GAMALAKHE, South Africa (BP)–Seated on a soccer field under an afternoon sun, several thousand Zulu students recently made decisions for Christ in South Africa.
A volunteer team from North Carolina spent a week in July visiting 11,000 students at 19 schools in the Gamalakhe area. One day, the schools closed early, allowing 7,000 students, teachers, principals and community members to gather on a soccer field.
The gospel was presented after three large student choirs performed. More than 3,500 students made some kind of decision for Christ at the rally and during the week.
“The rally truly turned out to be an African-style rally,” reported Andrew Limbaugh, an International Mission Board missionary to South Africa. “Even though it seemed totally chaotic and completely unorganized at times, there were many who heard and responded to the message of the gospel.”
The 8.5 million Zulu live primarily in the area of kwaZulu Natal. While there are many Christian Zulus, people commonly mix their Christianity with traditional ancestor worship.
The Zulu traditionally believe their ancestors intercede for them to a distant god. They offer sacrificial animals and ceremonial beer to appease and speak to their ancestors.
“While contacting the schools about the possibility of this event, all the principals enthusiastically accepted the idea,” Limbaugh said. “We heard comments like, ‘We have too many gods in our schools,’ and ‘Many of the children here are into devil worship,’ and ‘There are many drugs in our schools.’
“What a testimony of the need here.”
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Jarvis is a staff writer for the International Mission Board. Prayer requests and a profile of the Zulu people group can be accessed at http://www.imb.org/CompassionNet/peoplegrps.asp.
