- God’s people at Tsintsabis
The Bushmen (San) are the original inhabitants of Southern Africa. Despised en persecuted by many these skilful hunter gatherers were driven from most of their previous land by a variety of enemies. Their greatest enemy today is most likely the widespread abuse of alcohol which contributes to their misery. However the powerful gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ has reached them as well and has made a wonderful impact on many lives.
We as the Dutch Reformed Church (NGK) of Tsumeb are involved with Bushmen Christians from the Wildevy congregation in Tsintsabis north of Tsumeb. For me as pastor of NGK Tsumeb, this involvement has something of a personal flavour, because my father , then a missionary of the Dorothea Mission (based in South Africa) played a significant pioneering role to bring the Word of God to these people. He preached on many farms to Bushman (Hei-ǀǀom) labourers and enjoyed much cooperation from Afrikaner as well as German farmers. It was deeply encouraging to meet some of these early converts after a period of 40 years since I have come to minister in Tsumeb in 2010! In 1973 he and Rev. Ferdie Weich saw a breakthrough for the gospel in the then remote area of Tsumkwe where the Zȗ-ǀhoasi Bushmen still lived far away from civilisation. A Church was then for the first time established amongst them and is still existing today. (click on BOESMANS TOT BEKERING)
At Tsintsabis we have the privilege to work together with Rev. Josef Gevers the first indigenous pastor of this congregation. The Lord has opened a door for us to help and encourage them in different ways.
[Josef Gevers next to his pulpit. The words in the Nama language are : Elob ge a ǀnam and in Afrikaans : God is liefde (God is love)]
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