1994 May

Harvest ripe in Namibia but labourers missing

As you know, Synod 1993 was concerned with missions and to see that CESA News has taken up the challenge was a tonic. There have been many times when we have despaired our here (Namibia), thinking that the body corporate had forgotten about us, yet you have once again shown us that all is not lost

We have just come through a very busy time at St Timothy's. We also had the privilege of hosting a team of youngsters from Emmanuel Church, Bellville.

The holiday season brought many ex-St James members from Windhoek to Spakopmund enquiring when we would start a work there. At present there are nine individuals ready to drop everything for the sake of a church, while there are three families who are waiting in the wings. Many others have also enquired and stated their willingness to support a work in the capital. The harvest is plentiful and ripe... where are the labourers?Vanderbijl

Do we really have no men who are willing to pioneer a work for God? Is it possible? Has the church forgotten the call to go into all the world, making disciples of all nations? Sure, there will be sacrifice involved, but is there anything not worth giving up for Christ? He did so much for us, what are we doing for Him?

At Christmas time we were reminded of the humiliation of the Son of God, adding to His own sinless self the form of created man; being rejected and misunderstood by his own people; being mocked and ridiculed and eventually put to death. All this so that we may have life... and keep that life for ourselves? Surely not! The word was to go out, beginning at Jerusalem, but not ending there... No, the end of the world is to be our parish, yet here we are, just across the border. There is Zambia, Christian President and all. Why must we always wait until the doors are closed before we mibilise ourselves?

Jesus has called us to deny ourselves, to sacrifice ourselves and to follow Him. Are we going to take up His challenge and seek His kingdom and His righteousness first, or are we going to self-righteously justify ourselves in building our own kingdoms? It is my humble prayer that the CESA will act on the words spoken at Synod: that our words may not return unto us void.

Rev Johann van der Bijl, Swakopmund - CESA News