PUBLISHER'S LETTER

I am incredibly grateful to a whole host of wonderful friends. In our last issue I wrote of our heartbreak visit to some of SA's invisible people: truly distressed and impoverished Whites living in the God's Acre Shelter at De Deur or the much more inspiring Good Hope Shelter at Germiston. Both need a great deal of help.

I spoke of five expectant young women at the Good Hope Shelter, imminently about to become mothers, with scarce a stitch of clothing to welcome these little new South Afri-cans into the world. Hardly had APN gone into the mail than one of my favourite people, Desia, who operates a mattress factory, rang and said she would make me five baby mattresses. "We've never done it before, but let's see how it goes." Result? Made of the purest, softest cotton, they duly arrived, exquisitely made, items on which any mother would be proud to place her new-born. Thank you, Desia.

Next, a doctor from Nelspruit phoned, offering us the use of a farm. That offer has been turned over to the Rev. Mar-tin Bothma of the NG Kerk at Newlands, with whom we work and who guides us in much of what we do. He will see what can be done.

Some very generous cheques arrived, plus parcels of food and big supplies of really excel-lent clothing, including winter coats. The latter were par-ticularly appreciated, because we are now busy collecting blankets and warm clothing for the fast approaching winter. I need not tell you that winter - especially the harsh winters we know on the Transvaal Highveld - is a most bitter enemy of the poor.

And here is a letter from Stephen Venter, who helps administer the Good Hope Shelter. "We ask God's richest blessing on the friends who, through, Mission Rescue, have come forward to help us. Without such help, it would be near impossible for us to undertake this task."

If you are indeed in a position to help us with food, blan-kets and warm clothing, I would be heartfelt grateful. Often it seems to me that not a great number of people these days are interested in helping hard-luck Whites, even the children. Should you wish to help financially, please do not make your cheques out to APN. If possible, payment should be made into the Mission Rescue account at Volkskas Bank, Northcliff, account number 07 381 75 166. And thank you again for all you do to help such tragic folk. God bless.