Cape Town, my birthplace, is often described as a paradise on earth. But as new young author Pete Portal has discovered, there is another very ugly side to it.

This former British public school boy has followed God’s call to gangster-land in one of the city’s most notorious suburbs, where drug-dealing is rampant and gun fights par for the course.

As he describes so well in his book No Neutral Ground (Hodder & Stoughton), he is not only working among them, but has also moved in - lock, stock and barrel, with his wife Sarah - to share his life, and his Lord, with gangsters and heroin addicts.

Committed to the Long Haul

Many have come to know the freedom of Christ for themselves – an ex-Muslim even came off heroin painlessly through listening to a worship song and went on to become a shining light for Jesus.

Pete has endured many setbacks and heartaches as converts showing great promise have retreated to their old ways, but he is committed to the long haul, rather than looking for quick results and scarpering.

He has thus gradually built up a Christian community in Manenberg, a largely coloured (mixed race) township steeped in poverty and degradation.

Pete has endured many setbacks and heartaches, but he is committed to the long haul, rather than looking for quick results and scarpering.

A similar outreach, known as the Eden project and pioneered by Andy Hawthorne of the Message Trust, is encouraged in many parts of Britain (including here in Doncaster), through which Christians have left their comfortable neighbourhoods to help struggling communities.

Pete is also clearly inspired by the work of Jackie Pullinger, who has spent the past 50 years rescuing heroin addicts in Hong Kong. As Jesus came to live among us, so Pete has attempted to do among the poor, downtrodden and forgotten people for whom he is offering the best years of his life.

Naïve in Places

Quoting Bill Arlow – “It is better to fail in a cause that will finally succeed than to succeed in a cause that will finally fail” – Portal writes: “Two of my greatest struggles are the crippling fear that I’m wasting my life, and the seductive pull to be seen as a success. Whatever questions both of these bring up in me, I’m determined to live life sowing into the only ultimately successful cause – being faithful to Jesus’ call.”

I salute his efforts, even though I detect a naivety in some of his musings on the political causes of the mess that is Manenberg. The root of much that is going on there surely lies in a vicious spiritual battle in which the forces of darkness are still apparently holding sway; it is not merely the legacy of apartheid.

And while we’re on the subject, I also take issue with his view on (what he describes as) ‘Israel-Palestine’ where he was hosted by a Palestinian Christian during a visit in 2016. Like so many uninformed commentators, he dares to compare what he saw with apartheid, referring to Israel as an ‘oppressive empire’ keeping the beleaguered Palestinians under control.

Admittedly, he acknowledges ignorance of the conflict, in which case more research is called for – but he is unlikely to get at the truth from the mainstream media. Perhaps try this site for a start!

As a Christian, he should know that Israel is entitled to their land – not only because the Bible says so, but also through international agreements conveniently ignored and forgotten by much of the current political establishment, especially in South Africa.

I salute Portal's efforts, even though I detect a naivety in some of his musings on the political causes of the mess that is Manenberg.

Promise of Restoration

Ironically, he finishes his otherwise excellent book shortly after describing his trip to Israel with a quote from Jeremiah 33, which is all about the promise of restoration – of peace and security, healing, forgiveness and joy – to the people of Israel, something they are at last beginning to experience now.

Yes, by extension and grace, Christians can also now claim these wonderful promises, but they are first and foremost directed at God’s chosen people who are still far from perfect and in need of transformation, just as much as the gangsters of Manenberg.

Until that happens, we must continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Ps 122:6). And we thank God that Pete Portal and his friends are doing so much to bring peace to the lovely Cape coloured people of South Africa.

‘No Neutral Ground: Finding Jesus in a Cape Town Ghetto’ (288pp) is available from Amazon for £11.48 (paperback). Also available on Kindle.