Faith Brought Down Namibia’s Sodomy Laws

WITH HIS 78-YEAR-OLD mother in court watching and praying, Friedel Dausab calmly waited for the judges’ decision. Would Namibia’s post-colonial Constitution uphold human dignity for gay men, or would it cling to apartheid-era Calvinist laws that criminalized same-sex conduct?

Dausab, a born-again Christian, was raised in a deeply religious family. His faith undergirds his 25 years of service and advocacy for those living with HIV/AIDS. His work culminated most recently in Namibia’s landmark legal decision in June to decriminalize gay sex. Dausab was the primary litigant.

I spoke with Dausab to learn more. His testimony of faith holds strands of God’s work in history.