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Shown with Brother Cholich are the new officers of the South Central African Union. Brother E.H. Miyoba, second from right at back, is now the leader. |
My journey to two unions in southern Africa, the Southern African Union and the South Central African Union, began on November 26, 1998. Leaving Los Angeles, I stopped in New York City to visit our members in that large city, where we have two churches, in addition to one in nearby New Jersey. Brother Andrew Barash is the minister in charge of these groups. It happened to be November 26, the national Thanksgiving holiday, so I was able to spend the day with the Barash family; it was good to be together, because it had been many years since I visited the city.
On the following Sabbath, we had a wonderful meeting at the church in Brooklyn; most of the believers from the other churches joined us there. We shared our hope and encouraged each other in the faith. Right after Sabbath close, I had to leave for the airport to travel to South Africa.
The flight to Johannesburg took more than 14 hours, and I arrived on Sunday evening. Brother Prudent Katide met me at the airport and took me to the church building in Turffontein, where the church members and a visitor awaited my arrival. We immediately began a type of seminar, held a regular meeting, and then had supper together.
After a good night’s rest at Brother Katide’s home in Country View, I had to continue my trip aboard Royal Swazi National Airlines to Lusaka, Zambia. The flight stopped in Manzini, Swaziland, to change to a smaller plane carrying only ten passengers, and again in Harare, Zimbabwe. Brother Emmanuel Chileshe, president of the South Central African Union, and others greeted me at the airport in Lusaka. They told me that they did not receive my letter with information about my flight but that they obtained my full schedule from the office of the General Conference. With that coordination, we were to hold union delegates’ meetings and a seminar. The union is comprised of four countries–Zambia, Malawi (both English-speaking countries), Angola, and Mozambique (Portuguese speaking). From the airport, we traveled to a college which had been rented for our use.
We began the delegates’ sessions on December 1. Zambia is divided into three fields; Malawi, into two; Angola composes one field; and Mozambique composes one–a total of seven fields in the union. Because of financial difficulties, not all the delegates could be called to attend these sessions. However, some delegates came on their own initiative, because they have a great desire to work for the Reform Movement. Altogether seventeen delegates were present, including one from Mozambique; but the delegate from Angola was unable to attend. It was explained to me that one brother from Zambia could not come because he was sick with malaria. The word “malaria” did not sound good to my ears. Nevertheless, the sick brother was able to come to the meetings before they were over and was elected secretary of the union.
The delegates’ sessions lasted from Tuesday, December 1, to Friday, December 4, and an additional short meeting was held after the Sabbath on December 5. The Week of Prayer began that same Friday; it was celebrated with great enthusiasm and was a special blessing to all who were present. To this was added the joy of the delegates and members who attended the ordination service for two brothers, J. Sinyangwe, from the North Zambian Field, and G. Kayawa, from the Southwest Zambian Field, who were ordained as ministers.
From Sunday, December 6, to Friday, December 11, we had a very productive seminar for all the delegates and members who wished to attend. Numerous doctrinal matters and many questions were discussed. We really felt the spirit of unity among us, and it was not easy for us to leave each other after these wonderfully blessed days came to an end.
The entire time, we enjoyed good meals prepared by our own people. Although there were very stormy days with thunder, lightning, and heavy rain, we felt very warm in all our conversations and services. We also enjoyed special music from many amphibians, especially frogs, which Brother Chileshe said were very happy with all the rain.
I cannot forget one night when someone knocked very loudly on the door of the room where Brother Chileshe and I were sleeping. We did not know who it was. Thinking it must be one of our brothers next door in the building, we just continued to sleep. The next morning, Brother Chileshe asked all the brethren about the incident and found out that none of our people had knocked. Brother Chileshe gave his opinion, based on his personal knowledge, that the knocking might have been from a robber; if you open the door, the robber will hit you over the head with a metal rod, and then he can do what he wants in your room. This explanation made a chill go down my spine, but by the mercy of God we continued our stay in that building without any fear.
Our meetings ended on December 12, and we returned to the union headquarters in Lusaka, just a few miles from the college where we had been staying. We spent three days preparing a report of the delegates’ sessions; and I spent time studying many letters supplied by the office of the General Conference concerning the needs of our people in the Southern African Union, which I would visit next.
There is a day when you come to a nice place, and then there is a day when you must leave. On December 16, I returned to Johannesburg and was again met by Brother Katide. We immediately traveled six hours by car to Durban, a city on the Indian Ocean. We had some time to exchange many experiences from our lives, so this trip was a great blessing. Late that evening, we arrived at the home of Brother Manny Dasappa, and the next day we participated in the Kwa-Zulu-Natal Field delegates’ sessions, which were very blessed.
On Friday, we were privileged to meet with some people who are interested in the message of the Reform Movement; then we were able to visit the beach for a short time before the Sabbath began. We enjoyed nice services and meetings on the Sabbath, with many questions being asked about the church’s doctrines and practices. In this place, called Merebank, the believers had bought a piece of land and built a chapel with their own efforts.
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Four souls were baptized on Sunday, December 26, 1998, during the Southern African Union conference. Brother Elijah Zwane, from Swaziland, officiated. |
On Sunday, December 20, we spent ten hours traveling back to Turffontein, where the Gauteng (formerly Transvaal) Field delegates’ meetings were to be held. We could have reached the place more quickly, but we needed to stop at some other places along the way. The building in Turffontein now serves as the Southern African Union headquarters, and there is also a place for the local church to hold services.
Our consultations began with the Gauteng Field Committee, which leads the largest field in South Africa both in territory and in membership. And because the field committee, along with a few members from the union committee, was so enthusiastic about all its needs and wishes, we forgot the time and the meeting lasted from 10 o’clock in the morning until 2 o’clock the following morning! It was a far more productive meeting than anyone expected, because the hand of God was with us.
The Gauteng Field was divided into two fields, and the organization went smoothly; everyone who was present was more than happy. A new field now exists in the province called Eastern Cape on the Indian Ocean, east of Cape Town. The capital city of that province is Port Elizabeth.
A rented college in a place called Meyerton, not far from Johannesburg, was the location of the union delegates’ meetings and conference, which began Thursday, December 24, and continued through Sunday, December 27. Members from all parts of South Africa and Swaziland were present, along with a few people from Botswana. One brother from Botswana said he was 97 years old and a long-time Adventist; he has been in the Reform Movement for many years. Two brothers came from Mozambique, where Portuguese is spoken. Also present were many people whom I had met many years before in this country as well as in Germany at the General Conference. More than 200 people gathered for this blessed conference. The daily services, the telling of experiences, workshops, a baptismal service, and song services made these high days for all who were present. The union conference was conducted in a very good spirit, and everyone expressed his real joy at all these meetings. We felt that God’s Spirit was with us.
On Monday, December 28, we visited the place where we have a mission house–Broederstroom; it is possible that a missionary school can be established here. We hope that God will help us do that. We also visited some believers who share the faith with us.
On the last day of my time in Africa, and at the last minute, we had an extra meeting with some people who pretend to be reformers, and we spent more time there than we planned. Instead of leaving at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, we did not leave until nearly 4 o’clock. Brother Katide, who always took care of my travel while I was in South Africa, was driving at a speed of 112 miles per hour (180 km/hr) part of the time so we could get to the airport in Johannesburg in time for me to catch the plane that evening.
On the way, we stopped once more at Brother Katide’s home, where I enjoyed very warm hospitality the entire time I was in that area. The return flight from Johannesburg to Los Angeles took 33 hours, including three stops and two plane changes. I am thankful to God that He gave me strength to carry out my responsibilities in Africa. May He richly bless His work there!
–Branko Cholich, U.S.A.
