We moved to Cape Town, South Africa in September 2015 to join the Administration team of SIM Southern Africa (SIM SA). SIM SA was the first SIM country to be both a receiving missionaries and a sending missionaries country. What that means is, like SIM USA, they send people from their country to minister over the SIM world. And like SIM Liberia, Nigeria and Kenya, they received people for ministry from all over the world. Until 2010 in Douth Africa, these two very different functions took place, not just in two different offices, but in two different cities – Cape Town and Johannesburg – and with two different directors. Now, these functions happen under one director and in one office in Cape Town.
Dwight’s role in the office is to assist the director, mainly by taking over the running of the office, thereby allowing the director to fulfill his vision of empowering South African churches to become more involved in missions. Dwight’s task is very broad – everything from setting vision for the office to helping solve computer problems. From chairing department head meetings to meeting with organizations that SIM SA is interested in partnering with. From determining office equipment needs to supervising all the administrative staff.
Dorothy is working part time in the office, assisting where there is a stated need. It is taking a bit of time for her to get plugged in, as people are acustomed to having a heavy load to carry, so that they almost don’t have time to even figure out what to give her to do. However, the media coordinator has discovered her ability to edit and write and calls on her frequently. In addition to that, she will use her past experience of starting a short term program to provide input into a new SIM SA initiative called Explore. This 20 week program is designed to give 6 individuals who think God may be calling them to missions a chance to learn more about ministering cross culturally through classroom training and practical experience in both rural and urban settings.
Both of us have been well trained in governance during our time in Kenya. A very skilled couple who came as short termers under Dorothy had a tremendous impact on the SIMPact (Kenya’s short term program) and on SIM Kenya under Dwight’s directorship. We were able to pass this training on to New City Fellowship Nairobi, the church we attended in Nairobi. And now, we get to put it to use here in Cape Town. Since the combining of the SIM SA sending and receiving office, there has not been a clear SIM SA purpose, mission or vision statement. We definitely see God’s hand in the timing of this.
SIM International has recently revised its own purpose, mission and vision to more accurately convey its desire to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those living and dying without a saving knowledge of Him. (These updated statements, as well as SIM’s core values and other information are available on the SIM website.)
With SIM International’s statements as a foundation, as well as SIM International’s core values, we will be helping the SIM SA office to move forward in defining where they are going by answering questions such as, “Why are we here? – For what good? For what people? At what cost?” and “What would the SIM SA Office look like if God really blessed this ministry through the power of the Holy Spirit?”
We joined SIM in 1988 as full members. SIM is an international, interdenominational mission that is working in over 70 countries. SIM is a church based mission meaning our primary goal is the planting and nurturing and encouraging the church around the world. More information about SIM is available on the SIM website.