Fellowship Admin
2009 South Africa Mission Report
Preparation: After agreeing upon the twin pillars of building a community of readers and advancing the Revelation, 3 of us began the logistical effort of making the mission to South Africa a reality. In late 2008 we began contacting known readers, preparing presentations, buying airline tickets, and seeking venues for a weekend conference in Johannesburg. And, near the end of this period, we made additional contacts with 2 readers from Cape Town and agreed to a one-night gathering of readers there.
We accumulated 6 cases of hardback Uversa press books, 2 Dutch translated books from the Foundation, 6 JANR’s, and 15 UB DVD’s; plus a sundry of booklets, posters, flyers, coupons, and CD’s (of special importance was the CD produced by the UB Society of Greater New York, thank you Emilio Coppola). Altogether, it was well over 200 pounds of goodies carried to South Africa; dividing them proportionally between the 2 cities.
Meeting at the Denver International Airport on the morning of February 10th, Charlene Morrow, Arlene Weimer, and I juggled the heavy books between our 6 pieces of luggage to stay under the weight allowed, but still had to pay a hefty fee for one extra piece of baggage. On the long overnight flight from Washington, D.C. to Johannesburg there is a lot of time to think and read. I was reminded of several instructions by Jesus for teachers and believers on the Decapolis Tour (Paper 159,3): Always respect the personality of man…Make your appeals directly to the divine spirit that dwells within the minds of men…It is the purpose of this gospel to restore self-respect in those who have lost it and to restrain it in those who have it…Faith is to religion what sails are to a ship…you are simply teaching friendship with God.
Johannesburg: We arrived in Johannesburg late in the afternoon on February 11th and were greeted by the dynamic duo of Marthe Muller and Tanja de Wet (Tanja, previously known as Simone Cox, has now returned to her birth name). In 2 cars they whisked us away with the stuffed luggage on the 30-minute drive to the High View Gardens, the site of our weekend conference. High View Gardens is a true garden with exotic trees and flowers everywhere, quiet and serene, yet able to accommodate over 30 guests and cater to small/medium size conferences: www.highviewgardens.co.za . It is in a gated community called, ironically, “Urania Village”.
After a day of resting, Tanja drove us around Johannesburg and we purchased some last-minute supplies for the conference, while we worked with Marthe rounding off the agenda. The conference room was a perfect size for us, and the High View Gardens provided an “angel” who helped us to get the power point projector to “read” Tanja’s laptop computer and our disks. The High View Gardens – Centre for Transformation - is operated by a wonderful international organization called “Emissaries of Divine Light” – perhaps you’ve heard of them. Marthe is a member of this organization, and hence our easy access.
The conference (“Adventures in Service”) began late – we were on South African time – with a prayer and gradually built to a powerful momentum. Each attendee was given a book and a folder with numerous handouts. Charlene had made some sharp-looking buttons in Oklahoma from the Emilio Coppola CD “One God – One People” on it with www.UrantiaBook.org on the bottom; and we had circle pins for everyone. We began with an overview of the Book; I took the first 3 parts and Charlene and Arlene did the Life and Teaching. As we progressed through the day it largely became a question and answer format; with most of the questions being sharp, well-stated, and penetrating – and we loved it! What we believe became an excellent approach for first-day participation was to begin with our Father’s mandate to become perfect on the first page of the text, then to review a few of the topics in the Table of Contents, Part by Part, and ask questions. Readers were encouraged to go through the entire contents and highlight topics of interest. We ended with the living truth of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man as the way to achieve His mandate in this life. Much discussion ensued and carried on through the Fellowship-sponsored dinner and on into the night. Everyone truly enjoyed the food and personalized touch of Ma Sally, the chief cook at the High View Gardens.
The 2nd day began with a prayer and a continuation of the questions and answers format. Many of these questions became centered on “How do we start and maintain study group meetings?” The 3 of us gave a personal history with study group experiences, and shared the prime ingredient of the necessary importance of consistency = with 2 or 3 committed persons having the meeting regardless of how many people show up. They were encouraged to advertise the meetings in the public service sector of their news media, and were especially delighted with the thought of becoming involved in a study group activity like library book placement or prison ministry. Tanja, especially, is famous for traveling around South Africa in her blue van to various types of books fairs and presenting the Urantia Book.
The 2nd day concluded with an actual study group experience = reading and discussing the text, and a prayer.
In all, 14 people participated and seemed to greatly enjoy the overall experience = a review of the Table of Contents with questions and answers, and the time involved in a study group. We identified 4 potential study group leaders (Marthe Muller, Tanja de Wet, Eben Muller (no relation to Marthe), and Connie Jooste; all of whom were given extra books and secondary materials. Connie especially was grateful for the new books because the only book she had was a paperback in tatters and falling apart. The gratitude extended to us and the Fellowship is impossible to describe in the written word but will be remembered in their personal histories, I’m sure, forever.
With hearts full of inspiration and fondness, we left the High View Gardens on February 15th. Marthe Muller donated the equivalent of $25 to the Fellowship, and another new reader, Andre Bezuidenhout helped arrange transportation to our next stop – a 2 day excursion to the Ngonyama Lodge in the Krugersdorp Game Preserve just east of Johannesburg.
Cape Town: Our time at the Krugersdorp Game Preserve was a welcomed reversion; relaxing in nature, going on a “game drive” to see lots of large animals, and trying to keep the monkeys out of our living room. We had the most spiritual discussion with the young driver (Garreth Trent) of the van taking us to the airport for our flight to Cape Town – awesome.
We arrived in Cape Town late afternoon on February 18th, and were picked up by the awaiting Peter Minnaar, a reader whom we had met when we were there 3 years ago. Peter proved to be seraphim-like in his desire to be of service and to make our stay in Cape Town memorable. He drove us to our hotel (which was only a hostile-type place, so we arranged for a real hotel for the following 2 nights), and was at our “beck and call” in his dark blue Audi sedan without asking. We invited him and his lovely wife Thereschen (Trish for short) to dinner that night and it seemed to cement our relationships and, we believe, inspired Trish to further investigate the Urantia Book.
Our one-night gathering (“An Introduction to the Urantia Book”) was held in Erin Hall at 7:30 on the night of February 19th hosted by the Rev. John Oliver. Erin Hall has an interesting history. As part of the Anglican Church complex, it had recently experienced a fire and was currently in the final stages of restoration. Of special interest to us, and other Fellowship readers, was in the center of our seated circle of readers as we began our prayer Rev. Oliver placed 8 partially burned hardback, 1st edition, Uversa Press copies of the Urantia Book; burned as a result of the fire. For the most part, the books were unusable. So we all thought it quite appropriate that we came bearing 12 sparkling new hardback books. (A resurrection of sorts?) Though only 6 local people attended, their questions were wide-ranging and intense; from the origins of the book to the split between the Fellowship and Foundation. All, however, agreed on the revelatory nature of the text, and of the need and importance for a growing community of readers in Cape Town. Of the 6, the Rev. Oliver, Peter Minnaar, Peter Fredericks, and Ivan Sedras agreed to hold regular study group meetings at Erin Hall; and to embark on a library placement project. We were ecstatic! Peter Fredericks was especially thankful for the books – having contacted the Fellowship by email in 2006 about obtaining one.
(Keep in mind, Paula Thompson, Marvin Gawryn, and others represented the Urantia Book at the Parliament of the Worlds Religions in Cape Town in 1999. Many seeds were sewn.)
For reversion, Peter Minnaar took us to the top of a mountain one night to view the Southern Cross (star system), helped in arranging transportation to Robben Island to see the cell where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison for anti-apartheid activity, and walk around the Cape of Good Hope – to the end of the earth, the African Continent. All of which helped prepare us for the long journey home.
Conclusion and An Appeal: Despite having twice heard the 4 words that will send a chill down the spine of any seasoned traveler (“Your flight was cancelled!”), the overall outreach mission and the experiences gained was a huge success. And, the 3 of us agreed, it even exceeded expectations. Our twin goals of building a community of readers and furthering the Revelation were easily met; and the long-term relationships established are incalculable. South Africa will soon be recognized as cornerstone or foundation of the Fifth Epochal Revelation for all of Africa.
An Appeal: We loved South Africa and the South African people. The difficulty is when you have to leave! We go into their mist, cause a stir, and leave – creating a vacuum. And, although improving, we had the same problem in Latin America. All can agree it is necessary for local and regional readers to form their own structural dynamics; and eventually their own self-supporting finances. But remember how lonely Adam and Eve felt shortly after their arrival on Urantia? It was because: “Silent were the familiar broadcasts, and absent were all the circuits of extraplanetary communications.” 74:3,1.
We suspect the readers we’ve encountered in South Africa may have similar feelings.
After an international tour/mission, we on the International Committee cannot possibly maintain the necessary level of communications needed to help these emerging pockets of individuals or group of readers in different parts of the world feel connected to the Fellowship in fellowship. In short, we need help! Charlene Morrow (cmorrow2001@aol.com) has agreed to coordinate a volunteer corps of readers in the United States and Canada who wish to connect, by email, snail mail, text, or telephone, with a reader (or readers) in Latin America, Africa, or Asia. Or, if a study group would like to connect with a study group in theses same areas; that too would be a wonderful service. Please consider volunteering.
Finally, on the return flight, I was thinking: wouldn’t it create a more dynamic group of leadership if every General Councilor and especially every Executive Committee member be involved in an extended outreach mission/tour to a country far, far away in a culture very, very different than our own.
Always respect the personality of man…Make your appeals directly to the divine spirit that dwells within the minds of men…It is the purpose of this gospel to restore self-respect in those who have lost it and to restrain it in those who have it…Faith is to religion what sails are to a ship…you are simply teaching friendship with God.
Respectfully submitted,
Buck Weimer for the
International Fellowship Committee