On September 16, 2025, a workshop for educational staff was held at the Star Mountain Rehabilitation Center SMRC near Ramallah (Palestine, West Bank). The SMRC collaborated with the Palestinian Ministry of Local Government and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to organize this workshop. Founded in 1933 on the initiative of Albert Einstein, the IRC helps politically persecuted people and refugees by providing various types of life-saving assistance. Today, the committee has around 24,000 employees in over 40 countries. The workshop focused on psychological first aid for a group of families whose children attend the SMRC. There is now hardly a family in Palestine that has not been personally affected by the war in the Gaza Strip and the unrest in the West Bank. Three pictures here.

A three-day training course on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) took place at the Kazimva Clinic. Nine community volunteers from the Moravian Church in Zambia participated in order to update their knowledge and strengthen their counseling skills for their work in the congregations. The training focused on key aspects of early childhood nutrition: support for initiating breastfeeding, promotion of exclusive breastfeeding in the first months, gradual introduction of balanced complementary foods, and feeding according to need. Special attention was paid to supporting mothers in challenging situations, such as those exposed to HIV, as well as hygienic meal preparation and safe food storage. In addition, signs of growth disorders and malnutrition were discussed so that children can be referred to health services at an early stage. The training was practice-oriented. Through role-playing, case discussions, and practical exercises, participants practiced conversation skills, active listening, and structured counseling of families. In this way, the training makes a concrete contribution to sustainably improving the health of children in the congregations served.

In September 2025, the Moravian Church in Tanzania (Eastern Province) and Tanzania Mwangaza (TAM) officially began construction of a new Vocational Training Center (VTC) in Kibaha. The Herrnhuter Missionshilfe is providing financial and advisory support for the project, which is being implemented locally by TAM. Special thanks go to Wörwag Pharma GmbH & Co. KG for its significant financial support. Construction work is scheduled to take three months, with completion of the center planned for December 2025. The training program is set to start in January 2026 with the first students. Parallel to the construction phase, organizational processes and course offerings are being prepared so that the transition to regular operation can be completed quickly. The new VTC will create a place for practical vocational training. The center will provide young people with skills that will increase their chances of finding employment and self-employment, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of the community in Kibaha.

From September 3 to 5, 2025, a three-day training course for teachers from a total of eleven Moravian vocational training centers (VTCs) took place in Mbeya. The aim of the event was to strengthen the technical and organizational skills of the teachers and to further expand cooperation between the centers. Under the guidance of experts from the KiTech organization, participants were able to deepen their knowledge of project and proposal development, learn new methods of exchanging experiences, and engage more intensively with the topic of protection from sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (PSEAH). The feedback was consistently positive: many teachers emphasized that they were not only able to expand their knowledge, but also returned to their institutions with a new sense of community. The partnership between Mission 21, HMH, and Tanzania Mwangaza is thus helping to further ensure the quality and sustainability of vocational training in Tanzania – an important step for young people who depend on strong and sustainable education.

The ongoing elections in Malawi are a moment of great hope for many people in the country. The Herrnhuter Missionshilfe organization discussed the topic with the team from MoHDevs and with students from the Atsikana Walani vocational training center for women. The desire for better education and health care, more job opportunities, and stable economic development was often mentioned. Young people, who make up the majority of the population, are seen as the driving force for change—reinforced by the growing number of young candidates. The role of women is also in focus: more female leaders are needed to promote equality and bring new perspectives to politics. At the same time, there are concerns about low voter turnout, lack of information, and possible conflicts over the results. Despite these challenges, the desire for a united Malawi that seizes its future opportunities and puts the well-being of its people above party political interests prevails.

Knudi, Hakimu, and Peter, three young men from the Moravian Church orphanage in Sumbawanga, Tanzania (Rukwa Province), were recently the focus of a small ceremony. They are now leaving the orphanage and striking out on their own. All three come from difficult social backgrounds and have benefited for years from the Moravian Church's school education and vocational training at Peter's House. See here. Knudi and Hakimu will work as blacksmiths in the future, and Peter as an electrician. The farewell ceremony was touching: an hour full of joy and gratitude, full of good wishes and dancing. Peter spoke for all three young men when he said: “Peter's House changes life stories. It educates and creates the basis for independence. I invite all those who have supported us to come here to Sumbawanga, because without them we would not have made it.” Some pictures here.

On Sunday, September 7, 2025, twelve full-time and volunteer staff members of the Board of World Mission (BWM) of the Moravian Church in North America, the sister organization of Herrnhuter Missionshilfe, traveled distances of 30, 50, 70, or 100 miles, covering a total of 1,360 miles on their bicycles to raise as much money as possible for the Door County Century Ride Each employee had gathered sponsors who donated a predetermined amount for each mile cycled. The routes for the approximately 3,000 cyclists were all located in the US state of Wisconsin, on the large, scenic Door Peninsula on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. Information about the tour can be found here. Numerous pictures of the BMW cycling team can be found here. The team promised to use the mission donations collected in such a way that they will still be of benefit in 100 years' time. PS: One US mile is 1,609.344 meters long. In total, the BMW team covered just under 2,200 kilometers.

The Generation Z movement led by young people overthrew the Nepalese government on September 13, 2025. Several parliamentary buildings in Kathmandu burned down during violent demonstrations; private and government residences throughout the country were also destroyed. There were at least 22 deaths. Parliament was dissolved by the president; new elections were scheduled for March 2026. Due to the very turbulent situation, Rev. Shanti Kumar Pradhan, the leader of the Moravian Church in Nepal, wrote updates on September 9 and 12, 2025. See the attachment here.Update 1 states: “Violence and vandalism are spreading like wildfire. The police are overwhelmed. Political leaders have fled abroad, and hundreds of prisoners have broken out of jail. By God's grace, all members of the Moravian Church are safe. Schools are closed. Only online classes are available. Please pray for us.”

A few days before serious unrest broke out in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, leaving 19 people dead because the government had blocked various social media platforms, the start of the 2025 school year was celebrated at the Moravian Church's International Kindergarten & Shristi Academy in Kathmandu-Baneshwor. On September 3, 2025, in the middle of the first week of school, the first graders set off for the Dirty Duck children's park, where they could immerse themselves in nature and get to know various domestic animals, which was met with great enthusiasm by the little ones. 20 pictures here. For children from the city of Kathmandu, with its two million inhabitants, contact with domestic animals is something quite special. The school also posted numerous pictures on Facebook of the recent inauguration of the futsal court and the opening of the taekwondo and futsal academy with prominent athletes. See here and here.

The Moravian Institute, a renowned boarding school run by the Moravian Church for boys and girls in Rajpur near Dehradun in northern India, recently posted on Facebook: "Our school continues to dominate in soccer! Our older boys played their last game on August 28, 2025, against Cambrian Hall School in Dehradun (population 700,000) at the 25th Colonel Shashi Shamsher Invitational Football Tournament, organized by Cambrian Hall School. In an exciting game that was ultimately decided in extra time, Samyi Rongmei scored the decisive goal at the last moment, securing victory for us. Jaujianlong Gengmei was subsequently named the best defender of the tournament. Congratulations to our boys, the coach, and all the staff on winning the tournament! 20 pictures from the final here. 20 pictures from the award ceremony here.

Once again, students at the Moravian Institute in Rajpur near Dehradun, northern India, practiced their recitation and rhetorical skills. Competitions between the mixed-class houses on campus are a tradition at the boarding school. First, there was a cross-house Hindi debate in grades 9 to 12 and a Hindi poetry recitation in grades 1 to 8. The residents of the houses demonstrated their skills and presented well-thought-out arguments and counterarguments on given topics. The Phuntsog house won, the Tharchin house came second, and the Gergan house came third. This was followed a little later by an English debate competition. Here, the Phuntsog house won again, ahead of the Gergan house and the Tharchin house. Competitions like these boost the students' self-confidence. Pictures here and here.

Ecumenical cooperation among churches in northern India is becoming increasingly important and intensive. The Moravian Church in the country welcomes this process and is participating in it. The Delhi Moravian Fellowship invited people to attend a large ecumenical service on Sunday, September 14, 2025, at 2 p.m. at St. Martin's Roman Catholic Church in Delhi. This service was prepared and conducted by the Ecumenical Koinonia Churches Forum Delhi. Pictures here and here. A Facebook post by the Moravian Church states: "Believers from different churches across the Delhi region came together in a spirit of unity and fellowship to pray, celebrate, and strengthen each other's faith. The event was marked by inspiring worship, powerful sermons, and warm fellowship. It reflected the true essence of koinonia."

Sisters from the Moravian Church in Europe are warmly invited to the next European Women's Conference! It will take place from May 14 to 18, 2026, at the High Leigh Christian Conference Center in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, UK, north of London. A total of 60 places are available. The cost for the entire conference, excluding travel expenses, is £484 (approx. €560). Each sister will have a single room. Double rooms can be booked, but the price remains the same as it is a per-person rate that includes meals and accommodation. Rhoinde Doth, the new bishop from the Netherlands, will be the keynote speaker at the conference. The theme of the conference is “Jesus, the Storyteller.” To register: This can be done via a special link. If you would like to receive the link, please send an email to: jane.carter@moravian.org.uk. The planning team consists of Jane Carter, Nadra Echteld, and Susanne Gärtner.

On the weekend of September 12-14, 2025, a sisters' conference of the Moravian Church took place in Iringa in central Tanzania. Women from eight provinces, including the two new mission provinces of Ruvuma and Iringa, took part in this event. Bishop Robert Pangani, his wife, Pastor Bahati, and their daughter Demetria send their greetings with photos from the conference. See here. On July 18, 2025, the Moravian Mwangaza Academy was officially opened in Iringa. Robert Pangani praised this event. The German Göbel family, who supported the project through the Fly and Help Foundation, were also present. The academy is an important step towards enabling the church in the region to offer high-quality education. In addition to the Herrnhuter Missionshilfe, the project is supported by Tanzania Mwangaza, a local NGO committed to holistic education and development. See here and here.

The mission organization of the Moravian Church in Denmark (BDM) recently profiled Nivard Gaudence, driver at the Kipili mission station in the Rukwa province of the Moravian Church in Tanzania. In the article by Svend Løbner, it says: "Nivard is the missionaries' right-hand man. Knud Elmo Knudsen said of him: ‘The most loyal employee I have ever had!’ He is a missionary when he drives, he coordinates the work and fills in the gaps when there are problems. When he finished 7th grade, his mother could no longer pay the school fees. When she fell ill, he moved in with his grandmother. His mother's illness worsened and she eventually died. This is how Nivard came to the carpentry school in Kipili, set up by missionary Knud Elmo Knudsen, and soon to the carpentry school in Kilangala. Later, Nivard, now a husband and father of four, worked as an assistant teacher and as a “jack of all trades” for the mission. He also took care of the young volunteers from Denmark." More in Danish here.

In Onward, the mission magazine of the North American South Province (No. 3-2025), missionary Michael Tesh reports on the gradual growth and consolidation of the Moravian Church in Kenya. Among other things, he writes: “In July 2025, Pastor Samuel and I spent two weeks in Ikutha to establish a new congregation.” By God's grace, we were able to minister in twelve different homes, and two families now belong to the new congregation. It was physically demanding because of the long distances, but the weather was cooler than last time. We also held two film events in Ikutha. On the first Saturday, we showed the Jesus film, and on the second Saturday, we showed the film about Moses and the Red Sea. Each event attracted about 100 people, and before the film screenings, we shared the Word of the Lord. We also visited two schools. Once we told the children about David and Goliath and told them that God helps them overcome challenges and fears. The other time, we told the story of Jonah and taught the children to listen to God's voice and follow His call.

The Kinderhaus Saron of the Moravian Church in Paramaribo, Suriname, will celebrate its 115th anniversary on September 27, 2025. The Surinamese TV station “STVS – De Nationale Zender” took this occasion to interview Marcel Leune, director of the foundation, for eleven minutes. Click here. to watch the video in Dutch. Marcel Leune explains that the celebrations, including a church service on the children's home grounds, a reunion for former residents, and a children's and sports festival, will last for exactly two weeks. The Saron Children's Home on Schlangenhautstraße in the center of the state capital (only about one kilometer from the Suriname River), founded by the Moravian Mission, has 40 places for children between the ages of 6 and 18 who do not have a stable home life. The interview mentions the good relationships between the children and young people and the educators, the Christian character of the home, and many wonderful educational successes.

In its newsletter ZZg Nieuws (issue 03-2025; download here) the Moravian mission organization in the Netherlands, ZZg, provides information about projects in Suriname and Malawi, among other things. The Siswa Tama girls' boarding school run by the Moravian Church in Paramaribo, Suriname, urgently needs new sanitary facilities. Due to financial constraints, necessary maintenance work has been postponed for a long time. Toilets, sinks, faucets, pipes, and doors are worn out or broken. The boarding school accommodates 65 teenage girls, mostly from the interior of the country, who now attend secondary school in the capital. ZZg is supporting the work with 8,900 euros. A call has been made in the Netherlands to support children at the Light of Hope School in the huge Dzaleka Refugee Camp run by the UNHCR in Malawi. 85 euros will finance everything a child needs for everyday school life: 70 euros are required for a school uniform including shoes, socks, sweater, and school bag, and 15 euros for the most important school supplies.

The island of Tortola is one of the smaller islands in the Caribbean. Politically, it belongs to the British Virgin Islands. As far as the Moravian Church is concerned, it belongs to the Unity Province of West Indies-East. There is only one Moravian Church on the 19 x 5 kilometer island, namely the Trinity Moravian Church in the beautiful region of Baugher's Bay. The congregation was only established in 1990 and 1993 (first own service) through private contacts with the Moravian Church on the neighboring islands. See here. On September 7, 2025, the congregation commemorated those of its members who were just starting school or were about to begin their studies or training. Pastor Athena Maduro prayed for the new students and blessed them. Some pictures here. Two weeks earlier, several sisters from the congregation, whose ancestors were slaves deported from Africa, proudly presented themselves in their African national costumes. See here.

The Christian David School near Barkava, the first non-state school in free Latvia after the fall of communism, is a boarding school where children not only learn, but also do practical work on the school's agricultural and forestry land. The school's September 2025 newsletter mentions outdoor work, among other things: "Summer is over. The work in the fields and gardens was hard. There was too much rain. Haymaking was the biggest problem. Nevertheless, we were able to tie 2,000 hay bales in three days. Five former students also helped us. It wasn't so bad with the potatoes and vegetables. Three months of summer vacation (early June to late August) is too long. That's why our children spent one week each month on school activities (ethnographic open-air museum, Turaide Castle, clearing tree trunks from a previously flooded riverbed, candle-making workshop).

On Sunday, September 14, 2025, the 99th anniversary of the prayer hall of the Moravian Church in Nabala, Estonia (20 kilometers south of Tallinn), the exterior work around the wooden hall is scheduled to be completed. At the end of the summer, activities are in full swing. The fence surrounding the property and the driveway are currently being renovated. Then the foundation of the annex built in 1936 must be reinforced and sections of the walls must be re-plastered. The congregation members thank the political community of Kiili for its promised financial support! They also thank the donors and those who helped with the construction work. The prayer hall in Nabala was built on the grounds of the Miku farm. The then owner of the farm, Juhan Härma, initiated the new construction because an older prayer hall, about which nothing is known, had fallen into disrepair. Pictures here.