THE APOSTOLIC FAITH MISSION OF SA DIE APOSTOLIESE GELOOFSENDING VAN SA
Newsflash | 9 June 2017 Dear Colleagues, RECENT ACTS OF ABUSE, RAPE AND KILLING OF CHILDREN AND WOMEN IN OUR COUNTRY South Africa has become a dangerous country for children and women. Violence has become endemic. During the past five months, a shocking number of women and children were killed in South Africa. What is of concern is that many of them died at the hands of their male partners or men they knew. This seems to be the continuation of a national trend. According to the SA Medical Research Council a woman is killed every eight hours by an intimate partner. According to Statistics South Africa (South Africa Demographic and Health Survey 2016 released in May), one in five (21%) women in a relationship has experienced physical violence from a partner. From January to date more than 19 children have been killed in the Western Cape. These abhorrent crimes are clear indicators of the breakdown of family values. Among others these values include mutual respect, care and protecting the inherent dignity of each other. In the past, statistics indicated that most children grow up in homes where fathers are alive but absent. While some have physically left homes, others are physically present but absent in terms of grooming their children especially boy children. I think it is time to make a plea to all absent fathers to come back home. These gruesome acts are an indictment to the patriarchal system that tend to regard children and women as objects, and not fellow human beings who are created by God as equals. The fact that men and women have dissimilar roles in the family should never be construed to mean that they do not share the same dignity and equality as human beings created by God. All kinds of problems should be solved through negotiation - a problem-solving method that should be promoted in our homes and local churches. There is no problem that is so complicated that it warrants name calling, insult and violence. I am calling on our members and leaders to stand in the gap and say “No!” to the abuse, rape and killing of our children and women. We must openly declare that these crimes as heinous. We must report these to law enforcement agencies. 1. National Sisters’ Fellowship Conference 2017 The National Sisters’ Fellowship promotes prayer, fellowship and spiritual growth among AFM women. The Department promotes a Christ-centred character through annual conferences, special weekends and prayer days. Evangelism is facilitated through the Sisters’ Fellowships at local AFM congregations where the focus is on the community and world evangelism. Taking care for the needy is done through donations to charitable organisations and hospices. In support of the above, the Fellowship also dedicates time to raising funds and goods in kind.