The Church in Angola recently organized its second branch in the city of Huambo (approximately population: 600,000). The Sao Joao Branch was organized from a division of the Huambo Branch (renamed the Cidade Alta Branch). The Church originally organized a branch in Huambo in 2013, but the mission discontinued the branch in 2015 due to difficulties with leadership development. The Branch was reinstated in 2018 and the Church has grown rapidly in the city in the past couple years. The creation of the Church's second branch in Huambo is significant as Huambo is the first city in Angola outside of the capital city, Luanda, where multiple branches have been organized. There are three cities in Angola with an official Church presence: Luanda, Huambo, and Lubango. The Church operates one stake, one mission, and no districts in Angola.
St George Utah Crimson Ridge West Stake (2160528) 15 Nov 2020
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Wonderful to see the new growth in Africa.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that there is a niche for this. I love to read about church growth and I love that there is someone who is able to track it and offer such great insight. Keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteOf the two huge Portuguese speaking countries of Africa, I hope that Angola faces less terrorism than Mozambique. Both countries show huge potential for growth.
ReplyDeleteI read online that the church only has robust growth in the poorest parts of Africa is this true?
ReplyDeleteHas anyone learned of whatever happened to the new mission, "Mozambique Beira Mission" that was supposed to be organized on or around July 1st, this year? I have checked everyday on Classic Maps for the mission since 07/01. As of today, 11/21, there is still no record of the new mission. Was the idea canceled by the Brethren? or postponed until next July 2021?
ReplyDeletePresident Elton Saucedo, from Porto Alegre Brazil, was called in Feb 2020 as the 1st mission predident.
https://www.thechurchnews.com/callings/2020-02-23/8-new-mission-leaders-recently-called-learn-more-bolivia-texas-mexico-africa-puerto-rico-174704
Recently reorganized the "Camiling Philippines District - 433314" as the new "Camiling Philippines Stake". Reported today on www.fullerconsideration.com/units.php and verified on Classic Maps.
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Hrvstr - No, what you said is not correct about Church growth in Africa only being "robust" in the poorest countries and places. In fact, the poorest places usually have had the biggest challenges with growth due to leadership development. Countries in Africa where the Church has seen its greatest growth have been more of the medium-earning countries or wealthier ones, like Cote d'ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria. However, some of the poorest countries have experienced robust growth in the the DR Congo, but others have not like the Central African Republic and Malawi. A lot of what affects growth trends for the Church in Africa is availability of resources and the strength and quality of local leadership.
ReplyDeleteThe Africa West area has at least twice posted their area plan on Youtube, and both times the wa it has played out is the things in the plan are the most basic of teaching. That is the best way to do it with many thousands joining each year and by the end of that year some of those newer members are sometimes already serving in leadership positions, so they do not want to overwhelm the new members, but let things develop more fully before working on giving them more.
ReplyDeleteSome of the poorest areas of Africa have not much Church presence at all. Niger, Chad, Central African Republic have very little Church activity or missionary movement. Mali has seen a little growth. Most of the Arab African nations have little or no LDS Church (Church of Jesus Christ) presence, like Mauritania, or wealthier places like Morocco or Algeria, Tunisia. Libya and Sudan have little to nothing, Egypt has a slight presence, and other areas of Muslim dominance have little Church outreach.
ReplyDeleteOur Church seems to do better in areas where moderate economic strength is viable.
Growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and economics are not as closely tied as some think.
ReplyDeleteThe growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in various countries in Africa is tied to the history of those countries and of the Church moving into those countries.
The Church has its largest presence in Nigeria, with roughly 200 million people, yet in a third of that country the Church has no presence. South-east Nigeria, especially Akwa Ibom state, has probably more stakes in rural villages than anywhere else in the world. Even just a few hundred miles away in Edo State the church barely moved to having one largely rural based stake, while Akwa Ibom state has rural stakes that have existed over 2 decades.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has roughly 20 stakes yet the northern third of the country has under 5 branches. A lot of that is explainable by the areas where civil war has been waged.
What would be interesting to know is which countries have seen the Perpetual Education Fund implemented.
I have to admit I have reached the point where I am sick of the references to a Africa in the same breaths as China and India.
Africa is a continent with so many different countries that such talk makes no sense. Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are so large and internally different that treating than as one unit is problematic and both saw post-colonial separatist movements that tried to tear them apart.
Ghana and Liberia arecsmaller countries, but each has their own unique circumstances.
Rivers state in Nigeria, that had 5 million people at the 2006 census and has enough stakes that I am sure it would be getting a temple except it is only 35 miles from Port Harcourt the main city with 5 stakes to Aba where the existing temple is, just saw a new branch in Cochoko. This is a city that has seen Shell oil invest in local development.
ReplyDeleteThe one general authority from Nigeria, Elder Adeyinka Ojediran spent his career working in the oil industry.
Chokocho was organized directly as a ward. This means it was probably split from an existing ward.
ReplyDeleteIt appears Lubango in Angola may have just gotten its second branch as well.
ReplyDeleteLubango Angola now has a 2nd branch also. The "Mapunda Branch - 2162806" was recently organized. The 1st Lubango Branch being the "Tchioco Branch - 1558188".
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When it comes to economic support in places like Nigeria, Ghana, or Cote d'Ivoire, I sometimes think of the rural parts as not "poor", as implied by John P.L. Maybe you did not mean it that way. I think of greater urban centers in places like Nigeria where I envision shanty towns and less work than the agricultural areas where it would be easier to have work.
ReplyDeleteGhana has much more stability and economic standing than Liberia. Ivory Coast, despite the great Church of Jesus Christ growth in recent years, has had some serious political and ethnic problems. Overall the Church is growing well in West Africa but there are a few countries that have endemic economic issues, and I put Liberia up there with those problems.
Portuguese speaking West Africa has grown slowly, except for Cabo Verde. Guinea-Bissau and Sao Tome and Principe need to get going better, hopefully more like Angola and even more like more dynamic Mozambique.