Report on Visit to Southern Africa October 2003-April 2004
I would like to acknowledge the assistance of the CBM UK with the airfare, CBMSA for the internal back up, printing, postage, phone calls, encouragement, etc, and East London Ecclesia for very regular visits to the Candu Ecclesia and printing assistance, and to Candu Ecclesia for enthusiastic preaching resulting in an initial coverage of the Transkei centres and 2200 students enlisted on the correspondence course. This burden now rests on the Transkei Brethren and Sisters and Bro Templeton in particular.
During the six months in Southern Africa I have travelled more than 21,000 km, given more than 36 talks and seminars, plus unnumbered discussions. I have done 5 interviews, 3 of which resulted in baptism (Marydale 2 and Bredasdorp I), made more than 100 contacts, and Brethen and Sisters have been visited. Two ecclesial outings have been arranged: Mufuleni ecclesia to Hermanus in support of a seminar organised by Bro. Simpihwe, and 16 Transkei Brethren and Sisters and friends to East London for the Breaking of Bread.
We have tried to follow up contacts from Coligny and Swartruggens to Badplaas and Piet Retief, and from Witbank to Gansbaai.
We have now completed the initial campaigns in the Transkei towns with the exception of Bizana, Mt. Fletcher, Cala, and Lady Frere. We have still to do the peripheral towns - Kokstad, Elliot, Aliwal North etc. also the Ciskei, Cape Midlands and cities- Cape Town, East London. Port Elizabeth is running regular seminars for Xhosa friends (Bro. Zwelake).
The proposed meeting room at Candu is being held up for the lack of a signature from the chief in Willowvale. We have already received a donation from an ecclesia in England towards the Hall. The Hall will act as a focal point for our Transkei work as well as providing space for the new Sunday School (15 children) and as a venue for seminars. Bible Fingerposts are being translated into Xhosa, and hopefully also the CBM leaflets on many topics.
General Observations
I. Previously we had asked contacts if we could visit them with almost nil response. Uninvited visits have been successful on every occasion so far. South Africans are very hospitable!
2. Many contacts have moved so we must act very quickly before they vanish.
3. There would appear to be many with problems: unemployment, injury, divorce etc. which will require more assistance from us than we usually give. It's rough out there in the real world!
4. Afrikaners had become confused after losing political, church and education leadership. There are signs that they are slowly coming to terms with the situation and are more willing to listen.
5. We, therefore, need to be more joyful, positive and encouraging in our approach and focus on how people can be helped to deal with life now without changing the overall message.
6. The demands for our support will increase in moral issues, spiritual application and in some cases financial assistance
7. It is not unlikely that we could end up with ones and twos in many of the towns and dorps in South Africa.
8. I believe we should abandon the use of the word "isolation" (giving a feeling of being cut oft) and substitute "pioneers" - the first of a new ecclesia! This approach is producing some results in Grahamstown and Mosselbaai.
9. We now have 3 Brethren in prisons and about 50 students in more than one dozen prisons. From Keetmanshoop to Umtata! Malmesbury has 19 registered students being handled by Bro. Stuart Strachan with fortnightly classes and Breaking of Bread. The number of prison contacts could increase.
10. There is also a growing number of coloured contacts, with a different culture and perceptions, which will need a change in approach without compromising the Gospel.
11. Correspondence Courses are still a good source of contacts despite increasing costs of postage, stationary etc. placing extra burdens on CBM finances.
12. In the Transkei some students are 35km from a post office. Post offices have small supplies of stamps, stationary and pens are almost unobtainable, no mail deliveries, no electricity- no electric light, no Bibles, poor education and a high percentage of mail lost, late, or stolen. It's a wonder, then, that over 100 out of the 2200 students have already replied!
13. There is a whole range of new challenges: circumcision, funerals, tribal customs, a society with little money, an increasing divergence between rural and urban populations, as well as language differences.
14. As we have lost many Christadelphians with their children to emigration, we need to address the problems arising. Perhaps we should change our target population from upper middle class to the economically captive. Another effect will be a greater demand on finance from fewer brothers and sisters.
New Ideas
1. Bookstalls on the pavement – works well in Kempton Park, and is about to start in Mufuleni, Touwsrivier, Trankei and Maseru. It also saves on postage and stationary!
2. Take a photo when visiting a contact, and then post them a copy with a chatty letter. It can make friends more easily.
3. Inviting a few of our more promising students to a special series of seminars where, in addition to first principles, we talk to them about being unpaid representatives.
Conclusion
To stop or to slow down sowing the word is to ask for problems later, as well as being described by Jesus as a lazy servant (parable - the one talent man). Rather go for it and ask for God's help.
Norman Durk
Bro Norman Durk (Reading,UK)
