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Positioning care as ‘being with the other’ within a cross-cultural context: Opportunities and challenges of pastoral care provision amongst people from diverse culturesPastoral care is an intervention that relies on good and quality relationships between the caregiver and the cared individual, if effective and positive outcomes are to be realised. With increased intermixing of people due to migration, globalisation and other technological advances, caregivers find themselves in complex and awkward situations when attempting to ‘care for other’ persons from different cultural contexts. This challenge presents opportunities for developing and strengthening innovative care. On the other hand, the challenge poses a threat of worsening the situation or failure to positively alter it. Within this context, the critical humane factor of “being with the other person”, enshrined in African humane thinking, as indicated by the notion of Ubuntu, provides a lens of “doing” care across cultures. Care, humaneness and being with the other people are notions that bind humanity universally and yet their expression differs across cultures. This article proposes a framework for positioning pastoral caregiving within a global context as well as suggests guidelines on how global pastoral care utilising the notion of ‘being with the other’ in global context can be done. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article explores the notion of pastoral care from the perspective of care within the global context of pastoral ministry. It draws from the African concept of Ubuntu to develop a care approach that is humane and relational in an effort to foster relevant care across different contexts. The study has direct implications for practical theology particularly pastoral care within cross cultural missions and anthropology.
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The relevance of pastoral counselling 
 in South Africa: with reference to the South African Association for Pastoral WorkIn South Africa, no occupational or professional councils for pastoral work exist as yet. In order to support pastoral counsellors in their negotiations to obtain professional status in this country, the presumed limitations and ineffectiveness of present mental health systems in South Africa is examined. Pastoral counselling as a possible national health resource is explored with reference to primary health care, freedom of choice, consumer rights, cost-effectiveness, spirituality, social change and reconciliation and multi-cultural application.
 
 Arguments are imbedded in relevant theory and supported by vignettes of suffering, survival, and redemption in spirituality. A postmodern, qualitative approach is used. Participants' narratives indicate that they have experienced healing through utilising their religion and spirituality. However, this study does not claim to provide conclusive proof that pastoral work is relevant in this country - it should be seen as part of a process which aims to develop pastoral counselling as a profession.
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Reflection on pastoral care in Africa: Towards discerning emerging pragmatic pastoral ministerial responsesPastoral care takes different forms in responding to people’s needs in their context. Accordingly, over the centuries it has evolved in response to emerging needs. Historical developments in pastoral care are well-documented. However, pastoral care in Africa has a short and unsystematically documented history. Scholarly discussions on pastoral care concerning the continent tend to be considered under African theological frameworks. Notwithstanding the already existing weaknesses in African theological discussion, pastoral care in Africa has remained fragmented with diverse and seemingly knee-jerk approaches in guiding individuals who provide pastoral care. In view of this, this article firstly aims to provide a broad overview and initiate a discussion on the current challenges in pastoral care in Africa. Secondly, it aims to reveal some gaps worth pursuing by scholars in the discipline. Thirdly, it sheds some light on approaches employed by pastoral practitioners in pastoral ministry practice. In doing so, this article opens the lid on some perspectives adopted in ministry work on the frontlines, that is, providing pastoral care to people in their communities – particularly church communities. This article first outlines the problem to be addressed followed by an overview of pastoral care in Africa. It then proceeds to address potential research opportunities within the discipline. Finally, it highlights some emerging approaches in providing pastoral care in the communities. This article does not focus on one particular pastoral care issue, but gives an overview of the situation relative to pastoral care in Africa and the emerging responses.