2006 NEWS
Lesotho celebrates!
This year marks the fortieth year of Lesotho’s independence. Those with long memories will recall the days when the country was known as Basotholand, established as a British protectorate in Queen Victoria’s time. The past forty years has been a time of mixed fortunes for the country. Whilst it benefited during the apartheid years as countries put money and consulates there, rather than into South Africa, latterly it is a country which is suffering, with high levels of unemployment, growing poverty and now reeling from the appalling effects of HIV/AIDS, in particular the spiralling number of orphans. We will be celebrating Lesotho’s anniversary, (and, incidentally the LINK’s twentieth!), in our annual service this year. We will give thanks for the good things that have happened there but also be praying for the country and its people at this time of huge need.
We hope you will want to be part of that celebration. It will be held at All Saints Darlington on October 1st at 6pm preceded by the AGM at 5pm and you are warmly invited to come to either or both events.
We will be hearing from recent visitors to Lesotho, seeing something of the latest developments in the LINK and praying for the country and its people. There will be time to reflect on what God is doing in Lesotho and through the LINK and the direction in which we are called to go. During the service we will commend to God’s care the group who are going from Durham to Lesotho in November, and share in some of their hopes and expectations.
As always there will be the opportunity after the service to talk informally with one another and especially with those who have been or will be about to visit Lesotho.
Screensaver changes lives
Never underestimate the effect your screensaver might have! Two summers ago Rob Bianchi was leading a CYFA/Pathfinder Venture in the Lakes and had his laptop open. The screensaver flashed up images of Lesotho which caught the imagination of his co-leaders, Sam and Leanna Williamson. They were keen to see Lesotho for themselves and in the New Year were part of the music workshop that ran for two weeks for young Basotho in Maseru. Now they were hooked and that autumn gave up their jobs and set off to work for a year as self-funding volunteers for the LINK, living in the former LINK offices. Together they have continued the music teaching, and Leanna, a primary school teacher, has been very involved with Colin Sillett in setting up the pre-school unit at the orphanage and teaching swimming, as well as helping with Peer AIDS Educators courses. Sam’s skills as a self-employed builder and entrepreneur came into their own as he took over the day to day running the LINK finances in Lesotho, helped Stephen Mabula in the planning and development of the new accommodation block, and set up management courses as income generation for the LINK. This is just a snap shot of their involvement and contribution to the LINK in Lesotho, where they are greatly appreciated. The original plan was for them to return to the UK this summer but they have decided to stay on for at least another year and will be adopting two little Basotho girls! So never underestimate the power of the screen saver – just think what effect yours might have on someone else’s life!
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