Zimbabwe Trip

We went to Zimbabwe from September 18th - 22nd for a conference in Malipati.  We were formally invited by the local Pastors in that are and come and speak at their church conference. 

 I should give you some quick background info on Zimbabwe.  Each month Samaria Mission holds pastor/leader training in Dumela and Xicumbane Mozambique.  For the past three years we have had some pastors and church leaders from Zimbabwe walk to the training in Dumela, Mozambique.  Last year they asked Samaria Mission to come to Zimbabwe.  Some of our staff headed to Zim last year to "scout out" the possibilities.  When they arrived they found that the leaders had organized a conference for our guys to preach and teach.   You can read about that trip here and here.

This year they sent a formal invitation inviting us back to teach at a conference.  The conference was at the same time as our training in Xicumbane.  Doug, Debbie, Darren, Gabriel, Member and Annah went to Xicumbane.  William, Sharyn, Sean, Mark and I went to Zimbabwe.  (I was able to go since Julia is here helping us with the kids this year.)

We woke up on Tuesday at 2:45 am and left the house at 3:45 so we could get to the border before 8:00.  The Beit Bridge border can be busy and we were hoping to beat the rush.  We managed to clear both sides in about 1 hour and 45 minutes.  We drove on the main road in Zim for about 20 minutes then we turned off onto a dirt road for about 3 hours to Malipati.  The road was not as bad as we had expected.  We were told it was "wash board" the whole way but it wasn't so bad. 

When we arrived in Malipati, we drove to the old World Vision center.  We barely got out of the bakkie and the men were there greeting us and several women were singing and clapping they were so excited and they ran over to hug me and Sharyn almost knocking us over in excitement.  It was such a warm and friendly welcome.  

It was decided that there was more shade next door on the Roman Catholic Church property and they told us to pitch our tents there.  This worked great as the conference was held at that site. 

As we set up camp, William had to drive about 50 km away with one of the leaders and "check in".  He was gone most of the afternoon.  When he arrived there they had welcomed him and offered in a meal in appreciation of us coming.  

The conference started that night at 7:00 with an evening service that was open to the community as well.  Sean preached that night.  
 
After the service we were given the official schedule for the week.  Each day would run the same. 

6 am ... Devo 

8 am ... Breakfast

9 am to 11:00 ... 1st session 

11:15 to 1:00 ... 2nd session 

1:00 ... lunch 

2:00 - 4:00 ... 3rd session 

6:00 ... dinner

7:00 - 10:00 ... evening service  

We did ask them to excuse us from devotion as the days were going to be long for the guys and we asked for them to please pray for us as they teach and preach.   They agreed that would be a wise decision and instead of having a large group devo they asked for everyone to have devo with the groups they were staying with.  

The single ladies were sleeping in the church and on Wednesday morning Mark and I woke up at 5 am to the ladies singing How Great Thy Art in Shona.  It was such a sweet sound.  We laid in our bed listening and praising the Lord as we fell back asleep for a little longer (keep in mind we were going on a little sleep the day before).  It was a great way to wake up.

It is really so hard to explain everything we saw and experienced there.  Honestly, I have put off writing this post because it is so hard to really put in words.  


Pastor Steven told us they were expecting 60 people to attend the daily sessions during the conference. They had a registry and there 100 people who attended the conference. The evening services were open to the entire community. Tuesday through Thursday night the attendance during the evening services reached around 200 and on Friday when we showed the Jesus film there were close to 300 people there.

This was a very organized conference and the local Pastors worked together and worked very hard on this conference. There were leaders from several churches: Baptist Church, Christian Evangelistic Assemblies, Zion Christian Church, Revival Gospel Ministries, Roman Catholic, Free Methodist, Pentecostal Assemblies of Zimbabwe. They came from 10 different villages and Amosse and his wife, Nomathemba as well as Masango from Mozambique joined the conference as well. 

William, Sean and Mark split the teaching times and they each preached during one of the evening services.  The topics for the sessions were:  

*The Sovereignty of God and Salvation focusing on the condition of Fallen Man and the Responsibility of God in Salvation. 

*Authority of Scripture
*Sufficiency of Christ in Everyday Living and in Ministry. *Supremacy in Christ through Preaching. 

  

During one of the question and answer times a gentleman stood and thanked Sean for teaching. He thanked him for not just preaching from his own mind and thoughts but from God's Word. He shared that he was concerned that there were people who just accept but don't really understand. He asked Sean to spend some time clarifying election and predestination.

 

William wrapped up during the last session on Friday by encouraging everyone to not only want Christ for our salvation but to acknowledge Christ alone is sufficient in our everyday living and in our ministry! When we depart from Christ and His word we are on a dangerous road.

Here are pictures of a few sites we saw right after entering Zim.  A lot different from Mozambique.

After two hours on the dirt road we stopped for a stretch and to enjoy the view.  

Then it was time for a bathroom break ... which tree do you want??? 

The pastors and leaders were so helpful.  Our camp was set in record time. 

This is the Roman Catholic Church ... the site for the conference.

This taxi arrived Tuesday evening.  You could hear the people singing as they drove up.  They also had a warm welcome to the conference.  

Our first session on Wednesday morning was held inside.  There were over 70 people and it was HOT and humid there.  It was decided that it would be better to move outside for the next session. 

Most of the people attending the conference can read and had bibles and notebooks.  It was great to watch throughout the sessions as they flipped through their bibles following along and taking notes.  When a scripture needed to be read our staff read in English and then 2 people would read from the group, one in Shangaan and one in Shona. 

 

Wednesday, we were asked to join the pastors in the board room for lunch.  We had goat, chicken, sadza (pap), rice, cabbage and cold drink.  It was great to enjoy a meal with the pastors. 

 Mark studying before his session on the Authority of Scripture.   

One afternoon we decided to take a walk through Malipati. 

High School

not sure what this is or how long it has been standing there

The bus comes through this area 3 times a day.  It was always full of people and luggage and supplies for the shops on top. 

 

cell tower

one of the Spaza Shops

another set of shops and a restaurant

delivering bread to the shops

sign on the shop window ... warning mines are dangerous

we ran into Pastor Steven and Pastor Simon at the shop

this is the chicken and sadza for the restaurant

 So many people in this area have cell phones.  In fact before the sessions started they would announce to "turn your cell phones off" so that it would be a distraction!

checking their phones

Malipati Health Clinic

tractor used to fetch water from the well for the conference

 Even though most people spoke English they still used a translator.  They used Shona and Shangaan. 

Sean teaching and Pastor Simon translating

worship team practice

 

enjoying our dinner

praise and worship

evening service

they provided tea for the pastors after the evening services

 

Leya

 

fellowship between sessions

some of the catering team

the catering team

kitchen pots

Rebecca

Sharyn stirring the Sadza (Pap)

cooking the Sadza

Rebecca let me stir for awhile ... glad my crocs didn't melt!

goat's head ... someone is going to eat that!

preparing the goat meat

 The catering team worked so hard feeding everyone at the conference.  Breakfast was bread and butter.  Lunch and dinner was rice, sadza, gravy, cabbage, goat and chicken. 

 Friday afternoon Meriam, who takes care of the World Vision center and the World Vision Guest House wanted to take us on a tour.  (The community now owns both the center and the guest house.)  We walked about 1 km to the guest house.  It was a nice walk.  She told us anyone can stay there for $10 a night per person. 

Meriam

these little ones came to greet us

  Feilda was apart of the worship team and worked hard everyday preparing and cleaning up from the days event. 

Fielda was apart of the worship team.

Saziso

Friday was really hot so the decision was made to move the morning sessions under a large tree.  It made a huge difference in the temperature. 

 

On Friday,  Matukutela brought a basket for Sharyn and one for me as a gift.  

Matukutela

Nikki

Lillian

Nikki, Emily and I don't know the name of the lady behind me.

William checking out a problem with someones bakkie.

 World Vision was in Malipati from 1992 to 2001.  When they left they game the community the property.  There was a generator there that has not worked in several years.  The guys looked at it and they are going to send a few things in to help fix it. 

Mark and Pastor Zabbeth

Below, the taller gentleman is a Member of Parliament for that district.  He arrived in the middle of Mark teaching and Pastor Steven wanted to introduce him. So Mark stepped aside.  His name is Mr. Baloyi.  He professes to be a believer in Jesus Christ.  He said that he was honored that they would invite him to the pastor workshop.  He welcomed everyone and said it was a joy to be with us.  They were happy to host us.  He wanted to say three things

1.  he wants to invite all Christians to participate in all political matters in this place
2. he addressed William and the mission and thanked him for bringing the Gospel to them.  He quoted "give a man a fish and feed him for a day but teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime."
3. He said that when we come back we are most welcome.  Encouraged us to not let it just be once.  Said that we built a relationship now we need to develop that relationship. 

He said that they need people to come into this area and when they leave to leave them well equipped both spiritually and meeting needs.  He said he knows it is expensive and hard work but that God is in it. 

Member of Parliament Mr. Baloyi

 After he spoke, William was asked to say a few words.  He acknowledged that God called us to come to Malipati and we were obedient in that.  He recognized the other missionaries that were there years ago and faithfully taught and laid a foundation.  He said that we will be open to what God wants us to do in the mission as we seek for the Lord's wisdom.  

 

Mark wrapped up his session and he continued it the next day. 

Putting up the screen for the Jesus film

around 300 people came to watch the Jesus film

Saturday morning came and it was time to pack up and head back to Polokwane.  Of course once we got to Musina we stopped and enjoyed a nice breakfast. 

a stop at the Spur on the way home. 

 

 I will always be grateful the Lord allowed me to go to Zimbabwe with Mark.  I usually don't get to go on the monthly trainings with him since our kids are still in school.  So when this came up and they asked if I would like to go since Julia was here, I saw this as something the Lord wanted me to do.  

It was needed!  The Lord was not only doing a mighty work on the church in Zimbabwe but He was busy working in my life and Marks.  He used this week to renew a joy in us we haven't had in several months.  For that I praise the Lord!  It is so easy to get in such a routine of doing things while serving the Lord that sometimes we felt like we were missing something.  This is really hard to explain but while in Zim the Lord lifted us from that pit and gave us unspeakable joy in serving Him and for that I praise HIM!  

This was the email we received a few days after returning to Polokwane. 

Rev William & the Team!

On behalf of Sengwe Church we want to say thank you for responding to the call of God by coming to minister to us in a such a wonderful & amazing way. Really the seminar was one of its on kind, with in depth powerful teachings. Its our prayer that you continue to yield to what the Spirit of God wants you to do.

An echo of your messages still rings in our minds & its a great joy for the relationship which God has established among us. We believe the nurturing of this God given relationship is through God who began this good work in us.

Pass my tender greetings to your wife Sharyn, madhala Sean, Mark, Alicia & your families

Yours loving brother
Pastor Stephen

 

Thank you for praying for this conference in Zimbabwe. We ask that you would continue to pray for Samaria Mission as we continue to seek the Lord about HIS will for our involvement there in Zimbabwe.