Lesotho

The small, mountainous kingdom of Lesotho is completely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. This fact has had great influence on the country, both economically and politically. Almost 40 percent of the country’s males work in South Africa, mostly in the mines. Raising sheep, goats, and cattle is the common occupation of those who remain at home.

“Churches are still dominated by men, who are unable to communicate openly, due to cultural restraints, in educating their congregations about the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This is slowing down the fight against the disease, which affects 30 percent of the population,” says the First Lady of Lesotho, Mathato Mosisili. Mosisili’s remarks were made at the Lutheran World Federation in Geneva, which is helping Lesotho fight HIV/AIDS. Mosisili, however, praised churches for their active involvement in combating the pandemic and its effects, exacerbated by a chronic drought.

Mauritius

Lying in the Indian Ocean, one thousand miles off the southeast coast of Africa and 550 miles beyond Madagascar, is the island nation of Mauritius. Measuring only twenty-five by thirty-two miles, it is densely populated. A volcanic island, it was originally uninhabited and therefore has no indigenous people. Although the Dutch were the first to settle the island beginning in 1598, the French held it from 1715 to 1810, and the British occupied it until independence was achieved in 1968. The majority of the inhabitants are immigrants from India. English is the official language, but the dominant language and culture are French. The population is an ethnic mix of Indians, Africans, Europeans, and Chinese.
The Presbyterian Church of Mauritius (PCM), PC(USA)’s partner denomination in Mauritius, has approximately one thousand members in five parishes—four French-speaking and one English-speaking. The PCM became autonomous in 1979.