NieuCommunities

South Africa is a nation of contrasts. It is steeped in a history of separation, hatred, war, poverty, Apartheid, townships, and now HIV/AIDS. Yet it is also a place of renowned hospitality, democracy, diversity, progress, development, and abundant untamed beauty. In the midst of it all, God is here… and so are we.

After fifty years of living under a separatist government, Apartheid came to a crashing end during the 1994 general elections in South Africa. Unlike other African countries that went into massive civil wars when their colonialist governments tumbled, the people of South Africa moved into the new era in peace. What we’re discovering though, is that the absence of war does not always mean the presence of peace.

Overnight, the face of the cities in South Africa have changed. Urban development became one of the most critical challenges the Church was faced with. Less than twenty years into a new era of government, the needs of the people are continuing to grow. Crime rates are higher than ever before. HIV/AIDS is still spreading like wildfire. The rich continue to grow richer while the poor are getting poorer…by the minute. It is in this crucible that God has called us to stand and help close the gap.

Our missional context in Pretoria

Pretoria is a critical part of the South African story. It is both the political capital as well as the Church capital of the country. As we engage both sectors of society, we are meeting more and more people who God is raising up to bring hope and reconciliation to the rest of the country as well as the rest of the African continent. We believe that our role is to walk alongside these individuals, mentor them in the way of Jesus,  and prepare them for a life on mission in the unique areas God is calling them into.

We find ourselves immersed in a number of relationships where this is taking place: discipling families in the township, caring for those with HIV/AIDS, supporting health care workers in their daily fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic, feeding the hungry on the streets of our neighborhood, working with churches and the university to establish new missions teams made up of South Africans, and partnering with local ministries that cover the multitude of needs that are present in the new era of South Africa.

In 2010 we will be relocating our community from a northern suburb into the downtown heart of Pretoria. It’s our desire to be in a neighborhood where the cultures are intersecting and interacting and closer to some of the progressive young leaders God is uniting us with to help bring deep transformation and holistic reconciliation to this nation.