Heavy rainfall and flooding have further exacerbated the already difficult living conditions of many people in several regions of Albania. The region of Lezha, where numerous families live in very basic or temporary accommodation, has been particularly affected. Even normal rainfall causes major problems there, but the current floods have been much more severe than usual. Many families in Pogradec and Burrel are also affected, including people who live in former school dormitories or other unsafe buildings and have hardly any savings. Many of those affected are currently unable to support themselves because they have lost their usual small sources of income due to the persistent rainfall. Urgent food aid is therefore needed most of all on the ground. A food package costs around 35 euros and provides concrete help to a family. We kindly ask for your support so that this emergency aid can be implemented. Donations can be made to Herrnhuter Missionshilfe e.V., IBAN DE25 5206 0410 0000 4151 03, BIC GENODEF1EK1, reference Nothilfe. You can also use our Girocode, Paypal or Online-Payment on the side Emergency Aid.Thank you very much for your solidarity.

Ruth Upie Chirwa is currently visiting Atsikana Walani Technical College (AWTC). The young Malawian woman is a fashion designer, para-athlete, and committed activist for inclusion and accessibility. Despite major hurdles—especially as a woman in a wheelchair in a country where accessibility is not yet a given—she has carved out her own path and now presents her designs internationally. During her stay, Ruth talks to the trainees about her life journey, self-confidence, and perseverance—in an environment where poverty and difficult starting conditions are a reality. The AWTC also offers young women with disabilities a barrier-free place of learning and stands for participation, respect, and real opportunities for the future. Ruth Upie Chirwa's visit highlights how important role models are for empowerment and perspective building.

Often the media reports on the increasing violence by Jewish settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank. Gardens and houses are destroyed, cars set on fire, livestock stolen – often under the protection of Israeli soldiers. There is no legal prosecution of these acts. These acts of violence mostly take place in rural areas not far from settlements and outposts. Since Star Mountain Rehabilitation Center SMRC is located in the densely populated A zone between Ramallah and Birzeit, it is not affected by these acts of violence. “We can drive from Kobar to Star Mountain every day,” says teacher Jihan, "the road to Ramallah is also completely normal and taxis from Birzeit pass by here in large numbers. It is more difficult for children who come from villages further away. There is violence and checkpoints there, so sometimes they cannot come.“ The situation in the West Bank is therefore quite varied. ”We can be grateful that Star Mountain is located in this relatively quiet zone of the West Bank," summarizes HMH consultant Niels Gärtner after his visit to the SMRC this week.

On January 11, 2026, Dr. Imad Haddad was inaugurated as the new bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) at the Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem. The service was attended by a large number of ecumenical guests from Israel and abroad. Dignitaries from the churches in Jerusalem, as well as international cooperation partners, took part. The consecration took place under the large Moravian star in the church. The star is understood there as a sign of hope, which has been hanging there continuously since October 7, 2023. It symbolizes hope, peace, and God's presence. Thus, the consecration of the bishop is also a sign of hope. Imad Haddad worked in Ramallah for many years and during this time also accompanied the Star Mountain SMRC on Christian holidays. HMH representative Niels Gärtner attended the consecration of the bishop on behalf of the Moravian Church.

In December 2025, the Brødremenighedens Danske Mission (BDM), the sister organization of the Herrnhuter Missionshilfe in Christiansfeld near Kolding, Denmark, looks back on the highlights of the year coming to an end. One highlight was the visit of the organization's chairman, Pastor Jørgen Bøytler, to the new Pope Leo XIV on May 8, 2025, on the occasion of his inauguration at the Vatican. The Pope received not only the blessings of a former missionary of the Moravian Church in Tanzania, but also the blessings of the Unity Board Administrator (UBA), the general secretary of the highest body of the worldwide Moravian Church between the Unity Synods. Following this meeting, BDM produced a podcast with Jørgen Bøytler, in which he talks about his trip to Rome. Listen hier. The podcast also deals with ecumenism in general and the encounter and dialogue between churches and religions.

At the end of 2025, the Board of World Mission (BWM) of the Moravian Church in North America thanks its friends and all those who have donated and prayed for the work of the organization. At the same time, the BWM highlights the recent focus of its work: “Mission in Action: A Year of Service, Faith, and Fellowship.” We saw faith in action: young people found their place in the worldwide Moravian community, volunteers helped after disasters, and congregations courageously broke new ground in mission service. The Holy Spirit is at work in our global partnerships." The BWM also sent a link to a four-minute video about the most recent disaster relief efforts (Moravian Disaster Response) in Alaska, Jamaica, and Cuba. In it, Dan Miller, BWM Director of Mission Service, mentions important and at the same time shocking facts and figures. The complete video in English here.

In a letter from the leadership of the Eastern West Indies Province, a call is made for further assistance to the neighboring Province of Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa: "Several weeks have passed since Hurricane Melissa severely impacted Jamaica. However, its effects are still clearly felt in our congregations there. In many places, the long process of rebuilding homes, congregational facilities, and congregational life has begun. The provincial leadership has commissioned Pastor Neilson Waithe to assist and accompany those affected. We are in close contact with each other and are actively seeking further opportunities to provide support during this difficult time. While we are still waiting for precise information on the specific needs for assistance, financial support is the most effective way to help. Those who feel called to do so can donate through their congregation. All donations will go directly to Jamaica to support the rebuilding effort. Every donation, no matter how small, reminds our brothers and sisters in Jamaica that they are not alone. More here.

As early as October 2025, a synod was held at the former mission station in Mbozi, in the Unity Province of the same name, at which a bishop was elected and elections for the church leadership were held. On October 8, 2025, Pastor Julius Sikana was elected bishop of the Moravian Church. A photo can be found here. The consecration of Julius Sikana as bishop is scheduled to take place on May 10, 2026, in Mbozi. The new church leadership is composed as follows. Chair: Pastor Lawrence Nzowa; Deputy: Pastor Ryson Kibona; Secretary General: Pastor Japhet Nyangwa. Some photos here. Mbozi has only been an independent Unity Province since 2021. It is a spin-off from the Southwestern Province of the Moravian Church in Tanzania, which had become too large. In 2024, the Unity Province of Mbozi had about 100,200 members in 141 congregations. Current Unity statistics here.

Founded in 1824 as a mission station, today's Elim Moravian Church, located very close to the Cape of Good Hope, the southern tip of the African continent, has been threatened by a large fire front since January 4, 2026, which rescue workers have not yet been able to completely contain. Although the fire has not been racing toward the village since the night of January 7 to 8, 2025, there are still dangerous pockets of embers everywhere that must be monitored. Firefighters are taking measures to provide water tanks and moisten houses and otherwise protect them from the fire. The South African media are reporting continuously in words, pictures, and videos. See, for example here and here and here and here. The latter TV report is headlined “Western Cape municipalities team up to contain Elim blaze.” It also includes interviews with concerned residents of Elim and firefighters deployed there.

The residents worked tirelessly, moistening roofs, protecting houses by removing combustible materials, and caring for one another. Although our water resources were running low and there was a risk of contamination, the community did not give up. On Friday afternoon, many of our people gathered at the Moravian Church in Elim for a prayer meeting, and later that evening, at 7:30 p.m., I attended another prayer meeting." This is what Paul Swart reported on his social media channel after the dangerous wildfire that approached the Elim Moravian Church on January 7/8, 2026. “We prayed together, believing in the power of prayer and that we serve a living God. This morning, all glory and thanks be to the Lord. Although there are still isolated fires, the blaze is now under control. Our village has been spared,” Paul Swart now says. See here.

Civil war has been raging in eastern DR Congo for years. In the South Kivu region, which borders Tanzania, Burundi, and Rwanda and is home to most of the Moravian Church's members, people are suffering from hunger and fear. This was reported on January 10, 2025, in a report by the Moravian Church's mission organization in Denmark, BDM. See here in Danish. Jacques Bya'unda, the church president who currently lives in Burundi, says of the Moravian Church's Knudsen House near Uvira: "In the family groups at the orphanage, the children are very afraid, especially when there are no men there to protect them. Unfortunately, it is impossible to bring them to safety in Burundi in the city of Bujumbura because the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi is closed. It is difficult for us to get enough food; our budget is not sufficient. That is why we are asking for your help. Negotiations are currently underway with the Americans to get the M23 rebels to leave Uvira."

• A five-minute video Christmas message from Edwin Quildan, head of the British Province, is available at here.
• The staff of the Board of World Mission BWM of the Moravian Church in North America send their Christmas greetings with a photo montage. See here.
• The leaders of the Moravian Church in Albania send their greetings with a Christmas message and blessing. See all 20 pictures here.
• The Moravian Church in Latvia sends Christmas greetings with a photo of a typical Latvian winter landscape. See here.
• The team from the Armando Rusindo Mission Foundation, the Moravian Church's Cuba Foundation, can be seen on a Christmas card from the North American Southern Province. See here.
• Four children from the Moravian Church Cross of Hope in the city of Chiclayo dance in the Moravian Church's Christmas greeting in Peru. See here.
• The management team of Medische Zending in Suriname shows a very special kind of Christmas tree in its Christmas greeting. See here.
• A one-minute clip of the Christmas party at the International Kindergarten & Shristi Academy of the Moravian Church in Kathmandu-Baneshwor, Nepal, can be viewed here. 
• Silent Night, Holy Night is sung in an atmospheric Christmas greeting from the illuminated campus of the Mission Museum of the Moravian Church in Genadendal, South Africa. See here.
• At Christmas, the Efatha Choir of the Uhuru Moravian Church sang in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. See here.
• The Christmas greeting from the Moravian High School (formerly Colegio Moravo) in Bluefields in the far southeast of Nicaragua has a distinctly European feel. See here. The association of former students of this institution has posted a video of a giant Herrnhut star being installed on the roof of a hospital. See here.

God's love is wonderful. Warm greetings to all brothers and sisters in Christ in the worldwide Moravian Church from Peru. This message was recently posted by the Moravian Church Cruz de la Esperanza (Cross of Hope) in the city of Chiclayo in northwestern Peru, located on the Pacific coast. The video showed children from the congregation singing and dancing. It spoke of the children's anticipation of the upcoming Christmas celebrations. See here. Another video was recorded in the Moravian Church in Cuba. It shows Pastor Tania Sanches blessing an elderly member of the congregation during a service. See here. Finally, a third video shows that the Moravian Church in Cuba also lights another candle every Sunday during Advent. In the Iglesia Morava Belen (Bethlehem) in Havana, where the Moravian Church in Cuba has its administrative headquarters, the candles next to the Christmas tree are of different colors. Many pictures here.

In the Moravian Church in South Africa, Advent and Christmas are marked by joyful singing, lots of music, and fellowship, just like in Germany, but all during the warm summer months. On the first Sunday of Advent, the congregations sing Klokkies (little bells) – simple children's and folk songs such as Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling in Germany, often accompanied by brass choirs – and Christian Gregor's popular Hosianna is sung. Christmas Eve is celebrated with a candlelight service, during which children – not only from the Moravian Church, but also from the surrounding area – receive packages of sweets. Because it is midsummer, Christmas celebrations often extend beyond the service and culminate in a family gathering, a braai (barbecue), and time at the beach. People enjoy eating a peppermint crisp tart, without which Christmas would not be complete. A picture of the tart can be found here.

Chrislyn Edson from South Africa wrote on December 31, 2025: "This year was particularly significant because I settled into a new congregation and was able to participate in its traditions. On the third Sunday of Advent, our church service was transformed into a thanksgiving celebration. Instead of pews facing the pulpit, the church was furnished with tables for a communal meal. Everyone brought their favorite dish, families sat together, we shared the meal, and felt a deep sense of community. Christmas time in South Africa, especially in Cape Town, is very special. During this time, there is a strong sense of togetherness. In our colorful neighborhoods and families, people of different backgrounds and faiths spend the holidays together. At its core, Christmas embodies the values that are particularly important to us: love, family, charity, and sharing with one another.

From November 1 to 11, 2025, two Moravians from Northern Ireland, Livingstone and Jean-Marie Thompson, visited the Moravian Church in Uganda for the first time. Livingstone is pastor of the Moravian Church in Belfast and Hillsborough and a member of the church leadership of the British Province. The latter wrote a report for the Moravian Messenger (January 2025). The report states, among other things: "We were welcomed by Esther, Morgan, Trinity, and Sande from Tine on the Mountain Ministries (an NGO). It was a great joy to finally meet in person the people with whom we had communicated from afar for seven years. What a blessing it was to eat together and learn that it was Morgan's birthday that day! A deep bond was immediately formed. Our program included visits, joint activities, and discussions."

The British Mission Board BMB, a sister organization of the Herrnhuter Missionshilfe, published an article by Jane Carter, its director, at the beginning of January 2025. It deals with the women's work of the Moravian Church in northeast India. See here (pages 6+7). From Binnakandi, among other places, it is reported: "The women fasted once a month and prayed for the ministry and growth of the church. At weekly meetings, they practice the priesthood of all believers. They also win younger women for the Lord's service. On Sunday afternoons, they meet to visit families and pray with them, especially those in need and crisis. However, they did not limit their involvement to Sundays, but were active whenever they were needed. The women hold an annual general meeting. Because money is needed for every project, the women are also involved in fundraising."

A winter fair, a creative and enjoyable day on the school grounds, to which the schoolchildren's relatives were also invited, took place on December 26, 2025, at the International Kindergarten & Shristi Academy of the Moravian Church in Kathmandu-Baneshwor. See here. The older children performed pieces of music. Colorful pictures and posters created in art class were on display. A raffle of useful items was held, with the proceeds going to the school fund. There were games, tasty food and drinks, and short skits to watch. There was also a lot going on at the school campus at Christmas. A short video of a Christmas stage play with cheerful singing, dancing, and recitations by costumed kindergarten children can be found here.

The Moravian Church's International Kindergarten & Shristi Academy in Kathmandu-Baneshwor, Nepal, which started out very small in 2010 and then gradually grew, reported on Facebook on January 12, 2026: "Many thanks to all the students, teachers, and parents who made our winter camp, entitled ‘Discover,’ a success! From games and group activities to creative projects, our participants developed a sense of community, gained self-confidence, and learned new skills. We are proud of our students and grateful for our dedicated team." 80 pictures here. The International Kindergarten & Shristi Academy is supported by several Moravian Congregations in the US, a result of the fact that the Nepalese director couple Vani and Shanti Pradham were able to complete their studies in Bethlehem, PA, until 2009.

The New Year Sunday service on January 4, 2025, which lasted a good hour, was broadcast live on the Internet by the Holy Cross Moravian Church in Santa Cruz/St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. See here. During the service, adults and children were called forward for individual blessings. The young people of the congregation played a special role, performing new lyrics to a well-known melody. Afterwards, the young people were interviewed publicly by a youth leader (see min. 17:20). For example, they were asked what talents they had and which of these talents they could put to use in the service of the congregation. At the end, individual groups or ministry groups from the congregation were introduced and prayers were offered for them. Holy Cross Moravian Church in Jamaica is one of the few congregations whose property was largely spared from damage by Hurricane Melissa in October 2025.

At the beginning of 2025, the Medische Zending in Suriname warned of two phenomena on Facebook. First, together with the Ministry of Health, it warned of a severe flu epidemic. See here. And then it said: "The rising HIV rate is worrying. Action is needed! In Suriname, we are seeing an increase in HIV cases, particularly among young people up to the age of 25 and adults between the ages of 35 and 45. An estimated 8,000 people are living with HIV, but about half of them do not know they are infected. And that contributes to further spread. This makes it more important than ever to: a) get tested regularly, b) practice safer sex with condoms, c) talk openly about sexual health, and d) break the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS so that everyone feels comfortable seeking help. If more people know their HIV status and receive treatment, the likelihood of HIV being passed on decreases. Together, we can stop this trend and protect lives." Video here.

On January 3, 2026, the City Mission of the Moravian Church in Paramaribo, Suriname, launched a special kind of challenge. On Facebook, the organization wrote: Read your Bible every day! And pray every day! Are you ready for this challenge? Use one of the Bible reading plans, study the specified Bible passage, and share with us regularly—if possible, daily—what you have read, what the Bible passage means to you, how it has helped you that day (that week or in a specific situation), and what other experiences you have had with this passage. In this way, we encourage and support each other in reading and understanding God's Word. Invite as many people as possible to join this challenge. We need God; we need Him every day and every night. God's Word is a small lamp to guide our feet at night and a bright light on our path during the day (Psalm 119:105). See here.

Under the title Revitalizing the Montgomery Moravian Church on Tobago: Visions and Strategies for the Next Decade, Dr. Adrian Smith, Vice President of the Eastern West Indies Province, published a four-page essay in the provincial newsletter in November 2025. See here. It begins: "The Montgomery Moravian Church on Tobago was a beacon of faith, courage, and social engagement. As the first Moravian Church on the island, its heritage is deeply woven into the spiritual and social landscape of Tobago. Today, looking ahead to the coming decade, the church faces major challenges. It needs a new vision, strategic action, and a renewed commitment to mission if it is to regain its identity and realign itself. The path to renewal begins with a return to history, to the roots of the church."

The Tanzania Working Group of the Protestant mission societies in Germany is hosting a weekend conference from March 13 to 14, 2026. The conference, organized by the Lutheran mission society Mission EineWelt, will focus on the topic of the relationship between church and state – political developments in Tanzania and Germany. An event flyer is available here. Registration is only possible online. See here. The venue is the Mission EineWelt meeting center at Johann-Flierl-Straße 22 in Neuendettelsau. The conference announcement states: “The recent elections in Tanzania in October 2025 have triggered a wave of political tension and social unrest. With over 97 percent of the vote, incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan was officially re-elected, but the election campaign was controversial. In Germany, we have long experience with changing political systems.”