J Relig Health (2008) 47:288–301

DOI 10.1007/s10943-007-9157-7

ORIGINAL PAPER

Spirituality as a Resiliency Quality in Xhosa-speaking

Families in South Africa

Abraham P. Greeff Æ Karla Loubser

Published online: 29 December 2007

Blanton-Peale Institute 2007

Abstract The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore spirituality as a charac-
teristic of family resilience in Xhosa-speaking families in South Africa. A parent, and in
some cases an adolescent, represented each of the 51 families that participated. Participants
were expected to respond to three open-ended questions regarding their family and identify
factors or strengths that had recently helped their family. The results indicate that spiri-
tuality is an important coping resource. The core theme of spirituality consists of six
related categories that facilitated the successful adaptation of the participating families
after a crisis. These categories are Gifts from God; Guidance; God’s Works; God’s Plan;
Prayer; and Faith.

Keywords Spirituality
Family
Family resilience
Family adaptation
African

Introduction

Little research has been conducted on key processes in black families in South Africa
(Smith 2006). According to the 2005 midyear population estimation, approximately 79%
of the South African population is black and, according to the national census, Xhosa is the
most spoken language in South Africa, second only to Zulu. In the Eastern Cape specif-
ically, 82% of the population is Xhosa speaking (Statistics South Africa 2005).
Life crises and constant stressors can derail the functioning of a family, causing ripple
effects for the individual family members and their respective relationships (Walsh 2003).
Culture provides convictions and practices that maintain mental wellbeing. Counsellors’
inadequate knowledge of spiritual matters can result in denial and the misjudgement of
important aspects of their clients’ convictions and belief systems. Multicultural counsellors
should take spirituality into account, as it is an integral component of culture (Eck 2002;
Fukuyama and Sevig 1999). Consequently, the goal of this investigation was, on the one

A. P. Greeff (&)
K. Loubser

Department of Psychology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602,
Stellenbosch, South Africa
e-mail: apg@sun.ac.za

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hand, to contribute to existing knowledge regarding black families in South Africa and, on
the other hand, to develop a better understanding of spirituality as a potential healing force
in black, Xhosa-speaking families in the Eastern Cape.
Antonovsky developed the salutogenic paradigm that looks at the origin of health.
According to this paradigm, stressors are part of human existence and it is just as important
to investigate successful coping as it is to investigate the origin of pathology (Antonovsky
and Sourani 1988). The salutogenic perspective is focussed primarily on characteristics
that contribute towards healthy functioning in families, rather than on factors that are
associated with shortcomings (Hawley and DeHaan 1996). From a salutogenic perspective,
the myth of a problem-free family is questioned, and family reconstruction and ability to
regenerate are emphasised (Greeff and Human 2004).
Over the past two decades, resilience has become an important construct in theory and
research on psychological wellbeing. The term resilience refers to the ability to withstand
disruptive life challenges and bounce back from adversity (Walsh 2003). Walsh identifies
key processes in the following three domains of family functioning: family belief systems,
organisational patterns and communication patterns. The key processes that Walsh
describes in the domain of family belief systems relate to the manner in which families
attach meaning to hardship, the effects of a positive outlook on life, transcendence and
spirituality. According to Walsh, resilience is cultivated through shared beliefs that help
family members to attach meaning to crisis situations and form a hopeful, positive outlook.
Strengths and resources empower individuals and families to react successfully to crises
and continuous challenges. These shared belief systems, in turn, organise family processes
and the family’s approach to crisis situations (Walsh 2003).
Spirituality is a key family dimension that promotes the adaptation of family members, as
well as the family as a unit (Walsh 2003). Spirituality can be experienced and expressed
through religion, which is characterised by beliefs, social organisation and cumulative tra-
ditions. Spiritual traditions are optimistic in that they keep hope alive in the midst of hardship
(Wolin et al. 1999). Such traditions share the belief that there is a way through trauma
and tribulation and that human beings have the ability to find this way. According to
Fukuyama and Sevig (1999), spirituality also promotes realistic hope, attachment of
meaning, values, inner freedom, belief systems, peak experiences as well as man’s
relationship with God.
In most cultures, spirituality is not seen as separate to the rest of life (Fukuyama and
Sevig 1999). Walsh (2003) is of the opinion that spiritual beliefs have an influence on the
way in which adversity is managed, pain and suffering is experienced and meaning is
attached to symptoms. Doherty (2003) indicates that spirituality cannot be ignored in
counselling, because it is a core aspect of human life. This standpoint does not just
originate from the fact that clients often have problems with their own spiritual experi-
ences, but also because it is a potentially important resource that can be used to overcome
problems. Spirituality and/or religion are therefore an important aspect of health care
(Connor et al. 2003).
McIntosh et al. (1993) investigated the effect of beliefs and values on the mental
wellbeing of Americans. They found that the importance of spirituality was a predictor of
better adaptation in parents who had to handle the loss of a child. Research on individuals
who experienced serious crises shows that faith and trust in God, as well as a belief that all
things work together for good, are positively associated with better adaptation (Loewenthal
1995).
In various studies, it has been found that spirituality helps people handle life problems,
stress and depressive feelings, as well as their physical and psychological health

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(Fukuyama and Sevig 1999). Brodsky (1996) investigated the experiences of hardship of
African-American single mothers as well as the way in which they handle it. The par-
ticipants’ descriptions characterised a unique balance between stressors and resources that
existed in the following eight dimensions of their lives: spirituality, personal characteris-
tics, role as parent, family, friends, a male significant other, money and residential area.
Dossey (1993) found that faith and trust in God, prayer and spiritual practices may speed
up physical healing as a result of the influence that emotions have on the immune and
cardiovascular systems. Oshodi (1999) found that spirituality forms a part of achievement
motivation in Nigerian adults and students.
Spiritual strengthening, whether formal-religious or personal-existential, has a buffering
effect on the effects of violent trauma and may contribute to improved general wellbeing.
Furthermore, strong faith in a spiritual power often comes to the fore as a way in which to
handle trauma resulting from violence (Connor et al. 2003).
Although spirituality is seen as a private, personal matter, people often have a need to share
their experiences with others in the community or want to be part of a group support system
(Fukuyama and Sevig 1999). Loewenthal (1995) states that religion can serve as a protective
factor in its own right, as a result of the sense of belonging that arises from religious affiliation.
There is an expectation that involvement in any type of religious group increases the avail-
ability of potential and actual social support (Loewenthal 1995). Involvement in religious and
spiritual activities results in social integration and social support for families in crisis. Greeff
and Human (2004) found that 67% of the families in which a parent had died identified
religion and spiritual support as important coping resources.
Spirituality is deeply imbedded in the development of a healthy life cycle by Africans
(Wheeler et al. 2002). It involves the search for fulfilment and transcendence in the midst
of the chaos of life. From a very early age, an awareness of the spirit is imprinted and
reinforced. An underlying African-centred value is a sense of connection to the ancestors
and the community from a spiritual point of view (Fukuyama and Sevig 1999). The
ancestors are the link with the deceased and are therefore a very important source of
support for many Xhosa-speaking people—one that they can fall back on in times of
hardship (Thomas 1999). Those who are still alive can turn to the ancestors for comfort,
provision and strength. Thomas found that the ancestors are a spiritual resource that helps
families to gain clarity on challenging situations and to find solutions for problems. These
solutions are provided by means of dreams and visions (Thomas 1999). Participants in
Thomas’ (1999) investigation indicated that the ancestors had meaningful commitments to
the living that believe in and worship them. The participants also experienced that God
addressed their needs in a loving and protective manner.
It follows from the preceding discussion that resilience in the midst of crisis and
adversity is not just dependent on individual characteristics, but also on a combination of
various family processes. From previous research, it is apparent that spirituality is one of
the dimensions that contribute to family resilience in crises. The goal of the present study is
to develop a richer understanding of how spirituality plays a facilitative role in family
adaptation in the midst of adversity.

Method

An exploratory, cross-sectional study was conducted in which semi-structured interviews

were conducted with parents and, in some cases with adolescents, as representatives of
their families. Grounded theory was used for the systematic analysis of the qualitative data.

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Participants

Fifty-one Xhosa-speaking families who experienced either the death of a child or a serious
financial setback, with at least one adolescent child and living in the rural area around
Alice in the Eastern Cape, voluntarily participated in the present study. The families were
identified by a Xhosa-speaking lecturer who is actively involved in the cultural and church
activities in the community concerned.
The identification of the families was done on the grounds of prior knowledge of a crisis
in the family. Families meeting these criteria were contacted telephonically or visited at
home by two Xhosa-speaking postgraduate psychology students. After the family was
provided with information regarding the study (namely the goals and method), they were
asked if they would be prepared to take part. In the event that the identified family was not
prepared to take part, another family was identified. This, however, happened only in very
few cases. The families themselves decided which parent and, where possible, which
adolescent, would represent the family. Prospective participants were invited to give their
opinion on the project and to ask any questions that had arisen up to that point.
Fifty-one parents and twenty-six adolescents took part in the study. The majority of the
participating parents were female (n = 45; 88%), and six (12%) were male. The average
age of the participating parents was 47 years (SD = 10.41). Twelve (46%) of the partic-
ipating adolescents were male, while fourteen (54%) were female. The average age of the
adolescents was 17 years (SD = 3.43).
Twelve (23%) of the parents were single, while thirty-four (67%) were in their first
marriage and three (6%) were in their second marriage. The current marital status and
marital history for two of the participants (4%) is unknown. Twelve (24%) of the partic-
ipating parents were employed permanently, while sixteen (31%) only had part-time
employment. Three (6%) were pensioners and six (12%) were unemployed. The work
status of fourteen (27%) of the participating parents is unknown. With respect to the life
partners of the participating parents, nine (24%) had permanent employment, three (8%)
had part-time employment, two (6%) were pensioners and six (16%) were unemployed.
The work status of seventeen (46%) of the life partners is unknown.
The majority of the participating parents had a high school qualification (n = 28; 54%)
or a diploma (n = 11; 22%); seven (14%) had a primary school qualification; four (8%)
possessed degrees and one (2%) had another qualification. Twenty-nine (57%) of the
families that participated in the study reported an annual income of under R20000 per year;
five (10%) families earned between R21000 to R40000; nine (17%) earned between
R41000 and R60000; another five (10%) earned between R61000 and R80000; one (2%)
earned between R81000 and R100000; and one (2%) earned more than R100000 per year.
The annual income of one (2%) family is unknown. According to the 2001 national census,
31.6 million members of the South African population earn no income (Statistics South
Africa 2005). Of the 7.9 million Xhosa-speaking members of the South African popula-
tion, 5.9 million earn no income (Statistics South Africa 2005).

Procedure

Participating families were visited at their homes by a Xhosa-speaking postgraduate

psychology student who conducted a semi-structured interview with the participating
parent and/or adolescent. Both students who helped with the data collection were familiar
with the target population and received compensation for every family that was visited.

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Role-playing was used in the training of the interviewers to prepare them for the data-
collection process.
After informed consent was obtained from the participants, interviews were recorded on
audiotape with the participants’ permission. The anonymity and confidentiality of the
obtained data was emphasised throughout. All data was coded and pseudonyms were used
in all written reports.
During the interviews it was emphasised that there were no ‘‘right’’ or ‘‘wrong’’ answers
and the participants were requested to focus on their own experiences. The interview
process proceeded as follows: first the biographical questionnaire was completed. After
that, the following three open-ended questions were posed to the participants: ‘‘What are
the first thoughts that occur to you if you have to talk about your family?’’, ‘‘In your own
words, what are the most important strengths that have helped your family recently?’’ and
‘‘What does it mean to you to be a member of your family?’’ Open-ended questions were
used so that personal narratives regarding family life and family resilience could be
obtained.
The preceding approach is in accordance with the goal of the study, which was to
explore meanings in their full complexity and context, the participants’ constructions of
their family life, and more specifically, to reflect spirituality as a characteristic of family
resilience. Although no specific questions were asked related to the role played by spiri-
tuality in the resilience of families, references to spirituality came up spontaneously and
repeatedly. All of the participating families received a food basket at the end of the
interview process as a token of appreciation for their time and participation.
Grounded theory was used to systematically analyse the qualitative data on spirituality
as a family resilience characteristic in times of crisis. The data was reduced from many
cases to concepts and sets of relational statements (Strauss and Corbin 1998).

Results

An analysis of the data indicates that spirituality is a core aspect that contributed to the
resilience of the families that participated in the present study. Representatives of all 51
families responded to the three open-ended questions regarding their family and identified
the most important factors or strengths that had helped their family during a recent crisis.
The responses indicated that spirituality could be regarded as a resource that provided a
protective function and facilitated recovery. Six main categories were identified: Gifts from
God; Guidance; God’s Works; God’s Plan; Prayer; and Faith. These six categories com-
prise the substance of the spirituality theme. Five of these categories were further refined
into subcategories.
The category of Gifts from God has two subcategories, namely the family and love as
gifts from God. Two subcategories were also identified in the category of Guidance,
namely God and the Holy Spirit as the sources of guidance. The category of God’s Works
consists of the five subcategories God provides, God is present, God mobilises, God
provides assistance and God carries burdens.
The participants had unique ways of giving meaning to their conviction that God has a
plan for each of their lives in a special and pre-planned way. These are described in terms
of the characteristics, dimensions and conditions of this plan.
Six subcategories form part of the Prayer category. The first subcategory, the object of
worship, answers the question ‘Who is worshipped?’ The second, the nature of prayer,
answers ‘How does worship take place?’ The third subcategory is the interpersonal context

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of prayer; the fourth, frequency of prayer; the fifth covers requests made through prayer
and the final category is the results of prayer.
The last category, namely that of Faith, is subdivided into three subcategories. In the
first subcategory, the object of faith, it is explained in whom they believe. Thereafter, the
ways in which faith is practised is indicated and, lastly, an explanation is given of how faith
influences different dimensions of the participants’ existence using a process of meaning-
making.
The following discussion of the findings gives colour, texture and depth to the preceding
framework.

Discussion and Conclusions

The goal of this study was to explore spirituality as a family resilience characteristic that
contributes to the ability of Xhosa-speaking families to adapt to and bounce back from a
crisis period. The results indicate that different dimensions of spirituality are important
coping mechanisms that contribute to the resilience of a family during times of crisis. The
subsequent discussion covers the six categories and various subcategories of spirituality in
accordance with the results.

Gifts from God

The Family

In this study, the word ‘‘family’’ is an overarching term that refers to all members of the
clan to which the participant belongs. The family is primarily seen as an undeserved, God-
given gift [When I speak about my family, the things that come to my mind is gifts that God
gave me, they are so important to me.]. It would appear that there is a relationship between
the value that is attached to the family and whether family is viewed as a gift from God.
Furthermore, it appears that the family members are cared for and supported in times of
crisis, considering the high value that is attached to family [To share, listen, and trust, love
one another, these things made us strong till today and we are able to console ourselves,
and hope is the key.]. The relationship between family members is viewed as an imperative
source of support (Ross 1995).
There was an expectation among the participants that family members would be strong
for each other—spiritually, physically and mentally [Simply put, being a member of my
family means that I have to be a strong person in mind, body and spirit, for them.]. Viljoen
(1994) also found in her study that the majority of Xhosa-speaking participants in the
Eastern Cape show a strong commitment to the family as a social institution. This is
indicative of a culture of collectivism and community. Nobles (quoted in Fukuyama and
Sevig 1999) found that, in the African culture, individuals belong to an extended kinship
network where people suffer and rejoice together and share in a collective responsibility
and destiny.
The participants in this study showed respect, gratitude and appreciation to God for the
gift of family because family members are strong for each other and support each other.
From the data it was not clear whether there is a relationship between the intensity of the
support and care that is offered and the nature of the mutual relationships between family
members, whether supportive and caring or conflict ridden.

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Love

Like having a family, love in the family context is described as an undeserved gift from
God. Furthermore, love is seen as never-ending and a defined constitutive characteristic of
the family unit. From the participants’ responses, it was clear that love is a natural char-
acteristic of the family [AmaXhosa say in a family, love does not stop anywhere, because
love is a gift from God, loving is natural, no one can deny that.]. Furthermore, the
participants were of the opinion that the family and love mutually imply each other’s
presence and existence. This God-given love is expressed by comforting and trusting one
another in times of hardship. This is done by really listening to each other and fostering
hope together [To share, listen, and trust, love one another, these things made us strong till
today and we are able to console ourselves, and hope is the key.].
The hypothesis exists that the intensity of the natural love that is implied by the concept
of family varies as circumstances change. The participants’ responses showed that the
frequency and intensity of the expression of love increased in periods of crisis and hard-
ship. It follows that the family system and love promote resilience in the families that
participated in this study.

Guidance

The participating family members described both God and the Holy Spirit as sources of
guidance in periods of crisis and hardship. The majority of families experience guidance,
strength and comfort in times of crisis through connecting with their cultural and religious
traditions (Walsh 2003).

God

The participants stated that, through their interactions with Him, God strengthened them,
gave them the right guidance and showed them the best course of action [We get our
strength from God. When we are faced with the crisis or problem, we just pray to God for
guidance over that problem.]. The specific ways in which God strengthened the partici-
pants who prayed to Him for guidance in times of crisis were not clear from the responses
given. However, the participants described God’s guidance as highly strengthening and
effective in unfavourable conditions.

The Holy Spirit

The participants in this study experienced the Holy Spirit as a power that gives guidance in
crisis periods. The nature, frequency and intensity of the guidance that is given by the Holy
Spirit are not immediately apparent from the participants’ responses. It would seem, how-
ever, that faith in the Holy Spirit is a prerequisite for the guiding work of the Spirit [Believing
in the Holy Spirit as the guiding spirit.]. There appears to be a difference in the way in which
participants gain access to God and the Holy Spirit. Access to God is obtained through
prayer, while the Holy Spirit is accessed by means of faith. This difference is a possible
indicator that participants view God as more accessible and reachable than the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is seen largely as abstract, mystical and detached from humankind.

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God’s Works

God Provides

In many cultures, spiritual and religious concerns cannot be separated from material,
psychological or health concerns (Walsh 2003). Participants know God as the All-
knowing Saviour that spontaneously meets their needs (especially materially) in times of
adversity [Loving of God and Jesus Christ as our saviour and provider.]. Thomas (1999)
also found that Xhosa-speaking people experienced that God meets their needs in a
loving and protective way. God empowered the participants in this study as He meets
their needs, considering that He does not deprive them of the opportunity to faithfully
meet their responsibilities [During the time I was rearing my children, God revealed
Himself in my life and blessed me with a job. I was able to take care of my children, and
educate them.].
With respect to the effects of God’s intercession in a financial crisis, it would appear
that the solution for such a crisis resulted in greater spiritual and psychological wellbeing
in the participants. From a holistic perspective, a person’s psychological wellbeing is
inextricably linked to their spiritual wellbeing (Fukuyama and Sevig 1999). For those who
are not financially well off, spirituality is a resource that enables them to overcome their
feelings of discouragement and hopelessness (Aponte 1999).

God is Present

The participants’ responses show that God is the only One who can be trusted to be
constantly present in tempestuous times [God the Almighty has been there in the most
turbulent of times, above the rest.]. There is an expectation that the experience of difficult
times in the past, where God’s presence was experienced every time, provides reassurance
that there will be an awareness of His presence also in future times of crisis [I can only
single out the powerful force of the Almighty, which has helped us during difficult times,
having faith and hoping in God.). The intense experience of God as reliable and infallible
provides emotional security and safety.

God Mobilises

In periods of crisis and hardship, God eases the movement away from the power-
lessness of intolerable life circumstances [During difficult times it was very hard even
when it was time for us to eat. We ate half a loaf as a family. I (crying, weeping)
raised them hard and it was not easy. But, God took me to another level.]. This
mobilisation implies progress and development. This is in concurrence with the findings
of Walsh (2003) that family resilience in adversity offers potential for growth and
personal and relationship transformations. The participants’ willingness to invest energy
in this mobilisation is clearly apparent in the majority of their responses. This follows
from the response that the participants’ commitment to the acceptance of responsibility
for the preservation of their spiritual wellbeing is a priority, in spite of threatening life
circumstances.

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God Provides Assistance and He Carries Burdens

God is described and experienced as the carrier of burdens who brings relief [The loving of
God and Jesus Christ is our saviour and provider.]. Doherty (2003) states that spiritual
experiences are an important resource that can be used to overcome difficulties. The act of
handing problems over to God is modelled for adolescents by parents [You know at home,
whenever we had a crisis or problem, we gave it to Jehovah Almighty, so this is something
we do; we were also taught or raised like that at home.]. It is not clear from the partici-
pants’ responses how problems are handed over to God, whether it is through prayer,
rituals or other channels. In future studies it would be valuable to investigate the cir-
cumstances under which the manner and frequency of the handing over of problems varies.

God’s Plan

From the participants’ responses the following conviction is clear: God has a unique,
predetermined plan for the life of each individual [… I have learnt a lesson, it turned to
become a learning experience. One can almost say, it was predestination, I guess.]. This
plan was described by participants as good [We put the Lord as our base, because without
believing that things can happen for the better, it is because of the Lord Jesus.]. Loe-
wenthal (1995) indicated that individuals who experience serious crises see faith and trust
in God, as well as a conviction that all things work together for the good, as very important.
The perseverance and resilience of families in times of crisis is strengthened by the
meaning that they attach to the will of God, as well as the hope of an eventual reward with
eternal value (Eternity) [Perseverance, hoping that in the end there would be a reward for
it.]. Hope is a future-orientated belief that implies that a better future can be anticipated,
regardless of the unpleasantness and unattractiveness of the present (Walsh 2003). It would
appear that, for the participants in this study, being resigned to God’s will and the hope of
an eventual eternal reward serve as encouragement to stand strong and bounce back from
the extensive impact of hardship.
Hope was described by the participants as the key to resilience [I can only single out the
powerful force of the Almighty, which has helped us during difficult times: having faith
and hoping in God.]. This is in agreement with the findings of Walsh (2003) that family
resilience brings forth shared hope and, in this way, empowers families. Although the
participants in the present study identified support within the family (in the form of trust,
open communication and comfort) as a strength in crisis periods, hope makes a greater
contribution to family resilience [To share, listen, and trust, love one another, these things
made us strong till today and we are able to console ourselves, and hope is the key.].
Faith in God’s greater plan appears to be indispensable to standing strong in circum-
stances that are characterised by adversity and where the participants’ physical and/or
psychological wellbeing is threatened.

Prayer

The participants in this study could form a clear idea of God, despite His invisibility. For
the majority of the participants, God was a provider whom they could talk to in times of
crisis [We get our strength from God. When we are faced with the crisis or problem, we just
pray to God for guidance over that problem.]. Werner and Smith (in Walsh 2003) also

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found that the act of prayer is a source of resilience, while Thomas (1999) found that
people speak to God directly about their concerns.

Object of Worship

The participants worshipped Jesus and God (also referred to as Jehovah or The Almighty),
while they also revered the ancestors [Speaking to the Almighty to give you the correct
direction during the unpleasant life circumstances.; A family is like a kraal, where we
worship the ancestors. The family is the head office of the ancestors.]. Thomas (1999)
found that family members called on the ancestors just as often as they called on God
(Jehovah).

Nature of Prayer

The participants referred to prayer as the act of having a conversation with God. It would
appear that there is a connection between the frequency of prayer and the nature of the
participants’ life circumstances at a given point in time. This means that the frequency of
prayer increases in proportion to participants’ increasingly experiencing their life cir-
cumstances as unfavourable.
Conversations with God are seen as a dialogue, as the participants experience that their
prayers are really heard [My brother was not working, so we prayed. Thereafter he got a
job. I must say, our strength is prayer.]. Furthermore, having their prayers heard leads to
encouragement, joy and resilience [Yes, my strength or ours, is prayer, because I’m a
Christian. I do not cry when faced with crisis. It is like I’m a pregnant woman after birth,
there will be joy, but before that it was pain.]. Parker and Brown (quoted in Loewenthal
1995) found that there is a strong, positive correlation between the perceived effectiveness
of prayer and the extent to which prayer takes place during the management of a crisis.
Walsh (2003) also found that participants experienced that their prayers were really heard
and answered.

Interpersonal Context of Prayer

The act of prayer is primarily participative and collective in nature, considering that it
takes place chiefly in a family context [We pray as a family all of us, we join in prayer,
young or old.]. From the participants’ responses it appears that a representative of the
family usually leads the prayer [My mother, she is a Christian, therefore she prays
whenever there is a problem]. A few participants, however, stated that they preferred to
pray alone during times of personal crisis [Should I be in difficulty, I just pray. Thereafter, I
become encouraged, and I encourage them with the Word of God.].
When do people pray?
The frequency of prayer is higher during times of crisis [It is the support of friends,
comes the problem or trouble, the first thing is prayer, after that support.]. The open-ended
question that was posed to the participants had the purpose of finding out more about
resilience in families in times of hardship. It could thus be deduced that the participants’
responses regarding the circumstances during which the occurrence of prayer varies were
focussed on unfavourable life circumstances.

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The presence of trust in God and the participants’ freedom to call themselves Christians
appear to be prerequisites for the use of prayer in times of crisis [We believe in prayer, we
pray to God, because we trust Him.]. The criteria that participants use to call themselves
Christians were not forthcoming from their responses. Such criteria could be determined in
future studies.

Requests Made through Prayer

Analyses indicate that families pray for guidance, strength and wisdom for the most
effective way to handle the problem. Prayers for guidance are potentially related to a desire
for wisdom and knowledge regarding the most appropriate course of action. The search for
strength and wisdom could indicate a desire for the necessary strength, courage and energy
to apply correctly the knowledge regarding the most effective way in which to handle the
problem. The participants in this study also prayed for financial support [During the time I
was rearing my children, God revealed Himself in my life and blessed me with a job. I was
able to take care of my children and educate them.].

Results of Prayer

The results of prayer appear to be far-reaching. God guides the participants in the right
direction when they pray to Him in times of crisis [Speaking to the Almighty to give you the
correct direction during the unpleasant life circumstances. This has worked tremendously
well in my family.]. The nature of the guidance that is provided by God as a result of prayer
differs according to the nature of the problem, for example emotional, social or material.
The preceding indicators could be investigated in further studies, seeing that the partici-
pants in the present study were mostly confronted with material difficulty. Walsh (2003)
also found that conversations with God lead to guidance and strength in the midst of
unfavourable circumstances.
Prayer empowered the participants in the present study to stand strong while han-
dling crises. Having their prayers heard led to feelings of joy, while at other times
prayer resulted in concrete, material needs being met. Prayer and studying the Word of
God also led to feelings of surrender and encouragement [In my own experience, the
thing that has helped us during crises, is the Word of God. Should I be in difficulty, I
just pray. Thereafter, I become encouraged and I encourage them with the Word of
God.]. The participants indicated that the encouragement experienced by individual
family members spread to encourage the family system as a communal unit. The
positive results of prayer strengthened the participants’ knowledge that their prayers
were heard by God.
Reverence of the ancestors is shown through adherence to certain rituals, customs and
practises [They say it emanates from their customs, they cannot break their forefather’s
trend.]. In this way, the wishes of the ancestors are honoured by the participants. Among
Africans, spirituality involves the celebration of many of the key moments in the life of an
individual (especially birth, initiation, marriage and death) by means of ritual and cere-
mony (Wheeler et al. 2002). The reverence of the ancestors takes place in a collective
capacity [A family is like a kraal, where we worship the ancestors. The family is the head
office of the ancestors.]. It is a function of the family members’ communal involvement in
adherence to traditional practises and rituals. The family is seen as the portal through

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which access is gained to the wisdom of the ancestors. Thomas (1999) also found that the
ancestors are a spiritual resource that helps families to find solutions to problems.

Faith

The Object of Faith

From the results it seems that the participants have faith, hope and trust in God the
Almighty. Family belief systems facilitate a positive and hopeful outlook in the midst of
adversity (Walsh 2003). The participants also believe in the Holy Spirit, and the powerful
spiritual powers that bring healing, as with the ancestors [Believing in the powerful forces
of the dead, but look their spiritual power is not dead. My other daughter has been sick for
quite too long than I can remember, been to the doctors to no avail. But it took only one
goat to make the matters back to normal.]. The Holy Spirit, like God, is seen as the Spirit
that provides the necessary guidance in terms of the most appropriate course of action
[Believing in the Holy Spirit as the guiding spirit.]. This guidance then plays a facilitative
role in the successful management of a given crisis. The guidance that is provided by the
Holy Spirit appears to be a source of strength, especially in times of crisis.
From the participants’ responses it came to light that their faith in the ancestors is
associated with superstition and prophecies. One of the superstitions that are held is that
manhood and general wellbeing are determined especially by the number of children that a
man has [They usually say, a man without a family, is no man. Men must marry, have
children and expand the clan name to infinity. We are not animals, we are humans.
AmaXhosa are quite superstitious beings.]. A number of the participants were furthermore
convinced that the ancestors’ prophecies would be realised.

Ways in Which Faith is Practised

The faith in God of a family representative (often the father) is recognised and seen as a
model by the other family members [I can single out my Father’s obvious faith in God.
From that we are able to observe his deep trust in God.]. This model behaviour, in turn,
reinforces the other family members’ faith in God. Walsh (2003) describes the positive
influence of belief systems on families as remarkable. She found that the power of religious
faith and the inspiration of strong examples and mentors were particularly strong in
families that took part in her study.
The participants described faith in the Almighty as a belief that is largely shared [I think
our most important strength is prayer, because whatever we do, we put the Lord as our base,
because without believing that things can happen for the better, it is because of the Lord Jesus.
We pray as a family all of us, we join in prayer, young or old.]. Family resilience is cultivated
through shared beliefs that support members in the process of attaching meaning to crisis
situations (Walsh 2003). God is seen by the participating families as a rock, an anchor and the
axis around which the lives of family members turn. The preceding metaphors are indicative
of the participants’ experiences of steadfastness, safety and security in God.

The Effects of Faith on Different Dimensions of the Participants’ Existence

The results indicate that faith in God results in families accepting the situation that they
find themselves in, regardless of how unfavourable it is (You know at home we lost our

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father. After that we lost everything, even the house. Basically I should say hope, patience,
and unity, above all that God. We believe in Him. My mother used to say to us that we must
accept and understand the situation we are in; these are our strengths, which have helped
us during crises.]. The majority of the participants indicated that faith strengthens family
resilience to a greater extent than social support, the experience of solidarity, warmth and
patience. Walsh (2003) also found that, during crises, strong faith brings with is a
heightened sense of family resilience. A few participants in this study, however, reported
that faith as a resilience factor is secondary to co-operation, support and open communi-
cation within the family [It is working together and each and everyone has time or chance
to express his/her opinion. And you found that everyone has an input in the problem at
hand. Lastly, we believe in God.].
Faith in the ancestors involves honouring certain faith practises, as well as acknowl-
edging certain convictions [Performing all the necessities such as initiating them into
clans’ manhood and slaughtering them a goat as the symbol of acceptance. Food and
clothing come second. But we worship the ancestors.]. According to the participants, this
faith leads to certain positive outcomes. The exact nature of these positive outcomes was
not clear from the participants’ responses.

Conclusions

The findings of this study provide valuable insight with regard to a specific family pro-
tective and recovery resource, namely spirituality. In a number of different ways, families
that experienced a period of crisis and hardship depended on spirituality to help them stand
strong and bounce back.
This study contributes to a better understanding of how spirituality as a resilience factor
supports families in the adaptation period during and after a crisis. The findings can be
included in a more comprehensive family resilience framework. Such a framework could
serve as a conceptual map to develop prevention and intervention efforts and consequently
to support and strengthen families in crisis. Families can be encouraged to use their
spirituality as an already present quality that facilitates restoration and, in so doing, to
become more resilient. Families will thus be able to emerge stronger and more experienced
through their joint effort to overcome adversity. In addition, family members could pos-
sibly discover further undeveloped resources and abilities that will enable them to handle
new challenges and difficulties more effectively. In this way, each intervention would also
serve as a preventative measure (Walsh 2003). The results can be used as a basis for
future studies with a focus on resilience characteristics in black families in South Africa.
A limitation of this study is that the participants only represent a very specific group, which
is part of the wider, heterogeneous South African population.

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