Being the Church

For almost 30 years, Robert Mugabe has led Zimbabwe as only a dictator can: his loyal military and police live well while everyone else suffers. The devastating economic free fall under his careless leadership has destroyed the nation: inflation has been so astronomical lately (200,000%) that the newly minted Zimbabwean 500 million dollar bill could be used to buy little more than a loaf of bread. Mugabe's stranglehold on politics is evident by the fact that he lost the election a month ago and still maintains power. His political opponents fear for their lives. Thomas Friedman argues that "there is no more disgusting leader in the world today than Mugabe." As a result of the worsening political and economic conditions, nearly 3 million Zimbabweans have fled to South Africa - many fearing persecution or death for their anti-Mugabe political views. Adding to the tragedy, some South Africans have not exactly opened their arms to these desperate refugees: anti-immigration violence in Johannesburg killed 22 people on Monday alone.

In the midst of this regional inhospitality, some Zimbabweans have found refuge at the Central Methodist Church in Johannesburg. In fact, 700 people stay at the church each night, huddled together in tight quarters. Bishop Paul Verryn, a white South African, has opened his church specifically to those who have fled the extreme poverty and instability of Zimbabwe. The church accommodates everyone from women and their newborns to college students seeking to create future opportunities for themselves (Bishop Verryn even pays the tuition for some).

This is what "being the church" is all about.