What began as a search to find the legendary Prester John in a Christian kingdom in Africa will become the Protestant faith's base in Angola today. Portuguese explorers of the 15th century set out to the west coast of Southern Africa on orders from Henry the Navigator in search of riches and possessions. Diogo Cao was one of the first Portuguese sent by Henry to visit Africa's west coast. Diogo discovered the Congo River and the coasts of what is now Angola and Namibia which were part of the west coast of southern Africa at the time.
Even though Portuguese explorers were never able to locate Prester John and his Christian empire, they were able to inhabit the lands of Africa's west coast like they intended. On his journey, Diogo Cao was commanded by the "Order of Christ" organization to erect stone crosses in new locations he found to mark the land as Portuguese territory. Whether the intentions were pure or not, the Portuguese converted the coast to the Protestant religion (Catholicism) which is still dominant today. Although the history shows political and financial gains, Christian missionaries can be optimistic for the fruit that can be produced today.
With a population of 32.87 million inhabitants, Angola is the seventh largest country in Africa today. Luanda is Angola's largest city, with an estimated population of 8 million people. By the end of 2034, it is estimated that Angola's population will have grown to 50 million people. In addition, Angola's population is very young, where the median age is 16 years. Youth missionaries should consider this continued growth rate and increase in the youth population. As AM will concentrate on pioneering Angola this quarter, they are hopeful to do mission there because it is a country with a large youth population that will continue to expand, thus contributing to the spread of the Gospel.
The west coast of Southern Africa became very diverse after the Portuguese conquest. Europeans, Africans, Chinese, and white Africans (mix race of European and African) all live in Angola. The bulk of today's Angolans, however, are members of African tribes. Although they may not understand why their land was taken away from them when the Portuguese arrived, God's intentions for them were and continue to be much greater. Similarly, the Portuguese may have only seen their conquest as a means of gaining political and financial power, but God used it to plant the seed of faith that now exists. Despite the skepticism they may have about faith, it is a true blessing that God intends to use AM to restore the faith in Angola.
May the Holy Spirit lead AM Staff Members to thirsty souls in Angola so that God's mission will continue there and that the gospel of Jesus as their savior and friend, not as their enemy, will have a profound impact on the people's hearts.