September 2007
Dear Reconciler Family,
I just returned from a thrilling trip to Pietermaritzburg,
South Africa, representing the African Enterprise
Board of Directors USA at an International Partnership
Board meeting and conference. Pietermaritzburg
has a rich history. It’s the place where
Ghandi was thrown off the train and Mandela was captured. I
visited those places.
The mission statement for AE ministry is: “Evangelizing
the Cities of Africa in Word and Deed in Partnership
with the Church.” The ministry preaches
the gospel, resulting in many converts; it feeds
the poor, visits the sick and prisoners. It
also trains, equips and sends forth missionaries. What
great efforts in practicing the deeds mentioned by
Jesus in Matthew 25:31-40!
The reports given by leaders from all over the continent
of Africa were inspiring, producing tears of joy
over the triumphs experienced. They also brought
tears of sorrow over the woeful conditions that prevail
in many urban areas, not the least of which are the
AIDS crisis and devastating poverty. Our prayers
are needed.
I was very excited to realize that we have a Worldwide
Church of God congregation in Pietermaritzburg. I
spoke there on Sunday, August 12. Pastoral
Team Leader Rachel Rozentals-Thresher led an uplifting
worship service as the vibrant teens and young adults
(the dominant church population) bopped to the music
and sang out. The youth are so dedicated that
two of them who were not ready when their pick-up
vehicle arrived decided to hire a cab and paid to
come to church. WOW! How impressive!
I also spoke at Newton Special Education School
to about 50 teachers and staff about reconciliation
and healing the hurts that many of their students
have experienced. They responded very positively,
and school principal Wal Bornheimer took the remaining
four Reconcile newsletters that I had and
said she would like more of our resources, which
we will send. I also got a number of requests
for ORM literature at the conference from leaders
living in different parts of Africa. Several
of them are doing reconciliation ministry in their
communities, churches, and at various levels of government.
My last assignment was to speak at God’s Family
Life Centre, a very ethnically diverse contemporary
service, pastored by Greg Smerdon. The altar
call by retired All Souls Church Pastor Richard Bewes
brought three people forward to accept Christ. I
must say, this energetic, church, singing and “dancing”
in Zulu gave me a RHYTHM TUNE-UP. I told them
that the Black church in America has nothing on them!
Prior to this service I asked people sitting around
a lunch table about race relations in South Africa. One
person asked this rhetorical question in answering
mine, “How long has America been dealing with
race following slavery?” He then said, “We
have a long way to go since apartheid only ended
about 15 years ago.”
From my perspective, a lot of progress has been
made since my last two visits there in 1989 and 2000. But
a lot more is needed. Let’s pray that
it will continue in South Africa and in our own country
here in America.
Thank you very much for your prayers and loyal financial
support. God bless you.
In His Love,
Curtis May |
