Friday, October 16th we bid farewell to Rustenburg, Tapologo and Rain Hill Farm; beautiful places and people, and headed off to re-connect with Rev Joe Taiwe, at Kwa Thema East, SE of Johannesburg. A two and a half hour drive; praise to Stacey! Joe had hosted me in 2003. We connected with Joe and Albina a member of his congregation and a nurse, at the Stable Inn in Springs, where we were staying, and headed off to visit Thembalethu (Hope in Zulu) a home based care program Joe and Albina had started two years ago with financial help from a partner DRC church. The program shares space with a Child and Family counseling program in nearby Daggafontein; an the counseling program also has office space and time a Kwa Thema East. Through Albina's help the congregation with HIV is afforded nurse care coordination and access to phrasing and pharmacy services. Quite a program. We met the Home base care team, about 12 with 4 paid staff and 8 volunteers. Impressive and functioning. Picture at left.
Regrouped at the Stable Inn and hosted Joe and his wife Winnie, for dinner. WInnie is a high school social studies teacher, in Potchefstrom about 100Km SE of Jo'burg and commutes weekly. Daniel their youngest (15) is in school there. Joe also serves part time as Administrator for the So. Transvaal Synod, with offices in Soweto, so can visit mid-week. It was good to get caught up, and was encouraged by all that Joe was connecting with on the HIV/AIDS front an don Synod operations. Winnie has a wonderful, winning smile and a catching laugh, that found its way into Stacey's sermon on Sunday. More about that subsequently.
Joe Doolittle
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