The Atsikana Walani Technical College (AWTC) in Malawi has launched a new website. It is aimed particularly at young women who are interested in training at the AWTC and would like to find out more about their options. The website provides an overview of the training programs, application requirements, and important information about the college. This gives potential students and supporters a clear insight into the educational opportunities and prospects that AWTC offers young women. At the same time, the new online presence is an important step toward making AWTC more visible internationally and giving supporters direct access to information. Click here to visit the website: atsikana-walani.com. We cordially invite you to visit the site and share it with interested young women.

A new Student Union has been elected at Atsikana Walani Technical College (AWTC) in Malawi. This means that students themselves are taking responsibility for important areas of everyday school life and strengthening their participation within the school community. The Student Union represents the interests of the students vis-à-vis the school management and is actively committed to the well-being of the entire school. Its tasks include organizing events and excursions, providing support in case of concerns and complaints, and promoting a positive school climate and a good school environment. The team is made up of various areas of responsibility: Sports Prefect, Food Prefect, Welfare Prefect, Entertainment Prefect, and Sanitation Prefect, as well as a president and vice president. Wendy Milonde was elected as the new president, and Cynthia Irasubiza as vice president. The election is a strong sign of responsibility, leadership, and the active participation of young women in school life.

Niels Gärtner, communications officer for the Herrnhuter Missionshilfe, recently visited the Star Mountain Rehabilitation Center (SMRC). SMRC is located between Ramallah and Birzeit in the northern part of the West Bank. During his visit, he also learned about the different living situations of the employees and discovered that life in the West Bank varies greatly from region to region. Here is a brief report on the situation in german.

The vocational training program at the Star Mountain Rehabilitation Center (SMRC) near Ramallah (Palestine; West Bank) has a new training component. In collaboration with an expert in the operation of looms, a training program for setting up and operating looms was recently launched. The program began with theoretical training. The trainees learned about the components of the machine and the technical process of weaving. Safety issues, care, and optimal use of the loom were also covered. The women and men with disabilities soon learned that they were capable of working on a loom and enjoyed doing so. It should also be mentioned that this new program was launched with the support of the Waldensian Church, which has proven itself to be a supporter of SMRC on several occasions in the past. Pictures here.

Many young people are currently facing the question: What comes after school, training, or university? We would therefore like to draw your attention to the Ecumenical Volunteer Program, which we are very happy to share. There are still places available for the 2026 program—a great opportunity for young adults to get involved internationally, gain new perspectives, and work on social, development policy, or church projects. Here's the call: Don't have any plans for 2026 yet? Are you graduating from school or finishing your training or studies this year? How about volunteering abroad? The Ecumenical Volunteer Program still has places available in Ghana, India, Jordan, and Japan. Are you between 18 and 28 years old and want to get involved internationally for 9-10 months? Then join social, development policy, or church projects worldwide. Apply now at: ems-online.org/volunteer

In January 2025, Rhoïnde Mijnals-Doth, bishop of the Moravian Church with Surinamese roots, presented Pope Leo XIV in Rome with a so-called Migration Bible on behalf of the Dutch-Flemish Bible Society. She is also chair of the SKIN (Samen Kerk in Nederland = Being Church Together in the Netherlands) working group and chair of the board of the Zeister Zendingsgenootschap ZZg, the mission society of the Moravian Church in the Netherlands. During the weekly audience, she was able to talk to the Pope about this special edition of the Bible, which is dedicated to the topic of migration and aims to support migrants. English is a common language for many migrants. As a result, 4,000 copies of the Bible have already been distributed to guest workers in the Gulf States. The reactions show that the portraits of migrants and the reading plans in the Bible are particularly appreciated. More about this edition of the Bible here and here.

It took two months for the Jamaica Unity Province to compile an approximate assessment of the damage caused by Hurricane Melissa on October 28, 2025. The Moravian Messenger, published in Great Britain, published this assessment on pages 18/19 of its February 2026 issue. See here. Five churches from the 18th and 19th centuries, all of which were on the national heritage list, were completely destroyed by the Category 5 hurricane, and 22 churches, community centers, parsonages, and schools were damaged to varying degrees. Nine congregations reported only minor damage. The World Bank, in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank, estimated that the damage to residential and non-residential buildings, public infrastructure, and agriculture in Jamaica amounted to US$8.8 billion. This corresponds to approximately 41 percent of the country's gross domestic product in 2024. For the Herrnhuter Missionshilfe Emergency Aid donation, click here.

On February 2, 2026, Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk reported on the 167-year history of the Moravian Church in Greenland in a four-minute segment by Michael Bartsch. The author interviews Dr. Peter Vogt, pastor in Herrnhut, Niels Gärtner, employee of the Herrnhuter Missionshilfe in Bielefeld, and Silke Piwko, employee of the Völkerhundemuseum in Herrnhut. The latter emphasizes that the Greenland collection is the museum's second largest collection. Peter Vogt emphasizes that the Moravian Church did not engage in forced Christianization, nor did it place itself at the service of the Danish colonizers, although it did make use of colonial structures in its work. The work in Greenland is the second oldest work of the Moravian mission and cost it considerable resources. It ultimately led to the Christianization of almost all Greenlanders. The missionaries did a great deal to research and document the Greenlandic language, history, and culture. Listen to the broadcast in german here.

On January 31, 2026, the 5th Unity Women's Consultation will begin in Arusha, Tanzania. Already at the 4th Consultation in 2016 in Paramaribo, Suriname, it had become clear “that there must be further meetings,” as Erdmute Frank put it. “Sisters need encouragement to take on leadership roles, to make their voices heard, and to enforce human rights for women as well.” All four provinces of the Moravian Church in Europe will be represented: Roberta Hoey, Janet Cooper, Jane Carter, Mary Holmes, and Norma Maynard will travel from the British Province, Barbora Železník will represent the Czech Mission Province, and Ester Brožová will be sent by the Czech Province. Winelle Kirton-Roberts (Switzerland), Erdmute Frank (Germany), and Rhoïnde Mijnals-Doth (Netherlands) are traveling to Arusha as staff members, and Sissel Madsen from Denmark is traveling as a delegate. Merita Meko from Albania unfortunately had to cancel. This means that only four of the eight countries in our province will be represented by participants in Arusha. Under the motto With Heart, Mouth, and Hands, a total of around 65 sisters from 30 countries will exchange ideas and equip each other until February 6, 2026. See also here.

In the new, large church of the Moravian Church in Arusha, Tanzania, the participants of the 5th Unity Women's Consultation were warmly welcomed by Mary Kategile, General Secretary of the Moravian Church in Tanzania, and by leading figures from the North Province of Tanzania. This was followed by an opening service in which four choirs sang. Pictures here and here. This was followed by a delicious dinner prepared by sisters from the Arusha congregation. And then the thematic work began. Among other things, the delegates learned in a special session which international and ecumenical organizations support work in favor of human rights and women's rights. See here. The team of five sisters responsible for simultaneous translation from various languages into various languages can be viewed here.

At the conclusion of the 5th Unity Women's Consultation in Arusha, northern Tanzania, the Unity Women's Desk (UWD) posted the following text: "On the last day of our consultation, we had a successful closing event and a panel discussion on how we can turn our words into action. Then the hotel staff surprised us with a rousing farewell ceremony in Tanzanian style – with cake, singing, drumming, and dancing. The bishops celebrated with us in a worship service in which we reaffirmed our unity in Christ and our commitment to serving our sisters worldwide. The wonderful staff of the Arusha Corridor Springs Hotel then set up tables by the hotel pool and served ice cream! We are deeply grateful to everyone near and far who supported us here in Tanzania with their prayers, donations, advice, and love! Pictures here.

The Board of World Mission (BWM) of the Moravian Church America recently published the Ahuas Spotlight – Winter Edition 2026 in English from northeastern Honduras. See here. There is good news from 75-year-old Nalia Ordonez, who refused to walk for two years after breaking her hip out of fear, but has now learned to walk again. There is also good news from Ora Heylock, a 27-year-old woman who gave birth to a healthy baby girl by C-section after three miscarriages. Brent and Lisa Pampe, along with Amy Swinford from West Salem Moravian Church in Illinois and Hope Moravian Church in Indiana, respectively, were three volunteers at the clinic in January 2026. Brent Pampe, an ultrasound and X-ray technician, performed 35 ultrasound examinations, including several in obstetrics, as well as gallbladder, kidney stone, and thyroid examinations. He also took X-rays as soon as the new equipment was up and running. A pediatric nurse from the distant Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa also volunteered at the clinic.

The Iglesia Morava en Honduras shared many photos and videos on Facebook from its general conference on January 24–25, 2026, in Sico Colon on the Rio Sico in the north of the country. The theme of the conference was: Siguiendo los pasos del Maestro (Following in the footsteps of the Master). See here and here and here. Participants from Mosqutia, further east, traveled across the Atlantic to attend. See here. Pastor Cender delivered the sermon. See here. A dance of praise by young and old can be seen here. A liturgical dance by four sisters from the host congregation in Sico Colon can be seen here. There was also singing and praying (e.g., Psalm 150 and Phil. 4:4), dancing, and celebrating during a night vigil. See here and here. There was a large crowd at the food stands on the spacious church grounds. See here. The Moravian Church in Honduras has a total of about 43,000 members in 180 congregations.

On Saturday, February 7, 2026, eight Dutch teenagers from the Christelijke Scholengroep Oost - Het Noordik in Vriezenveen flew from Amsterdam to Paramaribo. They want to spend a week helping to clear the maintenance and renovation backlog at the Alexander and Obed School in Abenaston in the interior of Suriname. Photos from the airport here. The school, which is run by the Stichting Onderweijs, the school foundation of the Moravian Church in Suriname, recently became the subject of discussion when Johan Zandveld, the captain (mayor) of Abenaston, told the press that the state should take over responsibility for the school because the Moravian Church was not fulfilling its responsibilities toward the schools in Abenaston, Botopasi, Djoemoe, and Nieuw-Aurora. Telson Lugard, the captain of Nieuw-Aurora, was more cautious in his comments. He hoped that talks between the Moravian Church and local politicians would take place soon. See here.

On February 5, 2026, Svend Løbner from the Brødremenighedens Danske Mission BDM described Lydia Mbogo's unusual path to becoming principal of Lusangi Bible College in Sikonge, Tanzania, in a Facebook post. She has now held the position for a year and performs her duties with passion. A single mother of a 16-year-old daughter, she was previously a teacher and studied theology at MoTheCo in Mbeya. She wants to empower young people with theology so that they can later spread God's love like ripples in water in their congregations. As the youngest of nine siblings, leadership did not come naturally to her. Although her father was both a farmer and a pastor of the Moravian Church in Rukwa Province, she actually wanted to work in nursing. But then a recurring dream led her to accept her calling to the ministry. Twenty new students will soon be arriving at the college in Sikonge. More here.

• On February 8, 2026, a new pastor and his wife were introduced to the congregation of Kanyange, Moravian Church in Burundi: Emmanuel Nimbona. He had previously served in Buhiga. The congregation was delighted to welcome the new pastor and his wife after a period of vacancy. They expressed their joy with gifts for the pastor and his wife. Pictures here. 
• "The church cannot grow if the leadership of the congregation is not good.” This was one of the key statements made by Pastor Manassé Irutingabo, secretary of the “Evangelism” department in the office of Burundian Bishop Pascal Benimana, during a training session in the Rugabo congregation (Utubwa-Ngozi region). After the pastor's message, the congregation staff felt the urge to return home and start a new life. From the district leader to the individual congregation member, everyone wants to work closely together in the future and no longer allow groups to form. Some pictures here.

• The Mission Museum of the Moravian Church in Genadendal, South Africa, welcomed distinguished visitors at the end of January 2026: Dr. Matlhodi Motsepe from the Ministry of Education in Cape Town, who is responsible for all primary schools in the country, and Thomas Volkwyn from the Overberg District Education Office met for talks. See here.
• On February 1, 2026, the opening service for the new academic year took place at the Moravian Theological Center in Cape Town-Heideveld. See here. The school runs Youthology – Doing theology with and through youth.
• After the Sunday service on February 1, 2026, the young people of the Bridgetown Moravian Church in Cape Town lined up for a group photo. See here. On Saturday, February 28, 2026, they plan to meet with other congregations from the Cape Town South district at 9 a.m. for a roadshow on the grounds of Lansdowne School. See here.

At the end of October 2025, the Armando Rusindo Mission Foundation, the Cuba Foundation of the Moravian Church in North America, sent donations to Cuba so that the brothers and sisters there would be able to purchase 500 ten-pill packs of paracetamol for distribution to individuals and families. While paracetamol is a basic medication for home medical care in the United States, it is rare in Cuba and only available in a few places. But these essential, sometimes life-saving medicines help congregations meet the daily health needs of their members when their access to basic care is limited. The photos show recipients in Cuba receiving these supplies as part of the Moravian Church Cuba Foundation's ongoing efforts to ease the daily lives of people in Cuba. See here.

On January 8, 2026, the Moravian Congregation in Jagüey Grande, a large city in Cuba, posted "Words full of faith and trust from a workshop against violence towards women and families in difficult times. Despite the crisis, it was possible to bring together women and men from the Matanzas region on a cold day to talk about biblical recommendations on how to deal with critical situations and what role each individual plays in this. The stories that served as our basis are found in Mark 5:21-43. There were songs, poems, prayers, testimonies, group work, a message from Pastor María Victoria Pupo, and collective feedback. There were also hugs and personal exchanges. We parted with the promise to live our faith in God without violence and negativity and to reform our Christian habits. Thank you to everyone who was there! Thank you to the pastors and the logistics team. Glory to God!" A short video here. Some pictures here.

Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, recently honored the achievements of the Moravian mission worldwide and on the seventh continent on its website. Between 1850 and 1919, a total of 30 missionaries from the Moravian Church in Germany and Great Britain were active in Australia. Their work can be traced back to Charles LaTrobe, the first lieutenant governor of Victoria, who came from a member of the Moravian Church. The Moravian missionaries began missions at Lake Boga, Ebenezer, and Ramahyuck; they also undertook missionary attempts in South Australia at Lake Kopperamanna and in Queensland at Mapoon, Weipa, and Aurukun. However, the university also emphasizes the Moravian Church's achievements in the scientific field: Johann Jakob Bossart, a lecturer at the Moravian Church seminary in Barby (Elbe), wrote instructions to the missionaries as early as 1774, telling them to collect natural specimens and ethnological objects for research. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe even took an interest in the natural history collection in Barby during his visit there in 1776. More in English here.

In 2025, the Unity Archives in Herrnhut requested donations for the restoration of the church records of the Friedensthal mission station (founded in 1734) on the then Danish Caribbean island of St. Croix. Supported by the Association of Friends and Sponsors of the Unity Archives, the archives had hoped to raise €5,000; but only €2,250 was received. See here. After Denmark acquired the island from France in 1733, the Moravian mission, which was already active on the neighboring islands of St. Thomas and St. John, was granted access to the island and to the African-born plantation slaves working there. The church register of St. Croix has three parts: a) Catalog of missionaries – men, women, and children who were buried between 1734 and 1833 (10 pages); b) Catalog of baptisms and burials of enslaved men, women, and children between 1773 and 1800 (203 pages); c) Catalog of missionary children born and baptized between 1763 and 1836 (2 pages). For today's critical view of the work of the Moravian Church among the enslaved on St. Croix and elsewhere, see here.

When Zinzendorf first turned his attention to North America in the 1720s and 1730s, it was in an effort to find new homes and meaningful places of work for the Schwenckfelders and Moravians living in Berthelsdorf and Herrnhut, who were threatened with expulsion by the Saxon Elector. Zinzendorf originally intended the settlement and mission activities, especially those of the Moravians, in distant British Georgia and British Pennsylvania to be purely a job creation measure. Nevertheless, the Herrnhuters soon found themselves involved in the political and military events in North America. Their consistent rejection of all armed violence was repeatedly put to the test in North America. In the run-up to the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, the Moravian Archives in Bethlehem, PA, published an exciting text on January 30, 2026: Faith and Revolution: Moravians, Pacifism, and Benjamin Franklin. It contains a correspondence between the Herrnhuters and Benjamin Franklin, a co-author of the US Declaration of Independence. See here.