CITY WIDE OUTREACHES in CAPE TOWN

“Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim the Good News of His Salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.” 1 Chronicles 16:23-24
 
Cape Town for Christ
On Monday, 10 August, which was a public holiday in South Africa, we mobilised 57 volunteers in 6 teams to conduct outreaches in 8 areas of Cape Town. Collectively, we distributed over 14,000 Gospel booklets, leaflets, books, New Testaments and Bibles and had the joy of counselling and praying with a number of responsive people on the streets, in shopping malls, parks and in homes.

​25 Years of Missions in the Mall
Every year, for the last 25 years, Africa Christian Action has been organising outreaches in shopping malls around Cape Town and sometimes across the country, on National Women’s Day. This year, we obtained permission from four different shopping malls to set up pull-up banners and literature tables in Cape Town. In the light of the Covid-19 Lockdown regulations and social distancing requirements, we anticipated that there would be much less activity in the shopping malls, so we opted for a more varied Evangelistic strategy.

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Stop the Traffick
By God’s grace, four shopping malls gave us permission to set up contact tables and engage with shoppers in the mall, primarily focussing on human trafficking/modern day slavery. For this we designed the Stop the Traffick leaflet. We distributed over 3,000 of these at Longbeach, Bayside, Table View and Khayelitsha Malls and at the busy traffic light intersection in Buitengracht Street at the entrance to the Cape Town International Conference Centre and the Waterfront. You can view and download our Stop the Traffick for printing and sharing, click here.
 
The Christian Liberation of Women
We also distributed over 1,000 copies of The Christian Liberation of Women. This can also be viewed as PowerPoint, click here, or as a video, click here. You can also listen to the audio of this presentation on our Sermon Audio page, click here. If you want to download the leaflet for printing and sharing, click here. “…Remember the Lord, great and awesome and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses’.” Nehemiah 4:14

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Mass Literature Distribution at Traffic Lights
At traffic lights in Table View, Longbeach and at Buitengracht Street in Cape Town, we distributed thousands of Stop the Traffick; Christian Liberation of Women and World Missionary Press Gospel booklets. Most motorists were responsive, rolled down the windows and happily received the offered literature. Some thanked us for what we were doing, others gave thumbs up and sounded the car horns/hooters, to indicate support. “Does not wisdom cry out and understanding lift up her voice? She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, beside the way, where the paths meet. She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entrance of the doors.” Proverbs 8:1-3
Way of the Master and Evangelism Explosion
In those areas where we were allowed to conduct Social Justice Questionnaires and amongst pedestrians that we encountered at the traffic lights, we took them through Way of the Master, Ten Commandments-based questions and led them into Evangelism Explosion questions, such as:
“Are you aware that over 42 million people are enslaved in the world today?”;
“How should society combat human trafficking?”;
“Do you believe that there will be eternal justice for traffickers and their victims?”;
“Do you believe that all people will receive eternal justice and what form should it take?”;
“What do you think a person has to do to go into Heaven?”;
“Would you consider yourself to be a good person?”;
“May I ask you a few questions to take you through a quick test to see if that is true?”;
“How many of the Ten Commandments can you name?”;
“Have you ever told a lie?”;
“Have you ever stolen anything?”;
“Have you ever looked at another person with lust (committing adultery in your heart)?;
“Have you ever hated someone (committing murder in your heart)?”;
“Have you ever taken God’s Name in vain (committing blasphemy)?”;
“If the Creator God was to Judge you by His standard of the Ten Commandments, would you be innocent, or guilty?”;
“If you were to die today, would you go to Heaven, or to hell?”
“Does this concern you?”;
“What is stopping you from asking God for forgiveness, repenting and surrendering your life to Christ right now?”;
“Would you like to know more about how to have peace with God?”
“May I pray for you now?”;
“Would you like a New Testament?”
“Therefore, the Law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by Faith.” Galatians 3:24

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Points of Contact for Evangelistic Discussions
Living Waters (Way of the Master) has produced a wide variety of excellent Gospel tracts of points of contact to initiative Evangelistic discussions on the streets. We had 17 people involved in the Cape Town Buitengracht Street traffic intersection literature distribution outreach. After several hours of distributing 3,500 World Missionary Press Gospel booklets, Stop the Traffick and Christian Liberation of Women leaflets, the team split into further ministry in the Cape Town Gardens, Bo Kaap (a Muslim community neighbourhood) and along the Sea Point Promenade. Life Challenge Africa leaflets were particularly effective in conversations with Muslims. Living Waters/WOTM materials were our main conversational starters in the Gardens and in Sea Point. Although, initially, weather reports indicated rain for Monday, we were blessed with good weather and sunshine, which brought many people out to where we could engage them in Evangelistic conversations and place Gospel materials in their hands. On a number of occasions, we had the opportunity to counsel and pray with individuals, including with Muslims. “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…” Romans 1:16
 
Flowers, Fudge and Balloons
To attract people to our contact tables in the shopping malls, Colin baked fudge which was individually wrapped and offered to any women passing by the table in honour of Women’s Day. A friend of our ministry sponsored 60 roses to give away to women at our Bayside Mall outreach. These were a colourful blessing to many. At the Khayelitsha outreach, hundreds of balloons with Scriptures and pro-family messages were inflated and distributed to enthusiastic children. We also distributed over 300 packs of Scripture cards on keychains for children, to help them to memorise Scripture. “The entrance of Your Words gives light; it gives understanding…” Psalm 119:130

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World Missionary Press Gospel Booklets
The backbone of all Frontline Fellowship outreaches since our very first mission across the border into Mozambique, 38 years ago, has been World Missionary Press Gospel (WMP) booklets. WMP supplies 5kg boxes, each containing 550 Gospel booklets, each 50 pages, all Scripture, in many languages. During these outreaches, our teams managed to distribute over 8,000 WMP Gospel booklets at Noordhoek, Bayside, Table View, Khayelitsha, Cape Town and Sea Point. “For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12
 
Literature4Africa
From books and Bibles donated from Eagles Nest Ministries, our teams were able to selectively distribute 300 Gospel of John and Epistle of Romans booklets; 426 Christian books, specifically designed for women; 119 New Testaments and 14 full Bibles. “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16
 
Enthusiastic Responses
Although it was quite windy in Khayelitsha, large numbers of people descended on our Literature4Africa table in the centre of the shopping mall and a conveyor belt of team and volunteers inflated balloons, handed out literature and shared the Gospel with the bystanders, shoppers and enquirers. One woman could not contain her jubilation as she received a Bible after answering some general knowledge questions on the Word of God. She walked away singing and praising God aloud. Many parents encouraged their toddlers to say “Thank You” in Xhosa and also in English, for the balloons. The team in Khayelitsha distributed 4,620 World Missionary Press Gospel booklets; 300 John and Romans booklets; 200 Family/Scripture card packs; 230 books; 88 New Testaments and 14 full Bibles. The team distributed literally every last item they came with. A pastor and several church members who collected materials from our table assured us that they wanted to start their own outreaches inspired by this initiative. “So shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

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Harassment
Inevitably, there were a few attempts to disrupt our outreaches. At Buitengracht Street, I was asked by one of the security guards for the Waterfront, what permission we had to do this. My response was: “The Bill of Rights and the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, freedom of movement, freedom of association, freedom of speech, freedom of worship and freedom of the press.” He said, he needed something “in paper.” I assured him that the Bill of Rights and the Constitution is printed and available in both paper form and digitally online. The man responded, saying he needed something else. I asked whether he meant that he wanted something of “a higher authority” than the Constitution and the Bill of Rights? He said, “yes.” So, I told him: In the Bible, you will find the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:18-20: “All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations… teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” The security man looked confused and asked me if I can please do this on the other side of the street, as the traffic light and sidewalk where I was standing, belonged to the Waterfront. That did seem strange, as the gate and fence marking the boundary of the Waterfront was some distance away, but one does want to be co-operative and pleasant, so I relocated to the other side of the street.

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Police Encouragement
On another occasion, a police vehicle drew up next to me and sternly asked: “What are you doing?” My response: “Helping you in your important work! We are making a stand against human trafficking this National Women’s Day! Thank you for what you do to protect the population.” I offered them a copy of our Stop the Traffick leaflet and the policemen in the vehicle smiled broadly and thanked me for what we were engaged in. Some Metro Police and security people approached other members of our team and sought clarification on what we were engaged in, but then had no more objections and left us to continue our distribution.

​Evicted from the Gardens
However, in the Gardens, security personnel approached us and informed us that we will be escorted out of the Gardens as it is strictly forbidden to hand out any literature. We need to communicate with people rather by email they said. At that stage, we were actually just about out of all of our literature and felt that we had completed our mission of giving everyone we had come across in the Gardens a Living Waters tract, or WMP booklet, so we headed off to Sea Point for further outreach there. “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labour of love which you have shown toward His Name, in that you have ministered to the saints and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:10-12
 
Rescue and Responses
There were a number of Muslims that we managed to have long Evangelistic discussions with, give Gideons New Testaments to and pray with. Taryn encountered a victim of trafficking from Asia, with whom she started the rescue process of contacting the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 0800-222-777. It is so important to encourage people: If you see something, say something! You will see at the end of this article, links to groups that can help those who have been trafficked to escape and find support. A number of people came to us to thank us for what we were doing and to express their frustration at the Lockdown regulations which have stopped their local congregations from meeting. Several expressed their delight at Christians reaching out to the community so openly. A number expressed their interest in being involved with future outreaches. “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126:5-6

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Seed Sowing
In total, we calculate that our 6 teams, at 8 separate locations, on Monday, 10 August, distributed over 14,000 Gospel booklets, leaflets, books, New Testaments and Bibles. This includes: 8,040 World Missionary Press Gospel in English, Afrikaans and Xhosa; 4,294 leaflets (mostly Stop the Traffick and The Christian Liberation of Women); 300 John and Romans booklets; 300 Family Scripture card packs; 426 books; 119 New Testaments and 14 full Bibles. In addition, over 600 Living Waters/Way of the Master tracts were used to initiate or follow up Evangelistic conversations. “…He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So, let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
 
Thank You
Thank you very much for everyone who was involved in the preparation, provision, organising, carrying out and follow up to this complex series of outreaches. Thank you very much for all of you who have prayed for and continue to pray for an abundant harvest from these Evangelistic endeavours. Please continue to pray for hearts to be regenerated, minds to be renewed, lives to be transformed as a result of the power of the Word of God in answer to prayer. May many more congregations and individuals be inspired to organise similar Evangelistic outreaches in their communities.

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Dr. Peter Hammond
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480
[email protected]
www.FrontlineMissionSA.org

 You can listen to related Salt and Light radio programmes on Radio Tygerberg:
Women’s Liberation, click here;
Human Trafficking Today – Women at Risk, click here.
To listen to Christian Perspective on the News radio programme on this topic, click here.
To listen to Bush Radio programme interview on this topic, click here.
 
To download Stop the Traffick tract, click here (colour), click here (black and white).
To download The Christian Liberation of Women tract, click here.
To download Fight the New Drug tract, click here.
 
Exposing and Opposing Slavery Today video
Stop Human Trafficking video
Nefarious and Whistleblower, free YouTube films, can be screened to your church group.
Trade of Innocents DVD (obtain through CLB www.ChristianLibertyBooks.co.za)
Nefarious: Merchant of Souls on YouTube
 
See also:
Stop the Traffick!
Women’s Day Awareness Campaigns Against Human Trafficking
Slavery Today – Setting the Captives Free
William Wilberforce – Setting the Captives Free
How the Media is Sexualising Your Children
Protect Your Family From Porn