Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."John 21:16

Lay health builder student Siyabonga (Eastbury Baptist Church) is from an informal settlement outside of Phoenix called Amouti.About 20,000 people live in Amouti.Some residents are from rural areas in Kwa-Zulu Natal and earn money that they take back to their relatives.The inhabitants are squatting on this land and have built make-shift homes.They work as security guards, janitors, construction workers, gardeners, maids and in sugar cane fields and factories.Most homes in Amouti only have one room.Some of the homes have electric meter boxes in them that accept pre-paid cards so that the residents can buy electricity in 5 to 10 Rand increments (about $1).Each home receives a certain amount of free electricity each month. The meter boxes have smiley faces and frowning faces to indicate how much electricity is left.There is no running water in the homes.

The rate of HIV infection is at least 30 %.This summer we hope to begin to train people in HIV/AIDS education and screening.

Siyabonga'sfather was a traditional herbalist/healer but became a Christian when Siyabonga was a boy.Siyabonga told us that he clearly remembers the day that his father threw away all the items related to his sorcery practices.His father told Siyabonga never to follow those practices like he had done.Siyabonga told us that after the Bible study that is part of the lay health builder curriculum, he now understands his father's decision to leave the practice of sorcery.

His father died a few months ago at age 78.Siyabonga believes that his father would have been pleased that he is becoming a lay health builder and this gives him some comfort after his father's death.We gave Siyabonga a NIV Zondervan study Bible. Siyabonga made the decision to give his life over to Jesus Christ and will be baptized on May 1, 2005.We can see a new calmness, peace and confidence in Siyabonga since he made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savoir.When we first met Siyabonga he had a drawn, guarded look but now we are frequently blessed by his smile.

Siyabonga is aware of five sorcerers operating in his neighbourhood.Sorcerers manipulate spiritual powers in order to achieve their ends.Much to Siyabonga's alarm, his girlfriend Thandi was taken out of the hospital against medical advice a few weeks ago.Her mother did this in order to take her daughter to a sorcerer.The treatment involved shutting Thandi into a room filled with smoke.We prayed for his girlfriend and she has made a full recovery.He is doing the Bible study on spiritual powers from our course with his girlfriend.

Rick is training Siyabonga in his neighbourhood to screen for and teach about heart and artery disease risk factors.About one-third of the people that Siyabonga screened have high blood pressure.If this condition is left untreated, it can lead to stroke, heart attack and kidney failure.The last man to be screened on April 19 was 55 years old and had a blood pressure of 274/140 which is dangerously high.At first the man refused to go to the hospital for treatment.He was worried that if word got out that he was in the hospital overnight, people would steal his things from his home.The crime is so bad in Amouti that his fears are well-founded.He said that he did not trust anyone he knew to watch his home.Widespread failure to obey God's commandment on stealing can serve to keep people in a vicious cycle of poverty.Through our ministry we hope to show people the life that is to be found by trusting and obeying the Lord.

The man with the dangerously high blood pressure finally agreed to obtain medical care.Rick drove this man to the hospital.He has since returned home and nothing was stolen from him.Siyabonga will visit this man and recheck his blood pressure.He will teach him more about the importance of controlling high blood pressure and following up with his doctor.

For more pictures see www.bethelhealthbuilders.org.

Yours in Christ,

Anita Gutierrez