Welcome to South Africa – the Rainbow Nation!
Sawubona! (Hello or I see you in Zulu)
Unjani? (How are you?)
You would respond –
Yebo, sawubona. Ngiyaphila, wena usaphila? (Yes, I see you, how are you?)
Or in another context you might be greeted with –
Hey my bru, howzit? (English slang for Hey buddy, how are you?)
A country of great contrasts and rich diversity, South Africa is home to over 46.9 million people of many origins, beliefs, cultures and languages. From dusty, isolated villages to bustling urban centers and surrounding suburbs and townships, you will find people who are eager to get to know you. There are 11 official languages including 9 African languages, in addition to English and Afrikaans.
Situated at the southern tip of Africa, South Africa is cradled by two oceans with over 2,500 km of beautiful coastline which stretches from the deserts of Namibia (Atlantic Ocean) around the tip of Africa turning northwards until it reaches the subtropical regions of Mozambique (Indian Ocean). The total land area of South Africa is over 1.2 million square kilometers (one eighth the size of the USA) and it measures some 1,600 km from north to south and from east to west. The land contains deserts, mountains, dense bush, grasslands and subtropical forests.
A young democracy (since 1994), South Africa is just beginning to overcome decades of apartheid (white minority rule) and centuries of racial hatred. Key to the peaceful transition was an underlying value within the hearts of South Africans known as Ubuntu (humanness). This unique foundation of the South Africa worldview is captured in the Zulu maxim umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu (meaning – a person is a person through other persons). In other words, the basis for our own humanity is in our basic respect and compassion for other people. Reconciliation rather than retaliation has been the heart of the peaceful transition and development in post-apartheid South Africa.
Despite the beauty of the land and the people, there are deep and challenging needs. In every major city (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, etc.) there are huge problems with drug abuse and addiction, gangs, human trafficking, sex tourism, and violence. The statistics on violent crimes (including rape and murder) are truly frightening with one of the highest murder rates per capita in the world. In the rural areas, villages are still under the influence of African animism, ancestral worship and witchcraft. Recent studies estimate that South Africa is approaching nearly 6 million infections of the HIV/AIDS virus and project that 50% of the children 15 years old and younger will die of AIDS by 2010.
Into this Rainbow Nation, God has placed His Rainbow Church! You will find Assemblies of God churches in extremely diverse ethnic, economic and geographic regions of the country. From gang-infested townships to primitive rural villages; to dense urban centers to troubled middle class suburbs – the gospel is being practiced and preached in every South African context by faithful South African pastors and people. If the rainbow is a sign of hope and promise, then truly the Church of Jesus Christ is that sign of hope to South Africa – that God is not finished with her yet.
There is a chorus we love to sing here, the words go like this –
If you believe and I believe
And we together pray
The Holy Spirit must come down
And Africa will be saved.
And Africa will be saved
And Africa will be saved
The Holy Spirit must come down
And Africa will be saved.
Thank you for visiting our website. Your interest in and prayers for South Africa will make a difference in the lives of many.
Sincerely,
Dr. Greg and Emily Johns
Area Director