A Special Issue with Psalms, Prayers and Hymns This issue of Dateline:Namibia has been prepared to assist congregations and others to include the suffering people of Namibia in prayer and worship. The Namibian people have endured more than 100 years of foreign domination. Since 1915 they have suffered under the racist policies of the South African government. The Christian church is a strong force in Namibia with more than 70 percent of the 1.2 miUion people identifying with the Anglican. African Methodist. Lutheran and Roman Catholic churches. The churches in Namibia ask for our continued prayers and material and political support that they may one day be free from the domination of the South African government. An African Magnificat Chief Hosea Kutako 's Sing out. my tongue. God ·s greatness sing. Prayer None great a'i he, his deeds confess. Hope of the poor. the martyr's king. You are the great God of the earth and His name is Truth and Righteousness. the heavens. We are so insignificant. God loves the poor and helpless ones. In us there are many defects. The grasping rich he sends away. But the power is yours, to make and to Workers for peace he calls his sons do what we cannot do. And daughters, to this very day. You know all about us. The mourners' mouths with laughter For coming down to earth you were swell. despised and mocked and brutaUy The burdens with the poor he'll share. treated, because of those same defects God, rescue prisoners from the hell in the men of those days. Of torture chambers and despair. And for those men you prayed because they did not understand what they The exiles wait for him in trust. were doing, and that you came only He'U bring them home, their country for what was right. freed Give us the courage to struggle in that From tyrants· weapons now all dust way for what is right. And ashes, useless as their greed. Help us who have been placed in Africa Come. freedom's children. sing his and have no dwelling place of our praise. own. God of the poor. the captive's friend. Give us back a dwelling place. 0 God. He' 11 never fail us in our days. All power is yours in heaven and earth. We'll prai:-,e him still till ages end. Colin o·Bricn Winter Tr1 ht! .llmt.: to the twu· ··old Hundr('dth'. PSALM 27 (Interpreted by Pastor Zephaniah Kameeta) Leader- The Lord is m} light and my liberation: Response : I will fear no so-called world powers. Leader: The Lord protects me from all danger; Response: I will never be afraid. Leader: When their "security forces'' attack me and try to kill me. they stumble and fall. Response: Even 1f the1r whole imperialist armies surround me. I will not be afraid: Leader: l will still trust God my liberator. Response. 1 have asked the Lord for one thing; Leader: One thing only dol want: Response: To be his instmment in the struggle for liberat1on. Leader: To be driven by his love: Response: In times of war he will shelter me: Leader: He will keep me safe in his loving. hands Response: And make me secure on a high rock.. Leader: So 1 will tnumph over the oppres.,1ve regime. Response: With shout' of joy I will give my life as a sacnhce m your service. Leader: 1 will prai:-.e and sing freedom !.ongs to my Lord. Re.,ponse: Hear me, Lord. when l cull to you! Be merciful and answer me! Leader: When you said "Come and be my servant:· Response: l am.wered. ··1 will come, Lord. don't hide yourself from me! .. Leader: Don't be angry \.. lth me: Response: Don't turn your servant awa). Leader: You have been my help; Response: Don't leave me. don't abandon me, 0 God. my liberator. Leader: My father and mother may abandon me, Response. But the Lord will be with me in this present situation and forever. Leader: Teach me. Lord v.hat you v.ant me to do. Response: And lead me along in thb delicate situation Leader: Don't abandon me to the coloma lists and their puppets, who attack me w1th lies and threats. Response: I know that I will live to seem this present life the Lord's victory over the enemies of the black masses in southern Africa. Together: Trust in the Lord . Have faith. do not despair. Trust in the Lord. A LITANY FOR NAMIBIA Leader: Let us pray for the people of God. especially remembering today our brothers and sisters in occupied Namibia. People: Lord. hear our prayer. Leader: Let us pray for the bishops of the church in Namibia-Bartholomeus. Bonifatius, Hendrik. Jame:-.. Kleopas-that they may be protected against the threats of their lives. and delivered from the harrassment and scorn of the South African govemmenl. People: Lord, protect and strengthen your servants. Leader: Let us pray for the congregations of the church in Nan1ibia. especially for the people of the Church of the Holy Spirit at Oshandi. where the South African Koevoet Police have stolen the building materials from this growing mission . People: Lord, bless the congregations of Namibia and provide for their safe and prayerful worship. Leader: Let us pray for the family of catechist Rafael Siferi. his mother Barbara, his five-year-old son Amutenya and his five-year-old nephew Haimbandja. all killed in their kraal last August by the South African army. People: Lord. comfort the Siferi family and all who mourn the loss of their loved ones in Namibia. Leader: Let us pray for the young men and women of Namibia wbo have chosen to defend their human rights by confronting the armed might of the South African government. People: Lord, protect and defend your children as they seek to protect and free their people. Leader: Bring a just peace to Namibia, dear God. People: Bring a just peace to Namibia, 0 Lord. Leader: For the refugees in Angola and Zambia. for the Namibians in South Africa's detention camps and prisons, for all who are suffering because of racism. People: Lord, hear our prayer. Leader: Lead from their evil ways those responsible for the continuation of apartheid. that your children may be set free. People: Dear Lord, free your people. All: Dear Lord, free your people. Amen. Bishops mentioned in the litany: Elder Banholomcus Kamaera. African Methodist Episcopal Church (40.000 members). Bishop Bonifattu~ Hamhiku, Roman Catholic Diocese of Windhoek ( 150,000): Preses Hendrik Frederik, Evangelical Lutheran Church (193,000): Bishop James Kauluma. Anglican Diocese of Namibia (60.000): Bishop Kleopas Dumeni. Evangelical Lutheran Ovambokavango Church (325.000). HYMN TO FREEDOM Namibia. enchained in tyrant's Arise. Namibia. now your dawn is bondage. breaking. Your people plead for freedom to be free United march to claim your destiny­ From rod and la!.h, from terror's !.way a A people freed from racist domination. hostage. Reformed in hope. destined for liberty. To you. Lord God, lhey cry in misery. Let freedom ring from every hill and How long, 0 Lord, how long shalt evil valley. triumph? Let justice stream for all the world How long, 0 Lord, shall prisoners to see. captive be? To you. Lord God of hosts, be glory Help of the helpless, comfort of the given. mourning. You gave us martyrs: give us victory. Hope of the poor. the orphan's sanctuary, The fire of freedom you alone They call for justice, shall lhat call be implanted. heeded'? Children of freedom may we always be. They cry for mercy, shal I they mercy Namibia then one nation under heaven. see? Upholding justice, truth and equity. Arise. Lord God of hosts, their one defender, Colin O'Bncn Winrer Smite tyrants· chains to set your people To be sttng fl• rhe 111111:' "f'inlmrdia" free. Hosea Kutako ( 1870-1970) was paramount chief of the Herero people in Namibia and a courageous defender of lheir rights. He first fought against German colonization oftbe territory and was imprisoned following the Herero Rebellion of 1904. He later resisted South Africa's occupation of his people's land. In 1947 Kutako made the first petition to the United Nations to establish a trusteeship administration over the country as a step toward its eventual independence. Colin Winter (1928-1981) wa!. Anglican bishop of Namibia from 1968- 1981. A persistent and passionate critic of apartheid and advocate of justice for the poor and oppressed, he was expelled from Namibia in 1972. and continued to work in exile for his people until his death. Zephaniah Kameeta is a Namibian Lutheran pru.tor and theologian who has been impri!.oned and tortured by the Soulh African forces in Namibia for his outspoken proclamation of lhe gospel, his condemnation of the apartheid regime occupying Namibia , and his commitment to the liberation of his people. Dateline:Namibia is published by lhe Dateline:Namibia Division for Mission in North America. Editor: John A. Evenson Lutheran Church in America, in coop­ Associate Editor: Anne Leo Ems eration with lhe Division for World Mailing Address: 231 Madison Avenue Mission and Inter-Church Cooperation New York. N.Y. 10016 and the Office of Church in Soci.ety, © 1984 DMNNLCA The American Lutheran Church. Pr.ntecl 1n U.S /\ ·--.