Lesotho (MNN) — At first glance, the small nation of Lesotho seems like a place already saturated with a Gospel witness. After all, around 92% of the population claims Christianity.
But Lesotho’s spiritual landscape is much more complicated than that.
Mission Aviation Fellowship works in Lesotho, flying to remote and isolated regions with medical, physical, and spiritual aid. Their ministry is all about sharing Christ’s love through aviation!
(Photo courtesy of MAF Lesotho)
Joe Adams, a pilot with MAF, says ministry in Lesotho has some unique challenges. “There’s a thin veneer of Christianity. There’s a cultural Christianity where people view themselves as born Christian. And that actually is really an obstacle to the Gospel. There are a lot of people who claim to be Christian – even use the words like ‘born again’ – but there’s not much change in their lifestyle.”
Christianity in Lesotho is also often paired with folk traditions like witch doctors and ancestor worship.
“There’s a lot of belief that if the ancestors are happy, your life will go well,” Adams says. “But if you don’t do all the things and the rituals that you need to keep them happy, then your life will go poorly. And then there’s a lot of fear of that, as the witch doctors can be hired to make the ancestors upset with you and then your life will go badly.”
Although every people group in Lesotho has technically been reached with the Gospel, the work of evangelism and discipleship is far from over. There are still many Basotho across the nation’s vast, mountainous landscape who have no idea who Jesus is.
(Photo courtesy of Mark Potterton via Unsplash)
Adams says they have seen the spiritual poverty firsthand.
“It’s easy to say, ‘Oh, this place has been reached with the Gospel!’ But we find shepherds and people isolated all the time that have never heard of Christ. Or if they have, they just know of the church. They just don’t know who Jesus is. They don’t know that He’s their Creator and their Savior and their Lord.”
The biggest thing you can do? Pray…
- For more faithful Christians to engage Lesotho for the Gospel.
- For Basotho to see the futility of ancestor worship and witch doctors.
- For many more to know Jesus as their Savior.
- For encouragement over MAF’s team in Lesotho.
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Header photo of mountains in Lesotho, courtesy of Tatenda Mapigoti via Unsplash.
