Dear readers of the Herrnhuter Missionshilfe e.V. Newsletter,
we would like to thank you for your loyalty throughout this year and for reading our newsletter. Thank you very much! In addition to many encouraging developments, for example at Atsikana Walani Technical College AWTC, we also had to report on disasters that befell people. That is very sad. But it is important to us that we do not forget people in need. We report on them, we pray for them, we collect donations for them. No one is left alone!
Thank you very much for supporting us by reading the information, but also through your financial donations and intercession.
We wish you, your families, and friends a merry and blessed Christmas!

On behalf of the entire HMH team: Niels Gärtner

Around the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, 2025, the Star Mountain Rehabilitation Center SMRC (Palestine/West Bank) took part in activities aimed at raising awareness in society about the rights of persons with disabilities and promoting their participation in the community. First, the SMRC was present at a solidarity stand in the central Al-Manara Square in Ramallah, together with representatives of the Ministry of Social Affairs, the General Association for the Disabled, and several social welfare organizations. The SMRC also took part in an event organized by the National Bible Society, which featured plays and other activities by people with disabilities from various institutions. A group of visitors welcomed the SMRC from the education authority in nearby Birzeit. The delegation learned all about the facility and handed out gifts and sweets to the kids from the special school, which put smiles on a lot of faces. 22 pictures here.

On November 30, 2025, the Kibaha Vocational Training Center was officially opened. The ceremony marks an important milestone in the Moravian Church in Tanzania – Eastern Province's commitment to vocational training for young people. The inauguration was led by Rev. Gerhard Sikali Simtengu, chairman of the church. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the church leadership, the Kibaha congregation, and the partner organization Tanzania Mwangaza, whose technical support contributed significantly to the success of the project. Special thanks go to the donors of Herrnhuter Missionshilfe for their reliable support. Starting in February 2026, the center will begin offering training programs and opening up new perspectives for young people's professional futures.

Enrollment for the coming semester is currently underway at the Walani Women's Center AWTC in Malawi. Many young women are registering or expressing great interest in the courses and training programs on offer. The demand clearly shows how important vocational training and qualifications are for young women in the region. At the same time, it is becoming apparent that not all interested women can afford the necessary tuition fees. Young women from the Dzaleka Camp in particular have no financial means whatsoever due to the current critical situation. Therefore, even comparatively small contributions represent a high hurdle. Without additional support, they are denied access to education and thus to independent career prospects. The Herrnhuter Missionshilfe is therefore specifically looking for scholarships and funding opportunities to enable as many young women as possible to participate in the courses at the AWTC. Every contribution helps to open up educational opportunities and create long-term prospects. Donations for scholarships here.

Although Bethlehem Moravian College BMC in Malvern/St. Elizabeth in southern Jamaica was itself affected by Hurricane Melissa on October 28, 2025, the institution's students are now providing assistance. A recent Facebook post stated: "BMC shows compassion through aid packages. It demonstrates its commitment to social issues and an intact community in the aftermath of the hurricane. Aware of the plight of those affected by the hurricane, we distributed aid packages to those in need. These were carefully assembled to provide comfort and hope during this difficult time. The packages represent more than just material aid - they remind hurricane victims that they are not alone. At BMC, we believe that education goes beyond the classroom. It also includes empathy and decisive action in times of crisis. We want to be a ray of hope. We pray for healing, reconstruction, and strength for all those affected by Hurricane Melissa." A video of the package campaign here.

On December 10, 2025, leaders of the Moravian Church in Albania posted on Facebook: "Today we had a very beautiful, uplifting time of fellowship at the sisters' Christmas brunch in our community center in Tirana. During Advent, our hearts prepare for the birth of Jesus. With the many lights and gifts of joy, we do not forget that the true reason for celebrating this season is the birth of Jesus in the stable in Bethlehem. Our sister Hope delighted us greatly with her presence. Today she officially retires, but with God, time works differently; he does not send people into retirement. He uses people at all times, at all ages. All the food was cooked and prepared with much love by the sisters - a table full of blessings." Some pictures here. Further Advent gatherings for children and adults took place elsewhere in the country. Pictures here and here.

For many years, Dr. Jochen Tolk has been working with the Moravian Church in Tanzania and the Herrnhuter Missionshilfe to help AIDS orphans and particularly disadvantaged families. In his latest newsletter, he provides a brief overview of the current projects: In Tenende, a small, sturdy house was built for a paralyzed woman, providing protection from rain and flooding. In Ilindi and Chunya, 38 young women and men celebrated their graduation from vocational training centers. Equipped with certificates, tools, or sewing machines, they are now starting their professional careers. In total, more than 300 young people have already received training there. The work is currently taking place under difficult conditions. Political unrest, rising prices, and setbacks in agriculture are weighing on the situation. Nevertheless, the care of around 350 children continues to be ensured. Advent offers an opportunity to pause and focus on projects that are being reliably continued even under challenging conditions. To the newsletter here.

Four young volunteers from Denmark, all women, took part in a course in Christiansfeld (Jutland) over the last few days to prepare for their departure to Tanzania and their six-month service at the Moravian Church's Peter's House orphanage in Sumbawanga (Rukwa Province): Julie Kousgaard Madsen from Nexø on Bornholm, Anna Grønhøj Kristensen from Give, Julie Amby Reuss Damgaard from Skjern, and Julie Holm Skafsgaard from Stjær, west of Aarhus. They plan to arrive at their destination on January 15, 2026. Picture here. The mission organization of the Moravian Church in Denmark, BDM, has its own youth organization, primarily for current and former young volunteers, BDM’s unge.The young people active here meet three to four times a year to discuss the situation of the Moravian mission in Africa, especially the mission in Tanzania. In doing so, they motivate and inspire each other.

• The women's group of the Moravian Church in Shey, Ladakh, 20 kilometers south of the city of Leh, met during Advent for Bible study, to make Christmas decorations, and to share a meal together. See here (please scroll down).
• The Moravian Church in the metropolis of Delhi posted the following information about this year's Christmas celebrations on Facebook: "1) This year there will be no monetary gifts for church members. Instead, families will go out to eat together after the service. 2) The donations collected during the recent Christmas carol singing will be used for the ‘Moravian Christingle’ (oranges and decorated candles) and for the Christmas cake. 3) The Christingle service (Christmas Eve) will take place at 5 p.m. 4) The service on Christmas Day will take place at 10 a.m., as our host, the Young Christian Academy, would like to use the premises in the afternoon."

On December 20, 1735, the first German missionaries arrived in Suriname to spread the gospel in word and deed. They were Georg Bergwig, Georg Piesch, and Christoph von Larisch. From these beginnings, the Moravian Church was established in the country. The European-Continental Province ECP celebrates this beginning with the Moravians in Suriname, French Guiana, Curaçao, Aruba, and St. Maarten, all of which now belong to the Unity Province of Suriname. The anniversary theme is: “Reaching the unreached with the good news.” For the Moravian Church in Suriname is still following in the footsteps of the first missionaries and spreading the gospel throughout the country. The highlight of the celebrations will be a festive thanksgiving service on December 20, 2025, in the "Great City Church" in Paramaribo. A list of the other events is available here. A five-member committee is coordinating the celebrations.

Herman Jintie, director of Medische Zending – Primary Health Care Suriname, was recently elected secretary of the board of the World Association of Cultural Psychiatry at a conference in Tokyo. This organization was founded in 2006 in response to the growing recognition of the influence of culture on mental health and illness. Culture shapes the symptoms of emotional disorders, influences susceptibility to stress, and affects the use of support services. It also shapes local health care and its institutions. Therefore, culturally sensitive approaches are essential for high-quality mental health care. Herman Jintie comes from Commewijne, not far from Paramaribo, and has been head of Medische Zending in Suriname since March 2019. More in the organization's November 2025 newsletter. See here.

• Of course, in December 2025, the popular Advent singing by children from the Moravian Church in Suriname will once again take place throughout the country. The children's public performances at various times of the year and on various occasions are known in Suriname as “Anitri Singi Prisiri” (Moravian singing and praising). Pictures and videos here and here and here. 
• On the occasion of the annual World AIDS Day on December 1, 2025, the Medische Zending (Medical Mission in Suriname) wrote on its Facebook pages: "We remain committed to raising awareness about AIDS. We advocate for education, prevention, and combating stigma related to HIV/AIDS. Everyone deserves respect, protection, and access to healthcare. No one is judged. 1) Get tested! Those who know about the infection early can be treated better. 2) No stigma and no discrimination! HIV is not a disgrace. 3) Use protection! Prevention must be a priority. 4) Support each other! Together we can build a strong, healthy society." See here.

As reported by the British news agency Reuters on December 11, 2025, armed Tutsi members of the M23 rebel group (Mouvement du 23-Mars) are now on the outskirts of the city of Uvira in Eastern Congo. The Moravian Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo has its headquarters and one of its churches there. Gunfire had already been heard on the outskirts of Uvira on Thursday morning. The M23 leadership claims to have taken over the city from regular Congolese troops. The city's residents have either fled or barricaded themselves in their homes. The UN reports that 200,000 people have fled the city. 25,000 people have gone to neighboring Burundi, whose capital Bujumbura is only 17 kilometers from Uvira. Jacques Bya'unda, president of the Moravian Church in Eastern Congo, urgently asks for intercession for the people who are under multiple threats. The Moravian Church's orphanage, Knudsen House, not far from Uvira, is also under threat. The Reuters-Video here.