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Missionaries Profile

South Africa

Religions: Christian denominations; Hinduism; Islam; African traditional religions

Languages: Afrikaans and English (two of the 11 official languages); many African languages

Ethnic groups: Blacks of Bantu origin; Europeans; people of mixed race; Asians

Location: Southern-most country on the continent of Africa

Size: 471,000 square miles; 1,221,037 square kilometers, larger than Texas, but smaller than Alaska

Population: 43,586,000 (2001 est.)

Gutierrez, Richard and Anita Gutierrez Richard and Anita

Drs. Anita and Rick Gutierrez serve Jesus with churches of the Baptist Mission of South Africa in Durban. AIDS, tuberculosis, diabetes, cardiovascular problems, violence and substance abuse are some of the health challenges there. Rick and Anita use their expertise in family practice medicine to consult with these local Baptist churches. Together, they discern the unmet health needs of the people and train members in health skills that can be used in concert with evangelistic outreach. They adapt the training to an appropriate level for each church and setting. Their vision is an energized and encouraged Body of Christ taking up its God-given role to be an agent of Christ's healing and shalom.

A clear sense of call led Rick and Anita to this mission. Rick's childhood was disadvantaged in many ways, but as a child beloved of God he was protected and emerged faithful and loving the Lord. He went into the areas of immunology research and medicine, and always looked to integrate his Christian faith with the work at hand. God changed the direction of that work by calling him to foreign missions in 1999.

Anita, too, felt called to mission work. She yearned to respond to the desperate health needs in poor countries overseas, yet she didn't want to leave her hometown of Kalamazoo, Michigan. After being prepared by a dream and then months later a vision, God's call came through loud and clear at the 1999 World Mission Conference, so she let go of her own plans and followed Jesus.

Anita and Rick pray that more and more people will experience the healing love of Jesus through the churches of South Africa.

Languages for ministry: English and Zulu

Primary ethnic groups worked with: South African Indians, and Zulus