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To me, the litmus test for any event - especially a grand event such as the recent Compassion South Africa Conference on Care in Durban - is whether or not that event succeeds in igniting an ongoing life-giving process.

South Africa qualifies on many important levels at being a third-world country; huge pockets of extreme poverty and hunger, up to 40% HIV/AIDS infection, and 48% unemployment. Our initial target, Kwa-Zulu Natal province, seemed a very needy area for the 250 local churches in the area to become agents of care and benevolence with intentionality to the people of their own communities.

It presented a daunting challenge to even consider achieving very much, especially from half-a-world away.

Our strategy was simple. A top-notch team of Americans and South Africans would launch a significant initiative to help meet human need. We approached our mission with an abiding faith that divine favor was upon our assignment.

We would approach extreme human need with hope in our words and help in our hands.

I’ve learned in the past 24 years since launching our global ministries of evangelism, discipleship, and benevolence, that living by faith is exciting. And sometimes scary.

Since this event was created as the initial kick-off to our Global Vision emphases, I was especially concerned that it go well. It did.

Goals were set for the event of at least 2,000 delegates from as many as 200 participating churches, mostly among the large East Indian and African congregations of Durban and Zululand. From the very first keynote service on Wednesday evening, thankfully, all our numerical goals were exceeded.

* Study Guides and colorful programs were printed and distributed free to each registered delegate. Twenty (20) Super Seminars were conducted by people experienced in Care Ministries from various levels including local pastors.

* Eight (8) General Plenary Sessions punctuated the Conference and contributed to a rising momentum and spiritual excitement among the delegates.

* Young leaders participated from throughout South Africa. Delegates also registered from as far away as Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, The Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Liberia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

* New Bibles were given free to the pastors in several languages; Zulu, Xhosa, Soto, Swazi, and English through the aegis of the South African Bible Society.

* On Saturday morning of the event, the delegates gathered at the new 9-hectare building site of the Bethsaida Full Gospel Church of God for the consecration of a new Free Medical Clinic for children of HIV/AIDS, which is staffed by physicians and nurses from within the 10,000-member congregation of the Bethsaida Full Gospel Church of God.

* Senior Pastor Emmanuel J. Moodley also announced the launching of a Widows Ministry, yet another historic first for South Africa.

* Also on this construction site will be a new 10,000-seat sanctuary, an impressive Youth Center, and a permanent distribution warehouse for Compassion South Africa Ministries Centre which will be the centerpiece building of this multiple ministry complex positioned on this new 9-hectare campus at the grand entrance of their property. It is strategically located in a vast population area of Muslims and Hindus.

* Arrangements were made through Operation Compassion within the next few weeks to provide more than 60,000 pounds of vital food, new shoes, clothing, and disaster relief supplies.

* In the meantime, we purchased in Durban an ample supply of food for each of the 234 local churches who opted to begin a food pantry to be implemented through their congregations to the truly needy in their various communities throughout the Durban region, which also includes Zululand.

Delegates were trained to distribute this vital food and other supplies - all in the Name of Jesus - as a loving witness for Christ. Otherwise, it deteriorates into a merely social “do-goodism” or a lame effort at promoting an anemic “social gospel” - void of making a redemptive impact in the lives of the poor.

My email inbox was overflowing when I got back into my Study from South Africa, and I wanted to share only three excerpts written spontaneously from three of the key persons regarding the Compassion South Africa Conference on Care.

To read these email excerpts from Host Pastor Emmanuel J. Moodley; Mr. Reggie Naidoo, Commercial Manager of the First National Bank of the Natal Region headquartered in Durban; and from Mrs. Angela Reddy, chairperson of the Logistics Committee of the conference, click here.

To see a roster of our American Team who traveled from the U.S. to help lead in this bold initiative, click here.

To view the four (4) brief video highlights of the Conference broadcast direct from South Africa recently, click here.

Much valuable information and free materials are already available on our website, and since it's being constantly updated, please visit our site often.

Special blessings upon you!

Carl Richardson
President, Beyond Borders

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