a coNtinEnT in tUrmoiL
Africa is troubled by violence, remote terrain and political unrest.
W
ar and tribal conflicts in parts of Africa continue to impact people’s lives and tear families apart. Life is a struggle, and in many parts of the continent, thousands of displaced people live in refugee camps. Without access to proper shelter and medical care, many have fallen victim to disease, and malnutrition brought about by population displacement.
Since 1998 an estimated 4 million people–primarily women, children, and the elderly–have died as a result of the civil war and tribal unrest throughout the Congo. A continuing challenge for geographically isolated Africans is accessibility to adequate healthcare, due to a poor infrastructure. Many families
and orphan children have very limited access to lifesaving medicines, vaccines, surgical procedures, medical supplies, and health education. Spiritual darkness blankets Africa with centuries of fighting and greed, coupled with ageold traditions of witchcraft and tribalism that create barriers to sharing the Gospel. The instability and violence across Africa have greatly diminished the western missionary presence, once the backbone of church planting and growth. Transfor mation for isolated people–physically and spiritually–can come about through a commitment to God’s call to make a difference where most needed.