Global Ministries Weekly News Update: October 17, 2006

Global Ministries and Disciples Home Missions (DHM) teamed up to organize an 'ubuntu' (Zulu word defined as "I can't be me without you") mission trip to South Africa and Angola September 5-12, 2006.

{mosimage}This trip was designed especially for key leaders, who are actively involved in the Disciples' Congregational Transformation process, an important component of the 2020 vision. One of the objectives of the trip was to discern ways in which DOM/Global Ministries' international church partners can encourage, enrich and strengthen the transformation of Disciples congregations here in the United States and Canada.

The trip participants included individuals involved in transformation in their local congregation, Region and General Unit: A. Denise Bell (Mississippi Blvd. Christian Church), Sandra Gourdet (Africa Area Executive, DOM/Global Ministries) Eugene James (Northwestern Christian Church), Jane Lawrence (Executive Vice President of DHM), Edward Morris (Parkway Garden Christian Church), George Lee Parker (Virginia Regional Minister), Doug Pfeiffer (Faith Christian Church), Carolyn Reed (Indiana Associate Regional Minister), and David Vargas (President of DOM/Co-Executive of Global Ministries).

The first stop on the itinerary was Johannesburg, South Africa, where the group visited museums that included the Apartheid Museum, church projects, and missionaries, and most importantly, spent time dialoguing with various church leaders from the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA).

During these conversations, the church leaders spoke candidly about their struggles during the time of Apartheid and the transformation of the civil society that took place. Although several key individual church leaders were involved in the movement to abolish Apartheid, the general opinion expressed was that the civil society was ahead of the church. Today, the church in South Africa recognizes the need to focus its mission on those that live at the grassroots and margins of society. As the church has taken up the cause of the "those who will never have" in their communities, the life of their congregations have been renewed and transformed.

It was then on to Luanda, Angola. After 30 years of civil war in Angola, the contrast between the infrastructure here and that of South Africa was immediately evident for the group. As they met with leaders of the Evangelical Congregational Church in Angola (IECA) and the Council of Christian Churches in Angola (CICA), they learned about the churches vital role in rebuilding and reviving the country.

Before the war, the church was 100 percent rural in its make-up. Because the war forced church members to flee to the large cities, the church became predominantly urban. Today, the church is faced with the challenge of crossing boundaries and returning to the rural areas. The group had an opportunity to experience first-hand that mission emphasis as they flew to the interior to visit Bie Province, the area hardest hit by the war. The hope that they saw there in the lives of the people profoundly touched everyone. They witnessed a church that is inventing the future and making a difference for so many.