Africa Update

Volume 4 1991

A CONTINENT IN TURMOIL

Sixteen of the twenty poorest nations in the world are in Africa. And nearly 20% of Africans are facing chronic food shortages.

Civil wars continue to rage in Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Somalia, Western Sahara, Liberia, Ethiopia, Senegal, Chad, Angola and Mozambique.

WINDS OF CHANGE

Massive pro-democracy protests in MALI led to the overthrow of dictator, General Moussa Traore, who had ruled that West African nation for 23 years. The coup leaders are promising multi-party elections. Mali is 81% Muslim, 17% Animist, and only 1,7% Christian. Literacy is limited to 11 %. Similar popular protest has led to the toppling of the Marxist regime of Mathiew Kerekou in BENIN. This West African state consists of 60% Animists, 17% Muslims and 24% Christians. 38% of the population is literate.

Strong pro-democracy movements are challenging the authoritarian regimes and one-party dictatorships of Madagascar, Gabon, Nigeria, Zaire, Angola, Kenya, Zambia Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Togo, Ghana and Tunisia.

The Ivory Coast and the Cape Verde islands have held initial multi-party elections, and Zambia and Burkino Faso are planning their first free elections. The socialist Frelimo government in MOZAMBIQUE has renounced Marxism, embraced some free market principles for their state-run economy and conceded to some form of multi-party elections. Nevertheless, they have set many restrictions for participating parties and rigidly control the media and the electoral commission.

TRAINING DISCIPLES IN MOZAMBIQUE

One of our missionaries has returned from a Bible-teaching field trip to war-torn Northern Mozambique. He held six leadership seminars for about 100 Mozambique pastors during July. He also witnessed a village in Zambezia province being attacked by a Soviet MI-8 Hip helicopter and a Frelimo artillery bombardment of the villagers.

He reports that the greatest needs for prayer and action in the local churches of Nyassa, Tete and Zambezia remain: lack of knowledge of God and His Word, lack of prayer and fear of evangelism, lack of Christian literature, tolerance of sin (including jealousy, strife, pride, witchcraft and polygamy) and spiritual immaturity.

Our seminars for pastors and evangelists in Mozambique emphasise:

1. The Word of God (its infallibility, inspiration, authority and standard for faith and conduct). Its purpose and application to all areas of life;
2. Devotional life — Bible study on the Character of God, and prayer;
3. Discipleship, evangelism and interces sion. The Church and its mission.

Frontline Fellowship has trained over 2 000 Christian leaders in our seminars in the Frontline states.

MISDIRECTED AID

Pro-democracy groups in Africa complain that the U.S.A. State Department gives Africa $1,058 billion a year in foreign aid, generally to the very regimes that oppress them. Instead of investing in the free market, millions of US taxdollars go to Marxist regimes in Angola, Congo, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, etc. The Heritage Foundation has documented the vast quantities of US aid which has been channelled every year to 45 one-party dictatorships in Africa. (US and Africa Statistical Handbook 1991, available from 214 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E., Washington DC 20002, or phone 202-546-4400).

“Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this the wrath of the Lord is upon you.” 2 Chronicles 19:2

“What does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy 10:12

PERSECUTION IN FOCUS

More believers have died for Christ in the 20th Century than in all the other 19 centuries combined. The World Evangelisation Database has calculated that since AD33 at least 40 725 000 Christians have been martyred. Of those, 26 625 000 were killed between 1900 and 1990.

Since 1950, over 9 965 000 Christians have been killed for their faith. By 1990 was estimated that an average of 300 000 Christians in 50 countries die for their faith every year (including:- 180 000 Roman Catholics, 60 000 Protestants, 25 000 Orthodox, 14000 African independants, and 11 000 others). Every day almost 1 000 believers are martyred.

The report documents that through the centuries:- secular and atheistic governments were responsible for 24 402 200 martyrs; Muslims for 5 821 200 Christian victims; Roman Catholic governments have killed 4 534 100 Protestants; Buddhists martyred 1 608 100 Christians; Shamanists murdered 1 083 700 believers; Eastern Orthodox killed 527 000 Protestants and Catholics; Hindus martyred 411 400 Christians; Zoroastrians killed
397 000 believers; Animists martyred 225 600, and other quasi-Christian sects accounted for the rest.

Source: “Our Globe And How To Reach It”, by David B. Barrett and Todd M. Johnson.

At the heart of the Great Commission is the command, “Witness!” Because living as a witness to Christ (NT Greek: “martyr”) often resulted in persecution and death; by the end of thefirst century AD, “martyr” had taken on today’s connotations of the martyr who witnesses to Christ by his death. Martyrdom can be termed the final witness, the complete personal statement of faith in Christ, the ultimate proclamation of the Gospel.

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you ... ‘No servant is greater than his master: If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” John 15:18-20

Peter Hammond

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