In late April 2026, Bettina Nasgowitz, Kerstin Heim, and Markus Kuhn from Herrnhuter Missionshilfe traveled to Albania to visit various partner projects and congregations and to strengthen ties with local leaders. The trip was accompanied by Dena Fortuzi, pastor of the Moravian Church in Albania. During the five-day trip, numerous discussions took place regarding current project work, challenges, and future developments. Among others, the group visited congregations in Pogradec, Elbasan, Burrel, Tirana, Bathore, and Lezhe. The itinerary also included visits to several kindergartens, the sewing project in Burrel, and the camp in Pogradec. The trip provided an opportunity to learn about ongoing projects firsthand and to further strengthen cooperation with partners in Albania.

At the Atsikana Walani Technical College (AWTC) in Malawi, construction work on two new training buildings is making great progress. The buildings for the motorcycle mechanics and food processing and culinary arts programs are now nearing completion. With this expansion, the AWTC is adding two hands-on programs to its curriculum, designed to open up new career opportunities for young women. Especially in Malawi, where unemployment and economic uncertainty pose a major challenge for many families, qualified vocational training is of particular importance. The new facilities will provide modern and safe learning environments where practical skills are taught and career opportunities are created. With the expansion of the training center, the AWTC continues to invest in the advancement of young women and in their ability to eventually earn their own income and build a self-determined life.

On May 1, 2026, Herrnhuter Missionshilfe’s partner organization, Tanzania Mwangaza TAM, celebrated Labor Day in Zanzibar together with staff, partners, and other supporters. The focus was on the people who dedicate themselves daily to education, training, and development projects. During the event, participants looked back on the collaborative work of the past months. Particularly dedicated staff members were recognized, and there was a discussion about future goals, collaboration, and the further development of the projects. It became clear once again how important motivated staff and strong partnerships are for the successful implementation of projects—especially in the areas of education and vocational training for young people and disadvantaged groups. Cultural performances and personal interactions rounded out the day and highlighted the strong collaboration between the participating organizations.

On May 3, 2026, Olaf Hirschmann and his wife departed for Tanzania to begin a three-year assignment. In his new role, Olaf Hirschmann will serve as a specialist supporting the Moravian Church’s health-related work in Tanzania and Malawi. As a former consultant for International Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Difäm (German Institute for Medical Mission), he brings many years of experience in international health cooperation. Together with the local partner organizations Tanzania Mwangaza (TAM) in Tanzania and MoHDevs (Moravian Humanitarian and Development Services) in Malawi, existing health projects will be supported and further developed. The deployment is taking place in cooperation with Difäm and is jointly supported and funded by Brot für die Welt/Dienste in Übersee and Herrnhuter Missionshilfe. We are very pleased about this collaboration and wish the Hirschmanns a good start, many enriching encounters, and a smooth transition to life in East Africa.

Sheikh Musa Kalwanyi and Pastor Elias Mlewa support one another and encourage their congregations to promote peace despite their differences. They offer comfort to the families of victims of violence following the 2025 presidential election. “As a Muslim sheikh, I can sit down with Pastor Mlewa even though he is a Christian. He is even my advisor!” explains the sheikh. But Christians and Muslims in Tanzania have not always spoken peacefully with one another. “In the past, there were violent conflicts. People killed one another, and Muslims fought against Christians. Peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians was impossible,” the sheikh recalls. “Now we have peace and harmony.” In 2015, the Tanzanian government established a forum for conflict resolution and the promotion of reconciliation. Religious leaders meet to prepare events such as the Day of Reconciliation. “There is a great need for healing in Tanzania. We pray for a humble, repentant heart—and for the government and its officials,” says Pastor Elias Mlewa. Read more in an article by the Moravian Church in Denmark  here (pp. 8-9).

On April 30, 2026, Moravian University in Bethlehem, PA, announced that Roberta Hoey, Chairperson of the Unity Board and a member of the Provincial Board of the British Province, will be awarded an honorary doctorate in law on May 9, 2026, in Bethlehem, PA, “in recognition of her groundbreaking leadership and tireless commitment to social justice.” At just 32 years old, she was elected Chairperson of the Unity Board, the highest governing body of the global Moravian Church between synods. She is the youngest person ever to hold this office, as well as the second layperson and second woman to lead the global Moravian Church. She grew up in Northern Ireland during a time of conflict and demonstrated a cross-community commitment to peacebuilding even then. She earned a Bachelor of Laws from Queen’s University in Belfast and a Master’s degree in Human Rights and Criminal Justice from the Catholic University of America. More here.

At the Mission Festival of the Moravian Church in Christiansfeld, Denmark, on May 10, 2026, Jørgen Bøytler, chairman of the Brødremenighedens Danske Mission (BDM), emphasized how important it is for a Christian movement to act with flexibility, attentiveness, and responsibility. He spoke particularly critically about the misuse of religious language to justify war and violence. Guest speaker Wilson Nkumba from Tanzania (Western Province) spoke about the vital work of the Moravian Mission Hospital in Sikonge, of which he is the director. Furthermore, the Mission Festival highlighted how BDM works to support congregations in Albania, through health projects on Lake Tanganyika, by deploying missionaries and young volunteers in Tanzania, and by accompanying Moravian congregations in war-torn eastern Congo. Despite a positive year-end financial report, BDM faces the need for cost-cutting measures. “We are in urgent need of intercession and financial support from BDM members and friends, and we must present a very clear message in a chaotic world to capture the public’s attention,” said Jørgen Bøytler. Photos here.

For about 15 years, the Netherlands as a nation, along with many social groups and organizations within the country, has been working to critically examine its own history of slavery in cooperation with the descendants of those affected. The Moravian Church in the Netherlands and the Zeister Zendingsgenootschap (ZZg) are also tackling this important task with considerable financial and human resources and are opening their archives. In this context, another Annual National Memorial Service on the History of Slavery will take place on June 27, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. in St. John’s Cathedral in ’s-Hertogenbosch, Torenstraat 16. The theme is Hopeful on the Path to a Better Future in Solidarity. The memorial service is organized by the Council of Churches in the Netherlands and the Foundation for the Reconciliation of the Past of Slavery. The Moravian Church calls for participation.

The Moravian Church in Burundi in the Kirundo District marked International Women’s Day on March 8, 2026, with a fundraising campaign initiated by women to support the construction of a church building located very close to the Kirundo District office. A two-and-a-half-minute video is available here. A Facebook post by the Moravian Church in Uganda on April 15, 2026, states: "In our church, four women from two congregations in Kayunga District are benefiting from a pig-rearing project. The women were carefully selected and trained to properly care for the piglets from day one. It is hoped that the piglets will become a source of income for the women, enabling them to support themselves in the future. Once the project has expanded, these women will pass on the grown female pigs to other selected women." Pictures here.

Since March 2026, Dimchui Rongmei and his wife Dimjeng Rongmei from India have been serving for a planned eleven months in the South West Province of the Moravian Church in Tanzania. They say they have settled in well. A photo sent by Dimchui Rongmei shows him administering Holy Communion to members of a congregation in Mbeya who are in need of care. Dimjeng Rongmei works primarily with women and children in Tanzania. The couple on this overseas mission hails from Latingkhal in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur. Dimchui Rongmei was ordained as deacon of the Moravian Church by Bishop Joachim Kreusel on October 23, 2022, in Leh, Ladakh. He then served as pastor of the Leh congregation. He received his formative education at the Moravian Institute, the Moravian Church’s boarding school, in Rajpur near Dehradun. He completed his theological studies at the Dehradun New Theological College.

In 2009, inspired by the Moravian Church in Tabora, Tanzania, Julius Mubiru founded the Moravian Church in Uganda, which today has 7,000 members across ten congregations. Recently, the church has been doing pioneering work on an island in Lake Victoria, where it operates a school with 150 students and a health clinic. The students are taught under trees because there are no school buildings yet. During a meeting with Julius Mubiru in the Ugandan capital of Kampala, it becomes clear that the triumphant advance of the Gospel is unstoppable. Julius Mubiru is the chairman of the Moravian Church in Uganda. Currently, 15 pastors and evangelists serve in the Uyukwe political district on Lake Victoria. “We want to strengthen society as a whole,” says Julius Mubiru. “There is a great demand for the Gospel. We already have three congregations on the island. In one location, we own a plot of land where we can build a church.” More here (p. 3).

The British Mission Board (BMB), the HMH’s partner organization in the British Province, recently launched a new, informative website. See here. The new website not only describes the organizational structure but also introduces those regions within the global Moravian Church with which the BMB maintains special relationships: the Moravian Church in South Asia and the Moravian Church in Western Tanzania, as well as three institutions: the Elim Home in South Africa, the Star Mountain Rehabilitation Center in Palestine, and the Sikonge Mission Hospital near Tabora in Tanzania. Finally, there is information about the bodies in which the BMB participates worldwide, such as the Unity Mission and Development Board (UMDB). With only 1,100 members, the British Province is the second-smallest church in the worldwide Moravian Church.

A Nutrition Day held on April 28, 2026, at the G. V. Kalender School in Paramaribo, Suriname, focused on proper nutrition and quality school meals. The school currently has 120 students. A long-term project was launched on that day. A Facebook post stated: "Good school nutrition is an important step in children’s development. Suriname must focus on its own food production so that our food does not have to be brought in from distant places. With this approach, we also support local agriculture and enjoy healthy food. Every social program must be linked to the Suriname Production Program. These were the key points from the speech by Her Excellency Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, who served as President of the National Assembly of Suriname until 2020." Photos here.

• The Moravian Church in Suriname has posted seven job openings in Paramaribo for positions in administration and service operations to be filled shortly, including “Director of the Zinzendorf Hostel” and “Cook”. See here.
• From April 25 to May 2, 2026, the Pan American Immunization Week took place in Suriname, organized by Medische Zending. The slogan was: Your decision makes the difference. This year, the campaign focused on protecting children. The message was: “Vaccination at a young age is essential for healthy growth and a strong start in life. Vaccination protects not only yourself, but also your family and society.” See here.
• A group from the Netherlands from the Wolfert Tweetalig School, a school for bilingual secondary education, traveled to Suriname in April 2026 and provided practical assistance at the H. C. Tiendallischool in Paramaribo-Latour, which is part of the Moravian Church School Foundation in Suriname. Photos here.

The U.S. Air Force tests its medical readiness annually during an exercise called LAMAT (Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team), which also helps strengthen healthcare systems in the Caribbean and build lasting partnerships. In the second half of April 2026, 46 medical professionals from the U.S. traveled to Suriname as part of LAMAT 2026, where they primarily supported the local teams of the Medische Zending in Paramaribo, Nickerie, and Brownsweg in coordination with the Surinamese Ministry of Health. The U.S. Air Force Medical Service reported on April 29, 2026. See here. “LAMAT is not about one nation offering something to another, but about us building something together,” said Brigadier General Eveline Yao, Special Assistant to the Commander of the Air Force Medical Service. “Patients receive excellent care, and the medical teams from Suriname and the U.S. are strengthened and prepared for crisis situations.”

Adventure Offroad a company specializing in long-distance tourism and based in Oberreichenbach, Germany, had offered a tour from Morocco to South Africa via the so-called Western Route. This tour, which was undertaken primarily by Germans, reached its destination on April 29, 2026: the Cape of Good Hope. On April 22, 2026, the tour group stayed in the municipality of Genadendal, South Africa. A group member wrote on Facebook: "At the Genadendal Mission Museum, we learned about a relatively unknown yet very significant piece of South African history. Genadendal was the very first mission station in southern Africa, established in 1738. The German missionary Georg Schmidt was sent by the Moravian Church to what was then the Dutch Cape Colony." The museum staff were delighted by this very special group. Photos here.