Five of us left Johannesburg (four had started from Durban
at 6am) for Zimbabwe. We, Rupert Freese, Roland Minnie, Bruce Munro, Derrick and
Peter Lord have arrived at Chimoio two days later after some easy (relatively
speaking) border crossings. Our trip included 21 police check points travelling
through Zimbabwe all without incident.
We were hosted in Chimoio by Johan and Ann Celliers. Wow
what a welcome, fantastic hospitality and food and half a Springbok game thrown
in for good measure, Johan testified to us how he had grown closer to the Lord,
the Lord had really blessed him and now he had all that he had ever dreamed of.
Our Hosts in Chimoio Johan & Anne Celliers. Thanks Guys!
Ready for the Off at Johan & Ann's in Chimoio
One and a half hours of difficult dirt road through an army
checkpoint (that cost us R240.00) and Roland and I eventually arrived at
Morombodzi fellowship which sits on top of a mountain.
Morombodzi Fellowship
This fellowship is relatively remote. No hospital, no
school, no police and miraculously no mosquitoes. No mall and not evens a shop
but everyone was happy! The kids played in the dirt all day long and we
ministered the word.
Why is it so much easier to minister the word to people who
have nothing?
We finished ministering at 9:00 that night. The drums and
the dancing continued till 11:30. Thank the Lord for earplugs without which
sleep would have been short as the children are awake and noisy from 05:00 am.
Luxury Accommodation
We continued our ministry and left at 1:00 to collect Rupert
and the other brothers at a church close by (one and a half hours drive away).
Rupert was holding a bible school there with the leaders in the area.Rupert testified how the Lord was revealing sin in some of
the elders but then establishing a sound foundation in Christ in the Mozambique
church.
As we build a foundation the Lord is gracious enough to
reveal the sin that is stopping the growth in his church. Rupert had his own
personal problems there as there was no hot water for a shower so he hadn't washed for two days. He had also left the pump for his airbed back in Chimoio
so he had his own baptism into suffering but the Lord did His work and that is
what we are looking for – not our own comfort.
Luxury Showers
I had my own choice to make the next day as Rupert was
travelling a far way for two days with Elias and I was ministering in local
churches. I had the nice new bucky and Rupert needed it as Elias needed a
comfortable ride as his back was giving him problems. Not really a difficult
choice in Christ but difficult in our hearts. The Lord works in mysterious ways
as in the next church I ministered in Luke 18 and the rich young ruler who
would not sell his goods (or lend someone his new bucky?) and follow the Lord!
Polygamy is a problem in Mozambique and Malawi due to past
traditions of multiple wives and girlfriends. Cultural traditions are a real
problem in establishing the foundation but unless they are dealt with the
foundation is not strong as it is not from Christ.
The third day we ministered @Gerald’s church in Pina just
outside Chimoio on first principles. The fourth day we were at Bairro Cinco the
main church in the centre of the township in Chimoio. The fellowship was small
as most people were at work or at school but Jesus was there thank the Lord!
The bakkie we were using stays in Mozambique. It had been in
for a new clutch before we arrived. As we used it in the first three days we
realised that the low ratio 4 wheel drive lever had not been reconnected after
fitting the new clutch. Johan arranged that his driver would take the bakkie back to the garage while we were ministering and then bring it back after it
was fixed.
As we were ministering our interpreter Ernest got a call from his
wife to say that she had gone into labour and needed taking to the maternity
hospital same 4kms away. Ernest asked when the bakkie would be returning and I
said that the driver would bring it back as soon as it was fixed. He then
explained the problem to us and as he finished the driver arrived with the
bakkie together with Johan in another bakkie to take him back to work. We were
able to jump into the bakkie, drive to Ernest’s house and take his wife to the
maternity unit. Thank the Lord that when we are in him his plan is prefect!
We returned to the fellowship where everyone was having a
quiet drink waiting for our return to continue with the ministering. It is all
part of normal township life!
Lunch Break on the Road
We traveled to Malawi the following day and on Thursday we
started ministering in the Blantyre area. The first day was at the Kaiya
fellowship where we met with Thomas and had a blessed meeting in their brand
new church.
The church does not have a roof yet but they had erected a
tarpaulin sheet on poles. Without this we would have struggled as it was a
balmy 35°. As we ministered the church filled up to the point where we were
overflowing with spectators at both doors and all the windows. Testimony to the
Lord work that the pastor was putting in and the evidence of Jesus in him.
We
then went on to Kulanga fellowships about ten minutes drive away where we
ministered in a small township under a large tree.This was challenging as the
congregation was split into three distinct parts separated by several meters but the Lord prevails.
Typical Ministry
We went back to Thomas’s house where we erected the tent. It
had been a long day and at eight I was ready to call it a day when people
started arriving. Thomas said that we were going to have another meeting. I had
taken my malaria tablet and it had floored me and I could hardly stay awake let
alone minister. Fortunately Roland stepped into the breech and ministered about
the life of David. Two very grateful missionaries got to bed at 10:00.
The
following day we had the awesome experience (again) of going up the mountain to
the Gambatula fellowship. This is serious 4x4 territory with low ratio most of
the way. Diff lock had been needed in April but this time the road was more
compacted as there had been no rain since our visit in April.
Gambatula Fellowship
After ministering and lunch we left for Lousape which was
down the hill and about fifteen minutes drive. The fellowship has half a roof
so it is more fortunate then Kaia but compared to Karia it is dead! If a pastor
selflessly serves the lord the church thrives. If the pastor gets in the way of
the Lord’s work the church dies!!Fortunately the few people there actively participated in
and receive the message.
Lousape Fellowship
On Saturday we joined up with Mike Giel and traveled to
Scot in Palombe district. We ministered to a full church led by the pastor
Mcinda who is leading a strong healthy church. We traveled through to
Nomorgale that evening and stayed at Macnell’s house. We were due to minister
that night and we started the service at 08:00. The band played and the choir
sang till 10:15 and then Mike gave a short ministry to a church packed with
young believers who were there for the concert given by the Israeli band. Mike
ministered in the semi dark and it was very well received. We left for bed at
10:45 and the band continued till 02:30.
We started the following day at 09:00 with the band and
choir and started ministering at 10:30.
Great ministering before and then after band. We eventually left at 4:00. On
the way back to Blantyre we were flagged down by a group of people who said
that a car had just knocked down two of their party and then drove off and
would we help catch them! One of the party jumped in and we set off in hot
pursuit. After a really fast pursuit we eventually saw the car which turned off
into a tea plantation. We continued in hot pursuit and after 3 kms we overtook
the car! It was driven by a woman with two kids in the car! We left the young
man of the original party to sort out the problem.
We continued on the mission house where we were staying. We
normally get sole occupation of the mission but this time the lady doing the
booking had messed up and we had to share with two other people from UK. They
had never seen the like of a mission team before. One of them had a couple of
interesting comments on the team.
The first was one of amazement at the work
and the commitment shown by the team members and that guys from the UK would
never do that! The second was when we were all sharing one evening after
returning from our different churches we were having such fun in the lounge
sharing our experience and laughing and joking that he put his head around the
corner and asked what we were drinking that we were all so happy! He did not
understand the joy of being in the Spirit when a team is of one accord!
Team on Fire for the Lord at Lake Kyle
We returned home with joy in our heart after having done the Lord’s will.
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