South Africa; to formulate ideal intervention strategies and models that could assist in addressing and reversing challenges, at the same time encouraging successes, and to create a research team for the Orlando East community.
The South Western Townships (SOWETO) are situated south west of Johannesburg and have a total population of about four million people. This is one of the largest metropolitan areas in South Africa and has over 20 townships. Orlando East is one of the oldest communities in Soweto and here the majority of inhabitants live below the poverty line. The mineworkers (predominantly black) established the community in 1932 and it covers an area of 445 hectares. The community has 29 churches including Mainline denominations, Pentecostal (Charismatic) and Indigenous groups. The majority of the people of Orlando East are Christians. The rest belong to the indigenous Shembe and Zionist churches. However, these religions co-exist comfortably since they all recognize and believe in God and the Holy Spirit, but differ about belief in Jesus Christ.
3.6.2.1 The challenges that people face in Orlando East
This research revealed the successes as well as the challenges that people are experiencing at Orlando East. Some of the revealed challenges are: family abuse, the high rate of unemployment that poses a great challenge to the residents, problems surrounding schools, clinics and security. The local government shows are inability to make the desired impact on the community and have abandoned facilities that otherwise could have made a difference.
Pollution, as a result of overcrowding in Orlando East, is one of the major challenges. The proliferation of shacks in Orlando East represents a serious development. In 1990, it was estimated that Orlando East had 15 280 shacks. The figure has trebled during the last ten years. The residents have identified shack letting as a source of income. Some say that, due to the high unemployment rate, shack letting is an alternative way of generating income. During the research, it was learnt that many people come to Orlando East from other countries and also from within the Republic for jobs. This influx aggravates the overcrowding and the proliferation of shacks. This situation has also exacerbated the crime rate.
Crime is on increase in this area. Thugs and gangsters indulge in crime as a quick and easy way of getting rich. The gangsters burgle other people's property; people are robbed daily of their possessions and often killed for petty articles such as cell phones, handbags and anything that the thugs can easily sell. People, particularly the youth, resort to this behaviour, as they have nothing to do during the day. Visitors to Soweto should be on guard against any eventuality at anytime. Rape, brutal murder and robbery commonly occur in Orlando East.
Rev. Jack Mabaso of the Church of England in South Africa has pastored the Saint Matthews Family Church in Orlando East for a period of 13 years. Rev Mabaso was a research team member and described to the researcher how the Lord miraculously rescued him from the hands of thugs.
The story as presented by Rev Mabaso: "On the 13thNovember 2000, on a Monday morning, at about 10 a.m., I heard a knock at the door. As it was still early for me, and about to take a bath, I left the bathroom to open the door for the person who was knocking. It was a surprise visit of four clean young gentlemen between ages of 18 and 24 years.
At first I was not suspicious as youth of my area know me and I know some of the youth,.
particularly those within my church. The visitors asked me to give them money - and I felt a bit jittery in answering, and immediately the phone rang. One of the four stood up to answer the phone, and the caller wanted to speak to the Reverend Mabaso. So, the young man looked at me as if he wanted an answer, not knowing that the caller was a detective from Orlando East police station. I said to him, tell the caller to come in 20 minutes to my house.
As they changed their position, I noticed that two had firearms, and I prayed Psalm 144 silently in my heart. "God, you teach my hands to protect myself and to fight, and my fingers ... to defend my life." The four were becoming too angry as I now took a position of fighting the four with the sword of the spirit. Memorizing scripture is a powerful weapon whenever you are faced with difficulty in life. Within minutes, a policeman arrived without knowledge of my situation. When he entered, I winked at him and told him these men want money. He was very quick and instructed them to raise their hands, and with his firearm he shot at one as he tried to resist. He dropped down. God works in mysterious ways in our lives, while we do not notice his angels coming to our rescue. The detective called for help and the three were apprehended. The fourth was taken to hospital where he died within a few days. I will tell of
the goodness of my God as long as I live. Today, as I look back, I can boldly say, the Lord is my shepherd and my refuge, an ever present help in times of trouble, Psalm 23: 1 and 46: 1.
As in the case of the men on the side of the road in the Cape Peninsula, people in Orlando East participated fully in identifying the needs of their community. This was good. It means that the people are able and prepared to participate in transforming their lives and communities. A research team of thirty young boys and girls was formed in Orlando East to continue to work in partnership with the World Vision South Africa development programme in the area.
The research findings give a clear scenario of the cycle of poverty and the situation that grips the people of Orlando East. Throughout the research and mostly during the semi-structured interviews, it became most apparent that ordinary people in Orlando East have dreams and plans to transform their community. The biggest challenge however, is that they are not consulted or involved in any development endeavour. The people, though poverty stricken, are willing to be part of any process that seeks to transform their community. People's participation in research is rare and this indicates a willingness to bring about change in Orlando East. In addition, the willingness and comments that people contributed during the semi-structured interviews demonstrate their high level of commitment.
3.7 CONCLUDING REMARKS
Research conducted in South Africa and in Malawi has highlighted the plight of the urban poor. The disadvantaged groups in urban Africa are really struggling to survive. The pastoral letter, which the CCAP in Malawi sent to the President, succeeded in articulating the sufferings and injustices that the urban poor in Africa are experiencing. Since the urban poor have no voice, the Church must exercise the prophetic voice on their behalf. This will help the political order to focus on the needs of those who live in shantytowns in urban centres.
This report has also documented that the Church must seek to implement development activities in order to address the needs of the poor who form part of the church's ministry.
Focusing only on the spiritual growth of people is to deny part of the total purpose for which God has called the church. The challenges of the city are indeed so numerous that the Church alone cannot handle them. This chapter has documented that the Church must cooperate with the government in matters of development. At the same time, all the churches in the city,
irrespective of their differences lQ. doctrine and tradition, must seek to work together ecumenically.
This research assisted the urban ministers in Malawi to examine the Christian journey through achievements and challenges that they have experienced. Through this process the ministers were able to note the challenges and present some recommendations that will form part of the Presbytery and Synodical proceedings. It is hoped that, through such discussions, appropriate tools and methodologies will emerge for the ministry in Lilongwe city.
The new calling system for the ministers to serve in urban congregations is one of the recommendations. The purpose is to ensure that the ministers who accept to serve in the city of Lilongwe should be au fait with city dynamics. This will serve to encourage training for urban needs, in preparation for city ministry. The importance of involving the laity in managing Church activities has also been emphasized. This will give the ordinary Christian an opportunity to implement Spirit-given merit and gifts for the advancement of God's ministry. On the other hand, the ministers will assume teaching responsibilities to groups of the laity. This is a step towards achieving the priesthood of all believers.
The effects of HIV /AIDS and related sufferings have been highlighted. The AIDS pandemic is having a negative impact as it is claiming the lives, prematurely, of many. Numerous children are orphaned as a result of AIDS. Unemployment, which results in poverty, has another negative impact: it is a serious challenge to the church of today. Therefore, the Church should try to create modalities in order to arrest the effects of urbanization. NetACT is an appropriate effort in the right direction, taking into consideration the situation prevailing today. Christians must commit themselves to organize people to address poverty and AIDS-related suffering in the various Southern African communities. The Church in Southern Africa should work hard in order to save the lives of many orphans whose parents have died as a result of the disease.
All of the four hypotheses have been very helpful in the research process of this chapter.
Hypothesis 1 guided the development of:
3.4: Government services provision entities: City Assemblies 3.5.2: Researching four congregations in Lilongwe city
3.5.5: Ministry issues raised by the research team
3.5.7: City ministers' workshop: The Dzenza CCAP
Hypothesis 2 was the background for:
3.4: Government services provision entities: City Assemblies 3.5.5: Ministry issues raised by the research team
3.6: The two South African poverty scenarios.
Hypothesis 3 supported the following:
3.4: Government services provision entities: City Assemblies 3.5.7: City ministers' workshop: the Dzenza CCAP
3.6: The two South African poverty scenarios.
Hypothesis 4 confirmed the following section:
3.5: The urban mission of the CCAP ministry.