Roughly 10 years ago, while at a conference in South Africa, Scott and Gayla came face-to-face with the same need that inspired their work and ministry in Mexico. Yet, it was not until March 2008 that Amor returned to Africa and built five buildings for a local care center in Ennerdale, a community outside Johannesburg, South Africa. Following the success of this first effort, Amor’s desire to extend its international building program was rekindled.
Country Profile
Situated on the southern tip of Africa between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the beautiful country of South Africa is hailed as ‘the miracle nation’ for its successful transition from an oppressive apartheid system to a democratic government in 1994.
Boasting abundant natural resources and excellent infrastructure, South Africa bears all the hallmarks of a highly developed country. However, considerable economic and social problems remain from the apartheid era and unemployment figures are high. One third of the population lives on less than two dollars a day. Extreme poverty in rural areas continues to drive people to the cities in search of employment, with 57% of the population now living in overcrowded urban areas.
The Need
In the light of these issues and despite proactive government policies, almost 10 million South Africans live in poverty housing. This is characterized by vast informal settlements known as “townships” surrounding modern cities that resemble the most developed in the world. Occupants of townships (mostly black South Africans) often live without adequate services in overcrowded shacks pieced together with cardboard, corrugated iron, and scrap wood.
Over one million homes have been built and services have been extended to millions of people. Nonetheless, the government estimates that an additional two to three million units still need to be provided. This backlog is exacerbated by high unemployment (in the neighborhood of 50% in most townships), leaving millions of people unable to afford basic necessities. The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) recently noted:
“While Africans make up 76% of the population, their share of income amounts to only 29% of the total. Whites, who make up less than 13% of the population, take away 58.5% of total income.”
The HIV/AIDS pandemic, with 4.2 million South African infected is adding to the development problem. It is estimated that GDP will be 17% lower for 2010 than it would be without AIDS.
Project South Africa will do more than just make life easier for a family in need; we will open hearts to truly see the grace and love of Jesus by providing the tangible objects of security, safety, and stability and it begins with a home.
Building the Church
Jesus calls us to a continuous life of service, and Amor helps people accomplish this by showing God’s love through simple, tangible acts. While Amor carries out its mission to eradicate physical and spiritual poverty, the organization realizes that building a house provides more than just shelter. It provides the giver an opportunity to answer Jesus’ Great Commission and to support the one thing he asked us to build—his church.
Amor believes that God impels people to make a difference in the world and that individuals should always act out of love, considering all men and women as brothers and sisters. The purpose of the Amor Mission Trip is two-fold:
- To provide believers an opportunity to live the life of service to which we are all called
- To make a direct impact on the physical and spiritual needs of the poor.
Roughly
45% of all South African’s polled consider themselves to be of a Christian
faith-based background. The Amor Mission Trip in South Africa provides the opportunity to reach the 23% who
do not know Christ personally and to see love-in-action firsthand.
Working Together
Amor Ministries seeks to alleviate the tangible and spiritual needs of the poor by providing homes to some of the 7.5 million people who live without and by sharing the love of Jesus with families. How will we do this? Amor Ministries will capitalize on the success of its proven model used in Mexico for nearly 30-years by developing a Ministry Planning Board (MPB) to reach the people of South Africa. Like in Mexico, members of the MPB are not employees of Amor, but are an integral part of the Amor team because they provide vital support within the home country. The board is comprised of local pastors who volunteer to serve alongside the Amor staff because they share a vision of ministry to the people of that nation.
And just like in Mexico, the family selection process begins with the pastors discerning the needs within their own communities. Any family who owns their own land, regardless of their faith or background can potentially be selected to receive a home. Thus, the house becomes a powerful evangelistic tool and opens a relationship between the church and the recipient family.
Bringing the Vision
An Amor house is a simple design, built according to the standards of the community so that a group without skilled labor or power tools can complete the project. The Amor house is designed so that mission trip participants receive a positive cultural experience while getting to know the family personally. In next few months, the house building project will be redesigned and upgraded to better reflect the materials and social environment of Africa. By answering God’s call, you can partner with Amor Ministries in South Africa and help us to build approximately 20+ homes in this year. Additionally, Amor Ministries is currently building AIDS hospice centers for families suffering from the AIDS disease in cooperation with the Ebenezer Care Center.