非洲民情及開展概況
非洲人在價值觀、文化等諸多方面都和臺灣人有巨大差異。因生活水平低，大多數人只看眼前、只顧當天。在歷史上，非洲人受歐洲人的影響深遠，造成他們有明顯的自卑感，覺得自己低人一等，一生的定命就是要為別人作工，接受別人的幫助。但反過來說，由於覺得自己能力不足，作不了甚麼事，反而比較願意投靠神，例如南非登記在案的基督徒人數可達全國人口的七至八成，許多人是一…
目前在南非有十處地方召會，聚會總人數約為四百人。衣索比亞共有十八處召會，約七百位聖徒；迦納約有五百位聖徒。另外，在奈及利亞（Nigeria）也有開展，但因治安不是很好，限制了福音的工作；尚比亞（Zambia）和辛巴威（Zimbabwe）經濟雖不穩定，但今年各有兩對夫婦去開展。這些國家當中，南非的生活水準最高，物價也很高，住宿費用甚至比美國更昂貴。目前工作的中心，是每年三月和九月在南非首都普勒托利亞（Pretoria）的兩次職事性特會。
[The Footsteps of the Recovery, treading on the Sahara]
The Lord’s recovery in Africa – report of propagation in South Africa (1)
*South Africa has possibly 70 to 80 percent of the entire country’s
population on record as Christians. Many believe in the Lord on one hand
and worship idols on the other. This is their so-called “Trusting in God.”
The African people’s state of mind and the propagation status
The Africans differ greatly in many ways from the Taiwanese in terms
of outlook, sense of value, and culture. Because of the low quality of
life, the majority of people only look at the immediate things and only
take care of the current day. Historically, Africans have been influenced
predominantly by Europeans, resulting in their obvious inferiority
complex, making them feel lower in rank than others, resigning
themselves to a lifelong destiny of working for others, of receiving help
from others. Conversely speaking, however, the feeling of inadequacy
in strength, being unable to accomplish anything, has made them more
willing to trust in God, as seen in the percentage of Christians on record
in South Africa, possibly reaching 70 to 80% of the entire country’s
population. Many believe in the Lord on one hand and worship idols
on the other. This is their so-called “Trusting in God.” They are very
superstitious, believing in polytheism, and worshipping any and every
idol.
Currently, the Lord’s recovery in Africa is concentrated in a few
countries that are propagating intensely, including Ethiopia, Ghana,
and South Africa. The propagation of the churches in these three
countries has been going on for a long time; therefore, the work is on a
larger scale and the number of saints is more stable. The geographical
locations of these three countries form a triangle. Air travel to and from
each of these countries takes about six hours. Because of the expensive
air fare – the price of a plane ticket from South Africa to Ethiopia is the
same as a ticket from Taiwan to Nagoya – the three countries seldom
move together in their propagation. On the entire African continent,
Ethiopia and Ghana combine to form a boundary, north of which the
Islamic faith prevails, and south of which the Christians are in the
majority; Catholics do not have a big number.
At present, there are ten local churches in South Africa, with a total
attendance of 400 people. Ethiopia has 18 churches, with about 700
saints; Ghana has approximately 500 saints. In addition, Nigeria is also
propagating, but because of the unfavorable peace and order situation,
the gospel work has been restricted. Zambia and Zimbabwe, although
not economically stable, each has two couples who moved there this
year for propagation. Among these countries, South Africa has the
highest standard of living, the costliest goods and products, and even
pricier accommodations than those in the U.S. The present center of the
work is the holding two annual ministry conferences in the capital city,
Pretoria, scheduled in March and September.
