In Karonga, in northern Malawi, the situation for young children continues to worsen. More and more families, including many refugees from the Congo, are coming to the region in search of safety and a better future. But what they find is poverty, a lack of infrastructure and hardly any access to education. The youngest children in particular suffer. The Moravian Church Malawi's only provisional kindergarten in Karonga is completely overcrowded, the building is dilapidated and there is a lack of everything: space, child-friendly sanitary facilities and equipment. And yet for many children, it is the only place where they are safe, can play - and receive a warm meal. Volunteers from the Moravian Church Malawi cook and look after the children lovingly, offering them a little stability in troubled times. But there is an urgent need for action: together with the local church community, Herrnhuter Missionshilfe e.V. is planning to build a new kindergarten for up to 200 children. A safe place where they will be looked after, supported and cared for. But we urgently need support for this. If you would like to help, perhaps with a larger contribution, please contact markus.kuhn@ebu.de or donate at DE25 5206 0410 0000 4151 03, keyword “Kindergarten Karonga”. Help us to give these children a future! Every contribution counts. In the case of large donations that enable the construction of a kindergarten building (approx. €20,000), the building can also be dedicated to individuals/companies.

There are always impressive success stories at the Walani Girls' Vocational Training Center AWTC in Malawi - like those of Martha and Ekuso. Both completed their training with top marks and are now working as assistant teachers at the school. Martha, who has a great talent for tailoring, supports the new courses and is gaining her first teaching experience. Ekuso, who graduated at the top of her class in solar electrics, is now mentoring students in the solar workshop. Both young women are an inspiring example of how education creates prospects and how our graduates pass on their knowledge to the next generation. Herrnhuter Missionshilfe is proud of their commitment and is delighted that they are now actively enriching the team! If you would like to give young women like Ekuso and Martha a chance and support them with an education sponsorship, please contact markus.kuhn@ebu.de.

In recent months, work has been carried out to expand the Women's Training Center (FTC) of the Moravian Church of Malawi. The grounds have been fenced in, a new open shelter for training sessions with water and electricity connections is being built and a mobile solar-powered water pump will soon provide a reliable water supply. At the same time, the training program continues. The first Training of Trainers (ToT) seminar took place in October with ten women from various congregations of the Moravian Church. Another important topic is sustainable agriculture. The rising price of fertilizer is increasing interest in natural alternatives. In December, training courses on soil health were held, which met with a great response. Many participants want to implement the methods in the current rainy season. The show garden is also developing well. In addition to medicinal and useful plants such as moringa, lemongrass and tomatoes, compost production is running successfully. All this progress shows how valuable the FTC is as a learning and meeting place in Mzuzu - for sustainable development and for the empowerment of women in the congregations.

The kindergarten of the Moravian Church in Pemba was opened in February 2024 with just eight children. Today, 55 children are already being cared for and taught there. This success is an important step in the educational work on site. Milestones already achieved include a safe playground that provides a protected environment for the children to play and learn, as well as a school vehicle that provides transportation for the pupils. Safety precautions on the premises have also been significantly improved to provide a safe space for the children. In addition, the quality of education has been further strengthened by the purchase of printers and laptops, which helps teachers to make lessons more efficient and varied. These advances make a significant contribution to providing the children with a good foundation for their future.

On March 5, Bishop Robert Pangani, President of the Moravian Church Tanzania South West Province, and Michael Gutekunst, Chairman of the Association for the Support of the Partnership with the Moravian Church in Southwest Tanzania, signed a cooperation agreement for a new volunteer program. “Together, we can enable young people to experience voluntary service in another country, in another culture. In this way, we share faith and life together,” says Michael Gutekunst, delighted with the joint venture. The Evangelical Church District of Mühlacker and the Moravian Church in Tanzania have enjoyed a lively partnership for over 40 years. The support association was founded four years ago to develop a volunteer program, among other things. In cooperation with the Diakonisches Werk Württemberg, the Weltwärts Program enabled Tanzanian young adults to do voluntary service in southern Germany. At the same time, thanks to the association, several young Germans traveled to Tanzania to provide support and gain lasting experience. To the complete message here.

On the evening of March 29, 2025, the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan ends this year, during which the faithful are obliged to be charitable in a special way. This will be followed on March 30, 2025 by Eid al-Fitr, the festival of breaking the fast. To mark this occasion, two organizations had a surprise in store for the children and young people at the Star Mountain Rehabilitation Center near Ramallah (Palestine, West Bank) on 20 March 2025: The Women's Committee of the “Turmus'ayya Charitable Association” and some children from the Turmus'ayya Girls Secondary School presented the special needs students on Star Mountain with small gifts and organized a series of interactive sports and leisure activities. Turmus’ayya is a town of 4,000 inhabitants just 20 kilometers from Ramallah. Star Mountain has been cooperating with the Palestinian villages in the area since the 1980s. Some pictures here.

During the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, which is traditionally also dedicated to charity, the US educational and aid organization amideast based in El-Bireh, held a special day of celebration at Star Mountain Rehabilitation Center near Ramallah (Palestine/West Bank) on Saturday, 23 March 2025. The management of the support center expressed their gratitude on Facebook “for the wonderful recreational activities that amideast had prepared for a group from our facility. It was a day full of joy and happiness as our special needs students enjoyed the warm Ramadan atmosphere and participated in fun activities that brought a smile to their faces.” An evening meal to break the fast after sunset, called Iftar, was integrated into the hours spent together with the people from amideast. Some pictures here.

On March 14, 2025, Arngeir Langås reports on the visit of four young volunteers from Denmark to the Moravian Church and the Lutheran Church in Zanzibar. The visit was also attended by the four long-term Danish employees in Tanzania and Arngeir Langås, the General Secretary of the Moravian Church's mission organization in Denmark. See the article in Danish here. The group stayed at the Zanzibar Retreat Hotel, visited the only Moravian Church on Zanzibar, swam in the Indian Ocean, visited Stone Town, the historic center of the Islamic spice island, and had important meetings at the Zanzibar Interfaith Centre. There, the Danes spoke with locals who have extensive experience in Christian-Muslim dialog. There was also a visit to the Anglican Cathedral (UNESCO World Heritage Site), which was built on the old slave market. Until the slave trade was banned in 1873, hundreds of thousands of black slaves were shipped all over the world via Zanzibar.

Because there was still some space left in a large container that two Dutch companies wanted to send to Tanzania with woodworking machinery and technology for drilling water wells, the missionary organization of the Moravian Church in the Netherlands spontaneously filled this space with school furniture for the Tanzanian Rukwa province. They were supported by two charitable organizations (De Baanderij in Gouda and water4everyone"). The furniture has now arrived at the secondary school in Kipande, five kilometers away from the Kilangala mission station. The secondary school students enthusiastically helped to unload the donated items for their school, especially their own new school desks! A short video of this happy “chair walk” here. In Tanzania, where there are so many children, it is often the case that not every child has their own school desk and chair.

The Moravian Church's carpentry school in Sumbawanga, Tanzania (Rukwa Province) has already moved several times. It was founded by missionary Knud Elmo Knudsen in 2004, when it was located in Kipili on Lake Tanganyika. Most recently it was attached to the orphanage Peter's House above Sumbawanga. Now it has found its permanent home in Sumbawanga-Majengo, where there is also a sewing school with a boarding school. The carpentry school, which currently has 16 trainees, has a spacious workshop and an internally tiled toilet building. It is run by Peter Kasama. The trainees learn how to read dimensional drawings, make furniture, doors and windows and construct rafters and roofs. The most recent job completed by the apprentices was the production of beds, cupboards, tables and chairs for the sewing school's boarding school. Now the students are building the furniture for their own boarding school. The raw material for the carpentry school is eucalyptus and cedar wood, which is grown on plantations in the surrounding area and brought in. More in a longer article by Svend Løbner, Christiansfeld, from March 18, 2025 in Danish here.

Bishops from the Lutheran Communion of Churches in Southern Africa ( LUCSA ), a regional expression of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Africa, met in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the end of February 2025 under the heading Envisioning of Cooperative Future. The LUCSA is a fellowship of 15 LWF member churches from ten South African countries. At the week-long meeting, Rochelle Petrus, the recently consecrated first female bishop of the Moravian Church in South Africa, met with two other female bishops in Southern Africa: Hilja Hamukwaya (Eastern Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia) and Naledzani Sikhwari (Northern Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa). Among other things, the bishops spoke out in favor of ethical and moral leadership, accountability and transparency in daily work. Read more about the bishops' meeting in Johannesburg in the LUCSA press release here.

The Moravian Church in Burundi currently consists of 49 congregations. Of these, Burundian Bishop Pascal Benimana would like to visit 25 congregations this year in coordination with the church leadership, as Zacharias Hakizimana, the church's General Secretary, announced on March 9, 2025. Some of the planned visits have already taken place in the past two weeks. Following the bishop's visit to Gitobe, there were seminars for leaders from the congregations of Gitobe, Kidasha, Kibonde and Bugorora. Some pictures here. A song of the whole choir (children & adults) of the congregation Gitobe can be found here. There is a longer song by the men's choir Adona” of the congregation Gasuga. See here. Finally, a festive service on 16 March 2025 in Buhiga, in which Christians from Kanyange, Rwizingwe and Rudaraza also took part, also served to build the church. Some pictures here.

March 21 is celebrated annually in South Africa as Human Rights Day. South Africa has included inalienable human rights in its own Bill of Rights, in Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996. All articles of the Constitution can only be amended by parliament with a two-thirds majority. On this year's Human Rights Day, the Moravian Church in South Africa, together with other bodies (Mission Museum, IFreshAfrica, Theewaterskloof Municipality, local Spaza stores [informal yard/container stores], Church of God, Meulrivier Farm), organized a community clean-up followed by a social event. The cleanliness and beautification of the city, which is known throughout South Africa, is close to the hearts of all residents. On Facebook the day after, the message was: “We rolled up our sleeves because everyone deserves to live in a clean and safe environment”. 50 pictures of the clean up here.

It was a special moment in the Protestant peace congregation of Eppertshausen: Church President Lizwi Mtumtum from the Moravian Church in South Africa visited the congregation and also attended a service followed by a church coffee on February 2, 2025. His visit followed the partnership consultation of the Evangelical Church in Hessen and Nassau (EKHN) in the Hochtaunus district, which was attended by members from all partner churches and the partnership committees, according to the Friedensgemeinde. For the Friedensgemeinde, the visit was an opportunity to strengthen ties with its partner church in the south of Cape Town. It had collected the entire net proceeds of its community festival in May 2024, amounting to 600 euros, for the Moravian Church kindergartens in South Africa in District 3 (Kastadt South). The amount has now been officially handed over. The Moravian Church emblem, the lamb with the victory flag, served as the pulpit parament during the service. Pictures of the visit here. There has been a special partnership between the Herrnhut church district of Capetown South and the Vorderer Odenwald deanery in the Starkenburg provostry of the EKHN for four decades.

Onward, the bi-monthly newsletter of the Missionary Society of the Southern Province of the Moravian Church in North America, published a few lines from Michael and Cecilia Tesh, who work for the Moravian Church in Kenya, in early March 2025: “We as a family are doing very well. It's very hot and dry here. And now a short update on what is happening here. In the orphan project 'Ray of Hope' we were able to complete the renovation of the school. The girls' dormitory is getting a new roof this week. Please pray for the new children we are welcoming this week. And pray for my coworker Samuel and me on Thursday of this week. We are traveling to a meeting with the other Moravian Church pastors in the country. We will plan through 2025 and set ourselves new goals. We want to continue to grow as a church. Thank you very much for your support.”

March 4 was declared National Read Aloud Day 2025 by the Suriname government. The aim of the day is to encourage young people to read and to introduce them to the joy of books. On this day, various influential personalities such as ministers, district commissioners, journalists, actors, presenters, athletes, opinion leaders and other prominent Surinamese visit schools to share their wisdom with the children and read from their favorite books. “Reading is good for brain development and expands vocabulary. Let's read with the children and encourage their development,” said the First Lady of Suriname, Mellisa Santokhi-Seenacherry. Pictures of National Read Aloud Day 2025 at four elementary school of the Moravian Church in Paramaribo here and here and here and here. National Read Aloud Days have been held in Suriname since 2003.

The Medical Mission in Suriname, in cooperation with the Pan Amerikan Health Organization (PAHO),has launched an innovative telemedicine project in the indigenous congregation of Powakka in the tropical rainforest - south of Paramaribo. The aim of this project is to expand access to high-quality healthcare services and significantly reduce costs for the inhabitants, who previously had to travel a long way to the capital Paramaribo for medical care. Through this program, the residents of Powakka and the surrounding villages now have access to remote consultations and other essential health services. The project reflects a commitment to equitable health care in underserved congregations. Representatives from the participating organizations attended the project launch, which included live demonstrations of the telemedicine equipment. Read more in the Key News Surinamehere.

On 8 March 2025, International Women's Day, the Zeister Missionary Society in the Netherlands commemorated Dr. Sophie Redmond (1907-1955), a pioneer of charity and equality. As the first black female doctor in Suriname, she paved the way for women in the medical world and beyond. Her work was more than medicine; she was a missionary and fought for justice and especially for women's causes. For her, medical healing and social commitment went hand in hand. She stood up for the disadvantaged and provided education in simple language. In addition to her work as a doctor, she was a strong voice in society. Through plays, lectures and political work, she wanted to advance Suriname: everyone should have a fair chance. As a member of the Moravian Church in Suriname, she lived her faith publicly. A photo of her here.

On March 5, 2025, the twelve bishops of the Moravian Church currently residing in North America published a pastoral letter. Original in English here. Translation in German here. In the letter, the bishops express their concern about the deep social division in the USA. They deplore the distortion of the Gospel in favor of a supposedly Christian nationalism and a punitive immigration policy. The bishops are particularly concerned about the withdrawal of state funding for development cooperation. They write: “Our partners in disaster relief and humanitarian aid are being forced to revise their budgets and furlough staff in the face of at least temporary funding cuts. These changes will impact the congregations our partner organizations serve.” The bishops conclude their letter as follows: “The witness of compassion is desperately needed today. May we give it together.”

As reported by the media in Alaska, the vacant buildings of the Moravian Church five kilometers from Kwethluk/AK - formerly Nunapitsinghak - burned down completely on March 2-3, 2025. This affected the large Nunapitsinghak Moravian Children's Home (closed in 1973; last operated by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs), the church and the Moravian Church store as well as several outbuildings. A video of the fire here. A longer photo report by KYUK Media here (also with historical photos). The destruction of the buildings was not arbitrary, but was decided by the Council of Elders of the Moravian Church Bethel/AK, which owns the properties, to avert physical and psychological danger, according to Pastor Clifford Jimmie. The events at the children's home were particularly traumatic for the indigenous Yipìk who were housed there until 1973. They were forcibly alienated from their own culture and quickly Americanized. In recent times, occult activities had also taken place in the now burnt down buildings and drugs had been traded. The Council of Elders in Bethel/AK is now considering what to do with the remains of the fire and the empty properties.

At the end of January 2025, the Herrnhut Daily Texts finally arrived in the small, remote settlements in Labrador. The community helpers McKinley and Darlene Winters in the Hopedale Moravian Church posted: “Hello Facebook friends! Thank you for your patience. The Moravian Daily Texts 2025 were stored in the Air Borealis cargo hold in Happy Valley/Goose Bay on January 15, 2025 and then shipped to Hopedale. We thank the OKâlaKatiget Society committee, our Moravian Bishop Chris Gieseler and his wife Tina, and Carl, Jill and Mike for getting the book shipment ready in the USA at the distribution center. As soon as the shipment arrives here in Hopedale, we will notify you and deliver the Daily Texts. Peace be with you!” The couple McKinley and Darlene Winters have three children; they are from Labrador and were only ordained in 2021. More about the couple's life in English here.

The small and still young Moravian Church in Cuba also celebrated International Women's Day on March 8, 2025 with special tributes to women. On Facebook, the Moravian Church Ebenezer in the city of Santa Clara linked to a post that read: “In Cuba, there is a saying that goes: ‘A piece of land is worth as much as the man who cultivates it’. We should add another new proverb to this traditional saying: 'A man is worth as much as he gives his wife opportunities to develop. And then in the Facebook post there is a short, anonymously transmitted story that tells in detail how the act of creation took place, when God finally made the woman after the man and how God explained the nature and functioning of the woman to a curious angel who observed him during the creation of the woman. The whole story in German translation here.

Antigua and Barbuda is a tropical country in the eastern Caribbean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it was a British colony until 1981; since then it has been part of the British Commonwealth. Because Commonwealth Day was celebrated worldwide on March 10, 2025, a Commonwealth service was held in the Spring Gardens Moravian Church in the country's capital Saint John's on March 9, 2025, which was celebrated as a youth service. A video of the two-hour service, which included music from the congregation's Youth Steel Band and several children's and youth choirs and was broadcast live on television, is available here. This year's theme for the day, Thriving Together, acknowledged the togetherness of the current 56 Commonwealth countries, united by common values. The service brought together the government, representatives of Commonwealth organizations, members of civil society and some Scouts for a service of thanksgiving. Several members of the National Congress were also present at the service. See also the announcement here.

In the Moravian Church in North America, the third Thursday in March is celebrated every year as a day of prayer for the Moravian Church in Brazil. Since the Unity Synod 2023 in South Africa, the church there has had the status of a work in progress of the worldwide Moravian Church. The Board of World Mission of the Moravian Church in North America has been accompanying the brothers and sisters in Brazil in a special way since they first came into contact with the Moravian Church around eight years ago. Mauricio Melo, the pastor of the Moravian Church in Brazil, has written down the following intercessory requests: 1) Pray that we will find a place of worship that belongs to us. 2) Pray that we will have the financial means to maintain all our services. 3) Pray that new members will keep joining our congregations. 4) Pray for unity as we continue to build the Moravian Church in Brazil. 5) Pray for the political leadership of our country. See in English here.

The publisher Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht in Göttingen has just published a new volume of the historical-critical edition of Zinzendorf's works with a planned 10 volumes. Volume 4.2 contains texts by Zinzendorf relating to his journeys to St. Thomas (1739), Geneva (1741) and Pennsylvania (1742) and is therefore of great relevance to the history of missions. The volume was edited by Dietrich Meyer with the collaboration of Rudolf Dellsperger, Peter Lauber, Paul Peucker and Peter Vogt. It has 644 pages and costs 140 euros. ISBN: 978-3-525-50212-9. You can read - with notes and commentaries - works from Zinzendorf's extensive, previously published writings, but also works from his archival estate (including records of Zinzendorf's journey to St. Thomas in 1739, the minutes of the seven so-called Pennsylvanian Synods in 1742 and the reports on Zinzendorf's travels to the indigenous peoples of North America in 1742. More here (in German) and here (in English).