South Africa is locked down.  For the millions in the townships, prisons  and remote areas without basic utilities, the pressure will be immense. There are no facilities to self-isolate when people live cheek by jowl in wooden or metal shacks.  Many are already immune-compromised thanks to AIDS, TB, drug use and malnutrition.  

Edward (the released prisoner) is leading daily devotions for his housemates in Cape Town.

Fraser had only 2 days to train the Hugenote College staff to keep online contact with their students so that they could try using the online learning platform before teaching starts again on the 20th April, probably still on an online basis.

Many students from poor areas will find it difficult to stay online, especially with the closure of libraries, the chief providers of free internet connection.

The Barnabas Fund is keen to help Bible colleges and seminaries in Africa to find ways to cope with the Covid-19 lockdown and has asked NetACT to help to facilitate this.  Fraser has online meetings on Wednesday and Friday to discuss the best ways to move this forward.

We cannot return to the UK for any reason until the pandemic situation calms down.

Ruth is alone in student accommodation in Glasgow and displaying progressing symptoms of Covid-19.

Fraser is busy with a final report for the American trust who paid for the training events last year, praying that they continue to support NetACT.

Hugenote College moves to full online learning during the coronavirus shutdown, Fraser having to develop more training materials quickly.  NetACT’s Executive Committee need wisdom in deciding whether to cancel their AGM, planned for Ethiopia in July.

All prisons are closed to any visitors for at least a month. May inmates and officials, especially followers of Jesus, be ready to give answers about their rock, hope and faith.

A man at Medium A wanted to surrender a weapon which he had concealed.  It has been found where he said it would be and so there’s one less firearm on the streets.

Schools close tomorrow, a major problem in a society where people live hand to mouth – if the parent cannot work, there is no food.  If the virus gets into the township areas where people live at extremely close quarters, the effect could be devastating.

Please pray for Ruth as she decides upon the next stage of her journey in life.

Fraser has completed the setup for the library catalogue for Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary, and the USB has now arrived safely in Namibia.  The new Hugenote College Good Citizenship course (mentioned in the last  update) is now complete and the new online Theology Degree is gathering steam.  Some IT systems at Hugenote College are less than satisfactory and Fraser needs wisdom as he determines how much effort he should invest in them.

It’s hard to resist siren voices of a past life when not in prison – to men inside it sometimes seems impossible.  Cecil in Medium committed his life to Christ about 18 months ago but is sliding back into behaviour he’d broken from months ago.  His old gangster cellmates indulgently say they knew it was just a phase. He worries that he didn’t count the cost beforehand and the way is harder than he expected.  God is shaking Cecil up and not letting him back to his old ways.

Another man in Medium is an active believer, changed from the person he was when a murder conviction brought him to prison. The victim’s family have forgiven him and wish him well; he knows God forgives him but is frequently haunted by the memory of what he did nearly 20 years ago.

Fraser is marrying up the normal Hugenote registration process with a free online course on good citizenship and also creating an offline library system for Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary.

None of the NetACT partner representatives has passed on the received training yet, being too low in their college hierarchies to organise training sessions for other staff.

NetACT is exploring setting up an online theological journal to allow scholars in Africa to be published without paying western journal prices. 

As Dawn went into Drakenstein prison today there were TV cameras and new banners commemorating thirty years since Nelson Mandela walked out of the gates. The “rainbow nation” hasn’t lived up to the hope that day brought.

Some of the prisoners revealed their experiences today, but self-discipline and perseverance are hard.

Hope Prison Ministry’s new Boland Field Director, Chantelle, was appointed after much prayer and many months’ deliberation. Pray that she will remember she felt called to the role as the enormity of the task hits home.

Edward (released from Drakenstein in August) didn’t get a promised job but still trusts God and wants to honour him.

Stephen’s children have been removed from their neglectful and alcohol abusing mother and his sister, with a much more stable home, has now been granted full custody.

In sharp contrast, Sylvester, released only in January, was returned to prison this week for tying up and raping two women in a hostel despite being been seen as trustworthy while in Drakenstein.  Dawn was encouraged to hear the disgust and disappointment amongst the men about his behaviour. He will likely never be released again.

More women need to press charges to make men face the consequences of their sexual violence.

Hugenote college has been welcoming new students. One of the students was so proud last year to have had his highest exam mark ever – 30% – showing that some of the students have not had a great start in life but are trying. The college sees its role as a mission to walk with such students through education and into a job. The college survives by faith and Fraser is endeavouring to provide good support and ideas for its IT and distance learning systems.

Fraser meets this week with the other NetACT management staff to set goals for the year ahead, including about how much travelling for training and consultation Fraser should do during the year.

He is working to match the online modules for Hugenote College’s new theology degree to the Dean’s own vision for the course.

The new Director for Boland Hope Prison Ministry started work on January 13^th and needs wisdom, organisational skills and insight to improve systems and relationships.

There will be a time of prayer and spiritual renewal for team members before the programmes really start in the prisons.

Pray for South Africa, for better leadership, the rooting out of corruption and for a movement of the Holy Spirit throughout the country as the only true way of bringing justice, hope and improvement.

Answered prayer: Faiek in Maximum now has earphones to help shut out sounds programmes that tempt him.  A responsible job in reception also helps the days pass faster. He wants to thank everyone who prays for him.

Lungile in Medium A took part in the Restorative Justice week.   Pray for him to be able to step out and see how God will meet him and be able to leave the prison gang.

December is extremely hot in prisons and tempers fray.  Last week there were two stabbing incidents in local prisons.

Justin, Ricardo, Keenan, Quintin and Sylvester are being released from prison in the next few weeks. Pray that what they’ve learned about God will stay with them and guide their lives in the right paths.

The power cuts started on Thursday afternoon, just after Fraser had finished the library portal training – another prayer answered.  Give thanks that the electricity is now working again.

Over the year he’s trained 66 people, representing 48 NetACT partner colleges, in the use of the internet portal.  Pray that they would be able to pass that training on to their staff and students and also to the few colleges who were unable to send representatives.

Ricardo in Stellenbosch is wary of committing to Christ in prison, worried that he’ll fall away when he gets out.  Pray that he’ll understand what he’s missing by avoiding true commitment to Jesus now.

Denzil in Maximum finds it dangerous to trust others. Faiek, sentenced for rape and murder, is all too aware of his problem with lust. Pray for those in prison who find it difficult to trust anyone or battle with their demons, even if they are believers. May each one be able to identify at least one other whom he can trust.

All the participants in the NetAct library training in Wellington this week have arrived from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho and South Africa. Pray that the training will go well and be an encouraging time of fellowship.

When Ruth arrives on December 9th, we’ll be taking a bit of a rest after a hectic year.  James has decided to stay in the UK over Christmas.

Steven in Maximum, a general in the 28 prison gang until he became a Christian a few years ago, has been having flashbacks which are now distracting him from his communication with Jesus. Faiek is committed to Jesus but knows he still has a problem with lustful thoughts.

Nico was committed to the 28 prison gang until April this year when he left the gang to follow Jesus. He has a great desire to learn all he can about God as he serves out the remainder of his sentence and then to teach the youth outside.  Pray for the protection of Steven, Faiek and Nico against spiritual attacks. 

The NetAct internet library portal training is finally set for the first week of December and all the participants have their passports.  A NetACT journal is to be launched and there will a changeover at the head of NetACT due to the present head retiring.

We need new ideas and resources to offer honest jobs to recently released prisoners so that they won’t return to crime when they’re out as they find it difficult to get work.

Edward, released in August, has no employment but has registered as a bricklayer, is helping others voluntarily and is trusting God to make things happen in the right time.

Marius in maximum is challenged to know how to deal with four “brothers” who try to outdo each other in speaking in tongues. Others in his room who had followed Christ are distancing themselves as a result of the four’s behaviour.

Howard in maximum wants to learn to apply God’s word more deeply to his life.  Though he left the prison gang some time ago, he is finding that some gang members in his room are interested in the way he now lives.

One man in Stellenbosch had his Jordan trainers stolen while he was in hospital.  The Bible classes have helped him forgive the unknown perpetrators.

The last NetACT training session now looks as if it will be the first week of December.  Pray for Fraser as he puts together funding proposals to help some of the smaller colleges with IT infrastructure next year.