African Elephant
The African elephant is the largest land animal on Earth and can use its trunk to smell water from miles away.
Flag of South Africa
Field Report
South Africa sits at the very southern tip of the African continent, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet — you can actually stand on a cape and see both. It is a large country about twice the size of Texas, filled with grasslands, mountains, coastlines, and cities where nearly 60 million people live and speak 11 different languages. Many people in South Africa know the name of Jesus, but millions of others in remote areas and unreached communities have never heard the full story of who He is and what He has done.
From the Field Notebook
African Elephant
The African elephant is the largest land animal on Earth and can use its trunk to smell water from miles away.
African Penguin
Unlike penguins you might picture in icy Antarctica, African penguins nest on the rocky beaches of South Africa's warm southern coast.
White Rhinoceros
South Africa is home to more white rhinoceroses than any other country in the world, and despite their name, they are actually grey.
Biltong
Biltong is a chewy, air-dried spiced meat — something like jerky but thicker and richer — that South Africans snack on the way Americans might snack on chips.
Braai
A braai is a traditional South African barbecue where families and neighbors gather around an open fire to grill meat together, and it is treated almost like a national event.
Pap
Pap is a thick porridge made from maize meal that has been a staple food for millions of South Africans for generations, often served alongside stews or grilled meat.
South Africa is the only country in the world with three capital cities — Pretoria is the executive capital, Cape Town is the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein is the judicial capital.
South Africa has 11 official languages, more than almost any other country on Earth, including Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, and English.
The Cradle of Humankind, a region of caves near Johannesburg, has produced more ancient human ancestor fossils than anywhere else on the planet.
Table Mountain in Cape Town is one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world — estimated to be around 600 million years old, making it far older than the Alps or the Himalayas.
South Africa was once the world's largest gold producer for over a century, and although its share has since dropped to a few percent, it still sits on top of some of the richest mineral deposits ever discovered.
Daily Life
66
Years life expectancy
91%
Can read and write
87%
Kids go to school
Missions Field Report
South Africa is home to 63 distinct people groups — 9 of them haven’t yet heard about Jesus.
A majority of South Africa's people follow Christianity (76.8%). Evangelical Christians make up about 21.1% of the population.
What People Believe
Unreached People Groups
These are communities of people who haven’t had the chance to hear about Jesus yet. They need missionaries — and they need kids like you to pray for them.
Hindi
505,000 people
Malay, Cape
350,000 people
Deaf
235,000 people
Bhojpuri Bihari
63,000 people
Jewish, English-speaking
55,000 people
Prayer Journal
Tick each one as you pray. God hears every word.