By Robin Paul

There’s no English equivalent for ubuntu. This word, in the language of the Xhosa people of Africa, when translated means a concept of radical human interdependence and relationship.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a South African leader of Xhosa descent, described ubuntu like this: "It has to do with what it means to be truly human, to know that you are bound up with others in the bundle of life."

In this spirit of ubuntu, a group of Oklahoma United Methodists traveled to South Africa in late 2008 to celebrate the fruits of a covenant relationship that began more than seven years ago—and to break ground for a new one. The team of 14 included Bishop and Mrs. Robert Hayes Jr. They were focused on a newly completed church in Lwandle and a newly expanded Upper Room ministry in Johannesburg.

Project began with $450

Lwandle is a former migrant workers camp. For more than 40 years, the Methodist congregation in the informal settlement had no land or permanent building.

In 2001, an unusual three-way partnership was formed, connecting the Lwandle church, the surrounding congregations in the local-church circuit, and Oklahoma Volunteers In Mission (VIM). They planned to not only construct a church building, but also to build meaningful relationships. The building project was expected to cost in excess of $100,000.

They began with $450 in the bank. Over the next six years, faith, hope, and patience proved to be virtues for everyone involved in the partnership, including the VIM teams. Nine Oklahoma teams have served on this project. They were led by Sallie Felton, David Burris, Linda Summers, Kirk Norman, David Croninger, Mary Gardenhire, and VIM Director Jeremy Basset.

The first Oklahoma team arrived in 2002, to erect a fence for the newly acquired property. Subsequent teams dug—and re-dug—the trenches for the building’s foundation. The cinderblock walls began to take shape in 2006; construction repeatedly stalled and restarted, depending on the availability of funds. Almost two more years passed before the ninth VIM team arrived to do the finishing work on a totally debt-free building. Working together, the three covenant partners had raised the necessary funds.

On Nov. 16, 2008, Bishop Hayes was honored to preach the first sermon in the new church building. Presiding over the joyous celebration was Bishop Andrew Hefkie of The Methodist Church of Southern Africa.

Help in AIDS battle

Continuing in the spirit of ubuntu, the Oklahomans then journeyed to Anathoth, which is the headquarters of Africa Upper Room Ministries. They participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for a new ministry center on that property. The center’s goal is to serve as a relevant and loving witness to Christ for people suffering with HIV/AIDS.

Oklahoma UMs are supporting this work, too, through another partnership covenant.

Anathoth is the name the prophet Jeremiah gave to land he purchased when Israel was in exile—purchased in the hope that Israel would return and reclaim it.

The 5-acre headquarters site in South Africa was originally established by Nashville-based Upper Room Ministries to offer ministries of publication, spiritual formation, and prayer. However, the staff felt called to respond in more ways to needs on the continent. The new center will be a place to minister to those in the local population who are affected by HIV/AIDS, as well as to model congregationally-based palliative care ministries for churches on the continent. The projected cost of this development is close to $1 million.

Oklahoma VIM is supporting construction of a skills-training complex, a conference and meeting center, and several palliative-care residential cottages for children and adults. The first teams are scheduled to serve there in Summer 2009. And as church groups from across Africa train and implement palliative care ministry in their communities, Oklahoma churches will be asked to partner with them in that mission.

The 14 Oklahomas were: Bishop Robert and Dee Hayes; Maurice Major, Bartlesville District superintendent; Marcy Gardenhire, OKC-St. Luke’s; Tom Campbell, Robert and Joyce Skalla, Tulsa-Boston Avenue; Jay Hines, Robin Paul, and Pat McGarrity, OKC-Church of the Servant; David Croninger, OKC-Douglas Boulevard; Sara Laird, San Antonio, Texas; Marsha Alexander, director of Manos Juntas Mexico; and Rev. Basset, team leader.

(Note: This was writer Robin Paul’s fourth mission to South Africa with Oklahoma VIM.)