Viginia Link Team Visit
During the rest of the week they were sent off with packed lunches and various host-drivers, who took them to areas in which the Virginian Link Team and the Episcopal Church Women are supporting with prayer and encouragement, their first “port of call” being Sebokeng. While visiting Sharpeville, Rev Kate Chips was invited to preach at a Memorial Service that was taking place. They were very impressed with the feeding scheme operating from St Nicholas, Ennerdale that gives substantial meals to school children twice a week. While in Ennerdale, the team also visited the Hospice at Poortjie, which is being supported by members of that congregation. Visits were also made to the two church schools in Orange Farm, namely
Masibambane
College and Lesedi la Kreste. On the Friday afternoon each team member was collected from St Peter’s Place and taken to spend the weekend in the Parishes to which their Churches in
Virginia are linked. The Saturday afternoon was spent attending our Diocesan Council Meeting held at St Cyprian’s in Sharpeville. This gave the ladies the opportunity of meeting many of the Diocesan Clergy whom they had not been able to meet previously. A visit had been arranged to Lenasia on the Monday, and Rev Kumeran Soobrayan arranged for the group to visit a Moslem Mosque and two
Hindu
Temples before seeing the Anglican Church of Christ the Saviour. 
The ladies making up the Virginia Link Team arrived at O.R. Tambo Airport in the early evening of 9th November, 2009, and were taken to St Peter’s Place, which was their base for the week they spent in the Diocese. The team consisted of Mesdames Amy Millican from St Paul’s Alexandria; Anne Gordan Curran from St Stephen’s; Inez Tuck from St Phillips; Carolyn Emerick from Trinity, and Rev Kate Chips from St Margaret’s. 
They were able to experience in a small way the interfaith ministry that Fr Kumeran is involved with in Lenasia.
Tuesday dawned, the day of departure, but still no time for rest! They spent the morning at Bruma World Market shopping for mementoes to take home before returning to St Peter’s Place for a luncheon with invited guests.
Early afternoon meant departure time, and so they said their good-byes and started the first leg of the return journey as they headed for O.R. Tambo Airport .
It was a wonderful, busy week for all involved, and thanks go to all those who so willingly gave of their time, to ensure that our visitors were made to feel so welcome and special in our Diocese.
