Living in South Africa

What does the situation in South Africa mean for us? First, let’s talk about the challenges.

Attacks against foreigners from other African countries have continued since last May, with 10 migrants killed in November in Cape Town alone. Although we are not threatened by this violence, several members of our congregation in Tableview (our suburb of Cape Town) have immigrated from other African countries. They and other members who live in the townships have seen this violence first hand and have ministered in its aftermath.

South Africa also suffers from one of the world’s worst crime rates, with high incidences of murder, rape, robbery and carjacking. Some citizens of Cape Town move to gated communities or install electrified wire around their block walls. And yet, this year record numbers of tourists came to South Africa from Europe and the rest of the world, and we personally have seen or experienced no crime.

Often when John or I talk to people we meet around Tableview, they express fears that the country is deteriorating. They wonder if South Africa is following the “Zimbabwean path.” Will South Africa be able to maintain a successful democracy on a continent where the will of the people is rarely respected?

In all this, Pastor Xavier and Heather, our pastors at Coastlands Community Church, remain optimistic and forward looking. He has convinced us that no matter what happens the church will thrive, that families will need ministry and that people will respond to the Lord. We admire the dedication of our pastors to the people of Tableview, whether in the hospitals, school system, community, or the church.

Hearing from us

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South Africa’s turn leftward

Upon majority rule in 1994, South Africa instituted many reforms, including prohibiting discrimination, outlawing the death penalty, and establishing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which I wrote about in my last post. These conciliatory measures smoothed the transition to majority rule. The situation today, however, appears ambiguous, with some South Africans questioning where the country is heading. Why is this?

Although Nelson Mandela began by leading the continent in peacemaking, in recent years subsequent leaders have turned decidedly leftward. At the United Nations, South Africa now routinely sides with China, Russia and other repressive regimes in blocking resolutions on human rights and supporting dictators such as Qaddafi, Castro and Mugabe. As well, South Africans are concerned about corruption charges against the man who may become the next president of the country.

Under majority rule, South Africans now appear to identify more with other African nations and less with the more prosperous West. A recent Economist article locates the problem in “South Africa’s ambivalent sense of identity, with one foot in the rich world, where its main economic interests continue to lie, and the other in the poor one, with which many of its people identify.” Its leaders seem to be reasoning that the world’s rich nations must decline in order for the poor nations to play a bigger part in ruling the world.

Next: What does this mean for the South African church and for missionaries living there?

Dealing with the uneasy past of our new home

In 1994, South Africa officially dismantled Apartheid (meaning “apartness”), shedding its racist past and granting political rights to all its citizens. This result was not achieved, however, without decades of violence and protest.

Attempting to deal with the horrors of the Apartheid era, leaders of South Africa established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Its purpose was to uncover human rights crimes, to provide reparations for victims, and to allow victimizers to earn amnesty. This process helped those who had suffered to be recognized and the guilty to find forgiveness.

During the years of the Commission’s work, which took place in Cape Town, 22,000 people testified of crimes against them or their families and 8,000 people were granted amnesty. As a result of this public purging, South Africans have been granted a measure of peace with their past and hope for living together as a “rainbow nation” of many races.

What do missionaries learn?

When missionaries gather to study, here’s a sampling of what they consider:
• What does it mean to indigenize?
• How do we work alongside missionaries from other countries?
• What happens if we need to evacuate from a country?

This week John and I gathered with Foursquare missionaries to improve our cross-cultural skills. It’s good to be associated again with Foursquare Missions, a mission agency where 100 percent of giving goes to the field.

Time Away

We’ll be away from our African home for a while as we fly back to the U.S. this weekend. It’s a time for us to connect with our missions department and visit some of the churches who follow our ministry. Look for us, and we hope to see you. To see our latest newsletter, please click here.

Historic Power Encounters

During our stay in Botswana last month, we traveled to a cave near Molepolole. It is known as Livingstone’s Cave. This is where the Tswana tribe challenged David Livingstone to enter the cave you see in this photo, where they said their gods lived. They told him he wouldn’t come out alive. With classical power encounter faith, Livingstone entered the cave and came back out praising God. The chief of the tribe then converted and proceeded to assist Livingstone and his family to settle near his people.

Here you see Pastor Adeniran standing in front of the cave. Together with his wife Christiana, the four of us prayed for God to again show His power to Botswanans.

For a similar American power encounter, read about Chiefess Kapiolani who defied the volcano goddess Pele.

Meeting with the Himbas

After last week’s convention, we drove 120 miles with Pastor Festus to meet with a group of believers from the Himba tribe. They are a famous tribe in Namibia who have not been much reached with the gospel. Pastor Festus was raised among them along with the Herero people, who have adopted modern ways and responded to the gospel more openly.

The grandmother of this group told us of her eye ailment, and we gathered around to pray for her. We enjoyed playing with the children and giving them small gifts, and one of the boys responded by dancing for us as we left. Because they are nomadic and the school is located a good distance from them, the children remain illiterate. The Joshua Project says the Himba people are less than 2% evangelized.

"Repositioning Ourselves" in Ovambo-Land

Under the theme “Reposition Yourself,” Foursquare pastors and leaders from cities in Namibia met for five days of praise, preaching and fellowship. John and Xavier were a dynamic team, demonstrating the prophetic gift and leading the pastors in stirring up their gifts.

On a scorching Friday afternoon I shared my wisdom booklets with the women. In an interesting sensation, I felt the idea pass from me to become their own. I haven’t experienced anything like this before—an impartation of grace, John says. The concept of mothers teaching their children wisdom is powerful in itself, but I’m hopeful that leaving the booklets in their hands gave it endurance.

Tomorrow I’ll tell you about our trip to meet with a group of Himba believers last Monday.

Onward to Namibia

Tomorrow we travel to Ongwediva, Namibia, to speak in a pastors and leaders conference. To learn more about the booklets I will use in teaching the women there, click here.

What is a "maschal"?

Namibian churches will gather in convention the last week of August, and we will drive there to join them. John is the guest speaker, along with Pastor Xavier, who will travel with us. I will be teaching the women.

Here you see me compiling booklets showing mothers how to teach their children to be wise. Common items mentioned in the Bible are the focus of each maschal (this is a Hebrew word meaning “object lesson”). I hope to persuade mothers that they can influence their children in the tiny moments when their children accompany them in cooking dinner, walking to the market, working in the garden, or hanging out the wash. Did you ever notice how the Scriptures abound in homely parables and stories centering on everyday items and tasks?

Traveling "The Missionary Road"

Did you ever wonder what it was like to be a missionary 150 years ago? On our recent trip around Southern Africa, we traveled to the homesteads of the first missionaries to evangelize the interior of “The Dark Continent.”

In 1820, Robert and Mary Moffat established a base south of the Kalahari Desert, now a town known as Kuruman. After nine years, Robert baptized his first eight converts, whereupon he began building a church building to seat 800. It wasn’t long before the building was full and the ministry thriving. He was joined by various missionaries over his 50 years of ministry, including David Livingstone, who married his oldest daughter Mary.

From the Kuruman base, Livingstone and other missionaries began to spread the good news of the gospel to Africans. As the sign on the property indicates, from this place began “The Missionary Road to the Interior.” If you’d like to see more photos of the Moffat Mission, please click here.

Where the People Meet

What a trip! We’re back home in Tableview now, praying and planning for the next ministry season. Your prayers kept us healthy and safe.

On our six-week trip to Southern Africa, we preached in village churches and city churches, stayed in homes and inns, tried tasty foods, prayed in unusual places, and met many old and new friends. Here you see several of the churches where we ministered.

Healing Mass

Saturday night John spoke at a Healing Mass at Jubilee Christian Fellowship in Johannesburg. This is a service to reach out to the sick by means of traditional forms, including a dynamic choir, communion, a sermon on Jesus' power to heal, and prayer for the sick.

John preached from Mark about the man whose son was possessed by an evil spirit until he came to Jesus. Here's how the text explains what the father asked and how Jesus responded:

"...if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
"'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

A six-year-old preacher

Meet Mmabotswana, a six-year-old girl who attends the Gaborone Foursquare Church. She’s as spunky as her name and she loves the Lord. You should see her dancing during the worship service.

After she leaves church, she preaches the sermon to all her friends and hands out tracts. Once she gave a tract to a man drinking alcohol, and he poured some of it over her head! She just laughed about it, though, and came to church to tell everyone what happened.

Click here to see an album of photos we took in her home country, Botswana.

Christian School at Dynamic Namibian Church

The thriving Foursquare church at Ongwediva, Namibia, is pastored by Festus and Laina Negumbo. This photo shows their primary school, where they educate over 300 students. To read more about this church and an interview with Pastor Festus, please click here.

You can view an online album showing more photos of us with Pastor Festus and Laina, along with photos of the school here.

To see albums of the countries we have visited, please click here. In each album, you can view a slideshow by clicking on the box with the green arrow over the first photo.

A Day in Zimbabwe

Traveling the shortest route to Botswana meant crossing the entire country of Zimbabwe in one day. We filled two containers with gasoline and set off. A total of twelve police check-stops slowed us down, but our papers were in order, so on we sped.

We weren't able to visit our pastor friends in the capital city of Harare. Our presence might have threatened their safety, and we felt it best to avoid further scrutiny. When we stopped to fill our tank with the gas we carried, this boy with his donkey cart came along, and we gave him the enpty jugs.

We saw many donkey carts in use, because fuel is in short supply and expensive. With inflation rising by the hour, many people have lost their jobs. How do they survive? We saw people lining the city streets, standing hopelessly by the shops. Those who earn money from working and are able to find transportation run to the borders of the country to buy necessities.

God rescue the people of Zimbabwe!

Worshiping God

We enjoyed this youth choir that sang and danced yesterday at the Sunday morning service in Chimoio.

Here's a story that Simone Chen, one of the missionaries here, told us today: She was visiting a remote village in northern Angola. During the worship service, she watched a man writhe on the ground. Was it witchcraft in the church? After the service, she asked him why he did this during the worship. He said, "I used to do this in front of the witch doctor to humble myself and show respect, wriggling in the dust before him. Now that I serve Jesus, why should I not do this and more to honor Him?"

Three Missionaries at Work in Mozambique

You should have seen the road to Zimpinga! Our Toyota Verso impersonated an SUV today when we drove 15 miles by pavement, 15 miles by dirt road, and 10 miles by grass trail to the village of Zimpinga. Traveling along with us were Pastor Neva Meque and Missionary Fabio Chen. John preached in English, Fabio translated into Portuguese, and Pastor Neva translated the Portuguese into Sishona.

Pastor Neva is actually a missionary from the Chewa people, who with his wife Cita came here from the northern part of Mozambique four years ago. They learned the local Shona language and started a strong church here in the city of Chimoio. He now serves as District Supervisor of this region. Read about what the missionaries face in African traditional religion in Mozambique here.

Fabio came to Chimoio as a missionary from the Thousand Oaks Foursquare Church about a year ago. Here he met Simone, who had been sent five years ago as a missionary from Brazil to this Portuguese-speaking country. They married in December of 2007, and currently serve together as missionaries. You can read more about them on their blog.

See an album of our travels in Mozambique so far here.

Sunday School in Swaziland

In the capital city of Swaziland, Mbabane, Joseph and Gladys Botti are planting a Foursquare church. A church bus collects children from the neighborhoods. Here are some of the children singing with their teacher, Lola.

Compassion for the Needy

First stop on our southern Africa trip was to see Donna McDonald, a missionary sent out by our Arizona home church, Grace North. Donna ministers in the seaside village of Paternoster just north of Cape Town. The poor fisherfolk of this fishing village have been displaced by the tourism industry, which has transformed this lovely beach by building quaint guest houses and cafes on its shores. On the link above, you'll be able to see some of the development along with the houses and boats of the remaining local families, who still make their living by fishing.

Donna serves with Ian and Carmel Chalklin, who have devoted their lives to ministering to the poor. Here you see Carmel cooking pots of cabbage, carrots and meat to serve to local school children and elderly shut-ins. Ian and Carmel also manage a warehouse of donated clothing and household items, host a home group, and are planning to start a church soon in their warehouse. You should see Donna labor tirelessly with Ian and Carmel. The Lord will return blessings manifold on these workers in His field.

On the Road

Car serviced, bags packed, maps consulted, and ready to go! But not without a good prayer meeting to send us off. Friday we met with African friends for loud and effective midnight prayer and praise to God.

On Sunday morning our church prayed for us and blessed us with an offering. Pastor Xavier told the congregation that the offering represents a seed planted for our church to expand its missions vision. They will be interceding for us during the entire trip. We hope you will too.

On the Road (Soon)

Winter arrives in the Cape with rain showers interspersed with sunny days and temperatures mostly in the 50s and 60s. While Capetonians enjoy the balmy Mediterranean winter, it’s time for us to get on the road. We’re planning a trip by car to visit pastor friends throughout southern Africa, including these possible destinations: Swaziland, Mozambique, Malawi (not labeled on map), Zambia, Nambia, Botswana, Lesotho, and parts of South Africa. We will stick to paved roads, but the quality of travel conditions may vary.

You can help us by imagining us traveling in our little silver Toyota Verso from village to city. Then pray for us on the roads, for border crossings and security. Watch here for photos of our travels and stories of our friends along the way. We hope to find internet cafés here and there to keep you updated.

News from here

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The Devil's Death Sentence

Georges Kabady came here to South Africa from the Congo four years ago. Last Sunday he shared how God has worked in his life in the last few months.

Read his inspiring testimony to see how the devil resists God's people, but they emerge victorious when they affirm, "God...I believe You!"

A Roof for a Church

Just a few days ago, Pastor Xavier and the church council gave the go-ahead for the roof to be constructed on our African home-church building. Xavier and Heather planted the Coastlands in Table View nine years ago. The congregation currently meets in a school until the church building is completed.

If you'd like to follow the progress of the construction of the Coastlands' meeting place, please click here. At this website, you can single-click to watch a slide show, or double-click to go to the album website.

From one indigenous world to another

Jan, who ministers with her husband to native Americans, wished to make a connection with a native African woman. She did this by sending her sunflower turquoise ring with me to give away. At the regional pastors conference I developed a friendship with Laina, a pastor’s wife in the country of Namibia. Let me tell you a little of Laina’s story, for she was the one to whom I gave this beautiful ring.

Laina met the Lord as a young woman, after having lived for herself for several years. Invited to a conference in Zimbabwe, she was attracted to the believers there who lived out their faith in the business world. She promised the Lord that if she could find such a church in her home country of Namibia she would serve Him. Shortly after this, Laina was invited to attend services at a church-plant begun by missionaries Gabriel and Gloria Francis from Nigeria. Laina became their first convert and the first person to be baptized in the Foursquare Church of Namibia. Later she married Festus, who in time became pastor of the church.

Faces in Africa

Conference in Johannesburg

Tomorrow we return to Africa, flying into Johannesburg, the capital of South Africa. There we'll attend a conference of Foursquare churches of Southern Africa. This meeting of churches from nine southern Africa countries provides an opportunity for two leaders from each country to gather for prayer, fellowship and planning.

This map shows most of the countries whose churches will be represented at the conference: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Zambia (not shown), and Malawi (not shown).

If you'd like to pray for this meeting, ask God for His love and unity to flow among all present.

A Life Reviewed

As you may have heard, John's father, Tony, passed away last week. We made the difficult decision to cancel our ministry in Ethiopia and return to be with his family. Dad was a good man who loved his family and his community. Take a look at his obituary to appreciate how his life impacted us.

Thank you all for your prayers and expressions of sympathy. We are truly grateful for God's people and the consolation of the Spirit.

African City-Church

I took this one-minute video last Sunday to give you an idea of what it’s like to worship in an African city-church. Not really much different from what you’re used to, wouldn’t you say?

The Coastlands, our new home church

Our home church currently meets in a school, but land has been bought and a building begun, as you see in this photo taken this past Sunday. Pastor Xavier is happy that thus far everything has been paid for without going into debt.

How you can pray:
Please join us in praying for God’s provision for the roof to be built, which is the next stage in this project of faith.

"Just the 2 of us"

Six couples met at Pastor Xavier and Heather’s home for a marriage seminar this past Friday night and Saturday morning. Each couple shared throughout the seminar on such topics as how they met and what attracted them to each other.

Some shared victories and challenges, and Pastors Xavier and Heather, along with John and I, shared our own victories and challenges in the context of the Word.

We're Here (click on this post)

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The Date is Set

The date set for our departure to Cape Town, South Africa, is March 4. Meanwhile, we're finishing up details here and starting to think of packing our bags. We're planning to travel light, with only two bags each. Think we'll make it?

We'll hit the ground running. We leave for our first leaders' conference in Ethiopia on March 21. Our ministry partner, Mulu Belayhun, who will meet us there, tells us 1500 pastors and leaders will gather for this seven-day conference in Addis Ababa. Half of them are professional businessmen and women who are also involved in ministry.

How you can pray for us: Ask God for spiritual power and physical stamina for our team to minister in this country with such a rich heritage and significance in the battle against spiritual forces.