1st UMC trip to South Africa

Phakamisa is Zulu for Uplift

First United Methodist Church of Denton, NC sent a mission team to engage and support the Phakamisa project of Pinetown Methodist Church, Pinetown, South Africa last summer. The Phakamisa project of Pinetown S. Africa exists to serve and uplift impoverished communities through the provision of educational training, resources and support. The team was in mission with orphans, orphan caregivers and AIDS support groups. These groups endure extreme adversity, poverty and suffering in the townships near Pinetown.

The focus of the mission trip was to provide respites for these groups. Respites consisted of daytrips to the petting zoo for the kids and a trip to the nearby aquarium for the adults. The team was also in mission with several daycares supported by Phakamisa. Before departing, the team spent a day helping with the construction of the Hillcrest AIDS Clinic, a project of Hillcrest Methodist Church, in Hillcrest, S. Africa.

First UMC-Denton has committed to be in local mission for the 2009 year as they rotate between global and local mission each year. Therefore, the earliest another mission team would be sent to South Africa would be the summer of 2010. Anyone interested in being in mission to South Africa with the Phakamisa project may contact Rev. Bill Foust at Denton: First-Canaan UMC, phone: 336-859-4603, email: wfoust001@triad.rr.com. The mission team is available to visit area churches and present details of the mission trip with personal stories, slides and videos. For additional information or to donate to Phakamisa please go online to http://www.phakamisa.org/.

For United Methodist Advance connectional giving, Phakamisa is number 14154A.