also today: Nauru

Answers to Prayer

1 Stability and some economic progress marked the post-independence 1990s despite the fears of many for ethnic strife and economic collapse

Challenges for Prayer

1 The potential for economic collapse and strife is high if there is a failure in political leadership

2 Namibia for long had the highest percentage of Christians for any country in Africa

3 The evangelical witness has been strengthened in recent years through new missionary thrusts by the NGK, SIM (formerly AEF)/AIM, YWAM, Baptists and Pentecostals to areas and peoples only superficially touched by the gospel

4 Leadership training

5 African Independent Churches are strong among the Herero, Basters, Damara and Nama, bringing compromise with the ancestor worship and witchcraft of their forebears and hostility to the gospel

6 There are serious social issues that must be addressed by Christians

a) Poverty with large disparities between the rich and poor and over 30% unemployment

b) AIDS

c) The legacy of apartheid and war

7 Young people have become much more materialistic and are rejecting Christianity as irrelevant

8 Missionaries in both older and newer missions need acute sensitivity and understanding as they minister within the new context of independence

9 The less-evangelized peoples:

a) The San (Bushmen) – much romanticized but in reality a suffering people

b) The peoples of the Kavango and Caprivi Strip in the north-east

c) The Himba (5,000) and Dhimba (15,000) are offshoots of the Herero people

d) The German- and English-speaking communities are more influenced by secular humanism

10 Christian help ministries:

a) Bible translation

b) Christian literature for local languages and away from main centres is scarce

c) MAF-Canada operates a flying ministry from Windhoek – mainly to Angola

d) The JESUS film sound-tracks have been prepared by Media for Christ in 8 Namibian languages

e) Christian radio. Programmes on the national network have had a remarkable impact

also today: Nauru

Geography

click to enlarge

Area 823,144 sq.km. Predominantly arid, semi-desert; the driest African land south of the equator.

Population (2000) 1,725,868 +2.26%AGR

Capital Windhoek 250,000.

Peoples

Bantu 73.1%; Khoisan 8.6%; Damara 6.4%; European 4.5%; Mixed Race 7%; Other 0.4%.

Literacy 76%. Official language English, though few speak it, most speaking Afrikaans. All languages 28. Languages with Scriptures 9Bi 3NT 3por 1w.i.p.

Economy

Mining diamonds, uranium and many other minerals, cattle ranching and fishing are all important. Unemployment 30%+. HDI 0.638; 115^th/174. Public debt 20% of GNP. Income/person $2,110 (7% of USA), but big disparities between rich and poor.

Politics

A German colony 1883-1915.

Religion

Secular state with freedom of religion.

Churches in Namibia

Missionaries from Namibia

26 in 4 agencies – mainly in Namibia.

Missionaries to Namibia

259 in 40 agencies from 15 countries

click for legend

Internet Links