August 2007






	The Masi Mail

		A Quarterly Newsletter for the Friends of Masiphumelele

*August 2007*

Report from Sonwabo

MasiCorp supported Sonwabo through his seminary education. Last January Philip Mokson, the pastor of the Church into which Sonwabo was to be ordained, was shot by a very troubled young man. Sonwabo has had to grow quickly in his new role at the Church, under the mentoring of Pastor Diba. MasiCorp is supporting his youth ministry which the church could not otherwise afford. We asked him to write to tell us how he is getting on.

I graduated from the seminary last year in November. I am teaching at our local primary school (Ukhanyo Primary) Grade 6 but next year I will be doing also Grade 7. The life skills that I am teaching kids are based on Christian principles. We are focusing on abstinence, self esteem etc.
This year I was formally ordained and inducted as an Associate/Youth Pastor at our church, basically I am doing youth ministry. Planning, strategizing, organising and mentoring youth programs, I also have youth Bible study on Tuesdays and on Saturdays we are doing music. I also do preaching in our Sunday service twice a month and Wednesday I sometimes help my senior Pastor by leading prayer meetings. Part-time I coach soccer for boys under 11, 13 and 15.


	Some of my team were selected to go to Denmark; one of them the goalkeeper was voted as the goalkeeper of the tournament. He brought home a trophy two days after the national television was here at Masi visiting him and I believe right now there are many doors that are going to be opened for him.


	I am organising a Gospel concert for all young people of Masiphumelele here at the Baptist Church. The aim is to bring all youth of different churches together. And on September 21-23 we will have youth conference here again in which we will be dealing with the theme "The Sovereignty of God."

Truly speaking I love what I am doing at Masiphumelele, though many times I encounter many challenges and obstacles but God by His Sovereign Grace is sustaining me through.

I want to thank God for sending such people like my late Pastor Philip Mokson, no words can express his wonderful impact in my life. I also thank my local church, Masiphumelele Baptist Church, for believing that God has called me and for always supporting me, Pastor Diba who is everything to me and Masiphumelele Corporation for making all this possible. Thank you very much.

For more than 10 years it was difficult for me to smile but now I smile and laugh all day long. Thank you again for my new front tooth.


	Visitors donate sports equipment



	The Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus from Illinois visited and made a very generous donation to the MasiCorp sports program at Ukhanyo School.




	Here, before a game with Sun Valley Primary, the under 11 Ukhanyo Netball team shows off their new uniforms which were a part of the donation.


	WorldTeach volunteers make a Directory of Opportunities for high school students.

We collaborated with volunteers from WorldTeach, a non-profit based in Cambridge, Mass. They spent the months of July and August compiling a directory of educational and occupational opportunities for high school students in Masiphumelele. It is being printed in book form and is also accessible at www.capetown.at/yazi.
This directory is greatly needed by the high school students of Masiphumelele who lack positive role models and have few adults to guide them on the journey out of the township. The Yazi Directory is particularly critical this year as the nationwide strike of public servants, including teachers, has closed the school for weeks. MasiCorp has arranged volunteer teacher support for the few seniors who have a chance of passing the all-important matric exam and there are some catch-up classes at the school in the afternoons.


	Winter rain and fire in Masiphumelele

	It has been a wet winter in Masiphumelele. Miserable if you live in a shack. Nosakhe, the social worker on the staff at the library, had to empty her shack every morning with a bucket. The picture at right was taken after three dry days.




	There was another fire in July. Twenty shacks burned affecting 38 families. MasiCorp bought clothes and blankets, but the best long-term solution is to replace shacks with houses.


	As always, thank you to all of you who continue to support us in this work.


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