Charles Whitson, first and founding pastor of the Eastside Baptist Church in Windhoek, Namibia died on the Lord’s Day, 9th
December 2012, in LaFayette, Alabama,
USA. He was affectionately known as ‘Uncle Charles‘ to many in Namibia. He was a missionary
of the Southern Baptist Convention sent out to South
West Africa (today Namibia) in
1968. He came at the request of the
Baptist Union of Southern Africa (BUSA) in order to establish churches in this territory, which was then under South
African rule. He concluded his ministry
in Namibia at the end of 1992, and thus served for about 24 years in SWA/Namibia.
As at the date of writing he had been gone from Namibia for 20 years. Many here
will therefore not know him, but it is my desire
to keep his memory alive for the sake of our posterity.
Charles
was married to Betty, and two daughters, Deborah and Virginia
(Ginger) were born to
them. Their marriage was a wonderful exhibition of faithful and committed
companionship, as they served the cause
of Christ in Namibia in an unselfish and sacrificial manner.
Charles and Betty loved the
people that they ministered to. After
their daughters had left home and had returned to the USA, Charles and Betty
spent much time visiting people,
ministering to them on a personal basis.
The people they were ministering to were often
stubborn and slow to obey the
Lord Jesus Christ. I saw them weeping for such when I was privileged to
live in their home for a few months in the early eighties.
Charles
had a great sense of humour. Once he told us when he was growing up as a child in Alabama,
“we were so poor, we couldn’t even afford
the German measles!” His winsome
personality, his southern humour, together
with a homely anecdotal style made him a
preacher that the people liked to listen to. He wasn’t an expository preacher; neither was
he too fond of taking firm doctrinal
positions – a factor, which I believe ultimately contributed to the loss of much of the
work that he had started.
Charles and Betty were involved
with the churches of Walvis Bay,
Swakopmund, Khomasdal, Rehoboth, Luderitz and Windhoek, personally encouraging pastors and congregations alike.
Charles was
instrumental in establishing
the Windhoek Baptist Church
(today, All Nations Christian Church), the Khomasdal Baptist Church, the Eastside
Baptist Church in Windhoek, and in the closing days of his missionary services, the Luderitz
Baptist church, whilst also
ministering to a small flock in Rehoboth. Sadly (and I believe, to his
own sorrow) much of the work which he started was lost to other
causes.
Eastside Baptist Church which was
constituted under his leadership in
June 1985, continues to be
a church committed to
historic Baptist principles, continuing to encourage
the greater Baptist work in Namibia.
Betty Whitson currently suffers from dementia ( Alzheimers) and
now lives in a nursing home in the USA. We pray
for her and her daughters at this time, and
continue to thank God for the spiritual
seed planted in Namibian soil.
Pastor Joachim Rieck/
Eastside Baptist Church
December 2012
1 comment:
A very inspiring and challenging testimony. To God be the glory!
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