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Capetown 2010 Could Tilt Scales for Africa's Poor
By Jesse Masai
Nearly a decade after the dawn of the 21st century, Africa is faced by a confluence of challenging theological and missiological issues:
>The contest for the soul of Africa which has sharpened between Islam and Christianity. Both are making advances into "each other's areas of influence". This has become violent with Muslims using force to promote or protect their cause as evidenced in northern Nigeria and Sudan.
>The increase in religious freedom offers opportunities for Christians to operate in areas otherwise inaccessible such as Mozambique, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Angola.
>The multiplication and proliferation of indigenous syncretic movements incorporating elements of Christianity and traditional religions.
>The 79% global literacy, which means there are 1.1 billion illiterates in the world. The biggest part of world population has no access to scriptures. World languages without scriptures are 4,564.
>The world population is 6,236 million distributed as 11,874 people groups. Out of this, a total of 3,915 groups are unreached and of this, 1,074 groups live in Africa.
>The world-total of 5,413 groups of people (of which 1,119 live in Africa) is broadly Christians.
>This is a time of unsettled politics and possible civil and national wars (affecting missions).
>The "poor-south" trend means the southern parts of most continents of the world remain poorer and more marginalized as the north remains richer and maintains control on communications and electronic knowledge. Poverty in Africa is so serious that over 80% of Africa's 720 million people are poor. This population is to be found still living in Africa's rural areas.
>The increase in famines, diseases (including AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis) is likely to continue affecting mostly Africa and Asia. 75% of the world's 36 million HIV/AIDS victims live in Africa south of the Sahara without affordable drugs nor proper medical care.
>Migrations of people from poorer or war-torn areas to those with more wealth or relative peace have increased. Most of the affected are women and children. The world's crises are basically God's opportunities; the world's pain the opening for showing God's love.
>Of all continents, Africa poses the greatest remaining challenge for Bible translation with 1,200 languages needing translations.
>Other areas of concern to Africa are: misadministration, low investment in agriculture and increasing foreign debt.
Faced with these unique realities, continued efforts at remedying the situation will remain important; Christian attempts at transformational development for purposes of holistic change will be particularly vital.
Across Africa and in much of the Diaspora, a consensus is emerging that the continent can be a poster child for need no more; old hands and young minds are fusing in a synergy that seeks to better the Africans' lot and restore their dignity.
In 2010, old and emerging Christian leaders will converge in Capetown, South Africa for Laussanne 2010, the missions meeting that has set the agenda for global Christendom since 1974 when American Billy Graham and Englishman John Stott set it in motion.
As was the case in 1989 when Caesar Molebatsi moved the Laussanne meet-up in Manila with his tears for his South Africa, then under the "Christian" policy of "separate development," Africa's plight is expected to take center-stage in Capetown.
Hopefully, African Christians and their brethren around the world can move beyond mere sentiment and reflection towards practical engagement in ways and means that will ensure genuine social change and spiritual transformation.
Prior to Capetown 2010, African Christians will have been inspired by two important events in 2009: a consultative meeting the left-leaning Rev. Jim Wallis is putting together for April in Washington, D.C. and Urbana, a missions conference organized by Intervarsity (USA) that is expected to attract over 20,000 attendees from around the world.
Rev. Wallis is helpful to this discourse because he was the high priest of United States President Barak Obama's successful engagement with evangelical Christians who bought into his understanding of social justice in last year's general elections, - the latter is expected to deliver the keynote address to thousands who are flying in from around the world; some are even flying in from Hong Kong for just that.
Urbana is important too since its attendees have shaped the Christian landscape around the world in ways not seen since a band of young students spurred the modern missions movement in 1910 in Scotland.
Away from the glitz and glamour that may accompany Capetown 2010 and the other two meetings before it, it must be hoped that individual African Christians will find true inspiration from the cry that rent Bob Pierce's heart before he founded World Vision International: "May my heart be broken by that which breaks God's heart."
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