges for sending in the picture.  

Safe & Sound

Kate, Rachelle, Soup & Linda all arrived safe & sound in Johannesburg, South Africa. 

They left early Saturday morning from Memphis and arrived around 10am Central Standard Time on Sunday morning.

Johannesburg is eight hours ahead of Memphis.  

Scouting South Africa

Bryan Loritts and John Bryson had been at Sparrow Village for less than five minutes when they looked at each other and knew that Sparrow was exactly what they were looking for. 

Bryan and JB went to South Africa in December of 2007 searching for a long term opportunity for Fellowship Memphis to invest.  They visited several places the week they were there, but the need at Sparrow Village was so obvious they knew this opportunity had to be pursued fully. 

Sparrow Village is, in their own words: Sparrow Village is an inter-denominational Ministry of Help not associated with any specific church.  We take care of the destitute, terminally ill adults and children with HIV/AIDS.  We primarily function as in in-patient hospice facility offering comprehensive medical, nursing, psychological, social, spiritual, educational and occupational care – through a multi-disciplinary team.

Bryan came back and shared the vision of Fellowship ministering there long term to the body a few weeks later. He said that Fellowship Memphis will fight for people to live with dignity and he was excited about Fellowship Memphis serving in a place to help people die with dignity. 

The plan is now to send two people, Rachelle Pichardo and Kate Snider to Sparrow for two months to “spy out” the land and assess the opportunity for future trips for years to come.