Each year many donors, known to us as the "wonderful gift bag people”, fill up two-gallon Ziplock bags with specific items for specific girls. We deliver those gifts to the girls who left Bakhita Village and are living with guardians in various outlying villages. The trip to see each one is not always straight forward – imagine herds of cattle in the road, rocks larger than our vehicle that must be maneuvered around, soft red dirt that only four-wheel-drive can manage – not t

Many young children are living in crushing poverty in remote villages in South Africa. A preschool can provide much needed early education, food, social interaction, and structure for them. Bakhita Charities is supporting the preschool in the village of Ga Phasha. We had fun with the kids again this year. Many of them remembered our previous visits and were ready with hugs and smiles for us. The principal received the toys that we donated with joy and the children were deligh

A notable accomplishment of last year was the diligent completion of everything necessary for six of the girls being helped in their villages by the Outreach Team to enter St. Brendan’s. In addition to the opportunity for a good education, they have safe shelter, the comfort of other Bakhita sisters, and three square meals a day. It is really a miracle in their lives. Five of the girls entered grade eight. A sixth girl is Lettie, whom we have written about in the past. Letti

It was eighteen years ago that we first met Sr. Eugenia Tabane. She was living at the convent at St. Brendan’s as a retired principal and teacher. She was a kind, caring and holy woman spending much of each day in prayer and service to others. Sr. Eugenia’s passion was to help the people of Ga Pasha build a church. The Catholic population was small but growing and they worshipped in an elementary school where we attended mass with her. Ga Pasha is a small and very poor villa

We were hopeful that the Sacred Heart Sisters would be able to re-open the Bakhita Village home this year, but they have decided against it at this time. Although we are very disappointed, we continue to care for the girls who were at the home when it closed through ongoing and expanded outreach efforts. Throughout 2018 the Bakhita Outreach Team, consisting of the two of us, Sr. Amaka, Sr. Rotee and Dinah Chabalala, has been visiting the girls and supplying them with food, sc