South Africa: Supporting Our Churches, | Missionary Contact InformationBethany Baptist Church |
Our Mission Work:
South Africa! For blacks everywhere, just the name rings with victory! Apartheid is ended. Racial equality is the law of the land. At last, we have overcome. Yet the chasm between legally declared policies and the reality of everyday life remains great.
South Africa Facts
• Independence: May 31, 1910
• Capital: Pretoria, (Administration);Cape Town, (Legislation)
• Main Port: Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Lourenco Marques (Mozambique)
• Area: 1,233,404,sq. km. (472,359 sq. miles)
• Population: 37.5 million 1988
Since 1894, your Foreign Mission Board has been witnessing to the people of the Republic of South Africa. Throughout the darkest years, we remained steadfast, carrying out our work despite the great risks. In fact, our Convention's outreach is older than that of any other African-American denomination! For over 108 years, we've used every opportunity to work for the good of our family of faith. This included the planting of "seed churches" sponsored by faithful congregations here in the United States.
Today we support 152 African and four "colored" churches in the Republic, as well as 94 in the Bastustans (the ghettos where blacks were forced to live under apartheid and where many still reside).
South Africa's people are industrious and God loving. The vast majority of its people are Christians. However, mission work involves more than evangelism.
Educational opportunities for black children remain inferior to those for whites. Human rights abuses, discrimination against women and violence against women and children remain serious problems. Approximately 11 percent of the population is infected with HIV/AIDS. The U.S. State Department projects that this number will increase, causing more than six million deaths by 2010, and a drop in the life expectancy to just 40 years. All of these issues call for continued - and increased help.
Your Foreign Mission Board is committed to working for the future of our brothers and sisters of South Africa. May we depend upon you to help us meet that commitment?