African members

[Maya]

We have quite a few african members in our Church in Norway. As you may think all of them have come to Norway as a refugee. They are beautiful and nice people. However we have a problem with them.

The meetings have been translated into their own language and they have been driven to the Church by members. Now however as the driving had to be stopped, as it got impossible (no more minibuss or it broke or...) they have stopped to attend the Church.

I know the society here is very white, but we do have some blacks that are very active, so it can not be anything with the skincolor to do.

Any good ideas how we could make them see how important it is to attend and be a part of the Church, take callings and work in them.

I am not Norwegean either, but I am not a refugee. I know what it is like to move to this country, even as a white person you meet challenges.

An other problem : One ward in west had (has) some 30 African members, but they live some 70 miles from the closest Church and as they are/ were on social aid, the social aid refused to pay for the traintickets to the families to the Church on Sundays. There was a Church in the town they live in, so that had to do (not LDS).

Edited October 31, 2010 by Maya

[Dravin]

Am I reading this correctly? How do you convince people without access to transportation the importance of walking 70 miles one way to Church on Sunday? I realize that's probably your worse case scenario, but, particularly in the winter, some distances it is not practical to expect people to walk.

[pam]

It doesn't appear to me that the problem is seeing how to make them understand the importance of Church. The problem seems to be transportation. You mentioned they were coming until their transportation stopped.

[Maya]

yes it is with these people in west BUT NOT with the others. They can easily take a buss. They do not live that long from the Church.

Fiksed a bit the question.

Edited October 31, 2010 by Maya

[TheActualLiz]

It must be very difficult for them to have to move so far away from their homes and seek refuge in a radically different culture. Learning the bus system in my own town was difficult and intimidating for me... I can't even imagine how it would be in their situation....

Do you think any members would be willing to help them learn the bus system and go with them the first several times to help them feel more comfortable not only going to church but getting around town as well?

[Maya]

I`ll ask that is a good thing to think about. It is sad as people can not say direct about problems like this. It is possible... but also it is possible they are too tired to take all the kids with so they stay home. Thanks for a new tought.:)

[rameumptom]

Pres Monson added a fourth component to the mission of the Church: caring for the poor and needy. Seems that the organizations should do more to get these people to and from Church. A little self sacrifice from the members, picking up some of the African members on their way to Church, would solve the problem.

I was the group leader for Tuskegee Alabama, when we first opened it up. To this day, 21 years later, there are many poor members who cannot afford a car, so several members show up early on Sundays and pick several people up. After Church, they take them home. It requires some members to make several trips. What a wonderful sacrifice they make so their less fortunate brothers and sisters can be active and partake of the sacrament! As their group leader, I drove 45 miles each way to church meetings. I would go there every Sunday, and one week night. With the help of the full time missionaries, we developed a branch from a group in a matter of 6 months.

For those 30 members living 70 miles from their chapel, perhaps it is time for the local leadership to consider making a group out there. Instead of trying to get them all to the chapel, have one active Elder/High Priest go there weekly to provide services and organize them so they can also be a branch of their own one day.

It is sad that the active members are allowing those who want to be LDS to be forced to attend another church, simply because they don't want to be bothered with making a sacrifice to bless them.