Since 1914 Christians still flock to Concord seeking rest and refreshment

Africa, the darkest continent, was colonised during the 18th century by pioneers trekking northwards through the hot, african veld. Also facing the dangers of the wild, untamed land, were missionaries who came to extend the kingdom of God among the heathen tribes.. .

The long, hard struggle to spread the word of God took its toll not only of life, but also in the mind, spirit and body of those who bore the hardships.. When brief rest could be taken, only the primitive frontier towns provided any semblance of civilisation to the weary missionaries. The only alternatives for a place of rest was the long soul-tapping journey to cape town or the more permanent return to the home country. Even by the eventful year of 1914 the situation was not much better in the bustling seaport of durban on the east coast of south africa.

Misses Grace & Mary Hitchcock

Here lived two sisters, miss grace and miss mary hitchcock, who loved the Lord Jesus Christ and those who spread his word. In their need to serve God, they conceived a brilliant idea; that of a missionary home to provide both the spiritual and physical rest to refresh tired and weary missionaries.

What better place to position it than in durban near zululand, mozambique and swaziland, where great mission works were taking place and with durban's glorious unspoilt beaches and warm sea at hand.
The two sisters, with a number of consecrated Christian laymen, found a suitable building in the form of a beautiful double-storey house in tree-lined windermere road. The house was situated both near the city and the beaches, in a quiet residential area.

The house was rented in june 1914, "Concord" was opened and received its first guests.

Although started as a twelve month experiment, it immediately became obvious that a great need was being met. The first annual report of the home tells of men and women 'driven to it by necessity, sick, tired and sometimes will nigh disheartened', who found within its walls 'chambers of peace and quietness'. God willed that there should be such a place in durban; a home base, a rest house, a transit station for the use of his front-line soldiers who serve him in the mission field and various fields of Christian activity.

Some of the members of the Concord Committee alongside the "Taunus Bus"(1952) After the first experimental year, the lease was renewed for a further period, until finally a bold step of faith caused the committee to purchase the house. The purchase was being financed mainly through the raising of a substantial bond. In 1930 a new wing was built onto the main building. The need for facilities proved so great that a neighbouring house had to be purchased as an annexe. Great changes took place when a new major road (argyle road) was build resulting in the expropriation of the annexe and its demolition. Fortunately the loss was compensated for by the acquisition of more land to enable a modern block of rooms to be built in 1979. There was also an old wood and iron building between the main house and the new block which had to be demolished. More rooms were built upstairs and a car park was build downstairs.

From its inception, concord christian guest house has been administrated by a committee of men and women whose hearts share the same feelings as those which inspired the originators of the scheme. In its years of existence concord has sheltered under its roof men and women from all parts of the world, of differing outlook and nationality, and of all denominations. All have been regarded as, treated as, and proved to be 'all one in Christ Jesus'.

Although africa is now largely tamed, Christians still flock to concord seeking rest and refreshment. We thank the Lord that concord is still able to serve many Christian workers from all over the world, and we pray that God will bless the work here at concord for many years to come.